“I’m going to ask Rae to marry me,” Cade repeats, rubbing his hands on his jeans.
I raise my beer, signaling to the waitress to bring me another. I wish there was a way to tell her I need about ten of them.
“Wow, congrats, man.” Xander claps Cade on the shoulder, grinning.
“Don’t congratulate me yet,” Cade says, with a shrug. “She could say no.”
Xander chuckles and shakes his head. “She’s not going to say no.”
“You don’t think it’s too soon, do you?” Cade rambles. “I mean, we’ve been together officially for almost a year and just because we’re engaged it doesn’t mean we’re getting married the next week.”
“If you’re already freaking out about a wedding maybe you shouldn’t ask,” I suggest. The idea of both of my best friends being married is frightening. I can’t imagine being the only unmarried one. How fucking weird would that be?
“No, not me,” he snaps, his tone implying that I’m stupid. “Rae can be very flighty about commitment. I don’t want to scare her off.”
“She loves you,” Xander tells him. “She’s not going anywhere.”
“I really love her,” Cade says softly. “I can’t lose her because of this.”
“You’re overthinking it,” Xander says, leaning back in his chair.
“I don’t know, Rae is … well, Rae,” I input. I know I’m being an asshole but I seriously can’t comprehend a world where both Xander and Cade have a wife. What kind of nonsense is that? Last time I checked we were three high school kids trying pot for the first time. Now they’re both going to be married? What the fuck is next? Babies and retirement?
Xander sends me a scathing look, and I raise my hands innocently.
“Rae loves you,” Xander says with a serious look. “She’s going to say yes.”
“It’s a big deal,” Cade continues. “I don’t want to fuck this up, and I can’t even ask you for advice on a proposal because my sister got drunk and proposed t
o you. You got off easy.”
Xander chuckles. “I’d hardly say our way was easy.”
“Fuck,” Cade curses. “My palms are sweating and I haven’t even proposed to her yet.”
“When are you planning to do it?” I ask. I need time to mentally prepare for this.
“Christmas or New Year’s. I haven’t decided exactly when or how. I just want it to be memorable.”
Xander reaches for his water and takes a drink before saying, “Whatever you do will be memorable.”
“Yeah,” I pipe in. “If you propose to her in the bread aisle of the grocery store she’s going to always remember that and think that spot’s special.” The waitress finally returns with my beer and sets it down. I grab it and chug half of it in one swallow.
Cade glares at me. “And this is why you don’t have a girlfriend.”
“I don’t have a girlfriend because I don’t want one. If I wanted one, I’d have one,” I tell him, fishing for another cigarette. I can’t even remember what happened to my last one. I spare a glance under the table and find it lying there with a hole now burned in the carpet. Shit.
Cade shakes his head. “You have no idea what you’re missing out on.”
“I think I’ll live.” I light my second cigarette and inhale a drag, letting the smoke fill my lungs for a moment before blowing out.
“Why exactly are you so anti-girlfriend?” Xander asks.
“I’m not anti-girlfriend. I just don’t need a ball and chain.”
Cade chuckles and taps his fingers against the table. “You’re so clueless, dude.”
“About what?” I snap.