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“An adorable seven-year-old son that no one can say no to, not even me.”
“Man, do you have it bad,” I mumble loud enough for Campbell to hear, causing him to chuckle.
“Never claimed I didn’t.” He claps me hard on the back before motioning toward the door with his head. “You better get going, man, before she ruins everything. I’ll see you in a few hours.”
I give him a mock salute before rushing out the door after Peyton. I catch up to her quickly, and we walk in silence for a few moments, enjoying the warm breeze and smell of fresh flowers blooming in the town square before she breaks the silence.
“And I know how to keep a secret. I didn’t tell you…” Peyton steps in front of me, blocking my path.
“Tell me what?” I groan as I try to move around her, but it’s no use.
I won’t lie. It stings a little that she knows something that Marissa isn’t telling me, but if she is keeping a secret, it’s for a good reason.
“Nothing, it’s a secret.” Peyton huffs before turning on her heels and heading the rest of the way down the path toward the church. “Why did you want to get married all of a sudden, anyway?” Peyton asks, not bothering to look at me.
“Because I can’t imagine waking up tomorrow morning and not having her there.”
“But you don’t have to get married to do that. You live together. You own a house. What is a piece of paper going to do to change that?”
I open and close my mouth a few times, trying to find the right words to explain my need for Marissa to have my last name and not sound like a possessive asshole, but I can’t.
“I want her to have my last name. I want her to wear my ring on her finger.”
“She already has a ring from you.”
“Thanks for pointing out the obvious,” I respond, downing the last of my coffee and chucking it into a nearby trash can. “But this time, it’s different. When I gave her this ring the first time, it was me making a promise to her. Now I want it to symbolize our promise to each other,” I respond, answering her as honestly as I can right now.
When I gave Marissa that ring, I promised to never leave her, but when I put this ring on her finger later today, I want it to mean something more. I want it to show the world that we have promised to love and cherish each other for the rest of our lives. I know it won’t change anything in our relationship, but there’s something about her having my last name that seems more solid. Something that will bind us together in every way possible, in both life and death.
“Okay, that’s romantic as hell.” Peyton sighs loudly. “I was a little worried about her and you two getting back together after what happened, but you’ve made her whole again.”
“I will spend every day for the rest of my life striving to be the man she deserves,” I mumble softly.
“You’ve put a sparkle in my friend's eye I’ve never seen before. The way she brightens when you walk into a room or at the mere mention of your name…”
Peyton steps in front of me, cocking her said to the side. “I was worried that would never happen for her.”
We stare at each other in silence. Her eyes fill with sadness before it quickly disappears. Peyton always seems to be so happy and positive, going out of her way to make the people around her smile, but there’s always been pain lurking behind her bright smile. She’s been through a lot in her life, but she deserves to be happy just as much as anyone.
“It will happen for you, too,” I respond, throwing my arm over her shoulder and pulling her to my side for a one-armed hug.
“If you break her heart, I’ll kill you.” She steps out of my embrace and stabs her finger into my chest. “And I can promise they’ll never find your body. I don’t binge-watch true crime documentaries for the fun of it.”
With that, Peyton spins on her heels and tosses her empty cup into the trash, making a beeline for the church. I follow behind her quietly the last few blocks, coming to a stop across from the church. As I stride across the street, it’s as if the crowds part, revealing the object of my affection. She turns toward us, her arms waving wildly above her head before locking eyes with me.
I love you, I mouth, blowing her a kiss.
She jumps in the air, pretending to catch it before bringing it to her lips and heading for the stairs.
“Could you two be any more disgusting?” Peyton whispers as Marissa strides toward us.
“You’re just jealous,” I respond, not taking my eyes off Marissa as she makes her way toward me, coming to a stop right in front of us.
“Hey, you. I missed you.” Marissa bites her bottom lip, stifling a giggle. Unable to resist, I lean down and brush a kiss on her luscious lips, nibbling on her bottom lip before pulling it between my own. I lose myself in this kiss. Nothing else in the world matters as I pull her body against mine, my need for her rising with every passing moment.
She moans softly as I bring my other hand up to cradle her cheek, and someone clears their throat loudly, breaking the spell.
“Get a room, you two.” Peyton giggles as I drop to one knee, pulling her promise ring out of my pocket, the diamonds sparkling in the light.
