Page 94 of The Florist and Her Alphas

“I’m happiest when you’re around,” he says softly. “You looked more beautiful in my library than you’ve ever looked anywhere else, and I am going to find every excuse in the world to keep you there. I love you, Lia.”

I let out a small wet giggle despite myself, and he smiles, that boyish, open smile.

The shop has gone very quiet. I have both hands pressed against my mouth, and I cannot speak.

Ezra reaches into the inside pocket of his jacket, pulls out a small black velvet box, and opens it slowly.

The ring inside is the one I have already seen, half-hidden under a bed I was never supposed to find it under. The band is hand-engraved, a fine pattern of vines and small leaves curling around the peridot stone, pale green with gold flecks. It is the most beautiful object I have ever seen in my life.

Ezra holds it up to me. His voice goes soft.

“I want you to be my wife,” he says, looking up at me steadily. “My brothers want you to be their wife.”

I cannot breathe.

Into the silence, very clearly, very politely, Pepper says, “Bedtime.”

The four brothers freeze.

Julian closes his eyes. Cole sighs through his nose. August snorts before he can stop himself, and the sound breaks something loose in my chest.

I am still crying. I look at each of them, and my chest feels too full for my ribs. “Yes, I accept your proposal. I love you. All four of you.”

Ezra’s face breaks into a wide smile as he slides the ring onto my finger. It fits. Of course it fits. The peridot catches the late afternoon light slanting through the front window and throws a small green-gold reflection onto my wrist.

He stands and takes my face in both hands. He kisses me slow and deep, and I kiss him back through my tears. When he pulls away, he presses his forehead to mine and breathes me in, eyes closed.

Then Julian is there, cupping my jaw, kissing me with a grin I can feel against my mouth. “My beautiful florist fiancé,” he whispers, and I laugh into the kiss.

Cole is next. He brings both hands to the sides of my face and kisses me hard. “I don’t want to be apart from you for another day. Not ever, sweetheart.”

“Me either,” I whisper, placing a hand on his strong chest. “I want to be with you forever going forward.”

August kisses me gently and with love. “I don’t want to be alone again, Lia.”

“I won’t leave you ever again,” I reply, smiling as he wipes my tears with his thumb.

The bell over the door rings.

Mira shoves it open and freezes on the threshold. Her mouth falls open. She looks at the alphas in suits standing around me. She looks at my tear-streaked face.

She does not move.

Laughing now through fresh tears, I lift my hand and hold it up for her to see. The peridot catches the light.

“Oh my god!” Mira screams. “You’re engaged!”

She drops the small paper bag she’d been carrying and bolts across the shop and tackles me into a hug. She is sobbing happy congratulations into my shoulder.

“Thank you,” I say, laughing and giggling like we’re totally alone.

She pulls back, holds me by the shoulders, looks me in the eyes, sees whatever she needs to see there, and hugs me again, hard, kissing my cheek.

“I’ll be back another time when we can talk about everything,” she whispers, her eyes sparkling. She looks towards my new pack. “I expect detailed individual reports.”

Ezra inclines his head with the gravity of a man accepting terms of surrender. Mira beams, backs out of the shop, and the bell rings again as the door swings shut behind her. We can hear her shrieking joyfully somewhere down the block.

Cole makes a small approving sound and reaches behind the sales counter, producing a chilled bottle of champagne. He uncorks it neatly. The cork pops toward the ceiling. Julian whoops.