She gasps so loud I swear it bounces off the mountain.
Her hands clap her cheeks.
Her eyes flash like amber gold, all swirling glitter.
“Oh my God! Holy fuckeroo, are you—oh man. Youare. You’re serious.” She swallows hard.
For a second, I hesitate. Is this too much, too soon?
“No joke. I fell stupid in love with you before I could even figure out what was happening. There hasn’t been a moment since where I haven’t wanted to make you mine in every way that matters.”
“Y-y-you are serious. Oh my God.” Here come the tears, and they’re so happy my grin digs into my face.
“I hiked all the way up here with this ring, didn’t I?” I push it toward her again. “And I’m asking you properly, like a true gentleman. You can skip hanging the medal around my neck. Just give me ayes.”
“Yes!” she screams, shaking like a leaf as she throws herself into my arms. The Lena missile knocks me onto my back, and we go down together, laughing. “Get up, get up, you lunk! Of course I’ll marry you. I’ll pick you every time.”
I take the ring as she holds out a finger, then I slide it on.
“Oh, wow. You kept it and ... did you have it resized? It fits better,” she whispers in awe.
“Told you once, I’m doing this properly this time.”
And then, because I can’t wait a second longer, I kiss my fiancée hard, fingers in her hair. She tastes like salt and the rest of my life, and when I pull away, resting my forehead against hers, I think a few of those tears on her cheeks might be mine.
Tell no one.
“I love you,” she says through her tears. “I’m just surprised. I didn’t think you’d ask again so soon.”
“What’s the point in waiting? When you know, you know, and I knew before our engagement ever ended.”
She winces. “It never should have.”
“It’s better this way. You know why I kept the ring?”
I have to wait to answer when Queenie returns, joining our excitement with a flash of leaping black fur. I’m damn glad she’s as old as she is.
I catch her about a second before she lands on Lena’s head.
But we’re laughing like crazy, the dog adding her frenzied yips to our chaos.
When Queenie finally lies down to catch her breath, we stare at the ring in the gorgeous light. The way it sparkles on her hand. Traditional, elegant, and unmistakably Lena.
“Tell me now. Why did you keep it?”
“Because it’s you,” I tell her. She smiles. “Because I love how it looks, and I love when it’s the only thing you’re wearing, more than anything in the world.”
“It’s kinda perfect, I’ll admit.” She holds out her hand, and I kiss it like the lovesick freak I am.
“Just like you, Miss Joly. Next step, Mrs. Pruitt.” I claim her lips again.
My fiancée. My final destination.
Finally, my wife for real.
XXVII
Hotdoggin’
