Page 134 of Faking it For Summer

“Talia, can have this.” She sobs. “You can tell her the friendship is over and I’m never talking to her again.” She puts her hands on her hips, and she looks self-satisfied, like she thinks that’s actually going to hurt Talia’s feelings. I want to make a comment about Talia likely not giving a flying fuck, but I don’t.

Rex stares at her and then at the ring before placing it into his back pocket. For a few moments, he looks like he wants to cry, and I think he’s finally going to do the right thing and apologize and ask for forgiveness. I think he’s going to own up to being a shitty human being. But I’m a bigger fool than he is for thinking that because he promptly hurries to the door, a swag in his step that I hadn’t seen since his teenage years.

“Bye, guys. Love you, fam. See you later. Oh, and, Grandma?” he calls out.

“Yes, Rex?” She sounds tired.

“Let everyone know the wedding’s off, please.”

And with that, he leaves.

“Oh my gosh,” I say.

I hold Andi to me as she’s still sobbing. “I’m so sorry.”

“It’s okay. I knew I was being a fool. I knew it wasn’t the best decision of my life. I wish I had friends like you and Juniper. Maybe then I wouldn’t have found myself in this mess.”

“Yeah, maybe,” I say, because the truth of the matter is, she probably wouldn’t have.

“I’m going to go. It was really nice being welcomed into your family, Mr. and Mrs. Haverbrook, and I’m sorry it came to this. I really hope you can save your business, but I have to go.”

And with that, Andi runs out of the house.

Now it’s just Luke and me, his grandparents, and his parents. We all stand there in awkward silence.

“So, what, we just wasted that money on a wedding?” his dad says, looking around. “Can we get any money back?”

“I very much doubt it, Dad,” Luke says. “And look, it’s fine. I’m worth a lot of money. I can take care of this.” He looks so solid and so nonchalant that I know that he will take care of everything. Luke, who thought of himself as the black sheep of the family, is now going to be their savior. There’s poetry in that thought, and it delights me.

“I have an idea,” Bitsy says, beaming as she heads toward us. I’m surprised that she’s not more upset about Rex, but I’ve always known she preferred Luke. Bitsy is a gossip, but she’s shrewd and smart. There’s a reason why she’s my grandma’s best friend.

“What’s your idea, Grandma?” Luke asks, a tinge of apprehension in his tone.

“Why don’t you two get married instead?”

“Oh, no,” I say quickly. “I don’t think we’re ready to take that step yet.”

“Yeah, Grandma,” Luke says, offering her a wry smile. “I don’t even know if she’s going to marry me yet.” He looks over at me, and there’s a look in his eyes that tells me that he’s going to put this all on me. Bastard!

“But you love her,” his grandma says, sounding confused. “It’s obvious to your grandfather and me that you two are in love. Why wouldn’t you get married?”

He turns to me. “Why won’t you marry me, Mia?”

I gaze at him with wide eyes, not sure if he’s being serious. “Excuse me, what?”

“You know you’ve always been the one,” he says softly. “And you know I want you to be my wife.”

I swallow past the lump in my throat. “I—what?”

He grins at me. “Is it too soon for me to propose to you?”

“Yes. It’s too soon.” I punch him in the shoulder. “Luke, what are you doing?”

He laughs and pulls me into him, kissing me hard. “Just wanted to see if you’d say yes.”

He turns to his grandma. “I’m sorry, Grandma, but as much as I would love to marry Mia right here, right now—or next week or two weeks from now—I think it’s too soon for us. And I don’t think Mia wants to take over someone else’s wedding plans. She’s been waiting her entire life to get married. Trust me,I know. We’ve talked about it enough times, and I think when it finally happens, she’s going to want to make all the plans for herself. Aren’t you, darling?”

My heart is pounding with love for him because he’s so sweet and gracious and loving. And I know I will marry him one day.