I cup Cameron’s face, making him look at me. “Please,” I say. “Whatever it is, just tell me.”
He takes a deep breath, fumbles in the pocket of his jeans, and pulls something out. He holds it up to me. It’s a velvet ring box the colour of a rose. Everything goes quiet.
“What,” I say.
He flips it open with his thumb. An oval-shaped pink stone glitters up at me, scattering flecks of light. It’s set in a silver ring band and nestled between two smaller diamonds.
“What?” I repeat.
Cameron clears his throat. “’S a pink sapphire,” he tells me. “Told the jeweller you needed three stones. As sparkly as they could get. Took ages to get the design right.”
“What?” I cry.
Alec and Fraser both take a knee. Suddenly, I’m the one hyperventilating.
“We know it’s not…conventional,” Alec says softly. “We know the government won’t accept it, and no officiant alive would actually marry us. But it’s a promise.”
“A promise,” I whisper.
He nods. “We love you, Summer. No matter what happens, we’ll stay with you. We’re a family now.”
Fraser nods. “We don’t need a bit of paper to call you our wife, baby. We don’t need a wedding.” His eyes crinkle. “But, you being you, wedidfigure we needed the accessory.”
I don’t know what to say. My mind has gone blank. Cameron carefully takes out the ring. “Aye?” he asks.
“Aye!” I burst out. “I mean, yes! Yes, yes, yes. Oh my God, yes.”
His shoulders slump like he’s relieved. Like he thought I might sayno.I hold out my hand, and he gently slides the ring onto my finger. All four of us stare at it shimmering against my skin, pink and sparkly and a tiny bit ridiculous. It’s someI could cry.
“It matches my nails,” I murmur, turning my hand.
“S’why I made you get them,” Cameron says gruffly. “Seems like the kind of thing that would be important to you.”
“That is so romantic,” I whisper.
He lifts my hand and presses a kiss to the ring on my finger. My heart flutters like a bird.
“Why are you still on one knee?” I hear Alec say.
I turn to see Fraser fumbling around in his pocket. “’Cause I’m not done proposing yet,” he says cheerfully, pulling out adark-green ring box. “Mate. I’ve known you since we were both kids. Will you be my husband-in-law?” He snaps the lid open. Alec rolls his eyes, and Fraser looks hurt. “Baby, tell him to stop jilting me, this is so embarrassing.”
I stare at the three gold bands inside the box. “You guys got rings too?”
Fraser nods. “Cameron’s idea. We’re all together now, weird wee family that we are.”
“You’re not just ours,” Cameron says into my hair.
Oh.“You’re mine too,” I say, and the thought trembles inside me. “Give them here then.”
Fraser passes over the box, and I look at the three golden rings gleaming against the silk. My throat tightens. How did I get this lucky?
“Come here,” I say softly. Alec and Fraser kneel in front of me, and I carefully slide the rings onto their fingers. Each time I do, it feels like something slides into place inside me.Mine,my heart sings.Mine.
I look up at Cameron. “Give me your hand.” He does, and I gently slide the last ring on his calloused finger. “Mine,” I tell him.
He rolls his eyes. “Wee princess,” he mutters, but he can’t hide the flush creeping up his neck. I fist a hand in his shirt and kiss him hard. When we pull apart, we’re both gasping. He rests his forehead against mine. “Love you,” he tells me like it’s a secret.
“I love you,” Fraser says, winding an arm around me and nuzzling my cheek. “And I love you too, wee sunshine.” He pats my stomach.
