Page 83 of Perfectly Wedded

“What are you doing?” I ask, hoping that the sinking feeling in my gut is not correct.

“What does it look like I’m doing?” he grumbles.

“It looks like you’re risking a limb.”

“Yes, for you, in fact. When I picked up the ring, it fell down the drain.”

“You dropped the ring in the garbage disposal?” I whisper-shout. This is horrifically bad timing. Especially since Sloan isn’t finished with the dishes.

“Is there any other reason I’d stick my hand down this filthy hole?”

I glance out the window and see Sloan and the girls are making their way up the steps. I point at Brax. “You have exactly five seconds to find that ring, or I’m going to turn on the garbage disposal.”

His eyes bulge. “You should be thanking me right now.”

“Right now, I’m furious at you. You had one job,” I say holding up my finger to his face. “One. Job.”

Just then Leo enters from the back, mysteriously empty-handed. “Where are the donuts?” I ask.

“Donut shop was closed,” he says before he looks at Brax. “Did you get it?”

“The ring fell down the drain,” Brax mutters. “And my fat fingers can’t seem to grab the slippery sucker.”

“Let me try.” Leo elbows him out of the way as the front door opens and laughter spills into the house. Leo shakes his head. “The things I do for you.”

“Vale, come see what the girls found!”

“Be there in a second,” I singsong, before I mutter through gritted teeth, “We’re gonna be busted in two seconds.”

In one swift movement, Leo jams his hand into the disposal and fishes out the ring just as the girls enter the kitchen. He shoves his hand in his pocket as we all wheel around.

“Look at these adorable...” Sloan stops as she notices our guilty-looking faces. “What’s up with you guys?”

“Nothing,” Brax says, shaking his head quickly.

Sloan frowns. “Why are you standing in a line at the sink unless...” She pauses and walks toward us.We’re so busted.She stops and peeks over my shoulder. “Are you doing the dishes for me?”

Leo nudges me in the side.

“Um, okay, it was supposed to be a surprise, but you caught us.” I spin around and start washing a dish and then hand it to a confused Brax. Leo hands him a dish towel.

“Take the night off,” I say. “We’ve got this.” I have no idea how we’ll hide the fact that her ring is gone.

She blinks. “I thought we were taking a walk?”

I wash another dish and hand it to Leo, who passes it to Brax. “Another night? I know you’re busy with wedding planning, and we only have a week.”

Her face melts into a smile. “Thank you for understanding,Vale. That’s really sweet.” She leaves a kiss on my cheek before returning to the piles of bags in the hallway.

It’s only going to be a matter of time before she realizes her ring is gone, but at least that gives me a chance to come up with an excuse.

And since Brax actually did drop it down the sink, he just gave me the best excuse in the world.

I hand Leo a dish rag. “Trade?”

He sinks his hand into his pocket and plucks out the ring. “I have to do dishes too? I never agreed to this.”

I pocket the ring. “Anything for love, right?”

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