••• TWENTY-SIX •••
Ashton

    The next few days, Sophie was keeping her distance from me. She only texted me updates on the baby and how she was feeling and I knew she was acting this way because she thought I was dating Lindsey. I rolled my eyes at the thought and couldn't believe she actually thought I would date someone else when she owned my heart and soul completely. Plus, we were having a baby together! My focus was on her and our child and that's it.

    I got out of my car when I saw Patrick approach me outside the mall and he shook his head at me. "What're we doing here, Ash?" He asked confused and I shrugged.

  "I need to do something to prove to Sophie that I only want her." I sighed and he raised his eyebrows at me in surprise.

  "I thought you two weren't together anymore?" He asked and I held open the door for the mall so he could walk inside.

  "We're not, but I can't keep living like this. I love her more than anything in this world and it's literally killing me that she thinks I could want anyone else, but her." He stared at me in shock, but everything I said was true.

  "Well," Patrick cleared his throat as he looked around uncomfortably. "What do you want to do? Maybe post a picture of you two on Instagram or something?" He suggested and I mentally smacked my forehead.

  "That's a good idea, I'll do that but there's something else I want to get from the mall to prove how much she means to me." I said as I pulled out my phone and scrolled through my camera roll to try and find a picture to post of us. I smiled at the picture I had chosen and remembered that day like it was yesterday.

    Last month, Katie surprised us with a maternity photoshoot and the pictures she took were amazing. I remembered how beautiful Sophie looked carrying our child and how she couldn't stop grinning at me. In the photo, Sophie was cradling her stomach and smiling down at it while I was completely transfixed and grinning at her stupidly with my hands on top of hers.

    TheI kept the caption simple as I tagged Sophie in the photo and prayed that she would realize I was only interested in her. I posted the photo and put my phone back in my pocket then looked up at Patrick to see him staring at me with his arms crossed against his chest. "Are you going to tell me what you want to get here, Ashton?" I took in a deep breath as I dragged him through the mall and stopped outside a jewelry store.

  "I know hearing about my feelings for Sophie makes you uncomfortable, but I'm serious about her, Patrick. Now I know normally you're supposed to ask the Dad for his blessing, but..." I trailed off and Patrick's eyes widened in disbelief as he realized what I was about to ask. "Can I have your blessing to ask Sophie to marry me?"

    Time seemed to have stopped as Patrick stared at me like he'd seen a ghost. His face went through so many emotions as he stared at me from anger, to shock, to complete awe. "You want to marry Sophie?" He finally choked out and I nodded my head.

  "More than anything. I brought you here to help me pick out a ring because you're my best friend and I care about your opinion more than anyone else's. Aside from Sophie." I admitted and Patrick let out a chuckle as he continued to stare at me like I was insane.

  "What if I say no?" He asked and I took in a slow deep breath as I shrugged.

  "It'll hurt me a lot to know that you don't want me to marry your sister, but I'm still going to ask her because I love her with everything I have." Patrick looked at the jewelry store and then back at me and I swear my heart was pounding so loud in that moment as I waited for his answer that I genuinely thought I might pass out.

  "If you hurt her," He started to say and I let out a sigh of relief as a grin spread out across my face. "I will seriously kill you, Ashton. I don't care if you're my best friend or not." He pointed at me and I nodded my head quickly.

  "I swear I won't hurt her." He gave me a curt nod as he took a step inside the store and I followed after him.

  "Then I guess you have my blessing." I let out the loudest laugh and then wrapped my arms around Patrick in a tight hug.

  "I swear you won't regret this, man." I assured him and he sighed as he patted my back.

  "I know, I trust you, dude." He chuckled and then we released each other to see an employee at the store grinning at us.

  "Just got engaged?" She asked as she pointed at us and we stared at her in confusion then we realized what she was implying.

  "Oh God, no!" Patrick exclaimed and I quickly shook my head.

  "NO! No, I'm going to ask his sister to marry me!" I informed her and she turned bright red as her jaw fell open.

  "I am so sorry, I just thought-"

  "It's okay!" I cut her off quickly and pointed at the cases. "Can you show us your best engagement rings, please?" I asked, quickly changing the subject and she rushed towards the case and started pulling out rings.

    As she pulled out a couple of options, I felt slightly offended at how Patrick reacted to her insinuating he was engaged to me. "Just so you know, Patrick, I am a catch. You should've felt honored to be engaged to me." I teased and he laughed as he rolled his eyes at me.

  "Dude, you fucking wish! If we were gay, I would be so far out of your league and you would definitely not be my type." He informed me and I raised my eyebrows in surprise.

  "You have a type? Is there something you want to tell me?" I asked teasingly and he punched my shoulder.

  "Shut up, asshole, and pick out a ring before I take my blessing back." I laughed as I looked down at the table of rings and tried to focus on each one. They were all pretty, but I knew I had to find the most amazing ring and that it had to remind me of Sophie. I just pray to God she'll like whatever ring we pick and that she'll say yes to marrying me.