AllFreeNovel
Share Us
My stomach was in knots, and I heard Boo yipping to get out of the truck and go to him.
Not yet, baby girl.
I thought about proposing right there on the road. My mom and Zoey had sent me down to stall him until they could finish getting everything ready for the party. But I knew the minute I put the ring on his finger, I wouldn’t let him out of my reach for the rest of the night. And I sure as hell wouldn’t let him get in a separate car to drive up the rest of the hill.
I couldn’t even pay attention to what he was saying–something about a magazine and an actress. Who the fuck could focus when they were about to ask someone to marry them?
It took just minutes to make the rest of the drive up the mountain, but it felt like a lifetime. I couldn’t stop looking at Oz in his flashy red car behind me and remember the moment I’d dismissed him so many months ago as some naïve kid who knew nothing about life.
God, how wrong I’d been.
And how fortunate I’d been that he’d given me so many opportunities to see the real him.
Finally, finally we were parked in front of the cabin. My hands shook as I handed the little traitor over to Oz and waited for him to read the shirt. I’d thought of a million ways of doing this, but in the end, I’d known he’d love Boo being involved.
“Two daddies?” he asked, quirking his head and looking at me in confusion before he read the shirt a second time, then a third. I saw the moment the realization hit him. “Wait, what?”
I stepped back and dropped to one knee, reaching into my pocket for the ring and clearing my throat. I tried not to focus on the tears that sprang to his gorgeous blue eyes.
“You once told the ladies what you were looking for in a man, and I remember thinking, God, I wish I could be that man. The one who keeps you safe, who laughs at your jokes, who loves your dog and supports your dreams. Oz, I see the real you and not only do I think that guy’s okay, I think he’s magnificent. You are kind and brave and smart. You light up the world around you with color and joy. Everyone who meets you is a friend, and the idea that I could just possibly be lucky enough to be by your side for the rest of our days makes me feel like my life is only just beginning. Will you marry me, Ozias Ballard?”
He set Boo down and launched himself into my arms, almost tumbling me over onto the packed dirt of the driveway.
“Yes, oh god, Jake. Of course I’ll marry you!”
I heard a cacophony of cheers and whoops from the yard to the side of our cabin and looked over to see our friends and family approaching with eager congratulations.
We kissed hard and fast, sealing our promise in a moment and making a different, unspoken promise to celebrate more fully once we were alone later that night. I managed to pull back enough to get the platinum band on his finger, and he looked down at it in awe.
“It’s kind of simple. I didn’t know what you’d want and we can exchange it for—”
“It’s perfect,” Oz breathed before looking at me with sincerity in his eyes. “Beautiful and simple and sparkly all at once. I love it. And you’d have to rip it off my cold, dead hand, so don’t even think about exchanging it for anything.”
I laughed and tightened my arms around him. “I love you so much, sweetheart. You make me so happy.”
He leaned in and kissed me again. “I love you too. Forever, no matter what. I’m so fucking lucky.”
Xander’s voice boomed across the yard. “Speaking of Lucky, we left him alone with the grill out back, so let’s get this celebration underway.”
As I moved to follow everyone to the back yard, I felt Oz’s hand slip into mine and hold on tight. I looked down at him and saw him beaming up at me.
“You happy, sweetheart?”
“Mm, more than you could know.”
“I think the real reason behind that smile is because you’re mentally designing our wedding attire, am I right?”
He put a finger to his chin as I heard Zoey bark out a laugh.
“Hm, it might be a little preppier than I normally go, but hear me out. There’s this gorgeous Ralph Lauren camel plaid cashmere coating that would make the most beautiful—”
I cut him off with another kiss. He and I both knew I’d let him dress me up in whatever the hell he wanted, as long as it meant I was able to be with him for the rest of my life. “Only condition I have is that whatever you put me in, it closes at the back.” I shot him a wink and saw him blush as he remembered all the times he’d tortured my naked backside with his touch as I’d modeled the suiting gown for him.
