Total pages in book: 36
Estimated words: 35128 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 176(@200wpm)___ 141(@250wpm)___ 117(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 35128 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 176(@200wpm)___ 141(@250wpm)___ 117(@300wpm)
Running his hands down his pants, he quickly started trying to figure out not to get killed before the end of the day. Of course, Brett was going to kill him. The ring was expensive, and this was their night.
How could they not have the damn ring?
He knew it was in the house somewhere, he just forgot where.
The water came up to the boil for the pasta. He seasoned it, and then dumped the pasta inside.
Just as he was draining it, he heard them pull into the driveway.
“You had fun, baby?” Ace asked.
“The best kind. What is all this?”
“We’ve got a nice surprise planned for you,” Brett said.
She kissed Ace on the cheek.
“Why don’t you go out into the garden?” Ace said. “I’ll finish up in here.”
“Okay.”
He grabbed Brett’s hand. “I lost the ring.”
Brett’s face dropped. “What the fuck, man? You had one thing. One thing and you lost it?”
“I didn’t mean to lose it.”
“I don’t even want to talk to you right now. How did you lose it?” Brett asked.
“I put it down somewhere, and now I can’t find it.” He smiled, and Brett shook his head. “It’s not completely lost. I just got to find it.”
“I gave it to you so you wouldn’t fucking lose it. Damn it. Don’t worry. We’ll figure something out.” Brett patted him on the arm, which made him feel a million times worse. Yep, he’d screwed up, like, completely screwed up.
Heading back into the kitchen, he added the parmesan, pasta cooking water, and a drizzle of olive oil to the sauce. If he was going to eat something like this, it was going to be done right.
Serving it up into three bowls, he quickly put the parmesan back into the fridge, and paused. There, glaring at him, was the velvet box, near the cream.
He laughed, and quickly pulled it out. Opening the box, he saw the ring still perfect and slid the box into his pants pocket.
He was saved. The night was saved.
Clearly, he’d been so preoccupied with getting this meal right that he’d not even noticed that he packed it into the fridge.
Putting their meal on the tray, he carried it out. Brett and Meredith were dancing to a slow tune that was playing. “Your dinner awaits.”
“This is date night, and you’re both here. This is curious.”
“I stopped her eating a lot of cotton candy,” Brett said.
“You told me I’d throw up going on one of the rides.” She looked between them. “What’s going on?”
“Why don’t you try your meal first? It’s lovely,” he said.
“Okay.” She put her fork into the food and twirled it around.
He couldn’t take his gaze away from her as she took a bite of the pasta. Her eyes closed, and a moan escaped her lips. “Oh, that is so good.”
“Excellent.” It was a beef rib sauce that had been slow cooked all day with onions, carrots, celery, and lots of tomatoes and herbs. It was one of his favorites but took some planning to get it all right. He also liked to skim off most of the fat. The meat on the ribs was so tender, but greasy. He didn’t want to weigh down his sauce. He glanced at Brett, who was still glaring at him.
Ace winked at him, and he watched Brett visibly relax.
Diving into his own meal, he closed his eyes, and enjoyed the taste. Watching Meredith and Brett, Ace knew without a shadow of a doubt that he could get used to this life. Of being with his best friends, falling in love, having a family.
He really liked the idea of having kids around. They wouldn’t live in these two houses forever, if she agreed. He hadn’t told Brett yet, but he was already looking at places for them to move to. He loved Meredith and his best friend. She hadn’t said anything to either of them, but he knew she loved them as well.
He finished his bowl first, leaning back in his chair. “That was good.”
“And no quinoa about,” Brett said.
Meredith chuckled. “You’re still not over that?”
“I had to have quinoa for a long time. Lunch and dinner, I got a bit bored.”
“You hear him complaining, but you don’t see him rushing to the kitchen to cook.”
****
Meredith watched the two men, not exactly sure what was going on but also knowing something was.
Brett had been strange all night, and Ace, well, he looked super happy with himself. Taking a sip of her wine, she stared at the two men she loved so damn much. How could she have ever thought of a life without either of them? They completed her in so many ways, and being between them, it all felt right.
Love filled her, and she just couldn’t hold it back any longer.
“I love you two,” she said.
The entire table seemed to freeze. She didn’t care.