Page 144 of Driftwood Daffodil 3

“Don’t you lie to me. That young man didn’t lie to me.”

Damnit Gio, what was he thinking telling my Maw Maw the truth. We really needed to get on the same page.

Maw Maw lifted her hand and pointed an angry finger at me. “I will not have another illegitimate child in this house.”

She loved Knox. I knew that. Veda knew that. Hell, Knox knew that. But Maw Maw was very set in her ways. Children came after marriage. In her mind even sex should also wait for marriage.

“I’m not going to get pregnant. I’m on birth control.”

I stopped.

She stopped and got this look in her eye. “What?”

Shit. Birth control was one of those taboo subjects. I wasn’t quite sure where she stood. Was it evil, was it not? It was a very grey area in the catholic church. I talked to her about it once and the only response I got was the father, son, and holy ghost cross she made with her hand. That was when I asked Veda to take me to the gynaecologist.

“Did you say you were on birth control?”

Fuck it.

“You know what Maw Maw, yes I did. I’ve been on birth control for years, and I’m not sorry. Because I love Gio and what we’re doing isn’t wrong.”

My mouth had never clamped shut faster in my life.

I did not just say that, did I? Gio was an asshole. He was demanding, had an ego the size of Detroit, was completely unreasonable, and I…

Son of a bitch.

Huffing out a sigh, I grabbed a wooden spoon off the counter and held it out for Maw Maw. “You can beat me to death now.”

“That’s my job.”

Maw Maw and I both turned to see Gio walking through the front door.

What the hell was he doing here? And how long had he been standing out there? If he heard what I said, I would stab myself in the eye with the end of this wooden spoon, right now.

“Young man,” Maw Maw wagged her finger. “It is not polite to walk into someone’s house uninvited.”

“I know. I’m sorry,” he apologized, which was something I never thought I’d hear him do. “but there’s something I need to say to your granddaughter.”

His stare locked on mine and there was something glimmering in his deep jade eyes that I didn’t like. This couldn’t be good.

Gio didn’t wait for Maw Maw’s permission. He walked right past her and up to me. My stomach started to sink before he got down on one knee.

I cocked a brow down at him and whispered, “what are you doing?”

It better not be what I thought it was.

“Novalee Ford. You are a pain in the ass, and half the time I’d rather strangle you than kiss you, but I don’t want to hate anyone else.”

Son of a bitch, he was.

Gio reached in his pocket, pulled out a box and opened the top. “Will you marry me?”

I looked at Maw Maw, she eyed Gio, and Gio stared up at me.

Maw Maw and I were too stunned to speak. It was very awkward, and kind of sweet. As far as proposals went, that was spot on for someone like me. Except for the ring that is. It was a pink teardrop diamond on a platinum band encrusted with other diamonds. That thing was way too expensive to go on my hand. And apparently, I wasn’t the only one who thought so.

Maw Maw’s eyes narrowed. “Where did you get that ring?”

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