Page 27 of Merry With A Milkman

“Thank you for your help with Mr. Omata. I hope you don’t mind being fake engaged to me.”

“No, of course not. Albert just needed a bit more evidence of your stability. Not a problem.”

I open my top dresser drawer and remove a tiny cloth wrapped bundle from the small box where I store memories. Ihold Tegan’s questioning gaze. “Unfortunately, it is a problem for me. I don’t want to be in a fake relationship.”

She struggles to maintain a neutral expression but when the lights catch the glimmer of tears coating her lower lashes I fall to my knees in front of her.

“Tegan, I want… I need our relationship to be real. I love you, honey. More than I know how to say. To show. Tegan, I love you.” I hold out the bundle on my flat palm and the cloth falls away to reveal my grandmother’s diamond ring.

“Rhone,” she whispers. “What is this?”

“This is a proposal, honey. I love you. Will you marry me for real? For forever?” Her bright gaze dances from me to the ring and back. “This was my grandmother’s. When we were at the store shopping for platters, I saw how attracted you were to the antique jewelry. I thought, hoped, you would like this one. Accept this as a symbol of my love. If you’d like something different, I’ll get you whatever ring you want. Just say yes. Please, Tegan, be my wife, my lover, my partner.”

“I love how this comes from your family. How it’s a part of you. I love you. Rhone, my darling one, yes, of course I’ll marry you. Now and forever. Ooh, put it on my finger.” She holds out her shaking hand, her fingers stiff and spread.

Chuckling in relief I slip the diamond onto the appropriate finger.

“Oh my god, Rhone. It fits perfectly.”

“That means we’re meant to be. We fit together perfectly, honey. Shall we seal our engagement with a kiss?”

“Hmm, I’m thinking this proposal deserves more than just a kiss.”

I cup her cheeks and take the kiss I want then rise and remove my shirt. She watches avidly as I unzip my slacks. I return to the drawer for protection but when I hand her the condom she shakes her head and tosses it across the room.

“Hey,” I complain. “What’s that about?”

“I love you, Rhone. I know we haven’t talked about kids. But I can’t wait to have our baby growing inside me. I want to get started now. Unless we need to talk first. Then grab another condom. I’m not forcing you into something you don’t want. In either case, mister, get undressed and get busy.”

“Being bossy again, aren’t you? What about your clothes?”

“You know I always go after what I want.” She stands and turns so I can unzip her dress and shove it from her shoulders to pool around her feet.

I press my palms over her belly. “You will be even more beautiful carrying our child,” I whisper as I skim my hands lower and under the elastic of her panties.

“Rhone,” she moans. “Make love to me.”

“Now and forever, sweetness. Now and forever.”

epilogue

Tegan

My brother stands in the doorway while I finish packing the last of my clothes into a huge suitcase. “You sure about this?” he asks.

With my hands fisted at my hips I shake my head with exasperation. “I’m moving in with the man I love. Why is this any different than when you moved in with Beryl?”

“Because you’re my baby sister and I worry about you.”

I move to stand in front of him and pat his chest. “Thank you, Noah. I know you do. And I worry about you. It’s what family does. And that family is expanding to include Rhone and his brother. It’s not that I don’t love living above the store. It’s really convenient. Especially for those quickies.”

I laugh when his cheeks turn ruddy. It pleases me no end that he’s the blusher of the family.

“But it is a waste to have a mostly unused apartment just sitting here. So, I was thinking.”

“What are you getting us into this time, Tegan?”

“What if we listed the apartment on a vacation rental site? We’ll be able to pick and choose when to have renters so ifwe need the space for family, it’ll be available. This is a great location for vacationers. Obviously close to shopping. Not that far to the beach or the sports arenas. There’s plenty of room up here for a family or two couples.”

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