When Seb told Gail something required her attention, but he couldn’t tell her over the phone, her first thought was, naturally, “Murder.”
Over the past few months, she’d grown more comfortable with that, and just made sure to dress accordingly – boots instead of pumps, in case they had to run. (Prada boots, obviously. She was a mobster’s girlfriend, not a savage.)
She arrived exactly when she said she would, saying, “What’s up?” the second she saw him.
“Hey, beautiful,” he said, smiling brightly at the sight of her. He knew it was kind of a cheap trick, deliberately luring her there under the guise of work, but it was definitely the better way to make sure it was a surprise. Gail was too smart and knew him too well - any other excuse would have been completely transparent. Sebastian threw his cigarette away and planted a kiss on Gail’s forehead. “We need to have a look at something in the dining room, come on,” he said, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and led her into the restaurant.
The Lemon Tree had been mildly transformed for the night - if he was going to do this in a place so familiar, it had to be at least a little different. Most of the lights were dim, and the room was lit up by pink paper lanterns hanging from the decorative tree’s branches, Lana del Rey playing softly from the speakers. It had seemed an appropriate choice. Sebastian let go of Gail, giving her a moment to take in the efforts before he began speaking: “I know it’s tacky to do this at work, but at the same time... you know, what could be a better spot than a place we built together?” He smiled warmly at her, feeling remarkably calm considering the circumstances. If anyone was capable of kicking him in the face and running off as he kneeled before her, it was definitely Gail Rubens.
“I was trying to write a whole speech, but we both know that’d be bullshit and clichés. And we’re anything but a cliché. I Iove you, and if I’m going to be on the run for the rest of my life, I can’t think of anyone I’d rather have by my side. So,” he paused to produce a small jewellery box from his pocket, “Will you marry me?”