Calliope just stares agog at me, her eyes cutting from me to the ring to the house, then back to me again. “This is so fast,” she mutters.
“No, it’s not,” I say firmly as I move to a standing position and take the ring from the box. I grab her hand, slide it easily onto her appropriate finger, and watch her as she stares down at it. “We’ve known each other for a lifetime. Loved each other for years. Made mistakes, fell apart, and found each other again. No one knows me the way you do, and no one will ever know you half as well as I do. And if there’s anything I’ve learned over the last few weeks, it’s to never live life on the verge of regret. We have nothing to lose. Let’s do this, Poppy.”
She touches the ring with the tips of her fingers, twisting it slightly. Then her head tips up, and she smiles at me. “Okay. Let’s do this.”* * * *