Page 174 of Secrets and Lies
“My third question is,” he starts, and there’s an undertone to his voice that I’ve never heard before.
He sounds nervous, and I bite my tongue so I don’t cut him off before he can finish. Anthony is the most confident person I’ve ever met, and the fact that he’s nervous about something is concerning.
“Would you do me the honor of marrying me?” he asks, his voice hitching slightly.
The world sort of flickers in and out of focus a few times, and it feels like someone dumped a bucket of ice-cold water over my head as his words fully register.
Holy shit.
Did Ant just ask me to marry him?
“Yes!” My voice loud and a bit panicked as I realize just how long it’s taken me to answer. “I mean, yes,” I say, my voice at a more normal volume. “But…”
“But?” he prompts gently.
“Are you sure?” I blurt.
He smiles and holds my hands a bit tighter. “I’ve loved you since that first night back at school, and I’ve loved you a little bit more every day. You didn’t just show me that love is real, you taught me that it’s the most precious and incredible thing you can experience. I’m proud to be with you, West, and I want to fully be yours for the rest of our lives.” He tugs me a bit closer. “So I’m going to ask again, just so you know how much I mean it. Will you marry me?”
“Yes,” I croak, my throat tight as it feels like my chest is going to explode from happiness and love.
Anthony lets go of my hands and pulls me in for a sweet kiss, his strong arms wrapping around me as he hugs me tight.
I cling to him and try to process what just happened.
Anthony and I have talked about marriage, but it was always in an abstract way. Back when we first got together, Ant made an offhand remark that he had no plans to ever get married. I knew that going into things, but it didn’t matter because I was perfectly happy to just be with him. I don’t need a piece of paper to make it more official or real.
He had mentioned a few times over the years that he wasn’t opposed to marriage anymore, and I’d told him I was open to getting married at some point, but that it wasn’t a priority or something I needed in my life.
I’d figured that was the end of things, and we’d maybe talk about it again when we were older. Being married might be beneficial from a legal standpoint, but I never expected him to plan such a perfect proposal.
“I love you,” I whisper, my heart so full it feels like it might burst.
“I love you too.” He squeezes me a bit tighter.
We hold each other for a long time, just enjoying the moment, and I’m grinning like a fool when he eventually pulls away.
“Come on.” He takes one of my hands. “Let’s have some dinner before we get ready to go out.”
“Dinner?” I ask, my stomach rumbling before I’ve finished speaking.
“Do I even need to ask if you had lunch?” He tosses me a teasing look.
“No comment.”
Laughing, he pulls out one of the chairs at the table, and I slide onto it. He sits next to me and hands me a box from my favorite Thai place and a pair of chopsticks.
“I didn’t get you a ring,” he says and picks up another of the containers. “But that’s only because I’m having my grandfather’sring sized for you and there was a delay with the jeweler. I didn’t want to wait until it was done to pop the question.”
“Your grandfather’s ring?” I ask. “You mean the one that’s been passed down in your family for generations?”
He nods and opens his takeout container.
I blink rapidly to clear the tears gathering in the corners of my eyes. “Your dad is okay with that?”
“He suggested it.” Anthony stirs his food with his chopsticks.
“But it’s a family ring.”
