“Yeah, of course. Everything all right?”
I cleared my throat and counted to ten.Here goes nothing.“Serena, I know that you don’t believe in marriage—fuck, you know that I don’t either, so I am not asking you to marry me. I am asking you to be with me. Only me, for the rest of your life. No strings, no paperwork. Just two people together because deep down in their soul they know it is the right thing to do. Come on tour with us. Stay with me. Leave this place and run wild with me for the rest of our lives.”
She took a deep breath, staring into my eyes as hers welled with tears. “I am so in love with you, it's insane and it scares the ever-living shit out of me. No one has ever had me questioning my entire life the way you have, and at the same time I'm addicted to the way you make me feel.”
I sat there paralyzed, hoping she would continue, but she just sat there, tears ready to fall. “Is that a yes?”
She smiled and wiped away the one escaped droplet. “Colt, I want nothing more than to spend every minute of the rest of our lives not being married to you.”
I crushed my lips to hers before reaching for the drawer in the coffee table. “I was hoping you’d say something like that.” I reached in and pulled out two ring boxes.
“What did you do?” She stared at the velvety cases in my hands as her cheeks got red.
“Well, I know we’re not getting married, but that doesn't mean I don't want other guys to know you’re taken, and I thought it was only fair for me to wear one if I expected you to have a ring on your finger.”
I opened both of the boxes, showing her the two silver bands. Mine was plain and hers had a large solitaire circular diamond. “These were my grandparents’. My mom saved them for me and couldn’t be happier that you’re going to be wearing her mother’s ring.”
Serena gaped at me, quickly glancing down at the sparkling stone. “Is this real life?”
“As real as it gets, my love. As real as it could ever get.”
