Page 78 of Six Wishes

“Van,” I am irritated now and just grab the first pair of panties that I think won’t show any lines under the jeans I think I want to wear. “If you want to show me your dick right now, I swear…” The words freeze in my throat when I turn around and see Van still sitting on the bed, but not with his dick on display like I was expecting.

“Interested?” He lifts an eyebrow at me, putting his hand out with a blue box in it which I know for sure must contain a ring.

“Van,” I gasp. “What did you do?” I rush to him and drop to my knees in front of him.

“Well, here’s the thing,” his jaw is tight and the intensity of his eyes is scaring me a little. “I keep on seeing these fuckers on the team checking you out. And it’s coming down to this.” He grabs my left hand and holds it tight. “You’re either going to wear this ring so they know you’re taken, and when they do check you out again, I’m just gonna have to sock them in the nose. Or I’m gonna kill them all, one by one.”

“Van,” tears are running down my face as I watch him slip a beautiful diamond ring on the finger of my left hand.

“Chlo,” he grabs my head and pulls me closer. “If I start killing them, they’re gonna throw me in prison, Chlo.” He kisses at the tears that are now out of control. “Do you want to spend the rest of your life having conjugal visits with me on Alcatraz?”

I snort at that. It’s so Van of him to say.

“That’s so ridiculous, Van. Isn’t Alcatraz in California?”

“What if they send me there though?” he deadpans.

“Well, I think they closed it, didn’t they? It’s a museum of sorts now,” I explain when he is frowning in confusion.

“Chlo,” he cuts me off, “I don’t give a fuck about whatever museum you’re talking about. I am telling you that you need to put this ring on or I’ll have to go to prison. Who cares about a museum?”

I try to contain a snort. “I was just saying…”

“Chloe Montgomery, listen to me, woman. This is not a fucking joke here.” The ring is now on my finger, and I stare at it with a grin on my face. “Don’t you dare take it off. Ever. Or else,” he threatens.

“I love you, Van,” I tackle him to the mattress and we just lay like this for a while. “I will never take it off, no matter what,” I promise.

“Damn straight,” he grumbles and rolls me onto my back.

I am just about to kiss the life out of this man when the doorbell rings insistently, and whoever is on the other side refuses to let up.

“What the fuck,” Van pushes himself off the bed. I take advantage and rush to pull my clothes on as fast as possible.

I hear voices in the living room, and I swear one of them sounds like it is my mother’s. And… Van’s mother’s?

I run down the hallway toward where everyone seems to be, then stop in shock.

“Surprise!” Mary times two, as they love to call themselves nowadays, throw their arms up in glee. But that’s not the biggest shocker. Van’s dad is standing by his mom’s side. And next to my own mother is none other than my father.

“What’s happening?” I feel my face getting red when they are all staring at me. “Mom… Dad…” I don’t even know what to make of what is right in front of my eyes.

“Surprise,” my mom says again, but this time her voice is not as loud. She is watching me with apprehension in her eyes. “I wanted to tell you, but I…”

“Are you two back together?” My voice sounds high pitched now, which is very unusual for me. I feel Van’s hand running up and down my back in a calming move. It actually helps as I feel my heart rate coming down a little.

“Would that be okay with you?” My father steps next to Mom and watches me carefully.

“Dad!” God forgive me, I stomp my foot. “What kind of a question is this?? I don’t even know why you got divorced to begin with,” I cry.

“It’s all settled then,” Mom claps her hands, then puts her arms around Dad. “Now show me!” she just about yells.

“Show you what?”

“That big honkin’ rock on your finger!” Both moms are besides themselves.

I turn bewildered eyes toward Van. “They knew?”

“Well, I thought I should tell my mom just in case I was going to end up in prison. And since she is friends with your mom, I felt like I had to tell her too. So I told them both,” he shrugs and points both hands at them.

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