In her voice, he heard understanding and acceptance, and his stomach quit twisting quite so hard.
“I had no clue what I was doing,” he said softer. “I followed the rules outlined by my people to the letter, because they gave me guidelines until I could figure out what to do on my own. Except I keep falling back on my customs and neglecting yours. We need to start our own traditions that meld our heritages.”
“I don’t feel slighted.” She walked into his arms. “I’m just glad one of us had a plan.”
“You have to hold me accountable for this to work.”
“You’re doing your best, and I can’t ask for more than that.” She linked her hands at his spine. “I like that you want to establish our own traditions, but your pack is your family, and I want to be part of it too. We can walk the line between our cultures, but I’m also good with stepping over to your side every once in a while, if it means allowing you to grow and mature into a leadership role for your people.”
“Our people,” he corrected. “You’re pack, Hadley.” He smiled a tiny smile. “You’re mine.”
“This again?” She rolled her eyes. “I’m not a thing to be owned.”
“I have no problem being owned.” He stared down at her. “Everything I am is yours.”
“I thought there would be food,” someone yelled. “Where are the cupcakes?”
No, not someone. His sister. Lethe. Giving him the kick in the pants he needed to drop to one knee.
“What are you…?” Hadley slapped a hand over her mouth. “Oh, Midas.” Her eyes rounded. “Midas.”
“There are children present,” Ford called. “Keep it PG.”
Fumbling in his pocket, Midas closed his hand around a small box. “I need to ask you a question.”
“Okay,” she whispered between her fingers. “Um, yeah. Okay. You can do that.”
Careful not to let the box slip through his clumsy fingers, he cracked open the lid to reveal a ring.
“What is that?” Grier leaned in. “An onyx?”
“Looks like jet,” Linus countered. “A rather large piece of jet.”
Joining in the speculation, his mom tossed in her guess. “Black tourmaline?”
Hadley hadn’t moved since the hinge squeaked on his palm. He wasn’t certain she was breathing.
“It’s a Carbonado diamond,” he told them then focused on her. “It’s made from—”
“—a star,” Hadley finished for him, “that exploded before the formation of our solar system—”
“—and fell to Earth as an asteroid over—”
“—two billion years ago.”
The Asscher cut black diamond was three carats, prong set in eighteen-karat white gold, and surrounded by a halo of round white extraterrestrial diamonds. More of the same white diamonds studded the band.
The black stone lacked the glint and glimmer of a traditional white diamond, but its origins spoke to him, a tribute to his geeky mate’s love of science fiction. He hoped it spoke to her too. Especially when he had lost his voice again.
“Marry me,” she breathed then flashed her eyes up to his. “I’m serious.”
“Can I handle this part?” He gestured at his pose. “I’m the one down on one knee.”
“Oh. Yeah. Sorry.” Her fingers clenched and released at her sides. “I just—wow. I got excited.”
“Marry me.” A smile tickled the right side of his mouth. “I’m serious.”
“You’re making fun of me, and I don’t even care, because ohmygoddess that ring is the coolest and most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen in my whole life.” She flung herself into his arms, knocking him to the floor and landing astride him. “I will marry you, but only if you agree to a Star Trek-themed wedding.” She bounced on his hips. “I’ll be Captain Kirk, and you can be Mr. Spock.”
I love her, he reminded himself. To the USS Enterprise and back.
“Hadley, darlin’.” Ford cleared his throat. “I can see you’re very excited, but there are still kids present.”
Yanked to attention, she noticed their positions, flushed scarlet, then slid onto the floor next to Midas.
Amazed the ring was still snug in the box, he plucked it from its velvet bed and guided it onto her finger.
Raising her hand, she admired the sparkle. “I love you.”
“I love you too.”
“I was talking to the ring.” She slanted him a playful glance. “You’re not half bad either.”
“Live long and prosper,” Grier shouted, and the others raised their voices alongside hers.
“We are going to have the geekiest wedding.” Hadley smiled at the ring. “I really do love you.”
Midas couldn’t help a laugh as he watched her. “Do you and the ring need to get a room?”
“I was talking to you,” she said without moving her gaze from her hand. “How about you come stand in front of the ring. I can’t seem to look away from it.”
“Ha-ha.” He rose and brought her to her feet before him. “You’re sure you want this?”
“You?” She stuck her palm against his nose. “Or the ring?”
“I should have asked you before I opened the box. Maybe then you’d have given me a straight answer.”
“I’m planning a wedding.” She squealed with utter joy. “What do you think the answer is?”
“I suspect it depends on whether or not you get to keep the ring if things don’t work out between us.”
“Stop torturing the boy.” His mom waded in, took Hadley’s hand to break her line of sight with the ring, and examined the stone. “Tell him what he needs to hear.”
Dutifully, she smiled up at him. “Yes, Midas, I will marry you.”
“It’s a lovely ring,” his mother said. “Is the theme negotiable?”
“No,” he and Hadley answered together.
This was her wedding, and she would plan it to suit her. He would see to it. The tradition wasn’t a gwyllgi one, so it cost them nothing to let her indulge whatever little-girl fantasies she harbored about her big day.
Even if it meant wearing pointed ears, having his eyebrows drawn on, and learning to make his fingers cooperate in the Vulcan salute.
Hadley was worth it. All of it. She
