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My heart swelled watching Wyatt interact with kids. It just made me think about how he was going to be when we had kids in the future, if that’s what the future held for us.

A future without Wyatt is a future I don’t even want to think about.

AFTER GETTING HOME FROM THE GAME, I got showered up and into some comfy clothes to hang with Wyatt and his teammates.

I was growing used to having the guys over. It was becoming a weekly thing, and I actually enjoyed the company.

I walked back downstairs, only to be greeted by my sister standing at the end of the stairwell.

“Lila? What the hell are you doing here?” I ask, descending the stairs faster until I embrace my sister in a tight hug. “Did Wyatt invite you?”

She returns the hug with a laugh. “He wanted to celebrate the first win of the World Series, so when he said food and drinks? I was sold.”

I smile, giving her another squeeze before pulling away from the hug. “Any excuse for that man to throw a house party.”

I followed behind my sister into the living room where I saw Liam, Miles, Willa, and Luka sitting on the couches, laughing over something on the TV as they all had drinks in their hands.

“There she is!” Liam exclaims, “It only took you a century to shower.”

I glare at him. “It takes time to get this naturally beautiful.” I tip my chin up at him.

“I thought it was all natural with no work at all to begin with,” a low voice says from behind me, arms wrapping around my waist.

I turned my head back and gave Wyatt a soft smile before he leaned forward a little bit to press his lips against mine. “I had to do my whole skincare routine. I can’t let myself break out, I don’t need pimples ruining my face.”

Wyatt chuckled, nodding, moving to take my hand and walked into the living room where he sat down on the couch and pulled me on his lap.

As we’re all talking and having fun, I keep looking at Wyatt, who’s been a little quiet. I’d figure he would be a chatterbox after winning the first game tonight. Something was off, but I couldn’t put my finger on what exactly was causing his funk.

He clears his throat, his hand running up and down my thigh as he kisses my cheek. “You know I love you, right?”

I turn and look at him, eyebrows perked up. “And you know I love you too, right?”

“No, seriously, El. This whole playoffs thing has really made me think about things,” he says as he softly squeezes my thigh. “I’m really a lucky man for having the privilege to get another chance with you. Y’know, I didn’t think I would reunite in this world with you ever again. Maybe it was fate, maybe it was just a sign from the universe. No matter how mad I was at first when it happened, I think we can both agree that we wouldn’t change the circumstances for the world.”

I nodded, choking back tears. Why was I getting emotional? “Walking into your house and not having a clue who I was living with was a scary thing, and as scared as I was to be living in the same space as you, I think we managed.”

“We didn’t kill each other, so that’s a good thing,” he says, laughing. “I think that’s a testament to our loyalty towards one another. How we’re able to trust each other with anything, and be each other’s shoulders to cry on when needed. It was really fucking hard to keep things strictly professional from day one, and I’ll be the first to admit it,” he moves me off his lap before he gets down on one fucking knee on the ground in front of me.

“Wyatt, what are you –”

“You were my roommate, then my girlfriend again, but I think it would sound even better if I could call you my wife,” he says, his voice getting choked up as he pulled out a black box. When he opens the box, it’s the most beautiful, breath-taking diamond I’ve ever seen in my life. My eyes go wide and my hand flies over my mouth.

“Wyatt, oh my god…”

“I made a promise to you years ago that I was going to make you my wife. We were going to build a life together, live in a house with a white fence while our kids and dogs ran around the yard.”

He clears his throat again. “I realize my actions caused the five years apart, but I know what I want now. I want to do life with you. I want to be able to know that I have you for the rest of my life, because I truly cannot picture a life without you in it. Eliana, will you marry me?”

I’m rendered speechless. Tears are streaking down my face as my sister squeals when he finally pops the question. I look over at her, and then back at him.

“You sure you want to spend the rest of your life with me? I’m kind of a pain.” I tease, shaking my head. “Of course I’ll marry you, Wy.”

He takes the ring out of the box, his hands shaky as hell as he grabs my hand, sliding the ring on my finger. I take a second to stare at the rock that now sat on my hand. I was a sobbing mess, I definitely wasn’t expecting a proposal to happen tonight, but I’m glad it did.

The moment I look up at Wyatt, he grabs my hands and pulls me up, wrapping his arms tightly around me and plants a kiss on my lips.

Holy shit. I’m engaged. My best friend and I are going to get married. The man I’ve been in love with for half of my life was going to be my husband.