The Only Exception

15. I Do

The smell of garlic, butter, and simmering tomatoes filled the apartment like a soft blanket of comfort. Asi sat cross-legged on one of the kitchen chairs, a tablet in her hands and an excited gleam in her eyes.

"And look at this one, Alaz!" she said, turning the screen toward him. "It's German-made, dual-suspension wheels, breathable mesh canopies, shock-absorbent chassis, car-seat compatible, and folds in like—like magic. I swear."

Alaz, standing by the stove and stirring the pasta sauce with slow, methodical movements, glanced toward the screen and immediately frowned in that serious, engineering-mind way he always did when something concerned his children's safety.

"Does it pass EU rollover testing?" he asked immediately, deadpan.

Asi blinked at him. "What?"

"The stroller. Rollover safety. Center of gravity. Do you know the ratio?"

"Alaz..." Asi sighed, a dramatic little whine escaping her lips. "It's not a Formula 1 car. It's a stroller."

"I'm just asking questions," he muttered, lifting the pan with one hand and twisting it to coat the pasta evenly with the sauce. "How many harness points?"

"Five-point," she answered, still half-laughing.

"UV protection level on the canopy?"

"UPF 50."

"Brake locking system?"

"Rear dual-action foot brake."

He nodded, visibly impressed. "Hmm. Okay. Not bad."

Asi slumped forward over the table, resting her cheek on her forearm with a groan. "You're exhausting."

"I'm responsible," he corrected, voice cool and smug as he sprinkled some grated parmesan into the pan with a flourish.

"You're exhausting and responsible."

Alaz smirked. "Thank you."

Asi groaned again, rolling onto her back dramatically across the chair, her belly slightly poking out beneath her cozy cotton tee. "Remind me why I love you again?"

"Because I'll make you pasta and read every product manual until the twins are in college," he said, casually turning off the stove and wiping his hands on a towel.

"That sounds... weirdly hot," Asi mumbled.

Alaz turned around, leaned one hand against the counter, and cocked his head. "See? I'm a catch."

Asi smiled, sitting up again and placing the tablet on the table. "Speaking of catching—what about the proposal?"

Alaz froze.

There was a sudden sharp sizzle from the pan. Alaz flinched, grabbing the handle too quickly and nearly tipping it sideways, sauce sloshing to the edge.

"Shit!" he hissed, juggling the pan until it was stable again. Asi's eyes widened as she jumped up.

"Alaz!" she rushed to him, hands reaching for his. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine," he said too quickly, blinking rapidly. "I just—it's hot. I was distracted."

"With what?" she asked gently, eyebrows pinched with concern. "Did I upset you?"

Alaz stared at her for a beat, his mouth opening and closing like a man searching for a life raft in open water. "What... what proposal?"

Asi tilted her head, confused now. "The Artan proposal? It came in today? We were supposed to look at it before Friday?"