“Your turn,” I say.
He offers me his left hand with exaggerated gallantry, bowing slightly like a medieval knight who definitely had too much mead.
“Hold still,” I warn.
“I am incredibly still,” he replies, swaying.
“You are absolutely not.”
I slide the ring onto his finger.
It goes down easily at first.
Then it sticks halfway.
We both stare at it.
The ring glints under the chapel lights like it’s openly mocking us.
“…Huh,” he says.
“It’s not budging.”
“I can see that,” Jake mutters, attempting to shove it down himself. “Come on, you little devil.”
He squints at it like intimidation might work.
“Okay. Nothing to it but brute force. Go for it, Talia.”
“Are you sure?”
“Commitment requires sacrifice.”
And because we are both deeply intoxicated and incapable of making measured decisions, I push.
“Motherf—” Jake bites out, cutting himself off as I push harder.
“Stopflexing!”
“I’m not.”
I twist slightly.
He yelps.
Gary sighs like he’s seen worse.
And then suddenly—
The ring slides the rest of the way down.
We both exhale.
Jake lifts his hand, admiring the explosion of sparkles catching the light.
“Who knew a ring could be such an annoying little bugger?” he mutters.
“And now,” Gary says, clearly eager to wrap this up as he lifts his hands in something resembling a blessing, “by the power vested in me by the state of Nevada, I now pronounce you husband and wife.”
