Page 25 of Be With Me
Chapter 12
Mooney looked around Debbie and Stacy’s apartment. It was a disaster as they tried to figure out what belonged to who. There were piles of medical textbooks on the coffee table, couch and floor. Who knew there were so many? He was leaning against the wall with Kevin, Danny and Mackey. They’d come down with him to help the girls move out. At least that was the plan but Debs and Stacy hadn’t done their part ahead of time so they were cooling their heels waiting. Hmm, just like mission time when the green LT doesn’t know what he’s doing.
“Which one of us is going to risk his head to ask about moving furniture or boxes out to the trucks?” Danny asked quietly.
Kevin and Mooney looked at each other then at Mackey who held up his hands. “Danny? Did you hit your head during your last jump?” Kevin asked.
“He must’ve to even suggest interrupting the ladies,” Mooney pointed out.
“Even I know not to interrupt women when they’re figuring something out and I’m gay,” Mackey’s eyes got wide and he looked away fast. Mooney had thought maybe Mackey was gay but figured Mackey would say something when he was comfortable enough with them. Guess he was now.
“See? Even Mackey knows it’s a bad idea,” Kevin chimed in, as he knocked his shoulder into Mackey’s.
They returned to their silent waiting for a few minutes before Mackey stood and faced the three of them.
“Aren’t you going to say anything?” Mackey asked.
Mooney tilted his head to one side then the other. “Yeah, you need to move. You’re blocking my view of Deb’s ass and I’ll take every opportunity to enjoy that view.”
“Luny! Seriously? Can’t you guys help?” Debbie asked from where she was bent over.
Mooney bowed with a flourish of his arm. “We’re here at your disposal, ma’am. Just need to know whose possessions need to go in which truck.”
“So whipped,” Danny said out of the side of his mouth.
“Just fucking do it already,” Mackey threw out.
“Ball less,” Kevin agreed.
Mooney looked at his three friends and narrowed his eyes.Did they think he should propose in the middle of Debbie moving?He wanted to make it special; give her a romantic night out. Not just throw out the question like it didn’t mean anything.
“Well…?” The three wiggled their eyebrows up and down.Oh now they thought they were the Marx Brothers?Mooney frowned at their antics before thinking it through.
Maybe now was the time? Ending her old life, starting a new one? He mulled over what to say while he watched Debbie and Stacy sort the last pile of books. They both stood up and wiped their hands on their shorts.
“That’s it. Okay, so the books on the coffee table are mine.” Stacy slapped her hands together. “And the rest are Debbie’s. Can one of you grab a box or ten?”
Danny and Kevin moved to the stack of boxes and began packing them up. Mackey grabbed a marker and knelt to write on the one they’d filled.
Debbie walked over to where Mooney stood and gave him a peck on the cheek. “Thanks for bringing the muscle down to help. Uncle Buddy and Tommy are in the middle of replacing the fryers in the food truck this weekend and couldn’t make it to help me move. They’ll be at Mom’s to unload it all.”
“How about we find a place for the two of us to live and they can come help unload in Fayetteville?” Mooney blurted out.Great timing, jackass.
“What?” Debbie pulled back. Unsurprisingly, the room had gone silent. Mooney could feel all eyes on him. In for a penny…
Mooney dropped to a knee and held Debbie’s hand. “Debbie, as you finish your degree and are deciding where your new path will take you, take that journey with me? You probably have all these high dreams on how to use your degree, but do you think you could tweak them a bit and include me? I know that moving here, there, and everywhere, will be a challenge and that being away from your family will be hard. I promise that I’ll do everything in my power to always be there for you, share my thoughts, body and soul with you. You’ve had my heart for almost a year already, claim it for the rest of our lives? Will you marry me?”
He’d been carrying the box with her ring in it since purchasing it. Mooney pulled the box from the cargo pocket and opened it. He nodded at the diamond solitaire with the matching wrap and held it up to Debbie.
When he looked into her eyes, there were tears spilling over. No one in the room was moving, he wasn’t sure they were breathing it was so quiet. He waited a minute or two before nodding and dropping his hands. He went to put the box back into his pocket when his arms were filled with Debbie.
“Don’t you dare doubt yourself or me, Rafael Stefano Luna. Yes, there are going to be ups and downs and times we’re apart. We’ll just have to make the most of our time together. I thought you were a lunatic last July when you said I was meant to be with you. Maybe you were, maybe I was but all I know now is you’re my Luny and I’m not letting you go. Yes, I do.”
It took Mooney a minute to process what Debbie had said but when he did? He looked to the ceiling and blew out a breath before he claimed her mouth in a brutal kiss. Or she claimed his. It didn’t really matter. When they broke from the kiss, he murmured, “I love you, Debra Florence Hansen and I can’t wait to add Luna to the end of your name.”
“I love you too, Rafael Stefano Luna. Let’s move my stuff to storage and find our first home,” Debbie suggested while wiggling her fingers. Mooney pulled the solitaire out and slipped on her finger. It fit perfectly just like she fit him.
Mooney turned and looked at the guys and Stacy which seemed to break the spell. They swarmed him and Debbie with hugs and congratulations. The guys were right. This was the perfect time to ask Debbie to be his forever.
