"Konstantin! You must toast!" My mother is beaming. "You have girlfriend now! You must say something!"
I should decline. Should keep it simple. Should not do what I'm about to do.
But I've been lying for four days. To my family, to myself about why I brought her here.
I'm done lying.
I stand. Pick up my glass.
"I'm not good at speeches," I start.
"Then keep it short!" someone yells. Everyone laughs.
"Four days ago, I came here under false pretenses. My mother told everyone I had a girlfriend. I didn't." I look at Jemma. She's watching me with wide eyes. "But I did have someone I'd been... interested in. For a long time."
My mother is nodding encouragingly.
"So I brought her here. Asked her to pretend. To help me avoid embarrassing my mother." I pause. "That was the plan. Pretend for five days. Then go back to our normal lives."
Jemma's hand is gripping her glass so tight her knuckles are white.
"But something happened. Something I didn't expect." I can't look away from her. "I fell in love with her. Actually fell in love. Not the obsession I'd been feeling for months. Real love. The kind that makes you want to be better. The kind that makes you believe in things you stopped believing in years ago."
The room is completely silent.
"Jemma, I know this started wrong. I know I didn't give you much choice. But being here with you these past four days—watching you with my family, seeing you fit into my life so perfectly—I realized something." I set down my glass and turn to her fully. "I don't want this to be pretend anymore. I don't want you to leave after Christmas. I want you to stay. With me. Forever."
She stares at me, a tear rolling down her cheek. Her mascara is long gone.
"I love you. I've loved you since the first time you smiled at me. And I'm done pretending I don't. I'm done hiding it." I reach into my pocket and pull out the small box I've been carrying for two days.
Jemma's eyes go wide.
"Marry me."
It's not a question. It's a demand. A plea. Everything I am laid bare in front of my family.
The room explodes.
My mother is sobbing. Dimitri is laughing. Everyone is talking at once.
But I'm only looking at Jemma.
She stands slowly. Walks around the table to me. Her eyes are streaming tears but she's smiling.
She holds out her left hand.
"Put the ring on," she says.
"Is that a yes?"
"That's a yes. Of course it's a yes."
I slide the ring onto her finger. Then I kiss her in front of everyone. Claiming her. Showing everyone that she's mine.
When I pull back, my mother is sobbing so hard Anya has to hold her up.
"MY BOY! MY BOY IS GETTING MARRIED!"
