Page 157 of Seeds of Malice

"Told me what?"

"Promise you won't tell him."

I blurt out, "We don't have secrets between us."

"You sure about that?" Cindy asks.

I snap my head toward her. I open my mouth, but Avery puts her fingers over it.

She softly laughs. "It's not bad."

I wait, my insides churning.

"Tell her," Marcey urges again.

Avery leans into my ear. Her hot breath hits my neck. She whispers, "I saw the ring."

My butterflies take off. I cautiously ask, "What ring?"

Avery moves her face in front of mine, her expression full of excitement. She reiterates, "Thering."

I freeze.

She adds, "Tonight's going to be perfect. Every man in our family has married a Gamma Sigma Phi since the early 1900s. Now that you're going to be one…well…"

I gape at her, my heart soaring.

She continues, "It's gorgeous. Dax helped design it."

My butterflies flutter harder.

"You have to promise not to say anything to Dax. He's saving it for Christmas."

I continue to stare at her, my jaw on the floor.

She urges, "Promise me!"

I nod, barely getting out, "I promise."

Dax wants to marry me!

Avery claps. "Not only will we be Gamma sisters, but we'll be real sisters once you two get hitched!"

I grin bigger than I ever have. "That'll be awesome."

"Yeah it will!" she affirms, hugging me, then adds, "Just make sure you get into the Gammas. My father won't let anyone into our family who isn't one!"

Anxiety flares in my gut.

Dax's voice floods my head."Do whatever it takes."

It all makes sense why he was so adamant I get in.

Giddiness fills me.

"Okay, time to get ready. Oh, I need you to sign this really quick." Cindy grabs a clipboard off the desk. There's a ton of paper on it with several sign-here stickers attached in different places.

"What's this?" I ask.

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