I tilted my head and blinked, trying to process Carmen's question. Marriage? Where had that come from? My heart did this weird little skip, and I wasn't sure if it was excitement or nerves. Maybe both.
For a second, I just stared at her, searching her face for clues. Was she serious? Was this leading somewhere, or was it just one of those hypothetical questions she liked to throw at me sometimes?
And then, of course, my mouth decided to act before my brain could catch up.
"Are you proposing to me right now?" I teased, aiming for lighthearted, though my voice came out a little higher than I intended.
Carmen laughed softly, shaking her head. "No, no. I'm not. I'm just... curious. What do you think about it?"
I leaned back against the couch, trying to play it cool, but inside, my mind was spinning at a million miles an hour. Marriage.
