Delicate

Chapter 81

HAVEN MCQUEEN

Two Days Ago

"Wait, she's here, I think she's here," I threw my phone onto the bed and bolted out of my and Harry's bedroom, leaving him in there with the kids to meet Katie and Ben at the gate.

I think the whole neighborhood heard us scream as we made eye contact and I even caught the driver smiling as he grabbed their luggage from the trunk to set on the sidewalk for them. Meanwhile, Katie and I were hugging and jumping up and down as if we hadn't seen each other in centuries. In reality, we saw each other at Harry's last show a month ago. The difference was, she didn't know I was engaged yet.

"Hi, Ben!" I stood on my toes to hug him next. "Come on, let's get inside."

They grabbed their suitcases and followed me into the house where Harry was then downstairs with the kids, my parents, Glenne, and Jeff. The two of them arrived yesterday but Harry and I collectively decided to keep the engagement a secret until we could tell both of our closest friends together. I could hardly wait and I was getting impatient as I watched everyone greet each other in the sitting room, feeling the ring burning a hole in my pocket. It was the first time I had taken it off since Harry put it on me.

"God, this house is beautiful," Katie scoffed at the high ceilings. "Is it even a house? It's like a mansion on steroids."

"Thanks, Katie," Harry laughed at her dramatic description, but that's essentially what a mega mansion is. "How was the flight?"

"It was good–"

"Ugh! So long," Katie unintentionally cut Ben off. "I mean...yeah, it was fine."

We all laughed as Ben nodded as if to say that he has to put up with her dramatics all the time, but he did it with an undeniable smile on his face as we sat around the couch. I glanced at Harry as he sat back comfortably with his arms crossed over his chest, waiting for me to make the first move for once.

"Well, now that you're all here–"

"Oh my God, you're pregnant again," Katie gasped and sat forward with her lime sage green eyes bugging out of her skull.

I scoffed down at myself and reached into my pocket. "No, but thanks for that."

As I tossed her the ring, she caught it without knowing what it was. The confusion lasted for about half a second before she shot up from the couch and inhaled as if she were coming up from underwater for an extended period of time.

"Shut the fuck up!"

I winced only because we were really trying to keep the swearing to a minimum in front of the kids, but I was smiling just the same until the tears were streaming down my face. "We're engaged!"

"No way," Jeff laughed as Katie yanked me in for another bone-crushing hug.

"Engaged?!" Glenne squeaked. "You're engaged?!"

"We're engaged," Harry confirmed with a soft laugh of his own, standing to hug both Jeff and Glenne before we switched.

"Holy sh–this is a rock, Harry," Katie gaped as she shoved it back on my finger where it belonged. "It's a boulder. It's a meteor."

"That is beautiful, oh my God," Glenne gushed. "Wait, I'm gonna cry! Congratulations!"

"I'll get the champagne," my mom laughed through her own sniffles as she took off into the kitchen, and my left hand was perpetually out in front of me for everyone to inspect and take photos of the ring.