just the two of us?” Mom offers.
Layla looks to me, eyes wide and full of panic. I step closer and take her hand in mine while still holding my phone with the other. I nod and watch as she swallows hard. “Thank you, Lena. I would really appreciate that.”
“Sweetheart, you’re doing me a favor. I’m getting out of the house with a woman!” Mom says excitedly. “It’s been ages since I’ve gone shopping. I’ll meet you there at the office at five.”
“Thank you,” Layla says as the line goes dead.
“She’s excited. Thank you for humoring her.”
“Me? She’s giving up her time to help me.”
“Layla, she wants to do this. You heard her. She offered before I could even mention it to her. You’re not alone anymore, baby. You have my big, crazy-ass family and me behind you. We’re here for you, and it’s not conditional. We’re not going anywhere.” I lean down and press my lips to hers. Just a soft peck, but the spark I feel anytime I touch her is still there from the heat in my hand that’s holding hers, to the electricity that passes through our kiss.
I hope it’s always like this. I hope we never lose the fire that seems to burn between us.
The house is empty without her. I’m used to her riding home from work with me, us fixing and eating dinner together, and tonight, I’m all alone. I hate it. Layla has brought so much into my life. I didn’t realize how lonely I was until this moment.
I miss her.
Pulling my phone out of my pocket, I scroll through social media. An ad pops up for a jeweler, and I click on it. Over the next hour, while I wait for her to come home, I look through pages and pages of engagement rings, but none of them are what I want. Hell, I don’t really even know what I want, but none of them scream Layla to me. Closing out of the screen, I pull up Royce’s number and hit Call.
“What’s up?” he asks.
“I was hoping to call in a favor,” I say, clearing my throat.
“Anything,” Royce replies.
“I need a ring.” I don’t need to say more. I don’t have to explain what kind of ring, or that I know it’s soon, but I love her. I don’t have to tell him that I’ve never felt this way before and that I know with a feeling deep in my soul that she’s the one for me. Now and forever.
“Tell me when and where.”
“She’s out with Mom now, shopping for the gala. She should be home soon, but she knows my schedule. I was kind of hoping we might be able to get Sawyer in on it. Maybe tell her to invite Layla shopping or to a movie, or whatever it is that they do?”
“Babe,” Royce says. “Can you get Layla out of the house this weekend?”
“Sure, what’s going on?”
“Owen and I have a mission,” he tells her.
“Is he going to propose?” Sawyer’s excited question filters through the line.
“O, you’re on speaker,” Royce says, and I can hear the background noises better, including Sawyer.
“Is he?” she asks.
“Hey, sis. Yeah, I’m going to propose.”
“Eeek!” she shrieks. “Tell me what you need.”
“I was hoping you could get her out of the house this weekend. Saturday. Royce and I can go shopping.”
“You have to take her to a different part of town,” Royce tells her.
“I know that,” she replies, and I can imagine her rolling her eyes at him. I love that she doesn’t put up with his shit.
“Done. I’ll talk to her about it tomorrow at the office.”
“Thanks, sis.”
“Are you kidding me? You helped Royce pick out my ring, and now I get to be involved. I’m so excited for both of you.”
“Thank you.” There is a warmth in my chest with the knowledge that Layla is going to be my wife. Be by my side forever. That is if she says yes.
“She’s going to say yes,” Sawyer adds.
“What? You’re a mind reader now?” I ask her.
“No, but I speak Riggins. I know the five of you almost as well as I know myself. Layla loves you. You have nothing to worry about.”
The garage door opens. “She’s home.”
“We’ve got you, Owen,” Royce replies.
“What he said,” Sawyer agrees.
“Thanks. I’ll see you both tomorrow,” I say, ending the call and sliding my phone back into my pocket. I don’t even bother to try and look busy, or like I didn’t miss her. I’m on my feet,