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It’s not the last surprise of the evening, though. At one point, Oliver says to him, “So have you set a date yet?”
I blink. Titus gives him an exasperated look and says, “Dude.”
“Jesus,” Elizabeth scolds, giving me an apologetic glance, “I’m so sorry. The man can’t hold his drink.”
“I thought you’d asked her,” Oliver protests.
“I said I was ironing out the kinks,” Titus replies. My eyebrows rise. “Not that sort of kinks,” Titus adds.
The others laugh, and he grins and pulls me to one side.
“Tell me more about these kinks,” I murmur, and he chuckles. My heart’s racing again, though. “What did Oliver mean?” I ask.
“I don’t want to say,” Titus states.
“Why?”
“Because it sounds arrogant and controlling, and I think the last thing you need is more of that in your life.”
I push him. “Titus…”
“I told him I was going to marry you.”
My jaw drops for about the third time this evening. “What?”
He shrugs. “I realized it on the plane. I don’t want to be apart from you. I want you in my life permanently.”
“But we’ve only been dating, if you can call it that, about ten days…”
“Yeah, which is why I said it sounds arrogant and controlling and I haven’t asked you yet. But I know what I want, and I’m working out a way to get it.” He sounds determined, and unashamed of it.
I’m so taken aback that I can’t think what to say. Eventually I settle for, “Mack said you were resourceful.”
“Yeah. When I put my mind to something, I normally get it.”
“I… don’t know what to say. I’m incredibly flattered. But marriage?” I’m full of so many emotions right now.
“Alan told me he knew two hours after meeting Vicky that he was going to marry her. I don’t mean yet. I’m just saying, we are going to get married one day. When we’re ready.”
“Holy shit, Titus…”
He bends his head and brushes his lips against mine. “Wouldn’t you like to wear my ring? To promise to love me forever?”
Emotion rushes through me, making my throat tighten. I can’t answer, so I just nod.
“I’ll ask you properly,” he murmurs, “when the time’s right. But you should know, there’s a conversation coming.” He smiles, because it’s the same thing he said before.
I lift my arms and wrap them around his neck as he kisses me properly. Around us, my family and friends cheer, but I don’t care. I want everyone to know how much in love I am with this man. He’s the best thing that ever happened to me, and even though I’m still not sure how it’s all going to work out, something tells me that Titus has an idea, and all I have to do is leave it to him.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Titus
The next ten days or so pass quickly. Heidi has been much happier since that evening at the club. The next day she met up with Huxley and their sisters, and they had a long conversation about what had happened, and what they were going to do. She told me all about it when she came home, wrung-out and emotionally drained, but as if a weight had been lifted. Her siblings had all apologized for not taking her more seriously when she’d complained about their father and told her they’d support her with whatever stance she preferred to take with him.
The next day, they met Helene Huxley in town, and had a difficult talk with her. Apparently she cried a lot, and they were shocked when she admitted she knew how difficult it had been for Heidi, but that she’d felt unable to do anything about it. Huxley told her she was welcome to come and stay with him if she wanted time away from Peter, but Helene then revealed that they’d had a big argument after what had happened at the club. He’d gotten drunk, then he’d broken down and confessed to her privately that he was ashamed of what he’d done, and told her that he was going to try to be a better man. His children thought it was the drink talking, and Heidi remains dubious whether he’ll actually change when he’s sober, but she’s glad for her mother’s sake that he’s going to try.
My days are filled with work, and Heidi goes out and sees her friends and her sisters, but our evenings are spent together, sometimes with Hux and the others, but mostly alone. Since I confessed that I’m planning to marry her, and especially since the stuff with her father, Heidi has relaxed, losing some of her nervous energy, and growing in confidence, which has been lovely to see.
