The Ice Twins - Nikki Jefford Page 0,46

me while Kaylin looked me over with a shrewd glance. She pursed her lips. Kaylin was the least of my worries.

The moment Lyklor and Ryo rounded the cottage, they aimed smiles my way.

“Hey there, Zelie,” Ryo said, giving me a hug. “We’re so happy you could join us for lunch.”

Lyklor hugged me next, whispering “thank you” in my ear.

Kaylin poured lemonade while Peridot handed out glasses. She offered me one first.

“Thank you, Peridot.”

“My pleasure.” She nodded, then served Melarue next. Melody shook her head when offered a glass. The youngest Elmray’s eyes were on me.

I had barely sat on the blanket before Melody began firing off questions.

“Tell me everything. What did you think of the drinks and hors d’oeuvres? Did you dance? Which of my brothers had the better moves?”

“Melody, you know that we’re both equally awesome,” Ronin said.

The twins settled onto the blanket beside me. Reed reached for the plates and began handing them out. Peridot started for the basket.

“Thank you, Peridot and Kaylin,” Melarue said with a kind smile. “We can take it from here.”

Peridot nodded and smiled, her arms swinging as she headed in the direction of a smaller cottage across the field. Kaylin skulked away.

Food was passed around and set onto plates. Ronin scooped three different salads onto my plate, and Reed handed me a bread roll. Everything looked tasty, but my usual voracious appetite was stunted by all of the attention directed my way.

Melarue raised her brows at Reed. “Were the Dahlquist attendants acceptable?”

“They were perfection,” he answered.

I set my fork on the edge of my plate. “The evening was absolute magic. Reed and Ronin saved the day.” Melody cleared her throat. “And Melody, of course. She made me presentable.”

“You would be presentable wearing a potato sack,” Ronin said.

“That’s sweet,” Melody said. “But you know Zelie deserves nothing less than the royal treatment. When’s your wedding going to be? I need to start planning, you know.”

Heat flared up my neck. Reed looked over. A second later, cooling air breezed over my flushed skin. I’d thank him later.

Ronin bit into his roll and set it on the blanket. “Well, we haven’t proposed yet, sis. We’re still working out a grand romantic gesture.”

Melody huffed and rolled her eyes. “Save the romance for the honeymoon. Don’t you want to propose in front of your loving family so we can all be part of this special moment?”

“Melody, you’re putting Zelie on the spot,” Melarue chided. She chucked her roll at Lyklor like he was the one solely responsible for their daughter having no filter.

I didn’t mind. I’d always appreciated Melody’s openness. I wished my parents communicated better. I would have loved for them to stick around Pinemist to talk to regularly.

Sitting on this blanket, in the sunshine, surrounded by Elmrays, I already felt like part of the family. My newfound romance with the twins added an extra glow to my cheeks. I wasn’t used to such open talk when it concerned my love life, but it was something I didn’t mind one bit.

Reed and Ronin shared a nervous look. They put their plates on the blanket. Ronin held his hand to me. Heart thundering inside my chest, I set my plate aside and took his hand. Ronin lifted me to my feet. The twins stared at me like they were trying to read my expression. My heart went haywire. I felt trapped in their gaze. My lips parted slightly. My brain shouted words of astonishment, but my breath stilled.

“Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. It’s happening! My brothers are going to propose to Zelie.” Melody squealed.

“Shh.” Melarue narrowed her eyes at her daughter.

Melody clamped her mouth shut and rocked back and forth in her spot on the blanket.

Reed looked at Ronin, and the twins got onto their knees in front of me. Two pairs of rich brown eyes stared up at me.

“Zelie, will you do us the honor—” Reed began.

“Of becoming our forever mate?” Ronin finished.

Tears of happiness welled in my eyes. For so long I’d dreamed of this moment, hardly daring to believe it would in fact happen. Right here, right now, I had not one but two incredibly sexy, kind, caring, powerful, and funny males wanting to spend the rest of their lives with me.

“Yes,” I said, falling to my knees. I threw my arms around both twins, hugging them at the same time.

“Yes?” Ronin asked.

“Yes.” I laughed.

“Can you say that one more time?” Reed said.

“Yes, I’ll marry you guys.”

Lyklor gave a loud “whoop.”