Leonard laughs to himself and I follow his gaze over my shoulder to the other couch.
Where Jesse, Cody, and Mason all sit shoulder to shoulder, arms crossed, eyes lasering in on me like I just committed a crime.
I just asked permission for their sister’s hand in marriage. The heat rising in my ears is almost unbearable. I wouldn’t be surprised if they could see through my shirt, because I’m sweating bullets.
Addison and I have come a long way. The anxiety that used to hold her back barely surfaces anymore. We’ve been out to dinner more times than I can count, and she came along to my family’s vacation without more than a small flare-up. Something like that would’ve been an immediate no just a year ago.
We’ve always talked about the serious things, the future, but lately, it’s all we’ve been discussing. What we want, our goals, our dreams, where we want to be in the next few years and even the long-term. It doesn’t feel scary for either of us. It just feels right. Simple as that. There’s no doubt that we’re ready for the next step.
“You guys, ease up,” Maureen scolds lightly, eyeing all of them with that signature Mom Scowl. I watch all their chests sink in, releasing the air they were holding.
“So. What do you think?” I look back to Leonard, but my eyes want to find Maureen’s. She’s less intimidating.
He looks at his wife, and a single sharp nod follows. “We’re good with it,” he says.
Tears glisten in Maureen’s eyes as she says, “There’s no one more perfect for her.” And while I’m waiting to feel relieved, I don’t. Not yet.
I shift in my seat and look to her brothers. “You guys? I want your answers too, because I know how protective you all are.”
They all look at one another, like they’re speaking through their eyes.
“You’ve got our blessing,” Jesse says, speaking for the group. I can’t help the smile that tugs at the corners of my mouth. Now the relief is hitting harder than ever before.
I exhale so heavily they all laugh at me.
“You really thought we were gonna say no?” Leonard asks,chuckling.
“No, I didn’t, but still, it’s a little terrifying to face all of you at once,” I point out.
Once the laughter dies down, everyone gets up. Maureen gives me a hug and tells me once more how excited she is.
“Just don’t push her into getting married as soon as possible. She’ll need time to adjust to the whole idea, I think,” she says.
“I know. I’m not. I don’t even know how I want to ask yet,” I say.
“You could use a cow,” Mason suggests, and everyone looks at him.
“A cow?” Maureen questions.
“Yeah, like shave out the question on its hair.” He gestures as if he’s acting it out. We all exchange a look.
“This is why Mason is single,” Cody says, which prompts a slap in the back of the head from Mason.
“You want to make her cry, you take her somewhere with a view. Have a speech prepared, do the whole thing. She’d love that,” Cody suggests.
“Addison? Your sister?” Leonard questions, but Jesse chimes in before he can answer.
“No. Take it from me.” He presses his palm to his chest. “You know it’s true love when you ask her in her bedroom at 6 a.m. and wing the speech part.”
Cody crosses his arms and cocks his head at Jesse. “And why were you in Ella’s bedroom at 6 a.m.?”
Jesse’s face goes blank, not realizing how bad that sounded until now. “She was sick, we accidentally fell asleep—”
“Oh, excuses, excuses,” Cody interrupts.
They all carry on a little longer, none of those ideas particularly stick out to me. I know I’ll figure it out, I just need tothink about it more.
I head back to the farm in a daze. And before I get in bed, I look at the ring I have hidden in the back of my sock drawer again. I hope she likes it. I think she will. It’s not too showy or anything, the diamond isn’t huge. The second I saw it three years ago, I knew it was the one for her.
