My hand goes to my chest. “Wait. You had to benudged?”
See? I can learn the value of well-placed sarcasm.
Oakley kisses my temple, and Melia’s grin practically blinds us. Having a sister isn’t half bad.
Thane comes in from outside, smelling of smoke. He greets me with a big smile and a large hand clamped on my shoulder.
“How do you like your steaks again? And please tell me you’re not ruining all of my hard work with a well-done steak.”
“I would never.” I thumb a gesture over at my beloved. “This one though…”
Thane shakes his head. “I wash my hands of the entire thing.”
Oakley wrinkles his nose. “I like my steak how I like my steak. Shut up.”
“You can eat your steak however you want to, babe,” I’m quick to say. “It’s okay if you’re wrong.”
Ronan chuckles as he walks into the kitchen. “Oakley still prefers his shoe leather, I take it.”
I give him a weary sigh. “You do everything you can to raise them right, but then…”
“…they go off and fall in love with a genetically modified man anyway.”
Oakley lifts a shoulder as Ro and I exchange a brief but meaningful hug.
Ant and Erik pull up to the front door, and they’ve brought company.
“Mama and Papa!” I say, throwing my arms open for Anja and Georg.
They smile so big when they see me, every time. I’ve always felt that they loved me, but there’s a bit more pride in their eyes these days. Anja gives me a big hug, and Georg goes in for the half hug. They look bright, the way kids do at Christmas.
Ronan gets all of us set up with glasses of wine, and we make our way out onto the deck, just in time for sunset. It’s a beautiful evening, and Thane’s steaks are delicious. Mama and Papa Bash are as inappropriate as ever. They haven’t come back from the bathroom, and it’s been a while.
Honestly, I hope Oakley and I are half as randy as they are when we’re their age.
Finally, the night sky comes out to play, bright stars scattered across the black expanse. Oakley takes my hand, and we walk over to the balcony, where we can see the moon reflected in the lake.
“It’s a pretty good night out here,” Oak says.
“A perfect night,” I say, humming. Happy.
“Yeah? You feeling good?” he asks, wrapping his long, strong arms around me.
I lean my head back against his shoulder. “I feel great.”
“That’s good because I’ve got a real important question to ask you.”
I look down, realizing he’s holding a little velvet box in his hand. Pulling me in close, he opens the box with his thumb, revealing a ring.
“Silas Hernandez, will you marry me?”
I turn in the circle of his arms and throw my arms around his neck. I can’t help the tears, and I don’t want to.
“I’m already going to love you for the rest of my life, might as well make it official.”
“That a yes?” he asks, his smile bright.
“That’s ahell yes,” I answer with my entire heart.
