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“No.”

A laugh escaped her, tangled with something dangerously close to tears. “Yes.”

Noah blinked. “Yes?”

“Of course I’ll marry you.”

His hands shook slightly as he slid the ring onto her finger.

Noah barely had time to set the ring box on the counter before Claire threw her arms around his neck. He caught her at the waist and kissed her.

It was nothing like their first kiss—careful, tentative, asking what came next. This one held an answer. Every ordinary morning, every cup of coffee, every quiet night on the couch, every future they had begun imagining.

Claire smiled against his mouth, then kissed him again before he could pull away. His hand settled at the back of her neck, and for a few perfect seconds, there was nothing beyond him. Nothing but the warmth of his lips, the steady hold of his arms, and the impossible truth that she got to choose him forever.

Somewhere behind them, water hissed against the stove.

Neither of them noticed until the smoke alarm began screaming.

They broke apart. Noah looked toward the stove. “The pasta.”

Claire started laughing. “We just got engaged and ruined dinner.”

“Worth it.”

“Definitely worth it.”

Noah silenced the alarm while Claire stood in the middle of the kitchen staring at the ring on her finger. He caught her staring.

“I figured if we were going to solve the couch problem, we might as well solve it permanently,” he teased.

“Marriage is your solution to my sleeping arrangement?”

“Among other things.”

He pulled her back into his arms, and Claire rested her ringed hand against his chest.

Dinner was ruined. The kitchen was a mess. Biscuit was still barking at the smoke alarm, though it had been off for several minutes.

It was an ordinary Tuesday.

And it was perfect.

It was exactly the forever she wanted.

CHAPTER 40

The Announcement

Claire stood in Noah’s kitchen, still staring at her ring.

Noah glanced at her. “You’re staring again.”

She turned her hand beneath the kitchen light, watching the diamond catch. “I’m engaged.”

“I noticed.”

“To you.”