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Happiness blooms in my chest. I’ve always loved Mindy. There’s a reason why she’s on my speed dial. “Thank you. You have no idea how much I appreciate your support.”
“Are you happy, Max?”
I can’t stop my mouth from curving into a smile. “I am.”
“You deserve it. Mika deserves you too. He’s a good guy. I mean, I kicked his ass when he was a teen, but I like to think the lessons landed.”
My smile broadens, and I tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. “He’s awesome. Just an amazing guy.”
“Yeah, okay. We can stop now. I don’t need to hear you gush about him. It’s gonna make me lose my appetite. Let’s just order. I’m starving.”
“Then, why did you bring me here? We could’ve gone to a burger joint.”
Mindy lifts one shoulder and is suddenly too preoccupied with the menu as if she finds everything fascinating. “Okay, I’m having a lobster.”
Huh? Something’s off. “Mindy, you’re allergic to seafood.”
Her face turns red, eyes blinking slowly. “Oh? Since when?”
“Since you were born. The last time you accidentally ate prawn, you kept scratching at your throat. Remember? Your lips were so puffy, you couldn’t even get a word out.”
Mindy’s eyes widen, and she bursts into laughter. “Oh my God. I remember. I was on a date! He panicked and called the first name on my call log.”
This time, I’m laughing hard too. “And when the ambulance took you to the hospital, he said maybe you wouldn’t work together.”
“I almost gave him a heart attack.”
“The paramedics said he was white as a sheet and cold all over. There was swelling on his forehead the size of a blueberry after you accidentally bumped your head into him.”
It takes us a few minutes before our laughter subsides, both of us wiping our eyes, careful not to smudge our makeup.
The food arrives. All of a sudden, I don’t care how much this meal costs because it’s so good that I almost forget my middle name. We’re both so full that we opt to just share a scoop of fried ice cream. Yes, it’s fried because if we’re going to eat anything unhealthy, we might as well go all the way.
“Oof, I’ll just go to the bathroom real quick.” Mindy darts her eyes behind me before rushing to get up.
“Wait. We should go together.”
“No. They might think we’re trying to escape the bill.”
What the heck? Is that my cue to foot the bill?
I dig through my purse for my wallet when I feel a shift in the air, like the entire place hushes and holds its breath. Lifting my head, I look around for the source. Is it a celebrity? The President? Is someone proposing or?—
Oh. Oh.
Butterflies flutter in my belly when my gaze lands on Mika, wearing a three-piece suit—which has me drooling by the way—and the sweetest, most apex-clenching smile I’ve ever seen on his face.
The other patrons swing their gazes at him, casting him amused looks, tracking his movement toward me.
Maybe it’s the food or the nerves, but watching him come closer makes my pulse pound in my temples.
“Hi, doll.”
I tilt my head to smile at him. “Hi, Mika. Come join us. Mindy’s in the bathroom.”
His smile only grows wider. Instead of sitting across from me, he lowers his massive body. For a moment, I’m confused. But then, I realize he’s dropping on one knee.
Jesus. Is this what I think this is? Or is my imagination running wild again?
