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In theory.
I was nervous. If this didn’t go well, it would be awful. Although we all knew she would say yes, it didn’t make it any easier.
“You’ve got this,” I said to him, stepping back into my hiding place with Colton. “I promise.”
He looked at me.
He was going to throw up.
Oh, God.
“Does anyone have a sick bucket?” Piper whispered to me.
“I have no idea,” I replied. “This is—she’s coming! Hide!”
We all got into position. London was already positioned by the counter where a lamp had been set up, and she gave the thumbs up that she was ready.
The bell over the door dinged.
She was here.
It was happening.
Piper grabbed my right hand.
Colton grabbed my left.
I was in a sibling sandwich. They were both, hopefully, about to watch their siblings get engaged.
“Surprise!” We all yelled, and London flicked on the lamp.
Kinsley screamed.
Actually screamed.
Really.
“What is going on?” She had her hands flattened against her chest. “Oh, my God, I can’t breathe.”
Josh smiled and looked around. “It’s your birthday. Where else would you want to spend it but here?”
“Anywhere but at work?” She laughed, covering her face with her hand. “You all terrified me. Please tell me there’s a drink here to calm my nerves.”
“There is,” he assured her. “But, um, I have to give you one of your presents right now.”
She pulled back, frowning. “Right now? You’re not going to pull a car up outside like in those fancy sweet sixteen parties, are you?”
“That’s a negative. I haven’t even paid off my own car yet.” He laughed nervously.
I wanted to yell that he could do it.
That he had this.
I also wanted to tell for him to get the hell on with it.
Kinsley looked around with a tentative laugh. “What’s going on?”
“I know we technically haven’t been together a year yet,” Josh said, pulling her attention back to him. “But I’ve loved you for so long that I don’t think it matters, and I know you feel the same.”
Her throat bobbed.
Was she going to pass out?
That’d really ruin the moment.
“It hasn’t always been the easiest thing, to love you. But the day you told me you loved me back was the best day of my life.” He paused. “So far.”
“Oh, my God,” she whispered.
Why were there tears in my eyes? What was this? A Disney movie? Damn it.
Josh reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a very distinctly shaped ring box, and Kinsley’s gasp was so loud it could have knocked out a powerline.
He dropped to one knee. “I’ve been battling for weeks with how to do this, but nothing was ever right. I was told I was being too fancy or overcomplicating things—”
I squeezed Colton’s hand. That was him.
“—And, annoyingly, your brother was very right about that.”
Colton laughed quietly next to me.
“I realized that all you needed for your perfect night was the people you love most in the world in the place you love most.”
I leaned into Colton, and he wrapped his arm around me as my eyes welled uncontrollably.
“And I cannot tell you how privileged I am to be loved by you, Kinsley.”
She choked on a sob.
“So I’m framing this as one of your birthday presents, but really, you’d be giving me the greatest gift.” He opened the box to reveal what I knew was the most beautiful yet simple white gold band with one single stone set in the center. “I love you. More than anything in this world. And if you’ll let me, I want to love you for the rest of my life.”
“Oh, my God.” Her words were barely audible through her tears, and I swear I heard Saylor sniffing from where she was standing.
“I once told you that whoever got to be your forever would be the luckiest motherfucker in the world. With that in mind, Kinsley Lane, will you make me the luckiest motherfucker in the world and become my wife?”
“Yes.” She dropped to her knees, and he was only just able to catch her. “Yes, oh my God!” She sobbed into his shoulder, and he closed the ring box to hug her tightly.
“Jesus Christ,” Piper breathed from next to me, swiping at her cheeks. “Sonofabitch could have warned me.”
I nodded, holding my breath like it’d stop me crying, too. Colton hugged me ever tighter, but I could hear even the hitch in his breath as he kissed the top of my head.
“Oh, bloody hell,” Dylan said, cutting through the tears and sobs of everyone in the room. “Way to rise the bar for the rest of us, mate.”
