Jimmy squeezed my hand and smiled at me, a wide, lopsided, gummy grin that looked even better in his best suit than it did normally. “You’ve got this, Dean. Knock them dead.”

My heart fluttered. I squeezed his hand back and kissed his forehead before standing up, looking as the heads of all the wedding guests snapped to me.

Clearing my throat, I started my speech.

“The thing about meeting the love of your life, is that you never know when you’re going to meet them. It could be in the grocery store, or at a park, or when you’re kids. It could be when you’re drunk at a bar,” there was a small laugh from the crowd who knew how Jimmy and I met, “or it could be at work, surrounded by paperwork and thinking the other person will never notice you.” More laughter.

I shot Jimmy a smile. God, I loved that man.

“The thing is, it doesn’t matter that you never know. Because even if we did—even if we all knew the exact time and place that we’d meet them—they’d still knock us on our ass. Because the love of your life isn’t someone that’s going to slide seamlessly into your life. They’re gonna barge in and take over the things you didn’t even know were wrong until suddenly, everything makes sense.”

I turned to look at Cheryl and Clark. Cheryl was already crying, dabbing carefully at her makeup. The big white veil she wore was tethered to a tiara she demanded I pay for as her engagement gift but did in no way count for her wedding gift. Clark just asked that I make a speech at their reception. “Clark, Cheryl—you guys have a love story that not that many people are lucky enough to have. You met, you fell in love, and then you finally got out of your own heads long enough to admit it to each other. If you’re half as good at being married as you are at being employees or friends, then I know you’re going to have a really happy life. And,” I winked at the crowd of guests, “not to take credit, but I did hire you both.”

There was some laughter. I grinned. “Happy marriage, you guys. You both deserve it.”

I lifted my glass and Jimmy started clapping. Everyone joined him after a second and I slid back into my chair after the toast.

“Was that terrible?” I stage-whispered to my boyfriend.

Jimmy hummed as he considered. He straightened my tie for me before looking up, big green eyes sparkling. “Only just,” he teased.

I laughed. He kissed me lightly.

“They’re sweet,” Jimmy said, leaning his chin on my shoulder. He had one arm wrapped around my waist.

The cuddling was sort of new for us but ever since Corporate gave us the go-ahead to be together, so long as we both signed annual papers basically saying we wouldn't sue anyone because of bad blood, Jimmy had gone a little overboard on staying professional at work. He was worried that they would change their minds again. I was pretty sure that being almost killed by a disgruntled ex-employee, promising not to sue, and asking for the interfraternization policy to be lifted all in one meeting kind of gave us a free pass. Jimmy remained unsure. Since it was the busy season now, we hardly saw each other outside of work even though we lived together.

Besides, Jimmy was warm against me and I liked the way his breath felt so close to my neck. He made my stomach feel full of butterflies, in the softest way.

“They are,” I agreed, watching as Cheryl kept stealing bites of Clark’s cake. He didn’t even pretend to look exasperated, just thrilled that she was finally with him.

“They were so smitten for so long,” Jimmy continued.

I wiggled my eyebrows. “Remind you of someone?”

He laughed and swatted my chest. “Shut up.” Then a beat, and, “What? Are you saying you see us having a wedding a year from now with a boss giving a speech?”

I scrunched my nose up. “Fucking Jacobsons? No thanks.”

Jimmy laughed. “Yes, I do not want him speaking at our wedding.”

Someone across the table called his name and he sat up, turning his attention to the other guests.

My heart was doing somersaults.

Did Jimmy—our wedding?

I could feel my palms sweating and the next half hour or so, I barely managed to do anything. I ate when Jimmy nudged me and sipped at my wine when he gave me a weird look, but mostly my head was swimming around the whole idea that Jimmy had just said “our wedding” in a casual conversation.

Did Jimmy want to get married?

My heart flipped again.

I made it another half hour of silently freaking out before Jimmy stood up suddenly and grabbed my suit jacket at the wrist. He tugged on me and I followed him onto the dance floor. The lights were low and a slow love song was playing, but there were only a few couples out there.

