Page 56 of Nerdy Dirty Valentine
“It’s so nice when a holiday lands on the weekend and I don’t have to rush to work the next day.” James slurped his coffee.
“Maybe not, but you’ll be grading essays as soon as you’re at home.”
“Not right away. I’ll walk Ginsberg first.” He smiled.
God, I could gaze at that smile forever.
James was happier at the college these days, having overturned his dean’s policy on banned curriculum. She had left the college after James and his colleagues had joined to fight the policy, taking it to the board of trustees. A win for the good guys, I liked to joke, the nerd superheroes.
Best of all, James had even made friends with the other professors, and they now had lunch together on the occasional Friday. Not as close as me with Caleb, Kamira, Smack, and even Wyatt—who were my family—but James enjoyed talking booksand discussing students at those luncheons. He’d kept his job and found a community.
There was a clatter of plates as the waiter put down the toast and omelet. “Enjoy. Can I get you more coffee?”
“Not for me, but he’ll have some,” James replied with a teasing smile aimed at me.
“He’s right. I never refuse more caffeine.”
Not that I wasn’t already buzzing inside.
All around me were familiar sights. The same tattooed waitress was serving a customer to our left, the coffee was served in the same white cups, and the menu hadn’t changed in an entire year. Yet I had changed. Because of James, loving him.
My heart thumped in my chest. Was I really about to do this? I gripped my fork and stabbed at the eggs. I barely tasted what I swallowed as I gathered some courage. I was oblivious to the other diners, the steady noise of the breakfast crowd.
I knew James loved me. He told me so in a thousand different ways. The way he’d laugh at my jokes, even the ones he’d heard before, or curl up next to me on the couch while he read. Or when he stopped reading and gazed at me like I was the only person in the world.
And I loved him. Nobody else made my insides jolt with a simple look or caused my heart to soar. Nobody else had made me as joyful or brave as James.
But I was so fucking nervous anyhow. I wouldn’t be able to tell him any of that without stammering or shaking. That was why I came prepared. I reached inside my jeans pocket for my note.
I gazed at James. “You mind if I read something to you?”
He frowned, puzzled at the odd request, but nodded. “Sure.”
I cleared my throat. “The etymology of the words ‘getting hitched.’ This phrase originated from the act of hitching a horse to a wagon or a plow. This term—” I broke off, my voice crackingslightly. James stared at me, his fork halfway to his mouth. I doggedly continued, reading from my notes. “This term now means the act of joining two things together. Similarly, tying the knot has another meaning. It first originated in the Roman Empire, since the brides had girdles with these knots, or perhaps the Celtic custom of the medieval times where couples joined hands and?—”
“Phin! What are you doing?” James dropped the fork.
“Giving you words,” I said gruffly. “Etymology. Sorry that I couldn’t memorize the facts.”
His stunned eyes met mine. “I know what you’re doing. What I meant to say is…” He bit his lip and ran a hand through his hair, making it stick up at the top. “Whyare you telling me this?”
I shook my head, unable to keep reading the note but too choked up to say anything. Instead, I pushed away my chair, grabbed James’ hand, and fell to one knee.
The conversations swirling through the air, along with the clatter of cups and cutlery hitting plates, ceased. James’ hand was warm in mine, his eyes wide. Whispers started up all around us, but I only had eyes for James.
Unable to speak without my notes, I gave him a pleading look, rubbed my thumb over his ring finger. I should have done this at home. Not in fucking public. Not over breakfast, even if it was our meeting place. I opened my mouth to do it, but no sound emerged.
With a sharp inhale, James rushed to save me. He also pushed away his chair and dropped to his knees.
“I love you, Phin. How could I not? You’re the most amazing person, and the way you take care of me, honor me, trust in me, it fills me up. It makes me happy and strong in ways I never was before you. I can’t believe you planned the etymology of married terms, even if it does sound right off Wikipedia,” he laughed, a few tears forming in his eyes. “But I know no one on Earth lovesme like you do. I know how lucky that makes me, too. I only wish I’d beaten you to this moment, but now we can share it. Say it with me, sweetheart, and share your life with me. Okay? Let’s say it together.”
He took a deep breath, and so did I.
“Will you marry me?”
It was impossible to know who spoke first. Our voices blended, his loud and clear, mine a raspy whisper.
“Yes,” I said. “Hell yes.”
“Yes,” James said. “A big fat yes.”
We grabbed each other, kissing frantically as the diner crowd all clapped and cheered.
And then it was only us, James and I. Nobody else mattered. We kept kissing through our tears, tears of joy.
Oh, the kiss was lovely. The word floated through my mind, settled in my heart.
Regardless of what the future brought, we would be there for each other. I was certain of it. Our mouths pressed tightly together, I slid my arms around him and vowed to give him everything, forever.
Just like one of his beloved books, we’d live happily ever after.
