Jim frowned at her again. “I don’t think what I have to say will come as much of a surprise to you as you were Tasha’s shopping pal this morning, so stay, please.”
Juan returned Tasha’s smiled and moved back to stand next to Philip.
“Tasha and I wanted you to be the first to know—”
Lizzie interrupted, “Tasha’s pregnant!”
“No. She’s not,” said Tasha, slightly offended that as soon as they started awe’ve got something to tell youconversation someone immediately jumped to that conclusion.
“So,” continued Jim, “Tasha is not pregnant, but I have asked her to marry me and she has said yes.”
“Yay,” screamed Lizzie as Philip hugged Tasha tightly.
“Can I call you mommy when we’re out?” asked Philip a little too seriously.
“No.” Tasha laughed as Lizzie released her and hugged her dad.
“Daddy, I knew you and Tasha would be together from the first time I saw her,” she cried.
“You told Juan before me?” Philip sounded slightly upset.
Tasha shrunk slightly as she admitted, “Kind of, it just came out when we were talking earlier, sorry.”
“I suppose I’ll have to forgive you as it was my idea for you two to hit the shops without me.” Philip hugged her again.
“Right, we need to go or we’ll be late and we have strict instructions,” Jim reminded them all as they made their way to the door.
“Let’s see the ring,” said Juan.
Everyone turned to look at her, including Jim who went from wearing a big grin to an annoyed frown in an instant when he realised she wasn’t wearing her ring. With a quick dash upstairs Tasha put the ring on before returning to a chorus of,wowfrom Lizzie and Juan.
It appeared Philip had far more to say when he said dryly, “So how much of my inheritance has been squandered on this sparkly trinket?”
Tasha laughed and replied honestly, “I dread to think, but once I’m your wicked stepmother I may have you cut out of the will completely and spend all of your inheritance on shoes and sexy underwear.”
“Daddy, please don’t let her do that. I am too pretty to be poor,” pleaded Philip melodramatically.
Tasha laughed again with Philip.
“I would rather you both stopped killing me off before my time, but if we don’t go now we will be late and it will be your grandparents killing me off, now come on.”
****
The journey to the vineyard was quiet, but not a particularly uncomfortable silence. They were almost there before Jim addressed her lack of an engagement ring earlier that evening. “Did you forget the ring on purpose?”
“No, of course not. I really did just forget.” She hoped to reassure him, to convince him that she wasn’t having second thoughts about accepting his proposal. She placed the hand wearing the ring on his knee and gently squeezed it.
Jim covered her hand with his and stroked the soft skin of her fingers and toyed with her ring before turning off the road to take them to the vineyard.
Entering the house, they were greeted warmly by the rather large number of family members suggesting they were the last to arrive.
Tasha wasn’t sure how Jim had intended to announce his plan to marry her, but she was certain he hadn’t intended for Lizzie to do it for him which is exactly what she did.
“Daddy and Tasha are getting married,” she screamed, then proceeded to grab Tasha’s hand and wafted it around to show off her ring.
Tasha lost track of who was kissing and hugging her, but was glad when they were all led to a table in a formal dining room where they all sat around to a traditional roast dinner. She was relieved to find herself between Jim and Bobby.
“Congratulations or commiserations, I’m not sure which,” Bobby said to her.
