Page 104 of The Chase

She made a face at my dreams. My sister was staunchly against marriage and kids, but not me. I always wanted a wife and a family to come home to. I wanted so badly for Max to be my forever…but I was worried she’d say no. We’ve been together for about two years now, but I had just convinced her to move in with me.

Rox pursed her dark-colored lips and gave me a hard look. “I want to make sure you really want this, and it’s not because Mom’s been pressuring you.”

“I’m ready. I want her to be my forever.”

Rox nodded in understanding. “Okay, good answer. She might expect it, though. She thought it was weird I wanted to get our nails done together before we left for vacation.”

“Thanks for persuading her,” I said and shoved the ring box back into my pocket.

When I told my sister I wanted to propose to Max when we came up to the lake for a family vacation, she jumped at the chance to help me plan. But I still didn’t have a fleshed-out plan, and I was contemplating chickening out.

“When are you gonna do it?” Rox asked.

I shrugged. “Not sure yet. When we’re alone, probably. Maybe take her somewhere nice in town. Or out on the boat?” I ran a hand through my hair. Every time I thought about how to do it, I froze up. I wanted everything to be perfect for her.

Rox opened her mouth, but then the door of the bedroom slammed open, and Benny walked in. “Hey! There you are. Your mom was wondering where you two ran off to.”

After a day of relaxing both in and out of the water, Mom and Dad were in the mad rush of getting dinner ready. Benny had been bonding with my dad at the grill while Max was helping my mom in the kitchen. With our partners preoccupied, I pulled Rox into my room to help calm my nerves.

Rox smiled up at him. “Hey, love. Sorry, Tristan needed my advice.”

Benny’s dark eyes widened in understanding. “Oh!”

I glared at my twin. “You told him?”

“Bro, she tells me everything. Don’t ya, angel?”

Rox beamed at him and stood on her tiptoes to give him a small kiss. “Of course I do, love. Let’s get out of Tristan’s hair and give him time to think.”

They glided out of the room, leaving me with my thoughts and the engagement ring burning a hole in my pocket. I had to do it this week, but it had to be perfect. I just didn’t know what that meant. I sighed and tried not to let my nerves get the best of me.

I went into the kitchen but only found Mom. She gave me a knowing smile. “Where’s Max?” I asked.

She gestured toward the porch outback. “She wasn’t feeling well, so she went to get some air.”

I furrowed my brow.

Right before we left for this vacation, Max complained about being too tired. Things were busy at work now that she got promoted to social media manager and she was hosting the team podcast for the wives and girlfriends. I thought she was burning herself out. She got sick in the rental car on the way to the cottage yesterday, but I thought that was just car sickness. Worry tightened across my chest. I hated it when my girl wasn’t feeling well.

Mom walked over to the fridge and handed me a can of ginger ale. “Maybe too much sun today. Give this to her,” she said, but she had a smile on her face like she knew something I didn’t.

“Thanks,” I muttered.

I walked outside and waved to my dad while he was in the middle of telling a heyday story to Benny. Rox was rolling her eyes because this story morphed every time Dad told it. Benny appeased him, though, because he would rather be in Dad’s good graces in case he made Benny bag skate again.

I walked down to the dock and found Max sitting on it, with her feet in the water, but her back was to me. I sat next to her and startled her so much, she put her hand against her heart.

“Jiminy Cricket! You scared me!” she exclaimed.

I grinned at her cute way of not-swearing and handed her the can of ginger ale. “Mom said you’re not feeling well.”

She frowned but took a tiny sip of her drink. She nervously pushed her hair behind her ear, looking down at her feet in the water. Max’s anxiety would never go away, but I recognized the signs when she was struggling with something. I wanted to take all that pain away from her, wrap her in my arms, and tell her everything would be okay.

“Baby girl, what’s wrong?”

She shook her head.

“Hey, tell me.”