Page 98 of Endurance
“Just pick a fight with me and I’ll feel better,” he moans.
I roll my eyes and glance around the room for inspiration. When I see one of his feet sticking out of the covers, I say in clipped notes, “I hate your pinkie toe.”
“What?” He looks down at his offensive foot.
“It sticks out to the side…It looks like a birth defect.”
His face drops in dismay. “That’s rather specific.”
“It makes me sick,” I sputter.
“Well, I’m not asking you to suck it!” His eyes are accusatory and annoyed, our glorious and agreeable bubble well and popped now.
“The minute you do, we’ll be divorced faster than you can—”
He dives across the bed and tackles me, silencing my words with a kiss. “I fucking love you, future wife.”
I giggle and look up at him. “I fucking love you, future husband.”
Standing outside of my dad’s gated entry in Chigwell, I pull Belle by the waist, attempting to pry her off the wrought iron fence.
“Stop being so dramatic.”
“Says the future Queen of England,” she snipes and then lets go, falling against my chest. She looks up at me through thick lashes. “You’re sure we can’t keep this from your family for like…one week?”
I shake my head. “There’s no fucking way. Secrets like this don’t survive the Harris household. Believe me, they are like drug dogs. They sniff that shit out. Besides, you won’t be able to keep this from Indie anyway.”
She groans. “I’m scared of Indie. She’s small, but she has that ginger blood in her and that shit is unpredictable.”
I chuckle and kiss her forehead.
“Fine, let’s do this.” She pulls away and jogs in place, shaking her head side to side like a fighter preparing for a battle.
I shake my head as she hustles past me. “There’s my future wife I know and love.” I run to catch up and crack her on the arse as we make our way up the front step.
When we walk into Dad’s kitchen, everything looks different. Normally, Vi is busy cooking, Dad is at the table going over manoeuvres, and an old football game is on in the background. It’s noisy and bustling. But today, all I see is Dad, Vi, Hayden, Booker, Gareth, Camden, and Indie all huddled around the table, peering down at something in stony silence.
“Well, hello, hello, family,” I bellow. They all turn and hiss at me to be quiet. “What’s going on?” I ask, eyeing them curiously and pulling Belle along with me to see where they are standing.
I peer over Gareth’s shoulder and see Adrienne, or Rocky, lying in her car seat. Her wild spray of blonde hair has a big pink bow clipped in it, and her big blue eyes are drooping slowly, like she’s starting to nod off but fighting it every step of the way.
“This is what we’re watching?” I whisper.
Everyone cuts menacing glowers at me, except Vi. She answers me from the other side of the table. “They find it fascinating.” She shrugs. “They are just getting a glimpse of my day-to-day life. How are you guys?”
She looks at Belle with a big, warm smile and must see something she doesn’t like. Her face falls. “What is it? What’s the matter? Has something horrid happened?”
I frown and look at Belle, who’s swiping at tears on her face.Bloody hell!“What is it?” I ask, moving to cup her cheeks, concern rioting through my body.
“Nothing, I’m fine. Just tell them quickly,” she says with a weepy smile that doesn’t look sad but happy. “I’m going to lose it.”
I laugh, drop a kiss on her lips, and then tuck her under my arm. I turn to face everyone who’ve now diverted their attention from the almost sleeping Rocky to us.
“I’ve asked Belle to marry me,” I declare proudly, holding back none of my gusto.
We’re met with silence and some blinking.
“I proposed to her,” I clarify, thinking that’ll help spark some sort of reaction.
