Danny rushes forward, pulling Molly into a hug so tight she squeaks. “I knew it! I knew you two were perfect for each other! Didn’t I say? Didn’t I tell you love was in the air?”
“You did.” Molly laughs, hugging him back. “You absolutely did.”
He releases her to grab me next, and I awkwardly pat his back while he continues to sob. “My boy,” he says into my abdomen from his short stature. “My grumpy, stubborn boy finally found his happily ever after.”
“Thanks, Danny,” I manage, genuinely touched despite the embarrassment of being called ‘my boy’ in front of everyone.
He pulls back, wiping his eyes. “You better take good care of her.”
“That’s the plan.”
The next few minutes are a blur of hugs and congratulations. Sophie hugs Molly and whispers something that makes her tear up again. Mitch gives me a handshake that turns into a hug, muttering something about ‘took you long enough.’
Eventually, we make it to the rec room, which is decorated just as excessively as last year. The same banner hangs from the ceiling. The same photo booth sits in the corner. Even the karaoke machine is back.
But everything’s different now.
Molly squeezes my hand, and when I look down at her, she’s glowing. “Happy Valentine’s Day, Luke.”
I pull her close, pressing a kiss to her temple. “Happy Valentine’s Day, wife.”
Danny appears again with champagne glasses, passing them around. “A toast,” he calls out, raising his glass. “To Molly andLuke—the couple who proved that sometimes, all you need is a wise, meddling landlord to find true love!”
Everyone laughs and raises their glasses.
I look down at Molly, at the ring on her finger, at the smile on her face that I put there, and I think about how close I came to missing all of this.
“What are you thinking?” she asks.
“That I’m the luckiest bastard alive.”
She kisses me again, and I lose myself in it, in her, in this life we’re building together. A year ago, I was convinced love wasn’t worth the time, the effort. Now I know better.
Love is the only thing worth risking everything for.
And Molly?
She’s worth it all.
The End.
