Page 140 of Sloane

“Good to see you up and about.”

“It’s good to be up and about.”

As Maddie pulled away something caught my eye and I grabbed her left hand and held it up. The light reflected off a diamond ring on her finger.

“This is new! Ryan told me you’d gotten engaged but remind me, when did this happen, again?”

Craig wrapped an arm around his fiancée’s shoulder. “The Saturday after Thanksgiving.”

“I asked him at Seal Beach,” Maddie quickly added.

Craig scrunched up his face. “Um, no. I asked you.”

“Nuh-uh. I—”

“Who had a ring? Did you have a ring? No. I had the ring, and I proposed to you with it.”

“Only after I asked you.”

“Yours was an ad lib so it doesn’t count. Mine was planned, obviously, since I had a ring.”

“Doesn’t matter; I asked you first.”

Craig rolled his eyes and shook his head with a smile, then pulled her closer and kissed the top of her head.

“You’re impossible, woman.”

“I know, but you love me.”

“So fucking much.”

Dammit, I wanted that.

Maddie snuggled against Craig’s side when she said to me, “But we couldn’t pick a date until we knew when you’d be home for good.”

“Aw, you guys didn’t have to wait for me.”

“Bullshit,” Craig snarled. “I want you, Ryan, and Cooper to be my groomsmen.”

The idea of standing in front of a bunch of people staring at me made my hands sweat, but I’d do it for my friends.

“Well, I’m home now, so when’s the date?”

“Bring your calendar so we can figure that out.”

~~~~

“Aren’t you supposed to be professionally fitted for a cane?” Maddie asked from the passenger seat of Craig’s Land Rover. “Like you don’t just walk into the store and buy one like a pair of pants.”

“Maybe. But I want something I can use until then.”

“You mean tonight at the carnival.”

“Yeah, I guess.”

“Ryan said Ashley and Millie are going to be at this thing. Do they know you’re going to be there and that you’re bringing friends?”

“Well… no. Ashley’s there on a date.”

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