Chapter 22 Whitney #2
Gabe whistles. “Me too.” He actually tries to walk right along with us.
“Oh, no,” I say, jabbing him in the chest. “Not so fast. We have no idea what kind of security they have, and you’re not bullet proof.”
“Neither are you,” Gabe says.
“But my boyfriend is, and I’ve gotten way better at using wind.”
After a lot of complaining, Gabe finally lets us go without him. “But you have to bring back some for me.”
“Duh,” I say. “That’s the point.”
“And who’s going to sell them?” Gabe asks.
“I can do that,” I say. “I negotiate way better than either of you.”
“Plus, I’m still a minor for a month,” Gabe says. “Which is why I need that money for college, and soon.”
“I know,” I say. “I know.”
We drop Gabe off, and then ten minutes later, Xolotl and I are standing on the remote edge of the mine in Botswana.
“I did not think this through,” I say.
“How so?” Xolotl looks around. “I don’t see any hostiles. I think the location you chose was a good one.”
I shuck my coat off, and then I tug off my sweater. “December in Botswana’s hot.” I’m already panting. “You better hurry. Also, you know, going fast is a good idea so that no one finds us.”
Xolotl smiles. “You want me to find the rocks like the ones in the jewelry store your brother took me to.”
I nod. “Exactly—” I blink. “Wait, Gabe took you to a jewelry store?”
“Before Christmas,” he says. “But I thought you’d prefer a gun.”
I can’t help my smile. “You did well.”
“Do you like diamonds?”
I shrug. “They’re fine, I guess.”
He nods, and then he closes his eyes. A moment later, he opens them, and then he holds out his hands, fingers spread, and he shifts them in a small circle, then another.
Thirty seconds later, stones start popping up out of the dirt all around us.
“I selected for large ones. I thought that might be for the best.”
My eyeballs nearly pop out. There are at least eighty large rocks in a variety of shapes and sizes littering the ground in front of us. “You—this is—that’s amazing.” I pull out my bag, and I start bending over and picking them up.”
Xolotl clears his throat.
I stand. “What?”
He waves his hand in a wide circle, and then a wind gust picks up just the rocks and deposits them all into my bag. It’s a good thing I brought a large backpack, because some of them are as large as my fist. “There are some men coming our way. We might want to go now.”
He doesn’t have to tell me twice. I rush right over to him.
But he doesn’t lift me up and blast off, so to speak.
Instead, he drops to one knee. “I did find one stone that’s prettier than all the others.
Her name’s Whitney.” He’s smiling. “And I’ve done some research on this.
I know your sister’s wedding is in two weeks, and I don’t mean to step on her toes, but I hear that if I like you, I should put a ring on you. ” His eyebrows rise.
I hear shouts coming from behind us. He wasn’t kidding about the men.
“If you say yes, I promise to portal you to safety.” He grins. “And I have this, which we can set in any ring you like.” He flips his hand over. “Like you, it’s the nicest gem in the entire mine.” It’s a large, sparkly, and completely clear diamond the size of my watch face.
“It’s too big,” I say.
“We can cut it to any size you want.” He grins. “Is it a yes, or a no?”
“There are men behind us, and I hear them getting closer. Maybe you should ask me another time.” I purse my lips. “Hmm?”
He shakes his head. “I think this is the perfect time for you and me. Our life may not ever be anything approaching normal, but it will always be full of excitement, just like this.” He waves his hand, and the three men behind us, all holding guns, lift up into the air. “Say yes, or I’ll let them down.”
“You think you have to coerce me into marrying you?” I raise one eyebrow.
“If that’s what it takes, I’ll do it. I’ll do anything for you.”
I grab his arm and lift him up. “You’ve already done everything for me, including changing who you are and what your purpose in life is.”
“And I’ll change everything else, if that’s what it takes.”
I yank him down and kiss him then, and then we portal off, finally freeing the poor guards as we pop back to Utah.
“So?” Gabe’s eyes are wide. “Did you get them?”
“We didn’t.” I frown. “There were guards everywhere.”
Gabe moans in a very satisfying way. “Come on. Then we need to try somewhere else.”
“You made this bed,” I say. “I think you should lie in it.”
“Wait.” Gabe steps closer to Xolotl. “You looked surprised when she said that.” Gabe snatches my bag from me, and his mouth drops open. “This thing weighs a hundred pounds. You’re lying.”
I smile, then. “I was lying, but I’m not lying about this.” I hold out my hand, palm up, displaying my new diamond. “This one’s for me—we’re engaged.”
“And I’m the first to know!” Gabe struts around the room, doing the strangest dance and cheer. “Another villain turned hero in the family.”
“There’s hope for you yet,” I say. “Gabriel Brooks.”
Even Xolotl laughs at that.