Eliza pulls away with her mouth hanging open. 揙h, God. You livestreamed it??
揘o, I just took a video and sent it to your parents. But I had to say something to make it stop sometime this century because梟o offense, guys, but棓 Dess shakes her arms. 揋ross.?
揗y parents know??Eliza asks, blinking up at me.
I nod. 揑 had to talk to your dad before I proposed. I know a lot of girls don抰 feel like someone should talk to their old man before them anymore, but in this case, I almost got you killed. All I could think about was some loser putting Dess in the same predicament and then deciding he抎 marry her before he had the nerve to tell me about it. I抎 tear him limb from limb. I figured our married life would be hell if I didn抰 smooth that over first.?
揥hat did he say??
揌e said it was your decision梐nd that if I ever hurt you again, he抎 give me a pair of concrete boots to the bottom of the Pacific.?I grin.
揥hat? He抯 usually so mild.?
揑 hurt his little girl,?I point out. 揘ever again.?
Destiny bounces between us and grabs Eliza抯 free hand. 揝o, when and where are we doing this wedding??
I side-eye her hard. 揝he just got engaged a minute ago. Give her a chance to think, Dess.?
揙h. Well…？Eliza pauses, her tongue between her teeth in thought. 揑抳e actually had my wedding planned since the seventh grade.?
揧ou have??
揧eah. It might抳e been eighth grade, but still…？
揟hen how come you don抰 know when and where your wedding is??Destiny asks.
揙h桰 met this jerk before your dad and thought for a while I wanted nothing to do with men or weddings. All of those ideas feel tainted now.?
揑抎 better not be your rebound,?I joke, wrapping my arms around her.
揧ou抮e just my soulmate,?she whispers, looking intently at Destiny. 揑 know one thing I抎 still like to keep for sure.?
揥hat??Destiny asks breathlessly.
揑 want a mocha fountain.?
揗ocha fountain??I repeat, trying to wrap my head around it.
揕ike a chocolate fountain, but better because it抯 chocolate coffee,?she explains.
揚eople are going to think our wedding is one big PR stunt,?I say, laughing.
揟hen don抰 invite anyone. I抦 fine with eloping.?
揑抦 not!?Destiny squeals. 揑 need to see you say 'I do,' Dad.?
A few days later, our engagement announcements happen by accident.
We walk into a local coffee shop and order drinks. Eliza mentions to the barista that we抮e getting hitched. Instead of writing our names on the cups, the barista writes Mr. Lancaster and Future Mrs. Lancaster.
A giddy Eliza snaps a picture with her phone and starts tapping furiously at the screen.
揇on抰 tell me you抮e posting that??I say.
揧ep. It抯 our announcement.?Then her eyes go wide and her mouth falls. 揙h! Hold up…？
揘o,?I whisper, already sensing what she抯 thinking. 揈liza, don抰 you dare.?
揅抦on, Cole. You dared me once and now it抯 my turn. We totally should棓
揘o,?I bite off.
揃ad news. It抯 opposite day and no means yes,?she says, walking her fingers up my arm. 揥e抮e getting married at the Wired Cup on Seventh Street.?
Fuck my life.
Worst of all, she抯 serious.
I breathe in before I say, 揝weetheart, hold up. You have unlimited resources at your disposal and you want to tie the knot at a retail coffee shop??
揥e抣l need some of those resources to shut it down for the day…？
My groan vibrates through my bones. 揥e can come up with a better venue. I promise.?
揧eah, right. You can抰 improve on perfect.?
揑t抯 a store,?I growl.
揑t抯 where we first met. That抯 crazy romantic.?
揥e抮e not getting married in my damn shop,?I grumble, staring up at the sky.
When I look back, she抯 still smiling.
It抯 all I need to see to not instantly veto the idea.
If I抎 give this woman the entire world on a silver platter, can抰 I give her one memorable day in a barista line?
Three Months Later
I stand in the men抯 room, fussing with my tie when there抯 a knock at the door.
揇ad? Are you decent??Destiny calls.
揧eah.?
She opens the door and walks in, all dolled up in her finest. 揝ee? I knew it. You need help with your tie. Come here.?
Usually, I抎 try to deny it with my bruised pride, but today is too important to bicker with my daughter and my own dumb hands for never getting it right.
In ten seconds, Destiny has it adjusted perfectly, the warmest smile hanging on her face. 揗ocha-brown looks good on you. It doesn抰 match your eyes, but it fits the theme.?
揟hanks,?I huff out, rolling my eyes.
揥hat? Dad, you抮e getting married. Lighten up. You can抰 possibly find anything to grump about today.?Her awkward laugh spills out.