Page 122 of Betting on the Brainiac

I frame his face in my hands, this face that I can’t imagine loving even more intensely than I do already, and yet I do, every day. “I have exactly what I want already.”

Oliver seals our real engagement with a kiss that only ends when Ahab screeches, “Keep it moving!”

We break apart, smiling, and accept the congratulations of everyone, my roommates piling on me for the first hug, and the Lockes claiming Oliver’s first. Then they swap, and the Lockes sweep me into hugs like the many they gave me over Thanksgiving.

“Thank you for coming down here for this,” I tell them.

“Are you kidding me?” Heather says, smoothing my hair. “We couldn’t jump in the car fast enough. We’re so glad to have you in our family, baby girl.”

“Don’t make me fight you,” says my mom’s voice, and Heather pulls away to meet her. “She’s still in our family, but we’ll take Oliver too.” She doesn’t joke with the same warmth as Heather does, but this is huge for my mom, and I’m proud of her.

I pull her in for a hug. It doesn’t feel natural—yet—but it feels good. “I’m happy to belong to both of these families. Thank you for coming.”

“I wouldn’t miss it for anything.” There’s a touch of sadness she’s trying to hide with a bright smile, probably because she knows that I had a reason to doubt, but the fact that she doesn’t hijack it into a victim moment is huge too.

She moves onto Oliver and my dad steps up next. He clears his throat and looks as uncomfortable as he ever lets himself look. I don’t know what to do here. We’ve never been huggers, but it’s definitely even more foreign to my dad than to my mom.

“Oh, for—” Katie says, and she pushes us together. “Hug it out. Now.”

His arms pop up, stiff but open, and I step into them. He closes them around me carefully, like he’s not sure how much pressure to apply. He clears his throat again. “Congratulations.”

“Thanks, Dad.” We step back and smile at each other.

Another clearing of his throat. “We’re releasing the trust. I’ll get my lawyers on it.”

I wave my hand. “It’s okay, Dad. We’ll have a pretty good dual income.”

“We’re releasing it, and we’re paying for the wedding.”

My spine stiffens out of instinct, and Oliver’s hand is on the small of my back in an instant, proving he’s as attuned to me as always.

“No, thank you, Dad,” I say, which is about the best I can do given that typically autocratic order.

“Gordon…” my mom says with a soft note of warning.

“I meant to say that we’d like to pay for the wedding,” my dad says.

“That’s sweet, Dad, but it’s okay. We’ve got it.” I don’t want them trying to decide all the details. And by him, I mean my mom.

“I understand.” He looks almost…sad? I don’t know. I haven’t seen that expression on his face before. “We’re still releasing the trust. It should have been yours last year on your birthday. We have no conditions.”

“I appreciate that,” I say. “It’ll help pay for the wedding.”

He’s a savvy negotiator who sees it for the compromise it is. “I’m glad.” Then he shocks me by dropping a kiss on top of my head before moving on to shake Oliver’s hand.

After everyone gets in their congratulations—and after my besties lodge their bridesmaid dress requests—the party breaks up, everyone wandering back to their own homes. We make plans with all the parents to get dinner together the next night, and they leave too.

Oliver and I walk back to his place to tell Tabitha and Smudge the good news, and as the door closes behind us, he pulls me in for a fiery kiss that I’m extremely glad our parents don’t witness.

“Thank you for forever,” I tell him when we finally come up for air.

“Too bad it’s still not long enough.”

I smile because even though I’m better at math, he’s right. Forever isn’t enough, so we better use every second of it wisely. And I kiss him again.

---