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Okay, here’s my plan. I’ll propose to Hannah tomorrow night, assuming Josh and Kat are both totally cool with the idea and I can get a ring in time. With the wedding at sunset and Hannah primping all day with the ladies, I should have plenty of time in the morning to get my ass to a jewelry store in Kahului or wherever before I have to be anywhere for photos. I’m sure a big diamond ring will be ridiculously expensive in a tourist trap like this, but so what? My priority isn’t getting a good deal on Hannah’s ring; it’s having something jaw-dropping to slide onto her finger tomorrow night, so I don’t have to go to bed one more night than necessary without getting to call Hannah Milliken my fiancée.
I tune back into the conversation at the table, just in time to hear Josh saying to his brother, “I’ll give it some serious thought, I promise. Thanks for putting a bug in my ear.”
Jonas smiles. “Hey, you’ve got the charm and I’ve got the brains, remember? I wouldn’t wanna fall down on my job.”
Josh turns his attention to Reed, upon whom he bestows an exaggerated, mock-glare. “And in the meantime,” he says, “keep your paws off her, you fucking menace.”
Reed rolls his eyes. “Fine. But only because it’s you.”
Smirking, Josh looks down at his hand. “From here on out, nobody goes near Theresa Rodriguez unless they’re planning to make her happy for the rest of her fucking life, and that’s final. Got it?”
There it is again. That same thunderbolt as before. Hot damn, I can’t wait to get down on my knee tomorrow night and ask Hannah for the honor of trying to make her happy for the rest of her life.
“Okay, what you got, Rivers?” Josh asks. “Time for the rubber to finally hit the road, fucker.”
Reed snickers and lays down his cards. “Three aces, son. Read ‘em and weep.”
Josh lays down his cards with a laugh. “I’ve got a pair of fours. I was totally bluffing.”
Everyone laughs along with him.
“What you got, Zander?” Josh asks. “Please tell me it’s something that’s gonna beat this fucker and make him cry.”
Zander lays down his cards with a flourish while flashing a huge smile that shows off his straight, white teeth. “Full house, gentlemen. Read ‘em and weep.”
Everyone at the table cheers and hurls taunts at Reed as our unlikely victor, Zander, rakes in his mountain of chips. And just like that, our poker night comes to an end. The party over, guys start rising from the table, murmuring about our big day tomorrow. Jonas says he’s going to say goodnight to Sarah and grab an overnight bag before returning to bunk with Josh tonight, and Ryan and Zander and the others say goodnight and head out. Suddenly, it’s only Josh, Reed, and me remaining in Josh’s bungalow. The Three Musketeers.
“Hey, Joshua,” I say. “Would you make me a martini?” Josh was a bartender in college, and he still loves playing bartender to this day.
“Coming right up.” I follow him to a bar in the corner, while Reed checks his phone at the table.
As Josh begins making my cocktail, I take a deep breath and ask, “What would you think about me proposing to Hannah tomorrow night during the reception? Would that be okay with you?”
Josh looks up, his face aglow. “That’d be fucking awesome.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’d be thrilled.”
“I think we should confirm Kat’s equally cool with the idea. She might have a different take.”
“Kat might have a different take about what?” Reed asks. He leans his forearms on the bar. “Make me one of those, too, bartender.”
“You got it. Henny asked if I’d be cool with him proposing to Hannah tomorrow night during the reception.”
Reed flashes me a snarky look. “Please, tell me you’ve got a ring this time.”
“No, but I will. I’m gonna run out and get one tomorrow morning—assuming Kat says she’s on board.”
Josh rolls his eyes. “Kat will consider it her personal triumph if you propose at our wedding. Do you know how many times I’ve had to listen to that woman saying she’s a gifted matchmaker? And yet, as far as I know, you and Hannah are her only success story.”
“Could you text Kat now about it, just to be sure? I’m feeling antsy.”
Josh pulls out his phone and taps on it. And mere seconds later, he shows me the string of gifs Kat’s already sent in reply: various people jumping for joy and popping champagne bottles. Josh deadpans, “It would appear my lovely fiancée is mildly in favor of you proposing to Hannah tomorrow night at our wedding reception.” As he’s putting down his phone on the bar, it pings, and when he looks at the screen, he says, “Kat says she’ll throw her bridal bouquet to Hannah and tell everyone else not to catch it. She says you should propose to Hannah right after that.”
