he counter comes to assist us.
"And you're telling me because?"
"Because it's your fault," Maverick says, his nose turned up in disgust.
"How can it be my fault that you're lactose intolerant?" I ask incredulously while pointing for the man.
"Because you've been serving so much cheese lately that it's starting to make me sick."
I burst out laughing while shaking my head. Right now, even Maverick's corny jokes are funny. I love being in love.
Maverick smiles but groans. "This is the real thing. You're really going to do this?" he asks as the jeweler hands me the ring.
I slide it onto my pinky, grinning when it stops at my knuckle. It's already the perfect size. This has to be a sign.
"I'm really going to do this." I look up at the jeweler and hand him my credit card. His eyes grow wide when he sees it, and a slow smile spreads. "I'll take this one," I say to him.
"Do you need it sized?"
I wiggle it back off my finger, smiling even bigger as I take a happy breath.
"No. It's perfect."
The guy rushes around to wrap up the sale, and Maverick leans over the glass, propping his elbows on top.
"You don't think this is all happening a little fast?"
I can't help but laugh. Everything is funny right now. I think being in love actually makes you feel high.
"Fast? Maverick, I've been in love with Rain since I was a thirteen-year-old kid. No. I'd say this is rather slow. I'm not wasting any more time."
He tries hard not to grin, but he can't help it. I just smile back at him, and he breaks the stare, laughing while shaking his head.
"Damn, you're really such a cheesy bastard these days," he says despite his insuppressible grin.
My happiness is infectious, and I refuse to apologize for that. Tonight is step one to making sure she says yes. I'll ease her into it so that it doesn't seem like such a big leap.
"You didn't act so surprised when I invited you to come with me," I murmur distractedly, shaking my hands when they start to sweat.
"Like you said, you've loved her since we were kids. I figured it was just a matter of time."
I tilt my head, confused. "You knew?"
"Of course I knew. Hell, Kode and Corbin were the only two blind enough to miss it. The two of you were inseparable. Dale and I were going to give you two one of those celebrity mashed up names—like Brangelina or whatever—but no matter how you twisted your names, you were still just Rain and Dane. We thought about Drain, but it just didn't seem to fit."
Laughter falls out of me again. Rain has to say yes. I want to feel this damn good for the rest of my life.
"When you gonna ask her?" Maverick asks, still grinning like me.
"A couple of weeks from now. I've got it all planned out. She loves Silk, and I've got the place emptied out that night. I wanted to plan a big party and surprise her."
His grin only grows as the jeweler hands me the box that holds the small symbol of a future with the girl I love.
Maverick walks with me outside, both of us staring at the box in my hand. "You're the only jerk we'd ever let her be with, just so you know. Honestly, you two couldn't be more perfect for each other."
My damn cheeks hurt from smiling so much. I don't think I've ever been so excited about anyth—
"Ow!" I yelp when Maverick punches the fuck out of my arm for no reason at all.