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her?”
    I shrugged, focusing on the outside of the pan that Haven was holding, as if staring hard enough would give me x-ray vision, and I would be able to see what she was making. Did I want to get married? Married. It was such a weird word. Married, married, married, married. I just wanted things to be how they’d always been. So, no, I didn’t want to get married. My dilemma, as I saw it, was that either way, break up or get married, I ended up unhappy.
    “You can’t be surprised,” Haven said, narrowing her eyes. That was the problem. I hadn’t been expecting it at all.
    “Surprised at what?” Jake boomed from behind me.
    “Emma wants to get married,” Haven said.
    I rolled my eyes. There really were no secrets between these guys.
    “She’s given me a month to decide, or I guess we’re over.” Things had seemed almost back to normal this morning. I’d gone for a run. She’d gone to the gym. I suppose things had been a little strained, but she wasn’t shouting, so I saw that as a move forward. But realistically Pandora’s box was now firmly open, and things were never going to go back to how they were.
    “Sounds like she’s serious. And you don’t want to marry her?” Jake asked.
    “Well that’s the question,” Haven said.
    “No, not really,” I said. “I don’t see the point. But we’ve been a couple a long time and I love her, and as much as I can’t see us getting married, splitting up would be . . .” I’d not thought much of what my life would look like without her. I mean, we lived together. I’d have to move out for one thing, so that would be a huge change for me. And the mortgage was in both of our names, and we had a joint bank account. Our finances were intertwined.
    “Sounds like you shouldn’t marry her,” Jake said simply, grabbing a beer from the fridge.
    “How did you work that out?” I asked.
    “I’d never really thought about marrying anyone before Haven. I didn’t understand it, didn’t see the point. Then I met her and boom—it was all I thought about. I wanted to do everything I could to tell the whole fucking world she was mine. I wanted to be able to call her my wife.”
    I glanced at Haven; she was trying to suppress a grin, but her dancing eyes told me how much she was enjoying what he was saying.
    “If you don’t feel like that, then you shouldn’t marry her,” Jake said, taking a seat on the barstool opposite Haven.
    “But not everyone’s like you, Jake. What happens if I never feel like that about anyone? I mean, it hasn’t happened so far for me. And it only happened to you and Haven because you started working together. Emma would be a good choice, in a lot of ways. She’s a good girl.”
    “I get it, but you have to figure out whether you’re prepared to settle. From what you’re saying, she’s just not the right girl for you.” Haven prodded Jake’s shoulder in semi-chastisement. “I’m not saying she’s not a great girl. I have no idea—I’ve only met her a few times. All I’m saying is if you’re not wanting to frog march her down the aisle then she’s not right for you.”
    I took another swig of beer. I couldn’t believe I’d ever want to march down the aisle with anyone. “We get on. I’ve been with her a long time.”
    “Jesus, if you have to talk yourself into marrying her then something’s not right.” Jake said. “You’d be desperate to get married if she was the right one.”
    I wasn’t sure it was as easy as Jake seemed to think. I got that he adored Haven, and I wouldn’t have it any other way, but honestly, I didn’t think it worked that way for most people.
    The intercom buzzed and Haven went to answer it.
    I picked at the label on my beer bottle.
    “You don’t need to be a shit to her about it,” Jake said. “You know the answer, and if she isn’t what you want, then you deserve to let her go and find someone else who wants her in the way she needs.”
    My heart was tight at Jake’s words.