The Magnolia Chronicles: Adventures in Modern Dating(80)

Goddammit, I was getting married.

Fifteen months ago, I swore I'd never love again.

Nine months ago, I broke that vow.

Six months ago, I put a ring on Magnolia's finger.

Three months from now, I was making a new vow. One I intended to keep the rest of my days.

I couldn't fucking wait to marry her on the beach in New Bedford.

"Yeah, let's do this," Ben said, interrupting my thoughts. "I can't deal with the ambiguity anymore. I gotta lock Killer down."

I winced. "Do you have to call her that?"

He shrugged. "It works for her."

I could grant him that much but it didn't make Grace Kilmeade's nickname any more palatable and I worked with guys who went by Booch, Mad Dog, and Mole Sauce. "Whatever, dude," I said. "What's the plan? You said you have a hookup. Is this legal or should I text my attorney in advance?"

"You're such an asshole," he muttered. He rubbed his hands on his thighs as if he was working out some nervous energy. I smirked. Even though I'd been there and done that, I smirked. "What if she says no? That's a possibility, isn't it? I'm sure Gigi said no to you at least four or five times."

I dropped some cash on the table and stood, pulling on my coat. "In on the first shot."

That was always the way with Magnolia. She was the first woman I'd approached on the dating app, the first woman I'd shared my brokenhearted story with, the first woman I loved all the way through and back again, the first I'd asked to marry me, the first I knew better than I knew myself.

Ben led the way through the tavern, stopping outside on the sidewalk. "She's young," he said, shoving his hands into his coat pockets. "Haven't you seen the stories about her generation? None of them want to get married."

Magnolia and I had joined in on too many group dates with Ben and Grace over the past few months for me to doubt that she bested him on the maturity scale. "Millennials don't like home ownership, American cheese, or movie theaters either." I gestured toward him. "If we're to believe any of that applies to Grace, we should probably skip this activity altogether because they don't care for diamonds either."

"You're not helping," he replied.

"All right." I shrugged against the howling wind. "She's not that young. Have you talked about getting married? The future, where things are going, all of that?"

He pierced me with a sharp glare. "Yes, Dr. Phil, we have."

Seriously. Salt to the marrow with this one.

"Then what are you worried about?" I asked. "You've got five, maybe six years on her. Right?"

"Closer to nine," he replied.

I hadn't expected that but kept the surprise off my face. "So what? She's clearly made up for it in maturity. Has her age complicated things yet?"

"No," he grumbled.

"Then why is it a problem now?" I asked. "Despite the fact she enjoys your company, I'd say she's wise beyond her years."

"Truth," he murmured, rubbing his hands together. This late March cold snap was dreadful. "I don't want to do this only to get shot down." He hit me with a pointed glare. "I'm not interested in repeating that experience."

I blinked at him. We both knew that wasn't how it shook out with Magnolia but he was always on the hunt for sympathy. "I'm not following you to an underground gem dealer unless you're sure about this. Get there or buy me a beer because it's too damn cold to stand out here much longer."

He stared down the street for a long moment then turned an impatient glare in my direction. "Why the fuck did I bring you along for this?"

I lifted my shoulders, let them fall. "Beats the shit out of me. Don't you have other friends? I can't be the only person you'd call to chaperone a shopping excursion."

That was the kick in the ass Ben needed because he said, "Okay, then. Let's do this. Let's buy an engagement ring." He coughed and sucked in a breath as if he was choking. "Jesus Roosevelt Christ, I'm asking Killer to marry me. I'm—I'm gonna marry this woman."

I clapped him on the back. "It's great when it hits you, huh? It's like a near-drowning."

He continued coughing and sputtering. "When did this happen? How did this happen?"

"By my count, you have Lauren Walsh to thank."

He hit me with an unimpressed glare. "Can't believe we got roped into moving people we didn't even know. What kind of bullshit was that?"

That earned him another smack on the back. "It worked out for the best. You met Grace, right?"

He gestured down the street and we started in that direction. "Correction. I did not meet her. I was caught in her motherfuckin' force field."

I shoved my hands into my coat pockets, a smile forcing its way across my lips. "Yeah. It's exactly like that."

I followed Ben to a building on the far fringe of Boston's Theater District. After being buzzed in, we climbed two sets of stairs and waited on a narrow landing. I pulled my phone from my pocket and shot off a text to Magnolia.



Rob: This is not what I'd expected but it's 100% on-brand for Brock so I probably should've expected everything.