He cocked a brow. “What’d I do?” he said, raising his hands in a placating gesture. “Geez, get mad at a guy for simply existing.”
Katie passed around the rest of the gifts and settled in on the floor next to the fire with Derek and opened her presents from me. First, a set of boob-shaped stress-balls, complete with swinging bat nipple piercings to prove to her she really was insane for thinking her tits looked like that. And second, a check.
She leapt into the air, kissing the check. “Maggie Maxwell, how dare you!” she screamed with feigned indignation. “We were supposed to do it together!”
I shrugged and she ran over, plowing into me, almost knocking me on my ass. She wrapped her arms around my neck. “Raven & Rook is going big! Woohooo?—!”
“Yeah, we are, baby!” Derek joined in.
“What’s Raven & Rook?” Jeremiah asked as he inspected the “The games are better in Heaven” mug and gift card I got him.
“Katie’s opening?—”
“Hey!” She elbowed me. “We.”
“Okay, fine.Weare opening a metaphysical shop below herapartment. Actually, now it will be below her house. That check was for the rest of the down payment on her building.”
“A witch shop right next door to the witch capital of the world. I bet that’s never been done before.” Mom scoffed.
“They’re going to be great.” Hunter joined us, sake glass in one hand and a little box in the other. He handed it to me and kissed me on the cheek.
My hands shook. This fucking box was the size of a ring.No. He didn’t. I looked up to him with a forced smile, then back to the box as I opened it.
He did.
Hunter set his drink on the coffee table, got on one knee, and pulled the giant rock on a tiny platinum band out of the box.
“Magdalene Maxwell, for reasons I cannot fathom, I haven’t been able to spend a single second of a single day without you on my mind since we first met at Club Spade. And I can’t imagine spending another without you as my wife. Will you marry me?”
I looked up, scanning the room. Everyone but my family had eyes the size of dinner plates.
“I-uh…”
My palms were sweaty. “Um… do I have to answer right now?”
Hunter’s expression closed off, the warmth draining out of it as he stood. “No. Of course not. But let’s put this on you, so you can picture yourself walking the aisle.”
God, that was the last thing I wanted to do right now.
He slid the ring onto my finger. “Ten karats. Worth every penny.”
I blew out a breath through my nose and tried to smile. But all I could think about was how fake this really was. It should have been a celebration. But all I wanted was for it to be over.
“Hey—how about we see what’s behind door number one?” Graham opened the door to the back porch and rolled in something big and tall covered in a sheet. “Go on, open it.”
I tugged the sheet off to reveal a giant rolling toolbox—in pink. A giggle escaped before I could stop it.
“Maybe now I won’t trip over them as soon as I walk in the door,princess,” Graham whispered before opening the top. Inside sat a giant bag of Tootsie Rolls. “Graham! That’s too much.”
“What, the toolbox or the Tootsies?”
I coughed a laugh. “Both.”
He leaned in close. “There’s a new toy in drawer four.” He handed me the keys.
I looked to Hunter. His eyes were molten as he sipped at his drink.
I pulled my eyes away and reached for the bag I’d tucked behind the tree. “Here, Graham, it’s not much, but I hope it helps.” I handed him a shiny blue gift bag, anticipation building in each breath.
