Her laugh warms something deep in my chest. But there’s an undercurrent of nervousness in her posture as she perches on the edge of my desk, closer than strictly necessary but not quite close enough to touch.
“Speaking of change,” she says, fiddling with the bracelet that now glows softly whenever I’m near, “I believe we have some business to discuss.”
I straighten, falling back on centuries of formal training. “Indeed. Your contract—”
“Expires today, yes.” She takes a deep breath. “Which is why I wanted to discuss… potential amendments to our agreement.”
Her words make me pause, caught off guard by the slight tremor in her voice. This is my Aubrey, who faced down Nalini’s venom with sass and stood her ground against ancient magic. To hear uncertainty in her tone now…
“Amendments?” I keep my voice carefully neutral, though my fingers itch to reach for the ring box.
“Well…” She picks up an hourglass from my desk, turning it over in her hands. “I’ve been thinking about our original arrangement. The terms were pretty straightforward—five weeks of work to pay off my debt. But given recent… developments…” Her cheeks flush slightly. “Maybe we could discuss a more permanent position?”
I blink. Surely she isn’t…
“I mean,” she continues quickly, words tumbling out faster now, “I know the shop’s ledgers better than anyone except you. And I’ve modernized half your systems already. Plus, there’s all those cursed items in the basement that still need cataloging, and Mrs. Brindlewood would probably cry if I left—”
“Aubrey.”
“—and I promise I’ll stop feeding the alley cat during inventory, even though he’s clearly starving for both food and affection—”
“Aubrey.”
“—and okay, maybe I reorganized your ritual components by color instead of traditional elemental associations, but you have to admit it looks better—”
“Aubrey.” I capture her nervous hands in mine, unable to suppress a low chuckle. “Are you attempting to propose to me through a job negotiation?”
Her mouth opens, closes, opens again. The blush deepens. “I… might be? Unless that’s weird. Is that weird? Oh God, it’s totally weird, isn’t it? I just thought, since you’re all about formal agreements and proper procedures—”
I silence her with a kiss, soft and swift, before reaching for my desk drawer.
“My impossible, brilliant human,” I murmur, drawing out the ring box. “You’ve managed to completely derail my own carefully laid plans…”
“Plans? What plans?”
I open the ancient bronze box, revealing the ring nestled within. The metal gleams with old magic, intricate patterns that nicely match the protective runes on her bracelet winding through the band. Aubrey’s eyes widen, her lips forming a perfect ‘o’ of surprise.
“I had an entire speech prepared,” I admit, enjoying the way her pulse quickens beneath my fingers. “About how you’ve transformed not just my shop, but my entire existence. How you face down ancient magic and murderous exes with nothing but wit and courage. How watching you reorganize my filing system shouldn’t be captivating, and yet…”
“Are you saying my spreadsheet skills seduced you?” Her voice wavers between laughter and tears.
“Among other things.” I lift the ring from its velvet nest. “This was crafted centuries ago, meant to bind two souls together through any trial. I know perhaps it’s a bit… much?”
She shakes her head, laughing softly. “It’s perfect.” Her eyes sparkle as she stares at me, seemingly waiting for something. “So… are you going to actually ask me the question, or should I submit a formal application in triplicate?”
I rise from my chair, moving before her. The ring catches the light, ancient magic responding to her presence.
“Aubrey Garrett,” I begin, then pause as she slips off the desk to stand before me. “Would you do me the honor of binding your life to mine?” I take her hand. “Of sharing not just my shop and my home, but every moment I have left? Though I warn you, accepting means enduring Mrs. Brindlewood’s marriage advice for the rest of our years.”
A tear escapes down her cheek, but her smile could outshine the sun. “Well, when you put it that way… I suppose I can handle Mrs. Brindlewood’s medieval-age advice. What I’mnotso sure I can handle is Maggie’s smugness at knowing we were a match from day one.”
“Well? Is that a ‘yes’?”
“It’s an ‘absolutely, you ridiculous snake man.’”
I slide the ring onto her finger as if it was crafted for her alone. The moment it settles, golden light ripples between it and herbracelet, ancient magic recognizing its mate. Aubrey gasps softly at the sensation.
“Oh,” she breathes. “That feels…”
