Page 136 of Born for Starlight

A stream of water hit Luzia on her arm.

“Gotcha!”

She whirled and glared at her cousin. Then she ran toward the side of the house.

I turned back in time to see Bruno walking into the house.

Little Grandma had a chair in the shade and a glass of tea in her hand. She’d been watching me for twenty minutes. She crooked a finger. I went.

“Are you going to do it, or are we eating first?”

“Ma’am, I thought after.”

“Son, I’m a hundred and two. I don’t have time to wait.”

My lip twitched. “Yes, Ma’am.”

I found Luzia eating a peach next to her cousin Amber on the swings. “It’s time.”

“Now?”

“Now.”

She looked around and spied her mother at the picnic table with the ladies. She grabbed my hand and pulled me toward it. As we approached, a hush seemed to come over the yard. Kit and Zoe who were seated on either side of Angelica, got up and went to stand next to their men.

Jase turned off the grill, and Bonnie told Lachlan to stop with the squirt gun and sit down. I moved in front of Angelica and got down on one knee in Jase Drakos’ backyard with practically all of Jasper Creek watching and I did not care.

“Angelica,” I started.

“Oh, God.”

“You already told me yes, five months ago in front of these same people, to a question I did not ask. I’ve been holding onto that yes, and now I’d like the opportunity to ask the question.”

“Yes!”

“Hold on, woman. I haven’t asked the question.”

I pulled the ring out of my pocket.

“Yes!”

“Angelica. Will you marry me?”

“Yes!”

She was crying now.

“Are you sure?”

“Don’t make me hurt you.” She held out her left hand, and I put the ring on her finger.

Luzia grabbed her hand and looked up at her. “Do you like it, Mama?”

“I love it, Baby.”

“You said yes. Three times.”

She pulled Luzia into her arms. “I did.”