Logan—or Grandma,maybe?—tapped on the kitchen table.
“Is that too soon?” Loganasked. “It’s just… I want to give him stability. Certainty. Something he knowshe can hang onto. He’s been through so much and he’s so strong, but he shouldn’thavetobe. Do I sound ridiculous?”
A pause.
Stability?
Did he mean…?
I swallowed as quietly as Icould.
Did I want that, if that waswhat he meant? Would I marry Logan?
Yes.
I didn’t even have tothink about it, not really. OfcourseI’d marry Logan.
There wasn’t anyone outthere better than him, and even if therewas, I didn’t want them. Iwanted him. It’d always been him.
I’d never imagined that therecould be someone like him out there. Especially not someone who might want mejust as much.
“Just so we’re on the samepage,” Grandma said slowly. “You’re talking about asking him to marry you.”
Another pause.
Blood rushed in my ears whileI waited for a response. My breathing sped up, and the back of my neck prickledwith heat.
“Yeah,” Logan said quietly. “Isthat stupid?”
I had to announce myself. Icouldn’tlisten to this in secret any longer.
Not when Logan sounded sofull of doubt and I was sosure.
I poked my head around thecorner, waving at both of them.
“Hi,” I said. “I, umm. I waslistening in. Sorry.”
Logan looked down at thepuzzle, blushing bright crimson all the way down his neck.
“It’s not stupid,” I said,taking a step forward. “You… you don’t have to ask now, but… when you do,ifyou do, I won’t think it’sstupid. Okay?”
It took a second, but whenLogan looked up again, there was so much hope and love in his eyes that Iwanted to rush forward and kiss him breathless.
Grandma wouldn’t haveobjected, exactly, but Istill didn’treally want to climb into my boyfriend’s lap in front of her. Not when athousand filthy things I wanted to do to him were bouncing around in my brain.
Logan rubbed the back of hisneck, like he always did when he was nervous.
I loved that about him. Ilovedeverythingabout him, but I adored that he was so expressive. Hemight have been the strong, silent type, except his body language alwaysscreamed his feelings so loud he might as well have been giving a runningcommentary of his innermost thoughts. Now that I knew what to look for, I couldread him like a picture book.
“I’m not gonna ask now,”Logan said, firm, as though he was telling himself more than he was telling me.“I want it to be nice.”
Of course he did.
I walked over, taking theseat next to him, and took one hand to hold with both of mine. “Whenever you’reready,” I said. “But if it takes you too long, I might ask first.”
“I’d be okay with that,” heresponded, a spark of hope in his eyes.
Maybe Iwouldaskfirst.
