My phone pings with a text, and I still hold onto Court while I dig it out of my pocket.
Food is getting cold. I hope you’re close.
“Grammie’s worried that we’re late. We should probably head out so we can tell them the good news.”
“What good news?” Court asks with a smile.
“Something about you getting sponsored by a major brand.” I lean in to give him a quick peck on the lips and then start walking out of the building.
“What about the other thing?”
I look at him and blink. “What other thing?” Igrin at him, so he knows that I know what he’s talking about.
Nodding, he says, “Right. That other thing.”
He reaches for my hand, lacing our fingers together like he’s afraid I might disappear before he can say it properly.
“I just want to make sure you know,” he says, quieter now, “that I mean it. All of it. The asking you here. The big version. The in-front-of-your-grandparents version. The get-down-on-one-knee-without-tripping version.”
My grin softens.
“I figured,” I say.
He squeezes my hand. “Good. Because I’m not crossing that line halfway.”
And neither am I.
