Cursive - By Phoebe Lane Page 0,79

thought things went well last night," he said.

"Yeah, I guess. She was just so quiet and nonjudgmental that it makes me paranoid."

"Well, one more dinner with her, and then she goes back home."

"We'll see if I can make it out in one piece."

"Not I—we. Let's see if we can make it out in one piece," he reminded her.

"Thank you," she said, and kissed him. She would never regret falling for this man. His support was something she had never experienced before. "Now, give me a hint about where you're going."

"No," he said.

"Does it have to do with food?"

"No."

"Is it a place you're going to take me to?"

"No."

"Does it come in a box?"

"No."

"Do you get it at a store?"

"No."

"Does it breathe?"

"What? No," he said with a laugh.

"Are you going to say no to all the questions?"

"Yes," he answered with a gigantic smile.

"Then I don't want to play anymore," she said, grabbing her cup of coffee and pretending to ignore him. She stared at the floor for a few seconds, feeling like she was about to burst. "Ugh, come on! Just tell me!"

Aislynn had decided to spend her time with Ellie while Pam had her spa day and Jace took care of whatever he was planning for her birthday. Pam had actually invited Aislynn to join her, but she had never really liked massages. They made her too self-conscious and she could never relax enough to enjoy them. Manicures and pedicures were more her thing, and that's exactly what Ellie had convinced her to go out and do.

"What's going on between you and Evan?" Aislynn asked as they waited for their nails to dry.

"What do you mean?" Ellie said casually. Aislynn tried to observe her reaction but was having a hard time reading it.

"Last night, I thought I noticed something different about you guys," Aislynn said, but got only silence in return. "Ellie?"

"Aislynn?" she said, mimicking her tone and trying to deflect.

"Okay, I'll give you that you're better than Jace at hiding things from me, but you're not that good," she said and watched Ellie's grin grow. "Please tell me what happened before I start thinking that you guys ran off and got married or something," she joked.

Ellie's face suddenly paled, her body froze, and her pupils dilated so much that Aislynn could see them even from where she was sitting.

"Ellie!"

"How the hell do you do that?" she yelled.

"You guys got married?" Aislynn exclaimed, her hand covering her mouth, forgetting her nails were still wet.

"He asked me to marry him," Ellie said with a high-pitched giggle.

"Oh my God!" Aislynn was not only surprised about the news, but she couldn't wrap her brain around the idea of Ellie and marriage. Even though she had joked about getting married before, Ellie had been very vocal about not being the marrying type.

"I told him a while back my thoughts about marriage and kids, but the other night he sort of proposed," she explained. "He told me he loved me, and that he wanted to be with me forever. He said he understood and accepted that I didn't believe marriage was for me, but that he would always be ready to make me his wife."

"Oh my God," Aislynn repeated, feeling the tears build up in her eyes. It really moved her to see Ellie so happy.

"He pulled out his great-grandmother's engagement ring and told me that if I ever changed my mind, all I needed to do was say yes. Then he asked me to move in with him."

"And?" Aislynn asked, unable to handle the suspense.

"And I said yes! I'm moving to San Diego!" she squealed.

Aislynn stood up and embraced Ellie in a bear hug, not caring that her nails were now ruined. She was surprised to feel the tears coming, and then wondered if they were only being shed out of happiness for her friend or some other reason she didn't want to think about at the moment.

Maybe I need to cry. I've had a lot to cry about in the last year, and I never really allowed myself to do it.

Wow, shrinks really do make the worst patients.

"I'm so happy for you," Aislynn said, wiping her tears away.

"Thank you. A part of me was afraid you were going to say this was crazy, and that it was too soon—you know, slap some sense into me," she said.

"Oh, Ellie," she said, hugging her friend again. "I think you're doing the right thing. You love him. He loves you. There's no reason to wait. Waiting is