“They were heavy, and my arms and shoulders were tired because you kept asking me raise it and lower it and raise it again. You insisted it had to be just the right height, and you kept apologizing for changing your mind. We had it turned on, so you could see how it looked lit up. I thought my arms were going to fall off, and then you made this little sound.”
Violet’s cheeks were filling with a rosy blush, and she made a pleased giggle-purr sound as she looked down, nodding as though she was remembering, too.
“Yeah, that’s the sound,” Josh affirmed, letting out a rumble of enjoyment. “I looked down at you, and your eyes were sparkling, and your face was lit up, and…to me it was from more than just the light. I would’ve held the thing up until my arms broke off so I could see that pleased look in your eyes. Then you said, “Perfect,” and all I could think was, ‘Yeah, she is.’ You are, and I want to be your man. Marry me, Violet. Please.”
Falling forward, she wrapped her forearms around their heads and sobbed. “Yes! I’ll marry you. You’re crazy, though. You haven’t known me long enough.”
Lucas pulled away long enough to look into her lovely whiskey-brown eyes and said, “Have you known us long enough to know you’d marry us?”
She paused for a few seconds, which felt like an eternity, and then she nodded. “For a long time, not just since last weekend.”
Sudden bawling through the wooden door drew their attention, and then the door fell open, with all four women piled on top of each other, all crying, and Cassie said, “That’s the most romantic thing I’ve ever heard!”
“I know!” Delilah wailed as she picked herself up off of the floor. “I’m sorry, guys. I hate myself for ruining your surprise.”
Tex strolled into the office, yowling cantankerously at all the histrionics, jumped into Violet’s lap, and began making biscuits and purring.
Josh stood up, still holding Violet’s hand. “Yes, about that, sis—”
“What the fuck, D?” Lucas butted in.
Delilah had the grace and good sense to look repentant. “I was in the office when you texted Mom. I saw the picture and your message and misunderstood. I thought you’d already proposed and she’d helped pick out the design. I came over from the office to fuss at Violet for not telling me right away.”
Delilah and Violet had become instant friends when they’d met the day Violet had come by the family construction business offices. While Delilah’s twin brother, Thomas, worked in the field as a carpenter, Delilah was the company bookkeeper, and their mom was the office manager.
Violet picked up the story and said, “And Cassie and Jessica had come by to check on me and see how the fantasy weekend went—
“The what?” Delilah asked in confusion.
Both brothers, in unison, said, “None of your business.”
“Sheesh. Bite my head off.”
Violet giggled and continued. “Anyway, they’d just walked into my office when Delilah came barreling in, demanding to know why I hadn’t called her to tell her I was engaged to her brother.”
Josh and Lucas, in unison again, said, “Brother?”
“Yes, and before I could say anything, these two here blurted out ‘which one?’ and ‘both, dummy!’ and I’m sitting here in shock. Delilah was all confused so I explained and then what she’d said registered. It’s a good thing my headache is gone because all the screaming and crying would’ve killed me.”
“Okay, so, you know that’s illegal in the State of Texas, right? You can’t just up and marry two men,” Delilah said, her gaze darting around the office at all their unperturbed faces.
Lucas snorted and said, “Wait for it…”
Then Delilah gaped and slapped her forehead “That’s why I always see Grace Warner with Jack Warner and Ethan Grant and Adam Davis!”
Someone in the room giggled and said, “She’s quick!”
Delilah made a disgruntled sound and said, “I need to get out more.”
“Okay, girls,” Lizzy said as she patted Tex’s head while he continued kneading Violet’s lap. “Why don’t we give these three some privacy.”
Tex looked a little hung over and ready for the excitement to die down and finally flopped down to take a nap. Violet giggled as she rubbed Tex’s orange-furred belly while he purred like a motorboat.
The other three women filed out after blowing kisses, and from the hallway, Lizzy said, “Too bad we don’t have any sangria. We could toast them.”
Josh sat on the edge of her desk, and Lucas squatted in front of her once more and said, “Were you worried about us proposing so early because all we had together was this past weekend?”