Keeping It in the Family (Linstead)

Chapter 100

"Okay, I won't," she said more seriously.

Jay felt excited to tell her what he had planned, so much so that it was hard not to grin like an idiot. "Do you know what it means to propose to someone?"

"Yes. It's when you ask them to marry you." Then what the question actually meant dawned on her and her eyes widened. "You're going to ask Erin to marry you?"

"Yes, I am. And I want you to help me."

"Awesome! I'm so happy!" Clementine cried, clapping her hands together, seemingly because she didn't know what else to do with the rush of delight. "She's going to say yes for sure."

"I sure hope so, Clem. But we both need to do our parts right to make it a special moment. Here's what I want you to do. After dinner, ask Erin if we can go to the park. She'll probably say no because it's late, but ask her again and plead with her. Then I'll jump in and say it won't hurt to go for half an hour if you promise to shower and go straight to bed when we get back. I'm thinking she'll agree to that."

"I think so too," Clementine said seriously.

"Good. Now, I've got something else for you to do, and it's even more important than asking her to go to the park. You know that really nice spot by the river?"

She nodded. "Yes. Erin always likes it there."

"Yes she does. That's where I'm going to ask the question. I'm going to say, 'I asked Clem to help me with something.' She will look at you, and you'll have the ring box in your hand."

"I don't have a ring box," she objected.

"No, I've got it here." Jay reached into his coat pocket and took it out. "Let's go put it in your coat. We'll have to make sure Erin doesn't try to help you put your coat on in case she feels this in the pocket and wants to know what it is."

Clementine went with him to where her coat was hanging, near the front door, and they stashed the ring case in her left pocket.

"We should tell Kayla," Clementine said when the deed was done.

Jay looked at her. "You think so?"

"You never know what might go wrong if we don't."

They were wise words, he had to admit. Clementine was clever, which was one of the things he loved most about her. "You're probably right. Let's go tell her quickly before Erin gets home."

They went back to the kitchen, and Jay had to smile. With the prep done and the curry not needing to be actively monitored while it cooked, Kayla had decided to wash up the utensils that had been used for the prep. To do so, she was wearing a pair of long green rubber gloves that finished halfway up her forearms. He was half tempted to tell her to watch out for Erin stealing them to use for other purposes. But of course he didn't.

"Everything okay?" Kayla asked.

"Yeah. But there's something you need to know before Erin gets home. And you need to keep it quiet."

Kayla stopped what she was doing and turned around. "Okay. What is it?"

Jay told her pretty much the whole plan, and took pleasure in seeing her react with almost as much delight as Clementine had done. She was becoming more than a nanny; she was becoming part of the family in a way.

"Erin's going to have a kitten when Clem pulls out the ring."

"I hope not. That's not the reaction I'm looking for," Jay said, and all three of them laughed. Then they heard the sound of the front door closing.

"That's her," Jay said quietly. "Clem, remember what I said. Act normal."

"I'm home!" Erin called out from near the front door as Clem went over to the cooker and Kayla resumed washing the kitchen utensils.