“He really said we could be together?”
I nod. “I can call him and put him on speaker if you want.”
She places a hand on my chest. “I believe you. So what do we do now? We just pick up where we left off?”
I gather her in my arms and kiss the top of her head. “Yes. We go back to being Avery and Reid without all the forbidden stuff. We get to kiss out in the open. I get to hold your hand in front of everyone we love. And I get to wrap you in my arms and call you mine for everyone to hear. I love you, Avery. I want a life with you. I want my future to be surrounded by you. I’m not looking to start over. I just want to pretend the last six months, five days, and twelve hours didn’t exist.”
She snuggles into my chest, gripping my scrubs tightly. “I love you too.”
And that’s all I need as confirmation. I didn’t start out this day—hell, this month—thinking I’d ever get her back, but here she is, in my arms and telling me she loves me. Agreeing to be my girl again. Saying yes to a future with me. I don’t know what I did to deserve her, but I’m never, never letting her go. Never.
CHAPTER 31
AVERY MOORE
ONE WEEK LATER
I tripover what can only be my pile of shoes by the door in my apartment, Ivy guiding me from behind by the shoulders. She caught me off guard in my room and blindfolded me when my back was turned. Since it’s Saturday, we were going to do something, but I had no idea it involved a blindfold.
An hour ago, when she declared that we were going out, she told me to dress nice. I put on the black dress I wore at Dustin’s first party and am wearing my hair down, even taking the time to curl it and put on my makeup. I have no idea where we’re going, and I have no idea how I’m going to make it down the stairs like this. I tell her as much.
“Spoiler alert,” she answers, guiding me into the hall. Our door shuts behind her. “We aren’t even leaving the building.”
I try to look back at her, but of course, I can’t see her. All I see is pitch-black cloth. Where did she even find a blindfold? “What?”
She shimmies me forward until we reach what can only be Dustin’s apartment, and she doesn’t knock before shuffling us in. I swivel my head around at the soft murmurs.
“We’ve arrived!” Ivy says cheerfully.
“What’s going on?” I ask her. I know there are a bunch of people here. I can practically hear their breathing. I’m proven right when she tiptoes me forward, my heels clacking on the dining room floor until it meets soft carpet and I bump into someone’s shoulder.
“Just be patient,” she hisses, sitting me down softly on the couch. “And leave the blindfold on.”
I feel around the couch to see if I’m the only one on it. I frown when I find out that I reallyamthe only one sitting. “Come on, guys. What is this? Dustin? Reid? What the hell is going on?”
Murmurs pick up right before someone places their hand on my knee. I startle when lips land on mine next but then lean into the kiss when I smell that it’s Reid. I do blush a little because, even though our relationship is no longer secret, it still feels weird not hiding it.
His lips leave mine, and he leans away. “Take your blindfold off, Avery.”
Slowly, I lift it off my head. My eyes take in my surroundings, to all of our friends standing around us, drinks in their hands, and smiles on their faces. Some people have their phones out, recording.
I find Dustin standing with his arm around Ivy, the biggest grin of them all on his face. And when my gaze slides down to Reid, I gasp. My hand flies to my mouth, and my heart skips a beat. He’s kneeling before me on one knee, a ring in his hand.
“What are you doing?” I breathe out.
“Avery,” he begins, his voice firm and confident. “I met you right here. Caught you, in fact, and from that moment on, I was a goner. All I wanted was you, and then I lost you, and I don’t want to ever lose you again. You’re it for me, baby girl. You’re all I want to wake up to, who I want to fight with, who I want to laugh with. I want to grow old with you. I want to share anepic love that lasts a lifetime. So I’m here tonight, asking you the most important question of my life: Will you marry me?”
The room holds its breath as he waits for my answer. He doesn’t have to wait long, however, because I nod and whisper, “Yes. Yes, I’ll marry you.”
Grinning and surrounded by cheering friends, he takes my hand and slides the ring on my finger. Strong arms wrap around me, and he’s pulling me off the couch, picking me up, and spinning me around. Someone starts playing music, and the party begins as his lips find mine and he kisses me the way he always kisses me: as if it’ll be his last.
“All right, all right,” Dustin says beside us. “Can you put my sister down so I can give her a hug?”
We laugh, and he gently sets me on my feet. I turn to my brother, and he wraps his arms around my neck, squeezing before he says, “Congratulations,” in my ear.
“Thank you,” I say, squeezing him back.
“I love you, you know that, right?”
