She faced me, and I let her stand up. I was really curious now but crossed my legs.
Especially when she tapped her glass.
She did it with a flick of her nails, not a huge ordeal, but it did get the attention of the rest of the room, December, Royal, and the rest of the gang included. Brielle’s face was beet red, and she smoothed her hands down her pants before speaking.
“I guess I just wanted to say something,” she said, and I smiled. She put her glass out to me. “About Ramses. First off, I just wanted to wish him and all the rest of you graduates congratulations. Doing so is a huge accomplishment, so you all should be very proud.”
She was aware my other friends had graduated too, and they raised their beverages to her, the rest of the room lightly clapping.
Brielle folded hands around her glass stem. “Ramses, what do I say about you?”
So that had the room laughing, me too when I waved a passive hand. I had no idea she’d be doing this, and though Brielle wasn’t shy, being put on the spot at all wasn’t one of her favorite pastimes. This speech was definitely putting her completely out of her comfort zone right now.
My Jersey girl.
She smiled at me. “An accomplished scholar and businessman. A wonderful son.” She placed her glass out toward my mom before guiding it toward December. “And cherished friend.”
Both Mom and December grinned, and that shit? Yeah, it kind of got some stuff caught in my throat a little bit. My girlfriend apparently loved placing me on the spot, too.
She faced me. “But also, an amazing man and fierce protector.” She paused, tucking a stand of hair behind her ear. “Many of you probably know this man saved my life. Whether you’ve read about it or heard directly from us. And though that’s true, I’m sure most of you don’t know it wasn’t the first time.”
I eyed her, surprised she was saying this.
I placed a hand out for hers, and she took it, lacing our fingers.
“Ramses, I’ll never be able to thank you.” Her voice thickened, and when she squeezed her eyes, that shit got me a little, too.
I fought it with a smile, keeping our hands laced and after she got herself together, she continued on.
She squeezed my hand. “And this is probably crazy. I’ve probably lost my entire mind, but I asked your mom for permission, and she’s okay with it so…”
What the hell?
And then, legit, she got on her knees. Like really, on her knees before me.
She laughed in her heels, shaking her head. “I’m going to ask you a question. Because I know that’s what you need. You need to know I’m okay with this, this question.” She chuckled. “Because you are so good. You are and will fight your instincts because you need to know I’m okay with this before you’d ever ask. You’ll always wait for me. Even if it goes against everything you feel.”
I would do that, impulsive, but she was logical. She was, so I respected that.
I did tell her I’d wait for her. Even if that meant years down the line until she was ready. Until she wanted to commit to me.
“Ramses…”
I eased to the floor with her, guiding her to stand to her feet.
The room gasped.
Her father honestly thought I was crazy when I’d spoken to him today. I mean, Brielle and I’d been dating for like two seconds, but it didn’t feel like that.
We only felt like forever.
I slid a black box from my pocket, and my mom literally squealed so loud that the whole room erupted in laughter.
I couldn’t quite gauge Brielle’s reaction. She had half her face covered with her wine glass and her hands, but I took that for a good thing.
“You really do know me,” I said, popping the box open. Inside, was my great-grandmother’s ring. I’d had it for what felt like forever. A diamond ring in the form of a lily, timeless, beautiful just like her. I took Bri’s hand. “And I hope because you do, you’re not surprised by this.”
Her face gorgeously flushed, she shook her head. And when she removed that wine glass, she had tears in her eyes. She laughed. “Thank God, you saved me. I hoped you would.” She palmed her face. “I’m like seriously mortified.”
“I know.” That had the whole room laughing, but once it faded, I stared up at her. “Brielle Whitman-Quintero, will you—”
“Yes.”
I paused, eyeing her.
She covered her mouth. “Sorry.”
More laughter, and I shook my head. “Brielle Whitman-Quintero, will you marry me?” I stated, then eyed the room. “Something you don’t know about her is she always likes to take control.”
“Yeah, she does!”
That came from the back of the room from, of all people, her parents. They were there too, her dad’s glass in the air. He hugged Bri’s mom’s shoulders, the older woman basically in tears.
Bri’s lips parted, facing me. “Did you tell my parents about this?”
“I even asked your dad,” I said, winking. Of course, I had. I’d ask whoever I had to.
I held her hand, waiting there on my knees.
“Give him an answer, girl. You’re killing us!” came from December, looking completely cheeky from Prinze’s lap. He had his arms looped around her waist, shaking his head at her.
He kissed her. “Let them have their moment, princess.”
This had December tsking, of course, but she waited with bated breath for Bri’s answer. I think we all knew what she’d say. I mean, she had said yes already.
“We jump together,” she said instead, and that was yes enough for me.
I placed the ring on her finger, and the room erupted in applause, my girl in my arms in the next second.
“Together,” I returned against her mouth, spinning her around. We were both fucking crazy. We’d been together for definitely only a minute. But I liked this girl’s crazy.
And she obviously loved mine.
Epilogue
Bri
“Everything here I’m seeing looks good, Brielle. Really good,” Dr. Powell said, grinning at me. “Of course, we’ll have to follow up. Overtime and as the years progress, but as it stands right now, I see no problems for the pair of you trying to conceive. In fact, I can imagine a really strong chance of success as long as what I’m seeing keeps up.”
I could have gone behind Ramses’s back with all this. Kept my appointment at the fertility clinic a secret. I still wasn’t even sure if I’d ever change my mind about having children again.
I took his hand, in the chair beside me. He placed his on mine, and really, that was why I had. I didn’t keep things from him. We didn’t keep secrets. He’d always remain abreast of any decision I made when it came to my body or otherwise. We were each other’s support systems, and that was what this had been about today. To give us all our options, to know if it was possible.
And now, we did.
The pair of us simply entered life this way now. We didn’t close ourselves off to anything. I think life and the previous world I lived in made me lock myself up pretty tight, and not just when it came to my life. I didn’t take chances, went at life with the smallest possible chance of failure. It made me feel secure and in control, but sometimes that wasn’t what life was about. It was about climbing high dives and suggesting to get pizza with a guy over a decade younger than yourself. It was love, marriages, and second chances. Meeting Ramses Mallick had changed my life.