Page 110 of Finding Fate

“Hey!”

“Trust me. This time, she got carried away in a good way,” Jet assured her as he looked her over. He was glad to see that she had at least gotten away without any jewelry other than the ring he had given her, and she never took off. Anything else would have definitely been over the top for his girl.

The next several minutes were spent with Annie standing awkwardly in front of the stairs, smiling unwillingly for the camera while her mother continued to click away, and just when she’d thought the torture would end, the others insisted on group pictures as well. She made her best effort to be a good sport about it until, finally, her mother got her fill.

“Well, sweetie, give me a hug,” Bridgette said as she slipped her phone into her back pocket. “Tyler and I are going to head out. We’ll see you at the game. You look amazing.”

“Thanks, Mom,” Annie replied, hugging her goodbye.

“Later, Annie,” Tyler called from the door. “Later, guys. Good luck at the game tonight, Jet.”

“Thanks, Tyler,” Jet called back as Bridgette scooted him through the door.

“I do not get carried away,” Izzy said defensively once her mother and brother had left.

“Maybe not tonight,” Annie replied, “but that’s just because you ran out of time.”

“That reminds me,” Izzy said as she went to grab her jacket from the closet near the door. “Why were you so late? I gave you a specific time to be home today so that I would have plenty of time to get you ready.”

“You mean she didn’t tell you yet?” Tucker asked, his tone insinuative.

Looking perplexed, she passed her sister her jacket. “Tell me what? Annie, what should you have told me?”

Annie shot Jet a look. Surely he hadn’t already blabbed to Tucker? He shrugged back at her as if to say he was sorry.

“Our friends had a little too much fun in the kitchen with dessert this afternoon,” Tucker supplied proudly. He watched Annie blush scarlet. He was right. It was so worth embarrassing her over having Jet owe him a favor.

Isabel stared at them for a few seconds before it clicked, and she took in a surprised intake of breath. “In your family’s kitchen, Jet?!” He just grinned. “That’s…that’s…” she had no words.

“At least, you didn’t have to see the place when they were through, love,” Tucker added, not quite done embarrassing his friend. “I was stuck helping with damage control.”

Annie groaned and dropped her head into her hands. “So that’s how Tucker found out.” She hadn’t wanted anyone to see that mess, that incredibly fun mess. “Won’t it be great when Jet and I have our own kitchen one day?” she mused.

“Be nice, Tuck,” Isabel scolded in a tone that wasn’t in the least bit harsh. “I’m sure Annie’s embarrassed enough that you know any details at all. I wouldn’t want them knowing details about us either.”

“But I wouldn’t mind sharing some from our afternoon at the beach,” he replied, stretching the teasing a little further.

“Sweet, dude!” Jet exclaimed, giving him a high five while Isabel flushed scarlet.

“And you gave us a hard time? We weren’t in public,” Annie glared.

Isabel cringed in embarrassment. “Call it an exception.”

“Why?”

She held up her left hand for their friends to see. Jet stared at the ring in surprise while Annie grabbed Isabel’s hand for a closer view. “Is this what I think it is?”

“Sure is,” Tucker replied proudly, pulling his fiancé to his side.

“But you said you weren’t going to get married,” Annie said softly, still studying the ring on her sister’s hand.

“We said we weren’t going to get married yet,” Tucker corrected.

“But there’s no reason we can’t be engaged,” Isabel explained. “We’re still going to wait, but this way, everyone, including our daughter, will know how committed we are.”

“Anyone that looks at you knows that,” Annie responded in a tone that said ‘it’s the most obvious thing in the world.’

“Congratulations,” Jet said, finally collecting his thoughts.

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