**** Thank you for the request, and sorry for the wait!

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I could tell that something was off. The fact that Max had shown up before noon and insisted on taking me out to breakfast was suspicious enough. Spending the day together was nice, but a strange occurrence. We found ourselves having dinner, too.

But when you added to the fact that we had finished eating 10 minutes ago, already paid, and Max still refused to leave, I was definitely suspicious that something was going on.

"Max, what's going on? Because unless you're waiting for the waitress to come back so you can give her your number, I have no idea why we have to stay here."

"It's," Max faltered, clearly trying to come up with something to say, "I saw on TV that you should sit for half an hour after eating so that it digests better. It helps you lose weight?"

"Why do you sound like you're asking me?"

I raised my eyebrows, my mind racing with different scenarios that would explain this.

"Do I need to call Luna? Did you guys have a fight? Are you using me as an excuse to stay out of your house? You know, if you just sucked it up and helped her change diapers, she wouldn't be so irritated."

"No, of course not," Max was a step too slow, "actually, yeah, that's it. That's why, please don't make me go home."

"No, you lost me, I don't believe you. If you were avoiding Luna, we could still go back to my house. So what's the reason?"

Max tried really hard to ignore me, I know it. Another 10 minutes passed, and I found myself growing increasingly irritated. I had been woken up early, been out all day, and if I wasn't getting any more food, I wanted to go home.

I stood up, giving Max one last look before walking out of the restaurant.

He ran after me, holding onto my arm and trying to make me stop. Luck was on his side, as once we reached the car, I had nowhere else to go. He had the keys, and I wasn't in the mood to fight with him and find them in his pockets.

"Max, just tell me what's going on, you're starting to scare me."

His face clearly showed the conflict, and I knew I wasn't likely to believe any of his excuses. But he was wasting my time, something that I didn't appreciate at all.

I nervously twisted the promise ring on my finger, a habit I had developed soon after Ronnie had given it to me. That was 2 years ago now, but the memory still gave me butterflies, and an absent-minded smile rose to my lips.

"Ronnie has some.... stuff to take care of, and he couldn't do it with you there."

Immediately, one action came to mind, but it didn't make sense. "We've been together long enough, I don't think I need to be out of the house for him to masturbate, and I know he doesn't take all day."

"God Ryker no, it's serious business."

My heart skipped a beat, and the heat left my body. "Do you think he's packing his things so he can leave? Oh my god, are you helping him leave me?!"

He grabbed my shoulders, shaking me until I looked at him.

"Ryker, it's the opposite, you idiot."

"He wants to break up-"

"Ryker-"

"He's just gonna leave me-"

"Ryker!"

"He's changing the locks so I can't get in-"

"Ryker, god damnit."

"I knew this would happen, I just knew it. He doesn't love me any more-"

"He's proposing!"

I immediately shut up, my eyes widening as I realized what he said.

"Damnit," Max let go of me, leaning against his truck as he realized that he had let his secret slip, and failed his job.

"Take me home, now."

"You have to promise to be surprised, please."

When I got home, it finally set in.

He wasn't lying, Ronnie was proposing.

The first thing I saw were the flowers. Not just roses, but all sorts of flowers were laid on the floor, lining a path to the backyard.

Opening the door, I was soon crowded by Charlie, who was freshly groomed. In his mouth, I grabbed a rather tattered bouquet.

Smiling at the effort, I was soon even more impressed, as the lights were suddenly turned off. The only light now came from candles floating in the pool, and I smiled, finding myself tearing up.

All these years I had spent, questioning whether this day would ever come, and now here it was. I had denied and denied, but I really did want to marry Ronnie. We had been through so much, he was there through my worst, and somehow we had made it to the other side hand in hand.

"Ryker?"

I turned, smiling as I saw Ronnie standing in front of me with a tuxedo jacket covering the chest I loved so much. He was really trying hard for this, and I was honoured.

"Ronnie, is this real?"

Max had told me, but I didn't really believe him, not fully. But now, watching as Ronnie got down on one knee, I realized that he hadn't been lying.

"Ryker, the time I've spent with you has been unimaginable. We've had bad times, yes, but if it means that we get to spend the rest of our lives in happiness, I'm glad to take the bad."

I wiped a few stray tears, my eyes never leaving Ronnie's.

"You've taught me that love can be real. It is real, we are real. We can finalize that, if you would."

"Yes, I will!"

A chuckle, "Ry, let me say it first."

"Sorry, sorry," I composed myself.

"Will you marry me?"

"Yes! Yes, I will, I will."

I twisted my promise ring one last time, feeling no loss as it was replaced with an engagement ring, and soon, a wedding ring.