“A book you dumbass,” Mikey says.
“Whose book?” Ronan asks.
“Claire’s!” Chloe yells at him, before trying to hide her smile.
“It’s here!” Claire’s mom squeals.
“Hey, did you hear my daughter’s an author?” Mr. Dawson says to Zeke.
“You did it,” I whisper just to Claire. She leans back into me and brings the book to her chest.
“Thanks to you,” she says.
I wrap my arms around her from behind and rest my chin on top of her head.
“No way, baby, this was all you.”
I feel her head move back and forth beneath me as she holds the book out again. She opens it and turns to the very first page with words. I read them over her shoulder.
“Dedication -
To all of those who were once so beautifully broken. Thank you for showing the rest of us how to piece ourselves back together.”
I let out a quick gasp and squeeze her tighter. This girl who turned my world upside down in the best possible way, who brought me back to life, who saved me despite constantly reminding me that I saved myself, is thanking people likemefor helping someone likeher.
“I love you,”I whisper in her ear.
“I love you, too,” she says back, nuzzling into the crook of my neck. It’s now that I realizethisis the perfect time. I clear my throat and stand up straighter.
“Actually, there’s one more box," I say.
Claire pushes off of me and looks toward the front door. “No,” she says, sorting through the books on the counter. “I just ordered a handful. This was the only one.”
I drop to one knee, and she spins around when she hears gasps from guests behind her. When she does, her hand flies to her mouth as her honey-colored eyes land on me, box in my hand, arm extended.
“Jay,” she says tentatively as Chloe squeezes her arm at her side.
“Claire.”
“What are you doing?”
“When I met you, I was just barely living. But from the second I laid eyes on you through that tinted window, everything changed. You saw the best in me when I could only ever see my worst. You broke down walls, peeled back layers — you saved me, Claire.”
“You saved yourself,” she whispers.
“Thanks to you,” I say smiling, mimicking her from earlier. “But this life we’ve built, these people behind me, I wouldn’t have any of this without you. My past is so messed up, but my future, with you in it, is everything I have ever wanted.” I set the ring box on the floor and take both of her hands in mine. "Claire Elizabeth Dawson, I love you so much. So fucking mu—”
“Jamison…” Claire’s mom calls from behind.
“Sorry, Mrs. Dawson,” I say finding her in the crowd. “So much,” I continue, turning back to Claire. “Will you please spend the rest of your life with me?”
Claire nods with tears streaming down her face as Chloe jumps beside her.
“I’m gonna need you to say it, Claire.”
“Yes!” she says. “Of course, yes!” I drop her hands, grab the box off the floor, and kiss her with everything I have, entangling our limbs in the sweet scent of vanilla. I slide the ring onto her finger, a perfect fit, and feel a hand clap my shoulder from behind. The rest of our guests swarm Claire, but Ronan is there for me, arms open, as he always was.
“You better be ready to be my co-best man,” I say, hugging him tightly.
