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I opened my fist and let her take the ring box. She clicked the hinge open again, and her jaw fell. It was adorable. I did good.
“What do you think, angel?”
She couldn’t talk. She was too busy freeing the ring from the velvet box and holding it out to me. I slid it onto her shaking finger. Her gaze jerked back and forth from the ring to my face.
“I bought you a house—er, I’m buying you a house,” she blurted.
“You what?” I couldn’t have understood that correctly.
“A new flip. It’s your engagement gift from me.”
I rubbed the back of my neck, considering her offer. “Sure, we can talk about that.” I’d like another project, and I made good money doing the work. But it was a bit of a non-sequitur now.
“It’s done,” she countered. “We’re getting married. You get a house. I get this glorious, amazing, one-of-a-kind ring.” She pursed her lips and buzzed a loud smacking kiss on my cheek.
“I get you.”
“Yes, that too.” The smile she gave me was pure mischief. “I get a big, sexy soldier in my bed. Rescuing me for the rest of my life. Anytime I need it.”
“Please, never need it again.” At this rate, I’d go bald from the stress.
She wrapped her arms around my neck and laughed with her face buried against me. “I’ll try to be good. I love you.”
I held on tight. It was going to be a wild ride.
Lee
The well-wishing had gone late. The margaritas gave way to beer on the rooftop. The Smiths lived above the agency and had a spectacular garden up here with a downtown view. One Onyx had defiled more than once during my stay here, much to my embarrassment.
Derek and I lazed on a couch next to a small fire pit that was glowing merrily. The cold weather from a week ago was long gone, and the flames were mostly for ambiance. I held up my ring to catch the flickering light—spectacular.
I was getting married. It would take time for the reality to sink in. Who got married after forty? Me, bitches, that’s who!
“I’m voting for a big wedding. Sydney and Leck were total bummers. They could have had anything.” Quinn sat on an ottoman across from Derek and me. The firelight made her blond hair glow.
“Hey, I liked my wedding.” Sydney elbowed her husband in the ribs so he would also vouch for the wonders of a private ceremony.
“It was lovely. I highly recommend doing whatever your wife says.” Leck held out a bottle to toast with Derek.
“I want big. All the bells and whistles. And a darn bachelorette party, too!” Quinn was slurring a bit, so I passed her the bowl of chips next to me to help soak up the booze.
I hadn’t even gotten my head around being engaged, let alone thinking about a wedding. All I knew was Derek was my Prince Charming and my knight in shining armor. I’d marry him anywhere, anytime. The moment he slid the ring onto my finger, I knew it was the right path. No regrets.
“And do we have a groom selected?” I asked Quinn, and the rest of the group went silent, looking at me. “What?”
Derek gave me a small head shake. I’d stumbled on dangerous ground, apparently.
“I have the worst track record in Miami-Dade with men. I quit them. I going to marry a…a potted palm tree in a lovely ceremony at the OceanBlu.” Quinn, unsteady on her feet, tottered to the edge of the rooftop to where a palm tree in a pot waited for her embrace. “Quick, someone take a photo of me and my new fiancé.”
“Alright, sweet Quinn, how about you come back over here?” Steel put an arm around the much smaller woman and steered her back to the group. As soon as he deposited her with us, he returned to the roof’s edge and leaned over.
“You all see that?” He pointed down toward the water by the back of the building, where it came right up to the edge of the Miami River.
We all scooted toward the roof’s edge. Derek kept one arm around me and one around Quinn. I wasn’t sure there was much to see. Only inky black water that glowed with the reflected light of the city skyline.
“At my three o’clock.” Steel pointed. “I’ll bet it’s a kid looking for trouble. I got this.”
I guessed Steel was six foot six, and he looked like he bench-pressed cars. He could handle a stupid teenager. We all stayed put, ready for the show.
