Page 87 of Love, Always and Forever
“They love you.”
She made shooing motions toward them, but they stubbornly remained right where they were. “I know.”
He waited until she turned back around to say, “So do I, Amy. So damned much.”
Her eyes flared wide and her mouth dropped open in shock. “You’re sure?”
“Sure enough that I stopped to buy these before coming here.”
He pulled a pair of small boxes out of his jacket pocket and popped open the lids to reveal three rings, one with a diamond solitaire and two matching bands. “If you’d rather pick out something different, we can take these back.”
“They’re perfect, Misha.”
If they had to have an audience, he might as well give them a good show. He dropped to one knee. “Amy Short, will you do me the honor of marrying me? And I’m talking now. Well, not right now. It will take us two days to get to Las Vegas, but now as in as soon as we can get there.”
Her eyes flared wide as her mouth curved up in a huge smile. “Won’t your family be disappointed if they miss out on our wedding?”
“So will yours, but we’ll make it up to them with a big reception. Hell, we can even have a second ceremony if that’s what it takes to make peace with both sides.”
Her laughter rang out, pure and so happy. “Then, yes, Mikhail Wanjek, I’ll marry you. Now, as in let’s hit the road before they figure out what we’re planning here.”
Then her face fell. “I’ve got Panda with me. And my stuff is all inside. We’ll never get away from them if I go back in there.”
“We can buy whatever you need, and you can text your parents and ask them to watch Panda for a few days.” He stood up and tucked the bands back in his pocket to free up his hands to slide the engagement ring on her finger.
They really needed to get a move on before her family got up the courage to come join the party, but he wasn’t going to miss a chance to kiss his future bride. “Kiss me quick, babe, and then we need to make our escape.”
The click of the front door opening spurred them both into action, laughing as they yanked on their helmets. Unfortunately, her parents and brothers surrounded them in the driveway before they could get away.
Mr. Short gave them both a hard look. “Where do you two think you’re going?”
Mikhail wrapped his arm around Amy’s shoulders and held her close while she fluttered her left hand in the air for them to see and announced their plans. “We’re headed to Las Vegas to get married. Can you watch Panda for me for a few days?”
That left her dad sputtering, but her mother was made of sterner stuff. “Yes, we’ll watch the dog, but don’t you think you could at least introduce us to your fiancé first?”
“Oops, sorry. Mom, Dad, this is Mikhail Wanjek, the man I’m going to marry.”
Mikhail offered his hand to his future father-in-law and was relieved when the man shook it. Maybe they wouldn’t hate him too much for stealing their daughter. “Nice to meet you both. I promise I’ll do everything I possibly can to make her happy.”
“You’d better, son.” Mr. Short jerked his head toward the quartet standing behind them. “They’ll be watching.”
To Mikhail’s surprise, Chad stepped around his father to offer his own hand. “I hope you deserve her.”
“Me, too.”
After another round of hugs and handshakes, they finally roared out of the driveway on their way to a new future together. And if they only made it as far as the next town before stopping for a night of hot makeup sex and love, well, that was their own little secret.
