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With tears in her eyes, Laura glances at me. “David?”
“Screw it,” I grumble, and then I take the ring box from Laura and drop to my knees.
There’s a chorus of gasps and mutterings, but I ignore it. Laura does, too.
With her hands at her face, covering her lips, I can really only see her wide, wet eyes. They shine at me and give me the courage to keep going.
“Laura James.” I feel a tickle in my throat as I struggle not to choke up. “Everything changed the day I met you?—”
“Yes!” Laura interrupts. She goes to her knees and throws her arms around me. “Yes, yes, yes, yes!”
She hugs me tight enough that it hurts, especially with the ring still between our bodies. But I hold her just as fiercely, my heart hammering loud and desperate.
“Hon,” Jessi says. “I think you’re meant to let him ask.”
“Screw asking,” Laura insists. She pulls back, sniffling, and kisses me. I can feel her lips trembling.
I’m grinning hard enough that I know the kids (and Alice) will give me a hard time about it later. But I can’t bring myself to care. I throw an arm around Laura, struggling to stand up. She helps me, snickering at my old man knees, and I kiss her.
“Ring please,” she murmurs.
I hold out the box for her. She looks at it, and her eyes sparkle. Slowly—and with probably more emotion and ceremony than the moment even needs—I take the ring out. Laura holds out her hand, and I slide it on her ring finger. A perfect fit.
We kiss again, and this time when we pull back, all three women are crying.
Lewis, too, is sniffling, holding his phone at us. “Say hi to Ma,” he chokes out tearfully.
Laura waves the hand with the ring, and I can’t stop looking at her.
The kids run over, bombarding Laura with questions. Alice and Jessi sneak closer to me, both smiling. Jessi comes over to nudge my shoulder. “I told you she didn’t need it to look like a ballroom in here,” she says.
I roll my eyes. “She deserves it.”
“That’s true.” Jessi and I watch as Laura and Lewis chat with their mom over FaceTime. “How did we get so lucky?”
I nod. “Maybe we should buy Mrs. James a house?”
“Or two,” Jessi agrees.
Alice sighs heavily. “Do you think they have a secret brother somewhere?”
I turn to her in surprise. “What happened to Peter?” I ask.
Both she and Jessi raise their brows at me.
I hold my hands out in defense. “I thought he was nice.”
Alice rolls her eyes, but she’s smiling. “He was! Is. He is. But we broke up. Just…” she shrugs. “Nothing like the two of you.”
I’m surprisingly touched. I almost feel like I could cry. I tell her as much and she punches me hard in the arm before floating away. Jessi cackles at me.
Then Lewis waves her over, and Jessi abandons me.
From the center of attention, I watch Laura slowly back away. She quirks a finger at me, beckoning me to her. I sneak into the kitchen after her.
Laura wraps her arms around my neck, and my hands fly automatically to her waist.
“If you push cake in my face,” she says sweetly, batting her eyelashes. “I’ll divorce you and take all your money.”
I kiss her nose. “It’d be your right.”
This time, I kiss her mouth. Laura hums, and the sound reverberates on my lips.
As we kiss, the sounds of our family rising up in the château, I can’t help but think that no matter what else happens in life, it would have been worth it for today.
