“Well, I like that.” He kisses the back of my hand again. “What kind of ring do you want?”
“Now,thatcan be big and flashy,” I say, wrinkling my nose as I flash a toothy smile.
“Really?” he asks again.
“Yeah. I want people to know I’m engaged before they have to get too close.”
Ryder laughs. “I’ll see what I can do then.”
“You really need to tell your parents you have a girlfriend before I show up with a ring on my finger.”
“I know,” he says with a nod. “When we get back to Asheville, I will.”
“Will you really?” I raise my eyebrows. It’s not the first time he’s told me he was going to tell them. Usually it’s followed by some sort of excuse that’s hard to buy: they just got back from a trip, someone isn’t feeling well, he sat down and played a card game with his two brothers and the ‘right time’ just didn’t come up.
“I will.”
“Good.” I smile and circle my thumb over the back of his hand. “Because we can’t go forward with stuff until they know.”
“You’re right. Don’t worry, babe.” We drive for a few minutes in silence and I can’t stop thinking about how perfect things are right now. He wants to propose! He asked me about rings! “Maybe we can take a year off.”
“From hunting?”
“Yeah. Or just do our own thing. It would be nice to stay in one place for a while.”
“Seriously. And decorate a house,” I say.
“And a kid’s room someday.”
We’ve had the vagueI want a familytalk, but nothing ever too serious. “We would have a cute kid,” I tell him.
“I hope it will look like you. Or at least have your eyes.”
“Green eyes are superior,” I joke. “If it’s a boy, I hope he looks just like you.”
“But with your eyes.”
I part my lips, almost afraid to say it but then I tighten my grip on Ryder’s hand. “What if we do have a kid and, uh, it has powers? Powers like I do.”
“Honestly,” he starts and I hold my breath. “I hope our kids do. Using magic is badass. I would be lying if I said every single Order member who sees you in action isn’t jealous. Just look at Liss.”
“You’re right,” I say with a snort of laughter. “Things would have been a lot easier tonight if I could have hit the demons with a blast of energy.”
“It’s so hot watching you take out demons with magic.”
I look at Ryder as he talks and for half a second, his expression doesn’t match what he’s saying. Then he squeezes my hand and smiles at me, putting my unease to rest.
“What about your parents?”
“What about them?”
I raise my eyebrows. “Would they be okay with a grandchild who has powers? And even saying it like that…” I bite my lip.. “It lessens the blow of sayingwitch.”
“They’ll just be happy to have another grandchild. They remind me almost daily that my younger brother is married with two kids and I’m the shame of the family, being in my thirties and still single.”
I let out a snort of laughter and shake my head. The Russos aren’t as traditional as the Makana family, and I have a hard time understanding why they cling to these so-called traditions as much as they do. Just because somethingwasdoesn’t meanit should remain. Antonio is older than Ryder, so by his parents’ logic, Antonio is bringing shame upon our family as well.
Both of Ryder’s brothers are married and while their wives are technically hunters as well, they’ve traded their weapons for diapers and bottles and all live together in one rather mid-sized house, raising babies and making dinner while the boys go out and kill demons.
