I look at Hazel.She giggles, and they both give Easton their full attention as he walks closer.
Oh no.
Oh no oh no oh no.
It’s happening.
Easton crosses the room.He saunters as though he has all the time in the world, through the story time circle—the children parting for him with great interest until he’s standing right in front of me.
He crouches until we’re eye level.
He gently takes the book from my hands.
The children are completely silent, which is probably the first time in history that’s ever happened in this store.
Felix sniffles next to me.No surprise, he cries at the end of every story.
Easton sets the book on the floor beside him.
“Hadley Hargrove.”He appears so calm, while I’m pretty sure my heart is going to catapult out of my chest.“I’ve been trying to figure out the right words for a week, and I still don’t have them.All I know is I don’t want to do any of this without you.Will you marry me?”He reaches into his jacket pocket.
The ring box is small and navy blue, and when he pries it open, I want him to shut it.Because the ring looks real.Because this proposalfeelsreal, even though I know it isn’t.
Why would he get me a real ring?A cubic zirconia would have been fine.
I glance across the room.
Felix is standing at the edge of the story time circle now, holding Tanner against his chest.His hand is pressed over his mouth.His eyes are wet.
“Hey, remember me?”Easton whispers.
I look down at him.
He’s still on one knee, waiting for my answer.The ring box is open in his hand, the diamond catching the light from the window.
Our eyes lock, and he smiles.It’s that same smile he won me over with the first time I met him.The same smile I came back to again and again because it always made me feel at peace.
“Yes.”
Monroe erupts with a squeal, and soon the entire room is filled with cheers and clapping, even if some of the kids might not understand exactly what just happened.
Easton slides the ring on my finger.
It fits perfectly.
“Kiss!”Monroe shouts.
Easton rises from his knee, placing both of his hands on my cheeks, and tips his head, placing his lips on mine.I sink into him, my body remembering exactly why I kept coming back to him.
Then he pulls back.“Surprise.”His smile morphs into his cocky one that my libido loves the most.Then he takes the crown off my head and examines it for a beat before putting it back on.“Perfect touch.”
And the fact this is all fake, that it’s for social media and to appease Jagger Kale, comes rushing to the forefront.
Felix appears at our sides, Tanner still against his chest, one hand wiping his face.“You have no idea how lucky you are, little man,” he says quietly.Then he looks back at me with wet eyes and a full smile and holds out Tanner.“Your son, Mrs.Bailey.”
I take Tanner from him.The little guy grabs the crown immediately, tugging it from my head, and Easton pries it from his grip.
Someone tugs on my jeans, and I glance down to see a little girl.
