The Mechanic

-Chapter Twenty-Four-

He smiles a shaky smile. "Yes."

"Okay," she says, smiling back. "That's a nice answer."

And she kisses him.

He kisses her back, and by the time she pulls away, her hair isn't in its topknot anymore.

She laughs. "Oh, well. You ruin my hair, I've ruined your proposal plans. See how perfectly that works out?"

He smiles, dazed, but snaps out of it at the word "proposal." "Oh, yeah. I have a ring for you."

"Oh?" She smiles a small smile, a bit of bashfulness catching up to her. "What might that be?"

He blushes a little, grinning, and stoops down onto one knee. "Charlotte Lang, I will marry you." He pulls a velvety box out of his pocket and props it open.

Inside, wedged between two ridges of soft material, is a ring. A simple, platinum band with a large, circular diamond set on it.

She grins. "It's perfect. How did you know what I liked?"

He shrugs, smiling adorably as he slides it onto her left hand ring-finger. "I pay attention. All of your rings that you wear are like this."

She cocks an eyebrow.

He stands up, grinning sheepishly. "That, and Renee helped me."

"Ah. Well, that figures. She acted like she knew something when I talked to her a minute ago..."

He laughs. "It's been weeks. I think she's just ornery."

"Probably," Lottie admits, shrugging.

He smiles, stepping a bit closer. "I would like to take you out for ice cream, since you stole the pleasure of proposing."

She scoffs. "Oh, of course. Ice cream is what everyone needs at nine in the morning..."

He laughs. "Later, maybe?"

"Maybe." She grabs him by his tie and presses a quick kiss to his lips. "Now, well..." She stumbles on her words, uncertain of what else to say.

He smiles a little, soft suddenly.

Lottie blushes, lowering her eyes.

"So... are you going to go show Renee?"

She shrugs. " Well... um... we could go out for ice cream. I guess. I mean, I'm not going to force you to do anything—but I think that maybe I would like to spend some time with you." She finishes with a smile, trying to squelch her nerves. Because it's just now starting to hit her... that proposing involves getting married... and getting married...

Paul might be starting to get this, too. Except it shows itself on his face in the form of a rather shy grin instead of a look of complete bewilderment. It's a perfect example of social butterfly versus prejudiced hermit, and the way they might react to realizing that they're under the commitment of eternal human interaction.

And if Lottie didn't like Paul, that would be her mindset. But she's mostly just worried that he won't love her anymore by the day of the wedding. Which, she is convincing herself, is completely ridiculous.

"So... you do want to go out?"

"Why not?" she chuckles, swallowing. "It can't hurt, after all."

He nods, studying her. "You don't need to be nervous."

She looks up. "No. Why would I be nervous?" But there is a splash of sarcasm in her words, laced there to protect any vulnerable parts of her.

"Because I know you, Charlotte, and this is something that would." He smiles a bit, gently. "And I just want to tell you that it is all going to be okay. I can't promise you a perfect life, but I will do my best to make it as wonderful as I can." He pulls her into a hug.

"Thanks."

"I mean it, Lottie. You don't have to worry about me."

"Sure of that?"

"Well, technically you could worry about everything. You could worry about whether or not you actually exist, or if this is all just mutant gases causing hallucinations for an amoeba. But you won't, because that would be silly, right?" He grins.

She rolls her eyes, punching his shoulder. "Eheheh. Nice one."

"I'm serious, love." He grins again.

Turning around, she roll her eyes again, hating the smile that wraps her lips up. "'I'm serious, love.' Who are you trying to be? Someone Scottish?"

"No," he laughs. "But I do intend to keep calling you that. Just you."

"I'm comforted."

"Good."

They are interrupted by a rapping on the doorpost.

"I'm not interrupting anything, am I?" Renee asks, grinning from ear to ear. "I mean, obviously there has been no big news, or anything. No one is getting married..." she trails off as though she means for them to finish the sentence for her.

Paul swipes a hand over his face, eyes wide and falsely innocent. "Why, no. Of course not."

"Mmm," Renee says, giving him a look of dull disbelief. "Of course not." She sighs and turns away before marching back toward her cubicle. "Well, if either of you change your mind, give me a call! There haven't been enough weddings lately."

Lottie coughs, blushing. "Why didn't you just tell her?"

"She's not stupid. You're wearing the ring." He grins, and Lottie groans.

"You're annoying. And cute. Honestly, that makes you even more annoying."

He grins and takes her hand as they step out of his office.

Ice cream dates and engagements make for good mornings.