"He likes it. Besides, your mother had it right. You got to work to get with this."
"Ew. The way you said that conjures up an image of my parents that is just all wrong. You are bad indeed."
"Oh please. Like you and Alec don't enjoy playing doctor," she added, winking at Alec, who trailed behind us.
The noise level remained the same throughout dinner. Olivia and Tony continued their twisted flirting war while Mom, Grandma, Ashley, and I discussed my upcoming tour. Alec sat quietly beside me, but he didn't contribute much to the conversation. He and I had already discussed the trip in great detail. We both understood that the tour was a once-in-a-lifetime type of opportunity that I couldn't pass on. He was happy for me, but he remained as unenthusiastic as I was about our impending separation. Still, he would never tell me not to go. Nor did he put any pressure on me or try to guilt me in any way. The situation was going to suck, but we'd already agreed we would make it work.
Zachary eventually interrupted the table conversation when he insisted it was time for dessert. None of us would have given a second thought to his demand, considering he had always had a bottomless pit for a stomach, but when he insisted that Ashley have the special cupcake he'd bought her, it became clear something was up.
Tears filled Ashley's eyes when she slowly opened the lid of the box to reveal the sparkle of a diamond ring nestled atop a cloud of frosting.
Mom and I gasped together as Zachary sank down to his knee at Ashley's side.
"Ashley Renee Grant, will you do me the honor of agreeing to become my wife in the presence of my loud, obnoxious family and friends? I promise if you agree to be my wife, I'll be the best husband, to the best of my abilities, with no Dutch ovens," he proposed, grinning mischievously.
Mom groaned and looked like she wanted to sink through the floor, but Ashley laughed through the tears streaming down her face as she nodded. "Yes," she said, throwing her arms around his neck. "Definitely yes," she added.
Her answer brought a roar of approval from all of us. We watched happily as Zachary slid the frosting-covered ring on her finger. It fit perfectly.
Chapter 4
Alec was uncharacteristically quiet during the drive home that evening. I figured maybe his first Thanksgiving experience with my family had driven him to some much-needed chill time. In hindsight, I probably could have given him more fair warning going in, but in my defense, there really was no way to prepare someone for a situation where anything could and usually did happen.
His silence continued even after we got home and prepared for bed. I gave him his space, figuring he would talk when he was ready, but I also noticed he kept shooting me hooded looks when he thought I wasn't paying attention. Obviously he had something to say and expected me to ask.
"Christmas works for me," I said after we turned off the lights and snuggled under my thick down comforter.
"What?"
"A Christmas proposal. That works for me. I think that's the only way we can top Zachary's proposal. Maybe you can do something with mistletoe. Oh, or better yet, Christmas lights."
The way Alec had been silent in the car was nothing compared to the way he laid next to me at that moment. I couldn't even hear him breathing. He was too easy. I had to cover my mouth to keep from laughing, imagining the look of panic on his face as he searched his brain for some kind of response.
Alec cleared his throat loudly and I ruined the moment by giggling. "What?" he choked out.
My giggles turned into a flat-out belly laugh.
"What's so funny?"
"You're what's so funny," I said, catching my breath. "I bet you're lying there trying to decide if you can bolt without me noticing. Wishing you would have never given up your apartment." A fresh wave of giggles cascaded out of me, shaking the bed. "I was teasing, you fool."
"Whatever," he chuckled. "I was just messing with you too."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
He became quiet again, probably unsure of what the right answer should be. "Alec? What do you mean you were messing with me? Are you saying you wouldn't marry me?"
The dark stillness of the r
oom felt like a heavy weight from my sudden sternness. Once again, Alec could have been a corpse the way he laid like a statue next to me. "Are you serious?" he finally asked.
"Nope." I burst out laughing again. "Oh my god, I could do this all night."
Alec rolled over, smothering me with his pillow. "You're evil. I think you're channeling Olivia. Time for your punishment." He tickled every sensitive spot on my body, taking my breath away from laughter. "Hey, what was it Zachary mentioned earlier, a Dutch oven?" he asked, trapping me under the comforter.
"Don't you do it!" I screamed.
"Oh man. I shouldn't have eaten all that green bean casserole."