Page 42 of Avalanche
If I don’t propose before Antoine marries her, that’s not going to happen. He’ll put some other ring there. Something fancier and more expensive, probably.
I scrub at the back of my neck, frantic needles of indecision prickling across my skin.
Eddie’s shoulders slump. “I’m just trying to come up with solutions here. I thought it was a good idea.”
“It’s a terrible idea,” Liam says flatly. Antoine shoots his boyfriend a silent look of reprimand, but doesn’t disagree.
“I think it’s a good idea,” I say.
Three sets of eyes fix on me and I suddenly feel too big for this table, this kitchen. Like the weight of their attention is a physical thing. I clear my throat.
“I… I appreciate what you all are saying. I don’t want to rush this. I know I want to marry Lily, but I was planning on waiting a few weeks to ask her...”
Liam makes a choked sound of surprise at that, then covers his mouth with his hand. I feel my cheeks heat, but stare down at the table and force myself to continue.
“Asking her now, that would be a bit sooner than I’d wanted, but not much. And it would be good to ask her before Antoine marries her.”
“It’s just a piece of paper,” Antoine interjects hurriedly. “When we get married, you know it won’t change anything, right? Between all of us?”
“I know,” I say, but I don’t quite agree. Maybe I’m old fashioned. Maybe it’s because I grew up hearing about the sacredness of marriage, but for me, it changes everything. “I’d like to ask her all the same.”
I dare a look up at Antoine, dreading what I might find there. Censure. Disapproval. Antoine gives me a soft, bemused smile, then shakes his head. “All right.” A look of relief softens his features. “I guess we better get to work, then.”
“Get to work?” I echo.
There’s the smallest flash of white as Antoine’s smile widens, and he shoots Liam a look that I don’t quite understand. It almost seems like a dare, a challenge—though what he’s daring him to do, I couldn’t say.
“You’ve got five days to propose to Lily and I’ve got to plan a wedding,” Antoine clarifies, his grin widening when Liam shakes his head at us in disbelief. “I’d say we’ve got a lot of work to do.”
I jolt in surprise, pressing one trembling palm to my chest. I can feel my heart thundering there, a wild panicked frenzy humming beneath my skin.
“You’re going to help me?” I rasp, not quite believing what I’m hearing. “You’re going to help me propose to Lily?”
Antoine nods, his smile softening. It’s the same smile he gave me after we kissed, open and sweet. The sort of look a man could fall into.
“Of course,” he murmurs, and I swear I can see a blush rise on his cheeks, darkening the skin beneath his eyes and across the bridge of his nose. “We’re all in this together, aren’t we? This isn’t just me and her, you and her, is it?” He dares a glance at Liam. “This… it’s all of us. Together.”
Liam drags one hand over his face, and lets out a defeated sigh.
“Fucking perfect.” Eddie straightens in his seat, that grin reappearing on his face, like the sun coming out from behind the clouds. “This proposal is going to be epic. I’ve got so many ideas…” he looks around the condo, his gaze going distant as he taps his chin with thought. “Someone needs to text Seth. We’ll have to get some flowers. Probably need a fancy dinner…”
He trails off, his eyes landing on the wall of beer cans with a wistful sort of resignation. “And I guess we’ll have to take the wall down.”
Chapter 12
Seth
Eddie: SOS. Matty is going to propose to Lily and we need your help.
Eddie: Today.
Eddie: When she gets home from work.
Eddie: You have four hours.
Eddie: Can you pick up flowers? You’re the only one with a car.
Eddie: No pressure though mate.
