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Eighteen months later

I’d been on edge all day at work, waiting to get home to Fallon.

She’d moved in eight months ago, and I had been scared to ask her at first, but I’d lost her once and swore to myself I wouldn’t lose her again. Every day, all I wanted was to get home to her, and I never wanted to take that for granted.

It was the best feeling in the world—going to sleep with her in my arms and waking up with her leg straddled over mine.

We were lying on the couch, finishing up Stuart Little , which had become a routine date night at least once a week. I was getting sick of that damn mouse, but Fallon loved every second of it, so I suffered through it for her.

The movie was nearly over when I hit pause. “Okay, I love you, but that’s enough mice for today. I need some fresh air, so let’s go,” I said with a smile.

“Baby, I’m already comfy, and I was enjoying snuggling on the couch with you. If you really need fresh air, go to the patio. I’ll be snug right here.” She tried to bury herself further into the couch, but I took her hand and stood up.

“I don’t want to go to the patio. I want to go to the roof, and I want you there with me. So, come with me, please.” I winked at her with a smile, my heart racing with anticipation.

She groaned, rolling her eyes, but I caught the slight twitch of her lips as she fought a smile. She followed me out the door, her hand in mine, and the warmth of her touch eased the tension in my shoulders as I led her up to the roof.

When we got there, she stopped suddenly, inhaling sharply, though I still held her hand. She turned to face me, a look of confusion crossed her face, but I stayed silent.

A path of rose petals and tea light candles led to a single chair. I guided her into it and stepped back, neither of us saying a word.

I was shaking, but I took a deep breath and forced myself to speak. Tears were already streaming down her face, and I knew she understood exactly what was happening.

I cleared my throat, willing myself to say the words I’d been waiting so long to speak. “Fallon, the roof is where I first tried to kiss you, and where we had that huge fight. I thought I was going to lose you, so I took a chance and told you how I felt. The roof was my place, the spot I’d go when I needed space to think and find peace. But since I met you, I don’t come up here anymore. I don’t have a reason to. You’re my safe space. You’re my peace.”

I was trying so hard to hold it together, but my strength weakened the longer I looked at Fallon. Her eyes were filled with tears and her smile was so bright, we didn’t need any of the candles.

I clenched my jaw and tried to keep going. “I’ve wanted to do this long before I told you I loved you. I think I always knew I didn’t want to exist in any universe you weren’t a part of. I’ve never loved anyone the way I love you, Fallon. And if you’ll let me, I promise to love you fiercely every single day, no matter what life throws our way. I promise to never stop loving you.”

At this point, I couldn’t stop the tears, and we were both crying. But she was still smiling, so I had some hope for how this would end. I pulled the little black box from my pocket and got down on one knee.

When I opened the box, she gasped and covered her mouth. I’d snuck around with Drea a few months ago to get this ring.

Our relationship wasn’t back to normal by any stretch of the imagination, but I didn’t expect it to be. I knew I was going to have to work just as hard to earn back Drea’s trust as I had with Fallon, but it was something I was prepared to handle.

Drea was like Fallon’s family, and I didn’t want to lose either of them. I knew it was going to be an uphill battle, but I was confident we would get there someday.

The ring was a one-carat cushion-cut diamond, and Drea said she would absolutely love it, which I agreed with. It was perfect—as long as she said yes.

“I love you more than I can even put into words. You are my only choice in this world, and I will always choose you over anything and anyone. Will you be my eternal sunshine and marry me, Fallon Rose?”

She uncovered her mouth and stood me up. My heart raced, and I couldn’t stop my body from trembling as I waited for her to say something.

It had been a long journey to get here. After our breakup, I had to start over, earn back her trust, and prove myself to her. We’d come so far since that day, and now there was nothing I wanted more than to spend the rest of my life showing Fallon just how much I loved her. I never wanted her to doubt, not for a second, that she was the only thing that truly mattered to me.

I could have lived my life without ever knowing her, but it would’ve always felt like something was missing from my soul. I couldn’t imagine another day in this world without Fallon in it, without my better half.

She smiled sweetly, pulling me close as she whispered, “Tell me not to.”