“Me either. Actually, I dont think I really changed it, I think I just realized it wasnt what I wanted.”
“You just realized you dont want me.” There was too much shock, too much anger for the pain to fight through. So she rode on the shock .and the anger and stepped forward to give him a hard shove. “Well, thats just fine.”
“I didnt say I didnt want you. I said I didnt want to live together.”
“You can take your new kitchen and stuff it. If you cant handle a committed, adult relationship then you cant handle me.”
“There you go, were right on the same page. Committed, adult relationship.” He pulled the box from his pocket, opened it. “This adult enough for you?”
Her mouth dropped open, and he thought shed never looked more beautiful as she stared down, dumbstruck, at the diamond ring.
“Lets be really grown-up, Malory. Lets get married.”
“You want to marry me?”
“I do. Look, I already know my lines.” He grinned at her. “You look a little pale. Im going to take that as a good sign. The jeweler said this was a classic, and Brad gave it a thumbs-up.” Flynn removed the ring from the box. “Brilliant-cut solitaire, blah-blah, whatever. You go for the classic look, right?”
A latch kept trying to slam shut in her throat, but
she forced it open. “Yes, I do.”
“There, you know your lines, too.” He took her limp hand, slipped the ring on before she could say another word. “It fits. I didnt think it would, youve got such delicate fingers, but it looks like we wont have to have it sized after all.”
She felt the snap of heat, the spread of warmth from the gold circling her skin. Yes, it fit, she thought dreamily. It looked as if it had been made for her finger. “Its beautiful. Its absolutely beautiful.”
“You could say yes now.”
She looked up from the ring, into his eyes. “Lifes going to be a roller coaster with you. I used to be afraid of roller coasters because you just never know what theyre going to do next. They dont scare me anymore.”
“Say yes. Ill get rid of the lamps.”
On something between a sob and a laugh, she leaped into his arms. “Yes. You know its yes, even with the ugly lamps.”
“I love you.”
“I love you, too.” With her cheek pressed to his, she held up her ring hand and watched the diamond glitter. “How could the same man who bought this gorgeous ring have bought those hideous lamps?”
“The many sides of Flynn Hennessy.”
“Lucky for me.” She heard the front door open and moved nearly as fast as Moe. “Oh, theyre coming. I have to show it off.” She pushed away from Flynn, then nipped back to kiss him again. “I have to show somebody.”
She hurried toward the front of the house, even as Dana hurried toward the back withZoe at her heels.
“What is it?”Zoe demanded.
“Have to show you both at once. Boy, have. I got news for you,” Dana said when Malory rushed toward her.
“Whatever it is, it cant top mine. Ive got news for you!”
Zoepushed between them. “Jeez, somebody tell somebody something before I explode.”
“Me first,” Dana and Malory said in unison, then both held out their left hands.
There were screams, followed by a burst of unintelligible words. At least they were unintelligible to the three men and a boy who looked on.
Simon watched his mother and her two friends jump and squeal like the girls did on the playground at school. Wrinkling his brow, he looked up at Brad.
“How come they do that?”