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Ash grins at me, and I smile shyly back. I feel funny inside, all bubbly and light like champagne. Is this hope? Is this what falling for someone feels like? I always thought it would hurt a lot, like faceplanting onto cement, but this is quite okay.
“Invite the robot,” I prod Ash. “It’s the right thing to do.”
“I like her already!” Granny grins.
I can totally tell that not only is her driver not a robot, but she really is tupping him for reals.
EPILOGUE
Ash
Who can say their love story started with a curse? I’m sure people would say they were cursed right from the start, but that’s not what I mean. I mean a real curse. Because I can, and I know a few others who can too. Well, maybe not yet, but they will on short order, I’m sure. My cousins, my brother, and their cursed heirlooms, I mean. I won’t be the only Cromwell with one heck of a wild, absurd, and incredible love story.
My house is buzzing with family and friends, all here to wish us the best as we step into this next phase of our life. Ha. They’re here for our engagement party, but it’s not a step. It’s not a conscious leap into something we don’t know about, or hope will work out. We’re not crossing our fingers. That’s not why we’re getting married, and it’s not why Ellis agreed to put the cursed ring on for a second time. I asked her to marry me because I love her, and I am beyond sure this is not a phase but what I want for the rest of my life. And she agreed because she feels the same.
When I proposed, Ellis was more than a little hesitant about slipping the ring back on her finger, but this time, even though it still a good fit, it comes on and off with no issue at all, probably because both of us accepted a long time ago that we’re soulmates. Or rather, not so long ago. Six months probably isn’t long enough for most people, but for us, who have known from practically about day one that we were meant for each other. There isn’t any right or wrong time, just the span of days where we both agree on the same thing wholeheartedly.
“I heard there was cake,” Granny says, sidling up to me. “Engagement parties always have cake, don’t they? Where’s this promised specimen of sugary goodness?”
“In the kitchen. On the island. But please don’t dip your fingers into it before we serve it.”
“What about my tongue?”
“No.”
“Too late,” Kirian says as he sidles up beside Granny. “It’s already been dipped.” He holds out his finger and grins at me guiltily. “You’re my big bro. I had to do something to aggravate you.”
“There had better not be a fingermark in the cake.” I use my best big brother threatening tone, but Kirian just laughs.
Granny punches me in the arm, and man, can she still make a fist. “Ouch!” I complain as I rub the spot.
“If I don’t get to it before they do, your cousins will all take turns sampling. They never could control themselves around cakes. What flavor is the icing?”
“Tasted like all icing to me,” Kirian says and shrugs.
“You better be kidding about that.”
I march into the kitchen, and not only do I see that Kirian wasn’t kidding because there is a giant fingermark on the edge of the cake and a hunk of icing missing, but my cousins are also sampling as I stand there.
Toren and Taylen each swipe their finger along the edge and put the gooey white icing into their mouths.
“Buttercream?” Kirian asks.
“I think so,” Toren responds, licking his finger clean.
“Yeah, definitely not cream cheese. Must not be carrot cake under there,” Taylen grunts, disappointed with the outcome.
“Carrot? Who likes carrot?” Toren scoffs. “You’re wickedly gross.”
“You’re wickedly douchebag, but I don’t hear me calling you out on your horrible taste,” Taylen mutters. “What’s wrong with carrot cake?”
“Who orders carrot cake for an engagement?” Granny asks, coming up behind me.
I shake my head. “I should have known better. I should have thwarted you all and not get a cake, but Ellis insisted we had to have one when I told her how much you all liked it. I also told her it would be ruined before it even got served, and she was okay with that.”
“Of course she is.” Leandra enters the kitchen and gives her brothers and Kirian hard looks. “Geez. You think you could behave for a few hours, but no. You have to act like little kids all the time.” She shakes her head at them, but she has a smile for me. “Ellis is okay with her cake being destroyed at her engagement party because Ellis is easy-going and awesome.”
