Page 106 of Stuck with my Guarded MVP
Constant.
A Quiet Forever
Claire
The rich, warm scent of cinnamon and rosemary filled the main cabin’s kitchen. I stirred my coffee slowly, watching the steam curl and vanish in the slant of morning light through the window. Maggie, upon hearing the news last night, had declared a family breakfast, her treat, and judging by the pans cooling on the stove, she’d been up since dawn.
Across the rustic wooden table, Maeve and Brooke were still admiring the ring on my left hand.
“It’s so you, Claire,” Brooke said, turning my hand gently to see the diamond from another angle. “Simple, elegant, and just a little unexpected.”
I smiled and turned my hand slightly, and a shard of morning light hit the diamond, throwing a tiny, brilliant rainbow onto the wooden table. “He designed it himself.”My constant.
Brooke leaned in, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “So. Have you thought about the wedding yet?”
I blinked. “The wedding?”
“Well, yeah,” she said, her grin widening. “You’re engaged now. That’s usually the next step. Time to start planning.”
I hesitated, my smile faltering. The comforting weight of the ring suddenly felt like a spotlight. A big wedding meant cameras, press, fans speculating on every detail. My brother was his coach. Liam was… Liam. Famous. Beloved. A goalie with a cult following. The world would expect a spectacle.
But all I could see was the herb garden in the twilight, the string lights, and the way he’d looked at me like I was the only person on the planet.
“I don’t want a circus,” I murmured, more to my coffee cup than to them. “I’d love to have it someplace like this. Quiet. Just us.” I looked up, the reality of it hitting me. “I just hate the idea of waiting a whole year for some fancy venue.”
A beat of silence passed, filled only by the hum of the refrigerator. My sister-in-law’s eyes lit up.
Oh no, what is she cooking up?
“I brought that white dress,” she said. “The flowy one you loved from the boutique. I thought you might wear it last night.” She waved a hand. “But then, with all the… well, the chaos…” Everyone around the table laughed, remembering Sophie'sinterruption. “I completely forgot to give it to you.” She took a quick breath. “Actually, I brought dresses for the three of us. And I packed a suit and tie for Nolan.” She shrugged, a little sheepish. “I don’t know what I was thinking. I was just so excited for you two.”
Maggie, who’d been quietly refilling coffee cups but clearly listening to every word, set the carafe down with a soft thud. “I know someone,” she said. “A friend down the road. She’s licensed to officiate. If you want… I could make a call.”
My breath caught in my throat. “You’re serious?”
“Only if you are,” Maggie said, her smile gentle.
Maeve and Brooke looked at each other, both trying to hide their smiles and failing completely.
“Why don’t you,” Maeve said, drawing out the words, “go talk to my brother… I mean, your fiancé…” I couldn’t miss the way Maeve leaned on the word fiancé, her voice warm with teasing. The wink she shot Brooke was so quick I might have imagined it, but the shared smile that followed was unmistakable. “…and see what he thinks.”
I found him outside, sitting in a deep Adirondack chair, sipping coffee and reading a cookbook.Of course.I sat in the chair beside him, my heart thudding against my ribs like a trapped bird.
“I have a question,” I said softly.
He looked up from the page, his expression instantly alert, the easy morning calm replaced by concern. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” I reached for his hand, lacing my fingers with his. “I just… I know we haven’t talked about the wedding yet. And I know people will expect something big. But I don’t want big. I want this. You. Here. Now.”
He blinked, processing. “You mean—”
“I mean…” I took a steadying breath, the words feeling both impossible and perfectly right. “Would you marry me today?”
He stared at me for a long moment, his gaze searching mine. Then he set his ceramic mug down on the wide arm of the chair with deliberate care.
“Wait.” He leaned forward, his voice earnest. “Do you want the dress? The flowers? The music? Because if you do, I’ll make it happen. I’ll fly in a string quartet. I’ll—”
I laughed and shook my head. Before he could list another extravagant idea, I closed the small distance between us and kissed him, swallowing the rest of his sentence.
