Page 85 of The Waiting Game

“Being in rehab made me really examine my life,” Felix said. “And in the process of all that, I realized that Jonah has been my rock for as long as I can remember. He’s supported me and loved me as a friend for decades. And recently, I realized that I want more than that. I want him to be a bigger part of my life.”

Jonah’s heart fluttered as Felix reached out and settled his hand over Jonah’s where it rested on the table.

Jonah cleared his throat. “After your accident, we talked. We both realized that—that—”

Felix smiled. “That it was time to see what had always been in front of us. As kids, Jonah and I talked about getting married when we were grown. It was just silly kid stuff at the time and of course we grew up and I moved to Vancouver and we both got involved with other people. But after rehab, I realized that I’d been looking in all of the wrong places for what I wanted. Too shortsighted to see what was already in front of me because—because I had an idea of who I was and who I could be with. Who I was supposed to be with.”

Grandma Ji-min’s eyes widened and she blinked. “You …”

Jonah nodded. “We’re engaged, Grandma. Felix asked me the other night.”

Felix shot a warm smile at Jonah. “And while maybe the garden shed isn’t the most romantic place to have that conversation—”

“It was right for us,” Jonah said and he meant every word of that.

Fake engagement aside, if they were going to pretend to fulfill the pact they’d made as kids, if they were going to embark on another crazy, harebrained scheme, if they were going to share their feelings and their vulnerabilities, that was the perfect place to start.

His grandmother remained silent, her fingertips pressed to her lips, and a flicker of worry went through Jonah. “Grandma?” he croaked.

“Oh, I’m so happy,” she said. Her eyes were swimming as she reached for both of their hands across the table. “All I ever wanted for you was for you to be happy. For both of you to find the love Cho and I had. And I would have been happy with anyone who you found that with but it’s so much better if you have it together.”

And Jonah’s heart clenched, a sharp tightness in his chest at the mingled knowledge that they were lying to her and that someday they’d have to tell her that it was a ruse. Why had this seemed like a good idea? Why had he let Felix talk him into it?

But Felix continued, his tone easy, like he didn’t have a single doubt about this crazy scheme.

“In the hospital, when you were trying to set Jonah up with Tyson, you said, ‘Well, if you know some guy who can do better, tell him he should step up and ask Jonah out!’” Felix said with a smile, squeezing Jonah’s hand. “Well, I did.”

A smile lit up her face. “Oh! I knew you’d be so good together if you’d only see what was already there.”

“It took me a while,” Felix said. He shot Jonah an affectionate look. “And I had to convince him that I meant it. But we’re here now.”

“You move fast,” Grandma Ji-min said but her tone sounded approving. “I meant you should ask him out on a date and you’re already engaged.”

“Well,” Jonah said with a small laugh. “We have already spent half our lives together. It’s not like we really need much of a getting-to-know-you period. And marriage is important, right?”

“True,” she said, still smiling as she reached for her fork. “But we should eat. You have practice. We’ll celebrate your good news soon but you can’t be late for hockey. I raised you both better than that.”

And Jonah smiled back because that was certainly true.

Twenty minutes later as they got into Jonah’s car, Felix said, “I think that went pretty well.”

“It did,” Jonah agreed. Surprisingly well, in fact.

Despite Grandma Ji-min’s fears, they were ten minutes early to practice.

As they walked toward the practice facility, Jonah had to admit that their arrival time was mostly thanks to Felix. He’d filled Jonah’s water bottle and laid out his keys, wallet, and phone so he wasn’t scrambling around at the last minute like usual.

Maybe having Felix as a fake fiancé wasn’t such a bad idea.

Of course, it wasn’t like he hadn’t done shit like that for years. No wonder their team chirped them so much.

“Okay,” Jonah said as he gave an absent wave to the security guard outside the building. “Next hurdle, Dustin.”

“We’ve got this.” Felix bumped his knuckles against Jonah’s and Jonah froze, realizing they’d forgotten something.

“Wait,” Jonah said. “I have an idea.”

“Yeah?”

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