Page 41 of Basil

“What if she says no?” I asked.

“Then ask me, I’ll say yes,” Meadow suggested. “That ring ismassive.”

“You’re a big help,” I muttered.

Summer, oblivious to my mini nervous breakdown, was arranging a new display of candles while she talked to Ocean.

She always looked beautiful, but it was more than that. She looked happy, and according to her, that was largely due to me. Of all the things I’d achieved, making Summer happy was the biggest and most treasured.

I cleared my throat. “Sunshine.”

She glanced up, then did a double take when she saw everyone watching us.

Her brows pulled together. “Uh. What’s going on?”

I stepped forward, my heart hammering. “I have something to say.”

She eyed me suspiciously. “Is this some inappropriate dramatic declaration in my place of business?”

Laughter rippled through the room, but I barely heard it, because in that moment, it was just her and me—us.

I reached into my pocket and pulled out the ring. I’d decided to not have a box—why add an extra step to an already fraught process.

Her lips parted, and her breathing faltered.

Rain, who didn’t know, gasped. “Oh my God.”

Bodhi, who also didn’t know, whispered, “Damn, that’s abigring.”

I ignored them and focused on my woman.

Summer blinked. “Is that for me?”

I shot her a look of mock exasperation. “No, I got it for Meadow.”

“I’ll take it.” Meadow raised her hand.

“Oh, shut it.” Summer put her hand out. “Gimme.”

“Patience.” God! She made me happy. So, fucking happy. “I have to ask first.”

She let out an exaggerated sigh as if she was bored. “Fine, ask.”

“You know, you can pretend to help me make this romantic because we’ll have to tell this story to our children,” I reminded her.

She shrugged. “We’ll just cook up a story.”

“Great, you haven’t even had kids and you plan to lie to them,” Ocean teased. “The Mother of the Year committee is gonna be waiting to hand out an award, Summer.”

“Basil, ask,” Summer demanded impatiently.

I grinned. I couldn’t help it. “Sunshine, I’ve been in love with you since the first time you made me drink that disgusting wheatgrass shot at Ocean’s smoothie place.”

Ocean muttered, “Rude.”

”I wake up happy every day because you’re next to me.”

Her eyes glistened with moisture.

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