Page 133 of Connectio

Carly bursts into laughter and points to Derek. “I’ve just realised… I’ve got crabs.”

We all facepalm.

* * *

After a changeof clothes and a picnic lunch by the lake, we headed home and settled the pups, both of them sleeping on the floor beside our bed.

“So what do you want to call them?” Will asks, spooning me as we watch them snooze.

I wiggle back and snuggle against him. “I’m going to name the girl Snow White, and the boy Prince.”

He tightens his grip and nuzzles my ear. “I love the names, sweetheart. They’re perfect.”

Revelling in his warm body embracing mine, we fall asleep in each other’s arms until I’m woken by a puppy’s whimper sometime in the early hours of the morning.

“Hey, babies,” I whisper. “It’s okay.” I carefully lift Will’s python arm off my chest.

He grumbles and snorts but doesn’t wake up.

Reaching out to turn on the bedside lamp, I pat my fingers on the nightstand in search of the switch until I skate across it and press it down, a soft light illuminating the room and catching the glint of a diamond ring on my finger.

Blinking all the blinks, I shake my head, scrub my eyes, then hold out my hand before bringing it close to my face. “What. The. Fuck. Is. That?”

I scrub my eyes again, convinced I must be dreaming. I’m not.

“Holy shit!” I whisper.

“Will you marry me?”

Practically jumping out of my skin, I turn in Will’s direction. He’s lying on his side, head propped up by his hand, his eyes mischievous but timid as they search mine.

I snap my head to look at the ring again, then back at him, my mouth agape. “When did you—?”

His smug smile grows. “Well… will you?”

“Y-Yes! Yes, of course I’ll marry you.”

Lunging into his arms, I sob as he catches me then rolls us until I’m on my back and he’s hovering over me, his eyes gleaming as they roam my face, his thumb playing with my bottom lip.

He looks hot as sin and teddy-bear cute all at once, and I can’t believe this is my life. That I’m happy and now engaged to the man of my dreams, dreams I never knew were possible.

“Yes, William,” I say, blinking back tears. “I’ll marry you.”

“I’m gonna spend every waking moment making you the happiest princess alive.”

I nod and blink again. “And what about the non-waking moments?”

“Those too. Every damn moment of every damn day, sweetheart. From here on in, it’s just you and me… and Snow White, Prince, Molly, Casper…”

Laughing, I skate my fingers down the sides of his face and grip his chin. “Kiss the girl, fiancé.”

Eyes glimmering, he slowly lowers his lips to mine, sealing our engagement with the softest of kisses. A wave of warmth and insurmountable joy crashes over me, and I giggle and hug him tight, peeking over his shoulder at the stunning diamond on my finger.

“It’s a princess cut,” I say.

He scoffs, as if there was no other choice. “Of course.”

The puppies bark, and I drape my hand over the side of the bed, my fingers soon gobbled up in slobber and sharp teeth. I have everything I’ve ever wanted: the perfect guy, the perfect job, a home, and kids. Animal-kids.

Often, our fairy tale can seem out of reach, but the magic of fairy tales is what we make of them, because we’re all princesses, with or without a prince.

I’m just lucky I finally found mine.