“That makes two of us,” Christopher jokes, drawing laughter from my parents.
We hear the front door open and close, then my godmother, Miss Sebastian, mutters, “Why did I have to rush my bedazzled ass over so early on my day off?”
I get up and go hug her. “Because of me, Mamma G.” When I pull back, I hold my left hand up in front of her face.
“Oh. My. God.” Her eyes widen as she stares at the ring.
My godmother is eccentric, so I prepare myself for her reaction. She was born male, but the year before I was born, she went for a sex reassignment surgery, so she’s always been my aunt to me. She was also the one who helped deliver me, so basically, she’s the first person I saw.
“Who’s the man that gave you that rock?” she asks, her eyes darting to Christopher. “God, please tell me it’s Christopher.”
When I nod, she darts past me, going straight for him like a heat-seeking missile. When she grabs hold of Christopher, who stood up just in the nick of time, Miss Sebastian begins to jump up and down while she lets out a shriek.
When she calms down, she presses a kiss to his cheek. “Thank you. Now, my bedazzled ass can stop worrying about my godbaby.”
Once we’re all seated at the table, I say, “I’ll check with Aunt Della, then us four girls can go look at reception venues. I just need to know what your schedules look like.”
With my mother being a cardiothoracic surgeon and Miss Sebastian, a nurse, I’ll have to plan everything down to the last minute because they don’t get a lot of time off.
Miss Sebastian pats my hand. “I’ll email you our work schedules, then you can just fill in the dates you need us.”
“Sounds good.”
“Are you going to move into the penthouse with Christopher?” Dad asks.
I nod. “Today, actually.”
“What about your place?” Dad asks.
Christopher answers for me, “She’s keeping it as an investment. We’ll rent it out.”
Dad nods, looking happy, then he grins at Christopher. “Fuck, you have no idea how happy you made me today.”
It fills my heart with warmth as my gaze flits between Dad and Christopher.
Our life together is going to be perfect.
CHRISTOPHER
“Are you ready?” I ask Dash. “My mom’s going to be much louder than yours was.”
Dash lets out a chuckle as she takes off her seat belt. “We survived Miss Sebastian. No one’s louder than her.”
“True.” Leaning over the console, I wrap my fingers around the back of Dash’s neck and pull her in for a quick kiss.
When I let go of her and I open the car door, I see Mom standing by the front door, a massive smile on her face, which means she saw the kiss.
As soon as Dash comes around the front of the car, Mom lets out a shriek, and then she storms Dash. “Finally!”
I watch them hug, my heart swelling with pride.
Dad appears in the doorway and walking to him, his mouth curves up. As we hug, he murmurs, “You took your fucking time. Nearly drove your mother insane.”
I let out a chuckle.
Dad goes to hug Dash, and when Mom comes toward me, and I see the happy tears, I open my arms.
She holds me tightly then says, “I always knew this day would come.”
We walk into the house, and Mom instantly takes hold of Dash’s hand, fawning over the ring.
Dad’s eyebrows lift, then he grumbles, “Now I’ll have to upgrade your mother’s ring. Thanks for that.”
Laughing, I throw an arm around his shoulders. “Only the best for Dash.”
Dad’s eyes lock on mine. “And for you.”
Grinning, I say, “That’s why I’m getting myself the Bugatti.”
“Yeah?”
We sit down as I nod.
“I’m the first one you’re taking for a drive,” Dad orders.
“Definitely,” I mutter. My gaze turns to where Dash and Mom are still talking about the ring.
“You got insurance, right?” Dad asks, his eyes also on the ring.
“Of course. You’d slap me upside the head otherwise.”
Dad lets out a chuckle. “That’s for sure.”
“Miss Sebastian will send me her and Mom’s work schedules,” Dash tells my Mom as they sit down. “I’ll let you know the dates they have off, then we can go look at wedding venues.”
“Oooh… I have a couple in mind already,” Mom exclaims excitedly.
“Where? I could only think of the country club, and I really don’t want to have it there.”
“L’Auberge Del Mar in San Diego,” Mom says. She pulls out her phone. “Just look at these pictures. You’ll fall in love.”
I watch as a beautiful smile spreads over Dash’s face as she looks at the venue. “It’s gorgeous.” She reaches out a hand for me without taking her eyes off the phone. “Come look.”
Letting out a chuckle, I get up, and sitting down on the armrest, I lean over Dash.
“I like the view of the ocean,” I say as Mom swipes through the photos.