Pretend We're Over (Pretend 2)

“Thank you!”

“Is my big brother treating you well?”

“Of course, he went all out for the party. He’s out back arranging a band for dancing later.”

I smile. I love that my brother takes such good care of Larkyn.

“He’s spoiling me,” she says.

“No, he’s loving you. And you deserve every bit of it.”

She lights up. “Enough about me, I want to hear about how you two are doing! It’s been weeks since I’ve seen you together.”

I keep my mouth shut, waiting for Millie to speak first. If she wants to fake a fight, here is her chance. An awkward silence spreads between us.

“Picture! I take picture,” Iris says.

“Oh goodness, yes, you should get a pic of us,” Larkyn says to her child.

Larkyn stands next to me, leaving Millie no choice but to stand closer to me. I put my arms around her as the squirt takes our picture.

But as soon as she’s finished, Millie runs off, with some mumbled excuse about finding Oaklee.

“What’s going on?” Larkyn asks, as soon as Millie is out of earshot.

I flash her a wicked grin. “I’m proposing to Millie tonight.”

“I’m confused since I thought you already did that.”

“If I did, I don’t remember.”

Larkyn’s eyes widen. “I knew it! I knew you weren’t together the night you got married. We weren’t there, but I knew you couldn’t have been hiding a woman like Millie from us. So why did you get married? Why pretend?”

I shake my head. “It’s a long story, but I want to make it real.”

She claps her hands together, excitedly. “Oh my god. You fell in love. I never thought I’d see the day.”

“You thought I had married Millie but didn’t love her?”

“Well, I thought there was some reason you weren’t telling me at first. But lately, every time I’ve seen you two together, you are all over each other. So if you are going to propose tonight, why does Millie look like she’s about to explode into a million tears?”

“Because tonight was the night we were supposed to end it.”

“Oh.”

“Yea, oh. Instead…” I pull out the ring. “I’m going to propose.”

She looks at it closer with recognition in her gaze.

“You know where the ring came from,” I say.

She frowns. “Maybe.”

“Where?”

Her eyes flicker up at me. “You don’t remember that night?”

“No.”