“Probably waiting to hear how it went.” Rolani grinned. “She knew about tonight.”
“She KNEW?”
“Hell yeah. Helped me pick the ring.” He got out, came around to her side, and helped her out of the truck. “She’s been asking me every day this week if I did it yet.”
Kennedi’s heart swelled.
“Come on.”
They walked inside, and before Kennedi could even set her clutch down, Monroe came bouncing down the stairs in her pajamas… bonnet already on.
“Did you do it?! Did she say yes?!” Monroe’s eyes were wide, excited.
Kennedi held up her left hand, and Monroe screamed.
“OH, MY GOD!” She rushed over, grabbing Kennedi’s hand to inspect the ring. “It’s so pretty! I told you she’d love it, Uncle Ro!”
“You were right, Roe.” Rolani was leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed, watching them with the softest expression.
Monroe pulled Kennedi into a tight hug. “I’m so happy for y’all. For real. This is the best news ever.”
Kennedi hugged her back, throat tight with emotion. “Thank you, baby girl. That means a lot.”
“Wait, so does this mean you’re gonna be my auntie for real now? Like official?”
“Official,” Kennedi confirmed.
“Yes!” Monroe pulled back, grinning. “Okay, I need to know everything. What happened? How’d he do it? Was it romantic? Did he cry?”
“Roe, it’s after midnight,” Rolani said. “Let my woman breathe.”
“Tomorrow, you and I will go to breakfast, and I’ll tell you all about it.”
“Okay, deal.”
Monroe took off back upstairs, and they retreated to Rolani’s bedroom to prepare for bed.
A FEW HOURS LATER
Kennedi couldn’t sleep.
She’d tried. Laid there in Rolani’s bed, his arm draped across her waist, his breathing deep and even. Her body was deliciously sore, satisfied in every way. But her mind wouldn’t shut off.
The proposal. The ring. The dinner. Monroe’s excitement. The way Rolani had loved her when they got behind closed doors—reverent, possessive, calling her “my fiancée” against her skin until she was exhausted and begging for mercy.
It was too much. Too good. Too overwhelming.
She needed to process.
Carefully, she slipped out from under his arm. He stirred slightly but didn’t wake. She grabbed his T-shirt from the floor, pulled it on, and padded across the room.
She headed to his walk-in closet—massive and organized, with a bench in the middle and enough room to pace. She closed the door softly behind her, turned on the small overhead light, and sat on the bench.
Her phone was still in her clutch from earlier. She grabbed it.
1:03 AM.
Her Lens Family was probably asleep, but she needed this. Needed to share it while it was still fresh, still unreal.
