The roar of cheers and applause was deafening. Someone—Ledger, probably—whistled. Charlie was crying into Austin’schest. Dirks’s mom had both hands pressed over her mouth like she’d just watched the most romantic movie of her life.
Nova’s voice cut through all of it. “Well, holy shit, Luna. Some of us are out here struggling to get one proposal, and you just bagged two within five minutes.”
I wiped my eyes, breathless and laughing so hard it hurt, and shot her a look. “Yeah, well... what can I say? I’m an overachiever.”
Jer groaned, forehead pressed to mine. “Only you would make a double engagement sound like bragging rights.”
“Why couldn’t I just have one, huh? Would’ve been a lot simpler.”
Dirks grinned, pulling me tighter between them. “Because simple was never your style, Luna girl.”
Before I could even catch my breath, Nova wrapped me up in a hug.
“You deserve this, Lune. After everything you’ve been through, after all the times you were told to settle for scraps, to come second—” Her words caught, and she waved a hand in front of her face before continuing. “Now you’re somebody’s first. Two people’s first. That’s all you’ve ever deserved. To be chosen. To be loved without apology.”
I let out a shaky laugh. “Why do you always know exactly what to say to ruin my makeup?”
“Because I’ve been here the whole time. I watched you disappear into yourself, Lune. I watched you give and give until there was nothing left. But tonight—” She gestured between Jer and Dirks. “Tonight I get to watch you finally be poured into. And you have no idea how happy that makes me.”
Dirks tugged me against his side, pressing a kiss to my hair. Jer squeezed my hand tight, his thumb brushing over my knuckles.
One by one, people began to peel away. Dirks’s parents hugged me tightly, his mom whisperingWelcome to the familyin my ear. His sister promised to text me later. Ledger clapped Jer on the back with a grin and told him he’d better not screw this up. Auburn and Evie left arm-in-arm with Scarlette. Charlie waddled to the door with Austin glued to her side, her round belly leading the way.
Nova was the last to go. She pulled me into a hug that lingered, her lips brushing my ear as she whispered, “Don’t forget, you’re worthy of this. Always.”
When the door finally shut behind her, the house suddenly quieted.
I turned to Jer and Dirks, my heart thudding in my chest. They were both watching me.
“God,” I said, laughing through the lump in my throat. “That was... a lot.”
Dirks grinned, shoving his hands in his pockets. “Speech of the year, Luna girl.”
I looked between them, my chest aching with so much love it was hard to breathe. “You two are gonna kill me one day.”
Dirks leaned in, his blue eyes glinting. “Nah, Luna girl. We’re gonna keep you alive.”
Jer snorted. “Barely.”
Dirks smirked, tugging me into his chest. “Where’s the fun in simple?”
Jer kissed my cheek, his hand warm at my back. “Besides, you’d be bored in a week.”
I leaned into Jer first, pressing my lips to his. When I pulled back, Dirks was already leaning down, grinning like the sun itself, and I kissed him, too.
When I opened my eyes, Dirks was already fishing in his pocket. He dropped to one knee again, this time pulling out avelvet box. Inside was a diamond that caught the light like fire, huge and bold,so him.
“Holy shit,” I whispered.
Before I could even recover, Jer reached behind him, pulling out a thinner band he’d hidden away. It was delicate, lined with tiny diamonds cut into the shapes of crescent moons, glinting like stars across the metal.
“This was special,” they both said, nearly in unison. “Just for us.”
Tears blurred my vision as I kissed them both again.
“Does this mean... ” I laughed wetly, wiping at my eyes. “We’re going to live together in one bed? One big ridiculous bed?”
Dirks chuckled, sliding the diamond ring onto my finger like it was the easiest thing in the world. “As long as I’m next to you, Luna girl, I don’t care where I sleep.”
