“CUPCAKE, YOU HAVE a special delivery,” Joey sings, emerging in the doorway with the familiar white box.
I wipe the flour off my hands and set my measuring cup on the worktop. “Do I need to sign for it?” I try and look past Joey to spot Fred in the main shop, but Joey’s massive frame blocks my view.
“Nope. I signed for it. Here you go.” He places it on the worktop and steps back.
Sliding it across the wood, I pull the white ribbon and lift the edges, opening the top of the box. Hmm. I’m rewarded with the same white box, only a bit smaller, with the same white ribbon. “That’s strange.” I pull the ribbon and lift the top, only to reveal yet another white box. I chuckle and shake my head. My boyfriend is crazy. Going through the motions once more, I lift the top of the significantly smaller box, and gasp loudly. Sitting in the middle of the smaller box is a brown card, but that’s not what makes my heart flutter. What’s making my pulse race faster than it ever has is the tiny black box that’s peeking out from underneath it. “Oh, my God. Joey, look.” I turn and if I wasn’t already hyperventilating, I’m definitely losing my shit now. Standing next to my sobbing assistant is Reese, decked out in a dark gray suit, and making it look better than any man every could. “Hi,” I manage to choke out, but it’s barely audible.
“Hi, love. Read your note.”
I force my fingers to move and pick up the brown card, opening it slowly.
Dylan,
One hundred and thirty-two days. That’s how long I’ve loved you. That’s how long I’ve wanted to protect you, take care of you, and cherish you. I’ve known for one hundred and thirty-two days that you are it for me, that you are my forever. You’ve completely captivated me. My heart, my soul, my entire being. I can’t imagine my life without you in it, and as long as I have you, I don’t need anything else. Just you and me. Forever.
I love every single part of you, and I always will.
X, Reese
“Oh, my God,” I cry, my tears dropping down on the card. I glance to my right and have to drop my gaze. Because my gloriously handsome boyfriend is now on his knee, holding the little black box that he delivered to me himself. Joey wails behind him, naturally, and I reach up and wipe underneath my eyes. “What are you doing?” I’m not sure anyone will make out my words through my shaky, sob filled voice, but I say them anyway.
“I’m doing what I’ve wanted to do since you fell into my lap.” He smiles that killer smile, the one that melts me every time I see it, and opens the box. My jaw hits the floor. I’ve never seen a more beautiful ring, and he chose it just for me. “Dylan, I never knew I wanted this, until I met you. All of the love I have in me has been yours and it always will be.” My hands cover my nose and mouth as I stare down at him, the tears rapidly falling onto my fingers. “You’ve given me everything, love. Will you marry me?”
I drop down to my knees and throw my arms around him. “Yes. Yes. Yes.” He wraps me up, pinning me to his body and buries his face into my neck. “Yes.” I look up, seeing Joey, holding his phone out in front of him, and crying like a baby above us.
“Mmm, I can’t wait to make you Mrs. Carroll,” Reese says against the sensitive skin of my neck. “Here, let me put this on you.” I lean back and drop back to my heels, holding my trembling left hand in front of me. He takes the ring out and slides it on my finger, pressing his lips to the top of my hand. “Do you like it?”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Joey squeals behind him. “She loves it. I love it. Goddamn it, Billy.”
Reese and I both laugh as I stare down at my hand. “I do love it. It’s perfect, just like you.” I hold his face in my hands, bringing our lips together. And I don’t let go.