“This has to be the weirdest date Gaze has ever taken me on.”
Teddi lifted something out of the basket and then palmed it before I could see what it was. “Interestingly, this would not be the weirdest date I’ve been on with Ruffian.”
Before I could ask her to explain herself, Teddi got up and slid to the boys and the lady. She put her arm around Ruffian and his head dropped to look in her outstretched hand. Then Ruffian yanked on Gaze’s sleeve until he looked in Teddi’s hand. Gaze’s shoulders dropped in what seemed like relief.
The raccoon lady started laughing and jiggling the raccoon in her arms like it was a baby.
It all hit me at once. The candles, the drone, the picnic basket. Gaze was trying to propose to me, and everything had gone sideways on him. Oh, my poor guy.
3
Gaze
I took the sticky ring from Teddi’s hand and slipped it into my pocket.
Ruffian whispered in my ear, “Check it out, the little bastard didn’t eat it after all!”
I’d been so tense thinking about how screwed up my proposal had gone, that having the ring back was like a sign that everything was going to be okay. I felt my spine unclench.
“I need a new plan. I can’t salvage this. I don’t want Pixie’s proposal story to at any point include my talking about sifting through a domestic raccoon’s litter box.”
Teddi’s smile got bigger somehow, and I could tell Ruffian was holding back a laugh out of sheer willpower.
Teddi leaned forward to whisper, “How about tonight at the party? Instead of an engagement party, it could be a surprise, you're about to be engaged party.”
Ruffian shrugged and then sped forward to help the raccoon lady across the ice. “I don’t want her to slip carrying this guy back.”
I nodded at my brother, grateful that he had the sense to be the gentleman while I was still trying to figure out my life.
Teddi touched my shoulder, having to reach up because of our height difference. “It’ll be great. My friends and I will help. You know we can throw a hell of a party.”
“Okay. That’s going to have to do.” I turned to face Pixie Rae, who was sitting completely amazed on the blanket. Maybe she knew? Maybe she figured it all out?
I ran through the events of the last hour. I could maybe just make this about ice skating. And let Teddi and her buddies do their work. They were excellent at pulling off last-minute parties. She had an entire charity that helped families grant wishes for kids in need. Adjusting a few things for tonight’s party would be a piece of cake for her. Undigested by a raccoon cake, I hoped.
After the raccoon and its owner were off the ice, Ruffian came back. “Listen, you guys hang out here for a little while longer, then come on out like we planned.” He held out a hand to Teddi, who took it.
Finally, I was able to sit with Pixie on the blanket. She rubbed my back.
“Everything okay?”
She was so pretty, the sunset throwing colors all over the glass ice to try to dazzle her.
“Yeah. Everything’s perfect.” I cuddled her to me and we listened to Ruffian and Teddi drive away. The chill picked up even more when the sun slipped below the trees, so I took a few minutes to clean up the candles and baskets. After I helped Pixie up, I jammed the blanket into the basket with the candles.
Once we were ready, I held out an arm to Pixie. She clamped on tightly. As we glided slowly, Pixie gasped.
“Check it out. It’s like we are skating on the stars.”
She was right. The ice was working like a mirror, reflecting the night sky as we cruised over it.
I thought about the diamond in my pocket and contemplated doing it here. But the sticky icing made me stop. I wanted Pixie to have a shiny ring. So instead, I just pulled her close and kissed the top of her head.
4
Gaze
Maybe I was stressing too much. I bet that’s what Pixie would tell me. She and Teddi were off getting dressed for what Pixie thought was a dinner reservation with my brother and his girlfriend for Valentine’s Day.
Austin was washing the engagement ring in the sink over a colander.
I was standing by watching like he was diffusing a bomb.
“So, are you one-hundred percent sure this ring was never in a raccoon’s digestive tract?” He was wearing latex gloves, just to be sure.
“No. I mean, Peaches might have choked on it or something.” I put my hand in my hair and pulled a little.
“Super great idea putting Mom’s ring in a basket for the wildlife.” Austin lifted an eyebrow in my direction.
I rolled my eyes. “I guess I’m nervous.”
“Why would you be nervous? You and Pixie are fused together all the damn time.” He added some more jewelry cleaner.
“I know, I know. It’s just a big step. What if she still wants to get out there and live a little? Date some other guys?” I started to pace. I was not this nervous when I mentioned that I wanted to ask Pixie to marry me. I even asked Mike for Pixie’s hand in marriage, because he was the closest thing to a father either of us had.
Once I had let the cat out of the bag, Ronna got involved and offered me the family ring. “First kid of mine to get married gets the family ring.”
I was so touched I had to swallow a few times. I was adopted. I was adopted as an adult by the Burathons. That they would consider this for me was mind-blowing and humbling. I had gotten Austin, Teddi, and Milt on the phone before I accepted the ring, making sure it was okay with them. They were thrilled and teased me about being Mom’s favorite. I teared up a little. This family loved big the whole damn time you were on the planet with them.
Austin dried the ring carefully. “Gaze, how would you handle Pixie going on a date with another dude?”
“Uh.” The thought filled me with a throat-stomping amount of rage.
“Yeah, don’t think it’s an option for you guys, because I don’t think Pixie wants you dating anyone else either.” He held out the sparkling ring to me.
“Good point.” I took the ring and walked it over to the waiting box. Putting the ring in cake was stupid. Well, it would have been fine if it wasn’t for Peaches. But now I had to ask Pixie to marry me in a room full of all our family and friends. I’d wanted it to be private except for Ruffian as Milt’s drone’s pilot. The video I’d planned of a swirling drone over clear glass-like ice as I dropped to one knee was just a failed nightmare now.
If she said no…
Austin interrupted my thoughts as if he could read them, “Just get the girl, brother. You know you belong together.”
5
Pixie Rae
Teddi and I were ready to meet the boys. She was driving. I looked down at my new red nails. Super fancy thanks to Teddi’s quick work. She made sure we both looked picture ready, because Ronna had mentioned that she wanted some framed pictures of us and the guys.
But I knew. It made sense why Gaze was so nervous. The drone, the raccoon eating what had to be a ring—it all made too much sense. Of course, I was trying not to get my hopes up. Because if I was wrong, I didn’t want Gaze to think I was disappointed in anything he’d done for me. Even if it was just ice skating in the stars that was ruined by a little furry burglar.