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“Fine, then,” Theo said, deciding to give it another shot. “How about doing the proposal underwater, inside of a shark cage? Picture this: you dive into the deep blue sea, have someone drop bloody raw steaks into the water, you’re surrounded by sharks, and then pop the question!”
Oliver shook his head, laughing as he leaned against the edge of the pool table. “Bloody steaks? That is not romantic.”
I laughed at the absurdity of the suggestion. “I’ve had enough shark encounters in my lifetime, thank you very much. And you guys are barely playing pool. Someone take a shot before they call us to dinner! If I could play, I would, and the game would be over by now. Someone give me a real proposal idea, please.”
Oliver shot the six ball into the corner pocket, took a sip of his beer, then said, “I say just make it about Veronica. What do you think she would like? Then do that.”
I gestured to my brother. “Thank you! That’s the first sane idea I’ve heard.”
“Oh, I wasn’t done yet,” Oliver added with a mischievous grin. “Make sure it’s in a haunted castle at midnight, with a full orchestra hidden behind the curtains playing ‘Thriller’ as you get down on one knee. I promise you, she’ll never forget it.”
“You mean she’ll never forgive me. And you are now officially the president of Club Ridiculous,” I said, shaking my head in amusement as the three of them laughed hysterically, then clinked bottles again.
Just then, the door swung open, and Veronica, Daphne, Grace, and Adriana stepped inside the billiard room, their arrival halting our conversation.
“Why the sudden silence, guys?” Veronica said, giving me a curious look.
“They all look guilty,” Daphne said, a playful suspicion in her tone. “Especially August.”
“Me? I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I said before Caleb or one of my brothers slipped up and told them we were talking about proposals. “It was just guy stuff, that’s all. We don’t want to bore you with the details.”
Grace raised an eyebrow. “Sure, guy stuff.”
My sister Adriana watched me like a hawk. “They’re up to something.”
Daphne wiggled her eyebrows. “I think I know what it is.”
By the look on her face, I believed she did and needed to get her out of the room before she ruined my surprise.
“We need to finish the game without distractions,” I huffed.
Grace eyed all the billiard balls still on the table. “Finish? It doesn’t even look like you’ve even started! Anyway, it’s time for dinner. We just wanted to let you know.”
“Okay, okay… we’ll be right there” I ushered them back out before any more questions or suspicions could follow. “See you in just a minute.”
Once the door closed behind them, I said, “Please promise me that none of you will mention anything about proposals at dinner. I need it to be a surprise. Those women are smarter than us and will figure it out, even with the slightest hint.”
They all agreed, but then Theo said, “I’ve got one more idea, though.”
“That’s unnecessary,” I replied.
He ignored me and put his arm around me. “What about bungee jumping off the palace tower?”
“We are officially done here!” I said with a chuckle, already moving toward the door. “It’s time for dinner and we shouldn’t keep everyone waiting. Plus, I think we’ve had our fill of bro-time. My testosterone level is pegging in the red.”
We all washed our hands in the guest restroom near the foyer and then approached the grand wooden doors leading into the dining hall. The footmen pulled the doors open, revealing the long mahogany table set with fine china and crystal glasses that sparkled under the chandelier’s light.
The ladies, along with Mother and her fiancé Sebastian, were already seated, chatting softly.
As we took our seats, I chose the spot next to Veronica. Almost immediately, servers began circulating with wine, offering each of us a glass.
“How was your game of pool?” Veronica whispered, her eyes twinkling with curiosity.
I chuckled, taking a sip of my wine. “Obviously, I did not get to play, and as you saw, they didn’t play either. Everyone was too busy talking. It was complete nonsense, but you know what? I loved every minute.”
Veronica smiled. “Sounds like our tea session, but it was absolutely lovely.”
Just then, Mother tapped her glass with a spoon, the clear sound cutting through the conversations and drawing everyone’s attention.
