Page 76 of Her Three Tech Bros

This is the woman I want to be with for the rest of my life. Everyone else be damned.

“Jade, I…”

After I bought the ring, I had everything planned out. I knew exactly what I was going to say. I picked out all the nice flowery words that I knew for sure would make Jade swoon and melt into my arms.

But all those words are forgotten now. Lost forever, like me in her eyes. There is nothing at this moment but the two of us. The two of us and one simple question.

I present the ring box to her. Slowly I open it. I watch her eyes grow wide with wonder and love.

“Will you marry me?”

“Yes!” she screams through tears without hesitation.

Jade leaps off the couch and tackles me in a hug. Her arms wrap around me as best they can. Her face, already wet with tears, buries into my neck.

I quickly look around the room to Logan and Ryan. Logan gives me a resigned nod of approval while Ryan gives me a huge smile and a thumbs up.

I then turn my full attention back to Jade. I wrap my arms around her and hold her tight against me. My eyes close, and I let myself melt into the moment.

“Yes!” she repeats, muffled by my neck. “Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! One thousand times yes!”

It’s real. It’s happening. I’ve been waiting so long for this moment. But I never expected it to feel this good.

A warmth extends across my whole body. Every inch of my body tingles with joy. My heart races like it never has before. I’m surprised Jade isn’t being knocked back by how hard it’s beating.

Jade is going to be my wife. I’m going to be her husband. So much of the future is uncertain, but that is now a truth that I can always count on.

“Oh, Ethan,” Jade sobs. “I love you so, so much. I’m so completely in love with you.”

“And I love you.” I respond. “This ring –”

“Oh!” Jade exclaims, pulling away from me. “Let me see the ring!”

I hold the box out to her. Jade’s jaw drops. “Is that… Is that a jade?”

“Yes, it is, my love.”

“Like my name?” She laughs.

“Well… yes.” I laugh, too. “But that’s not the only reason I chose it.”

“Really? Why else?”

“The meaning behind it. In some cultures, when used as a gemstone, like on this ring, jade is a symbol of many things. Most of all, faithfulness, courage, and harmony. Faithful, which is all I’ll ever be to you. Courage, which it takes to take a leap like this, but it’s something we both have in spades. And harmony, which is all your life will ever have when I’m around. I’ll see to it.”

“Oh, Ethan.” More tears stream out of Jade’s eyes. She holds out her hand, ring finger extended. “Will you…?”

“Of course, my love.”

I take the ring out of the box and hold it gently in the air. I take Jade’s shaking hand and hold it still. Slowly but surely, I slide the ring onto her finger. It’s a perfect fit.

“It’s absolutely perfect, Ethan,” she says between more tears.

“And that’s not all.”

“What does that mean?” she asks.

Out of my pocket, I produce a second ring. This one is meant for a man. It’s a gold band, with ribbons of green jade throughout.

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