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I take Rosie’s hand and hold it up. “We’re engaged. It happened last week. I love this woman, and she loves me, and we wanted it to be just the two of us.”

“Oh my gosh, congratulations!” Grandmother starts crying. “I can’t believe it. I’m so happy.”

I look at Grandfather, and he wraps his arm around my shoulders. “Now, this is a surprise,” he says. “I can honestly say I didn’t see it coming so quickly.”

“I guess when you meet the one, you just know,” I say.

“Your parents aren’t going to be particularly happy,” he says, and then he grins. “They have a surprise for you back at the house.”

“A surprise for me?”

He chuckles and shakes his head. “You’ll see.”

We all climb into the Mercedes, and Grandfather talks about his golf game. I gaze over at Rosie, and she gives me a shy smile.

“Everything’s going to be okay,” I whisper against her ear, and she nods.

I reach over and squeeze her hand. I can feel her pulse racing.

“I love you, fiancée.”

“I love you too, fiancé.”

We both sit back. Grandmother is looking back over her shoulder from the front seat, smiling. Maybe we’re both better actors than we ever thought.

As we pull up outside the house, my parents are standing in the driveway with someone behind them.

“Oh my God,” I groan as I realize who it is. “Please tell me my eyes are deceiving me.”

“Unfortunately not,” Grandfather says as he parks the car.

We all get out, and Rosie looks at me.

“Who’s that?” She nods at the woman heading toward us.

“That’s Veronica. Veronica Carnegie. The woman my mother is desperate for me to marry.”

“Oh.”

“There you are, Brett. I’ve been waiting for you for the last couple of hours.” Veronica runs into my arms, hugs me, and kisses my cheek. “Look at you. Still as handsome as ever, aren’t you?”

“Veronica, this is Rosie.”

“Oh. You’re still in the picture?” She looks at Rosie, then back at my mother. “I thought you said they broke up.”

“I thought they broke up.” My mother steps forward. “Darling, didn’t you tell me they broke up?” She looks at my father.

“I said I didn’t expect it to last very long.”

We all stand there awkwardly.

“This is my fiancée, everyone. Not only did we not break up, but we’re now engaged.”

“This cannot be,” my mother screeches and falls back into my father’s arms.

Veronica stares at me, her jaw hanging open. “You’re engaged? I thought this weekend was for us to get together. What on earth?” She looks at me, then at Rosie.

I can tell she wants to say something, so I grab Rosie’s hand. “We’re going to our room.” I look at Grandfather. “We need a few moments.”