Chapter 40 #3
My parents begin reluctantly nodding, then vigorously, and give him the oh, just go for it gesture.
Despite the shock I’m most definitely in, I laugh along with a few thousand other people because did he seriously rehearse this with them?
The mist wafting down from the cauldron is the perfect Maddy-pink shade now and smells just like how Jett tasted the first time we kissed.
The band is playing a lovely, soft version of Drive as Jett takes the ring out of the box.
The cameras are still on my parents, which is so cute because they are tearing up now, but Jett snaps his fingers at the operator like a petulant child.
“Hey, zoom the fuck in on this! You’ve heard of a Princess cut, you’ve heard of a pillow cut, what about a fucking coffin cut? What do you think, little ravens?!”
His fans wail, and I don’t blame them.
“What about you, Mrs. Raven? Do you like it?” I nod like I just took amphetamines, and he laughs. “Does it look like something a proper auntie’s boy would pick out?”
I shake my head saying, “Hell no!” so hard my wig nearly flies off.
The ring doesn’t just take my breath away; it sucks my entire soul out through my mouth as I stand there gaping at it.
It can only be described as a vintage four-carat diamond in the most pristine coffin shape, set in a delicate, black gold band.
He nears it to my shaking hand, and now we’re both crying.
“Does that mean after today’s fresh hell that you finally trust that being mine doesn’t come with caveats, expiration dates, or hookups with horny drummers in the middle of the fucking night?”
The cameras zoom in on Kennedy, and everyone bursts out laughing as he throws his hands up in an I didn’t do anything, I’m totally innocent gesture.
“Yes.” I grin. “I trust you and I love you, more than you love Jaffa cakes and Tetley and whiskey combined!”
“And you’ll love me till I’m in one of these?” he asks, hovering the coffin over my ring finger.
“Longer!”
“Good, because I love you, Matilda Rose Morningstar, more than you love horror films and pumpkin spice and whiskey combined, and I’ll never stop. So … will you marry me?”
The pyrotechnics explode on both sides of the stage, sparks showering far too close for comfort.
I’m feeling slightly fried, and the false lashes Kel put on me start to melt off, but I don’t care.
I’m giggling and giddy, trying to pull him up to me.
“Duh!” According to Mick, this is all I ever wanted, and I can’t help but admit she’s right.
He slips the megawatt coffin on my finger, then lets me yank him up until his lips are smashing into mine.
They taste like crisp apple and victory and forever.
He swings me around, and I accidentally side-eye ourselves on a big screen.
We look like a fucking mess with blood smeared all over us as he releases my lips and holds my hand up triumphantly.
Everyone is screaming, but just for him, I say, “Yes, I want forever. Please, sir?”
He kisses my forehead. “Then you’ll have forever, my princess always gets what she wants. But I still have to share you, since you were their baby first.” I turn to see my entire family climbing onstage to cover us with green zombie kisses and congratulations.
“You all knew, didn’t you?”
Mum grins. “Well, someone had to plan the Halloween-themed engagement party we’re about to head to after this!”
My dad wipes at his eye. “What do you think, Baby? Still the worst day of your life?”
“From worst to best?” Britta asks, gawking at my ring.
“Worst to best ever,” I confirm.
“Well, you did it, Baby.” Mum and Dad throw their arms around Jett and me, preparing for that creepy unison thing. “You picked the right fucking rockstar!”
“Only one more thing to do.” Jett grins wickedly. “Got your best camera, J? And Lo, video?”
My siblings nod, and Jesus, what’s next? Jett walks me to the very edge of the stage where his fans are still going mental, and I’m blowing them kisses because he’s blowing them kisses, they make him happy, and that makes me happy.
“Jett, what are we doing?”
“Same thing we did eight years ago, Baby. We’re going to jump, time to take the leap together for real!”
Clutching my hand, Jett turns our backs towards the crowd, and I’m about to worry that his fans will pull a Mean Girls and let me drop to the ground when he says, “Don’t worry, they’ve got us.
” And that word doesn’t have an expiration date; it means I don’t have to worry about anything anymore. “Ready, set, fall, Baby!”
And since I wasted so much time, I’m always ready to fall for this man.
Jett pushes backwards off the stage with his boots, hurdling us into the hands of his fans.
And I don’t die. And no one drops me. Their hands are supportive and firm on our backs as they carry us slowly away from the stage.
They whisper scream with what voices they have left, their I love yous to Jett and god damn you’re luckys to me.
Jett never lets go of my hand, and the fans couldn’t be more right. I am so god damn lucky.