“I want another shot!” Ivy yells, drunk off her ass and I can’t help but laugh at the fit she’s throwing.

“No!” I shake my head and pull her onto my lap. The club we are at is crowded and loud, but somehow Logan scored us a VIP table, which gives us some privacy.

“You know, you’re really controlling sometimes,” she says crossing her arms over her chest.

“You like it!”

She rests her head on my shoulder and settles back. “Is it because Zoë died after drinking a lot?” she asks.

“Stop it! It’s because I don’t want you to feel like shit tomorrow.”

“How could I, waking up next to you?”

“Oh you could, alcohol will make you feel like…” I trail off and get lost in her eyes as they stare at me. Pulling away, I look out at the dance floor. Logan and Victoria are in the middle of a swarm of people dancing away, which is not my scene. I prefer to be here, with Ivy in my arms.

“Like what?” she asks.

“Huh?”

“What will alcohol make me feel like?” she slurs, sitting back staring at me, her glossy eyes so gorgeous and tired.

Oh, she’s drunk.

I direct her to stand. “Come on, let’s get you some fresh air, beautiful.”

“I don’t need it.”

“Yes, you do.”

We leave the club together, the music behind us muffles as the hot Vegas air wraps around our bodies and we walk down to a huge lake with a lit up water show. Standing together, I have my arm around Ivy, both of us watching the sight in front of us. Then her head starts to hang low, she’s quiet, and it makes me nervous. The world around me halts, taking me back to the subway ride home the night I lost Zoë not so long ago.

Lifting her chin, I look into her eyes, needing to know that she’s okay. But there are tears glossed over them. Pulling her close to my chest, I hold her tight and ask, “What’s the matter?”

“Nothing, I’m just happy.”

“Then don’t cry.”

She nods her head and I catch sight of Logan and Victoria as they walk down the sidewalk. He has his arm around her and is whispering into her ear.

“I mean it, baby, enjoy every second we have together, don’t waste tears on any of it.” I glance over at Logan as he catches sight of me and he raises his chin. When they approach, he passes Ivy a bottle of water.

“Would everyone stop acting like I’m drunk?”

“We would, if you weren’t drunk,” he says.

She rolls her eyes and says, “You guys suck.”

“Yes, you do,” I tease her and she bumps me with her shoulder. “Ready to head back?”

We all agree and decide to walk.

“Have you guys ever been to Vegas?” Victoria asks us. We both shake our heads and she says, “Logan and I love it, we almost got married here.”

“Shut up!” Ivy exclaims, “I’d love a Vegas wedding!”

“You would?” I ask completely taken off guard by this bomb.

“Yeah! I wouldn’t have to take months out of my life planning it, not to mention how stress-free it would be.”

“Isn’t that what girls want, all the planning?” Logan asks.

“Some…maybe, but not me,” Ivy says.

I’m sure for Ivy a Vegas wedding would be better, especially since she lost her father as a teenager in a car accident and without Zoë around, I can see where she is coming from. Up ahead there is a wedding chapel. As a young couple emerges through the front doors laughing and holding hands, it sparks something inside of me.

I’ve lived this life with too many fucking regrets. Too much lost time. I don’t want that anymore. If Ivy’s dream is to have a Vegas wedding, then I’ll give her one. With my hand wrapped tightly around hers, I watch the way her eyes sparkle in the light of the sign.

Turning her to face me, I get down on one knee. Logan and Victoria jolt to a stop, looking at us, shocked. Ivy’s hand flies over her mouth as she looks down at me and I push away the rest of the world.

“Ivy Amaranth Winslow, I love you more than anything in this world. My heart was broken for so long before you. But now I have a purpose. You’re my reason for existence; you have shown me what it’s like to love again. I know our love is just beginning, but we found each other for a reason. And I don’t want to miss out on starting our future.” With the biggest grin I’ve ever had on my face, I bring her sweet hand to my lips and ask, “Ivy, will you marry me tonight, right here and right now?”

She starts nodding her head before I can even finish my sentence and I kiss her soft ring finger, wishing I had a fucking ring to put on it. Standing up, she throws her arms over my shoulders and kisses me harder than I’ve ever felt. Then clapping and whistles ring around us, as a crowd gathered watching the proposal.

As I hold her tightly and inhale her sweet scent, I bury my face into the comfort of her neck, so grateful that for once in my life, everything is going according to plan.