I smiled at him and wrapped my arms around his waist. He did the same and looked up at me. Instead of smiling, though, Jimmy was scowling.

My smile fell and I furrowed my brow at him. “You look mad?”

“I am mad,” Jimmy said quietly, as we swayed. “This seemed the easiest way to have a private conversation without being overheard or looking rude.”

I tried not to laugh considering how pissed he looked. “You trapped me into dancing with you so we could fight?”

He glared harder. I cracked a grin and a little chuckle fell out. He stomped on my toe.

“Ouch!”

“Sorry,” he smiled sweetly. “Two left feet.”

I laughed again, even though my foot did hurt. “Okay, babe. Why are you mad?”

Jimmy looked away, teeth biting into his bottom lip, and my humor melted away. This wasn’t cute, angry Jimmy but sad, hurt Jimmy. I ducked my head, as we spun to the song.

“Jimmy, what’s wrong?”

“You—I mention getting married, not even that seriously, it’s not like I’m saying we should get married tomorrow but I mention it hypothetically and you—” he took a deep breath and looked up at me. “Dean, do you not want to marry me?”

My heart sank. “Ah, Jimmy,” I said, pulling him closer and tightening my grip around him. “I’m so sorry, that’s not what I—I wasn’t freaking out because you talked about us getting married.”

“You weren’t?” He eyed my suspiciously.

I shrugged one shoulder. “I mean, I was. But not because I don’t want that.”

His lips were twitching with a smile. “Oh? Why then?”

I rolled my eyes, looking up at the ceiling, before grinning down at my boyfriend. “Because,” I said, “I would really, very much like that.”

Jimmy stopped dancing completely. His hands fell to his sides. “Really?”

I softened. “Jim, of course. You’re my future. It’s just—exciting when we talk about all the things we’re going to do together.”

“Like marriage,” Jimmy supplied.

I closed the space between us and took his face between my hands. “Like marriage.”

He surged forward, knocking my grip on his face away to throw his arms around my neck. He kissed me, lips pushing and demanding as I kissed him back just as fervently. I wound my arms around his waist and held him to me, nipping at his bottom lip. His throat made a wonderful little sound and I pulled away fast before things got too inappropriate for Cheryl’s extended family in the room.

There were a few wolf-whistles and a smattering of clapping. Jimmy hid his face in my neck. I laughed, throwing my head back, and rubbed soothing circles on his back.

“At our wedding,” I said, grinning as Jimmy pulled back to look up at me. “We can make out as much as we want.”

His face split into a huge grin. His eyes crinkled around the corner and even though he had smoothed his hair down for the wedding, it was a wild, unkempt mess again. From the collar of his nice suit, I could see the blue-purple bruise of the hickey I had given him the night before.

He looked every bit as incredible as he had that first morning we woke up together.

It was funny to think about that morning—how a year ago, waking up hungover out of my mind to find a handsome stranger in my bed had led to this—me, finding the love of my life, and promising to marry him. Things had changed so much in the last year and knowing that it was all because we woke up in bed together was nearly laughable—I owed my entire life and future to a bunch of shots at Yellow Tail.

The next song started, another sweet, slow number. I held out my hand and quirked an eyebrow. Jimmy grinned and slipped his hand into mine. I revealed in his laugh when I tugged hard and he fell into me.

Remembering that morning as clear as I did this one, I couldn’t help but chuckle. Totally worth the headache. Then I snorted. Also, the gunshot. Totally worth that, too.

Jimmy looked up at me, smiling. “What’s got you happy?”

I smiled and kissed the top of his head. “Just really happy I woke up next to you that morning.”

Jimmy’s smile widened so much I thought it must hurt. “Me, too, Dean. I love you.”

“I love you, too,” I kissed him again, this one softer.

We danced until our feet hurt and all I could think about was how lucky I was going to be to wake up next to Jimmy for the rest of my life.