Page 104 of Never Bargain with the Boss
“Oh, it’s someone else’s turn,” she tries to argue, pointing at the presents at other people’s feet, but no one is taking this moment from her. At everyone’s encouragement, she relents and opens the second gift too. “It’s a bracelet,” she says, her smile still just as bright as she traces the links of the chain.
“The necklace is about the past, a life lived. This is for you to fill with charms to commemorate your own milestones,” I tell her. “It’s for the future. But I cheated and already put the first one on there so you could start now.”
She runs the pad of her finger over the tiny diamond charm. “It’s beautiful. Thank you,” Riley whispers.
I move from the couch to kneel in front of her, pulling the last piece of the present from my pocket. This thing has been weighing me down for a week and I’ve almost given it to her at least a dozen times already, but I waited for this moment right here, needing it to be perfect for her. I hold up the ring, thegold band marked by three marquis-cut stones that I thought did a great job of symbolizing Riley, Grace, and me because this proposal is a blending of all three of us into one family.
Riley gasps, her hands clapping over her mouth, as she instantly catches on to what’s happening.
“I was lost, broken, just going through the motions until you came into my life and shook everything up in terrifying ways, in painful ways, but mostly, in the absolute best of ways. You saved me from myself, urging me to heal wounds I’ve ignored for too long, and making me want to be better. I’m still getting there, but I will . . . I’ll get better every day, for you.” I make that vow, fully intending to see it through. Riley has already done so much work on herself, healing the damage and scars life has given her, and now, it’s time for me to do the same, to be worthy of her.
“I want to be your safety, your security, your peace. I want you to know that you always have a home in my heart and a place in my arms, and never doubt that for a second, because our brokenness fits together like perfect, jagged pieces. I want to build a life with you, standing together against every storm, celebrating every rainbow, and appreciating every day in between.”
I look at the ring in my hand and the bracelet in hers, explaining the tiny charm, “I wanted to commemorate the moment I ask you, Riley Stefano, to be my wife. It doesn’t have to be right away. I can wait as long as you want, but when you’re ready, I’m ready. I love you, now, and will love you forever.”
“Psst, Dad… you didn’t reallyask. None of that was a question,” Grace stage-whispers.
Riley, who’s crying freely now, laughs as she glances at Grace. Turning her eyes back to me, she shrugs. “She has a point.”
I shake my head, not sure how I got into a two-against-one situation, but I wouldn’t change it even if I could. “Will you marry me?”
Riley nods and says yes at the same time. Then she says it again. “Yes!” She jumps into my arms, kissing me excitedly.
As planned, Grace throws a handful of gold confetti into the air, letting it shower down over Riley and me in a cloud of metallic flakes.
Riley gasps, taking her lips from mine as she looks at the sparkles all around—and all over—us. “Confetti? I love confetti!” she exclaims, like she’s telling me this for the first time. But she’s not. I remember, from the first time we talked. She said she loved it, and I thought it sounded awful. It turns out she was right because I’d clean up this mess a thousand times just to see this happiness on her face.
Everyone claps and cheers for us as I slip the ring onto her finger, even Dad, who expressed his concern about the speed with which I’m moving but ultimately trusts me. And even if he didn’t, I’d smile and nod and do whatever the hell I want like always, and we both know it. As expected, Mom is already talking about spring venues versus summer venues, planning a wedding for like six months from now.
Which is fine if that’s what Riley wants. Hell, I’d let one of my siblings get internet-ordained and do it right now if she wanted. Actually, that’s not a bad idea. I bet Kyle would do it in a heartbeat.
“Not sure the new paintbrush set I got Luna is gonna compare now. Thanks for ruining it for the rest of us, man,” Carter taunts. But I’m too happy to let his sarcastic poking bother me.
“If it’s the red sable one she’s been talking about, you’re good,” Mom tells him. Luna and Mom have gotten into the habit of talking about various artists and techniques sinceMom picked up her watercolor hobby. But even without that, Mom listens and probably knows what each of us have on our Christmas wish lists.
Well, I only have one thing on mine, and I’ve already gotten it.
Riley.
Later that night, I make love to Riley while she wears nothing but the ring, bracelet, and necklace, and maybe a few remaining bits of glittery confetti. The light of the Christmas tree paints her in a warm, colorful glow and she looks right at home in our bed. Yes, we have a second tree in our bedroom. Riley wanted it, and I certainly wasn’t going to say no. But truthfully, I like it. It makes the magic of the season the first thing we see when we wake up in each other’s arms and the last thing we see when we snuggle into bed each night.
“Merry Christmas, Riley,” I tell her, driving into her slow and deep.
“Ho, ho,ho,” she chants, but the last one goes a little high-pitched as her eyes start to roll.
And I’ve gotten all I ever wanted.
EPILOGUE
Riley
“Hey, girls, how was everyone’s day?” Cameron says as he comes into the kitchen after work.
Grace and I went to her riding lesson today and got home about an hour ago. I’ve been slowly working on dinner ever since, and she’s been telling me about her and Liam, who are still ‘talking’ exclusively.
“Great! You won’t believe what Bella did at lunch though!” Grace says before launching into a story about Bella mixing milk and Coke and drinking the whole thing down. The idea of it turns my stomach, but Grace says Bella reports it was pretty good. I’ll have to take her word for it. “She’s a straight-up savage!”
Her friendships with Bella and Trinity are more cemented now, and she hasn’t mentioned Hannah in weeks, which in teenage life is an eternity. There were no big fireworks, no fights, and unfortunately, no dance battles, because Grace would’ve rocked that. My girl can move. But ultimately, it’s for the best. Hannah and she were friends for a season and hopefully learned something from the experience. I know Grace did, and she’sputting that lesson to work, being a better person and friend to Bella and Trinity.