Page 44

Tyler

I t’s been nine months since Lily showed up uninvited on my doorstep, six months since I told her I loved her, and ten minutes since I changed our lives forever.

The expression when you know you know, well, I’ve known for a while now that I wanted her to be mine forever, and it was time to make it official.

“You’re FaceTiming me. This is weird,” Lance says, while walking through his house. “Also, where are you?”

It’s the first weekend in April, and Lily and I decided to spend the day on the water and then on our favorite island. We’ve made the trip out here many times—we’ve picnicked, we’ve napped under the pine trees, and we’ve visited with what we’re now calling our flamingoes.

In being a Good Samaritan, I reached out to the local zoo and asked them about diet and feeding these two. They told us that they were fine finding food on their own, which I obviously knew, but if I wanted to bring them something, I could purchase specialized pellets from them. They also contacted the college, where our two friends have become a bit of a research project. Do I feel like we’ve lost a little bit of our secret spot? Yes. But the science lover in me is excited for the students who will get to study them.

“The beach. Remember when I told you that one day I was going to call in that really big favor?”

“Yeah?” he says slowly and skeptically, his brows pulling down.

“Barbecue.”

It feels so strange using our code word that I have a bit of adrenaline racing through me.

His eyes widen, almost with an edge of panic, but then Lily slides up next to me and holds up her left hand. A hand that’s adorned with a large rectangular flawless diamond set in platinum. She’s smiling from ear to ear, her cheeks are pink, and her hair is pulled up but messy from me running my fingers through it, and she’s never looked more beautiful. Meanwhile, Lance’s jaw drops.

“No fucking way.” He drags the words out, and I laugh.

“Bro, this can’t be a surprise to you.”

“It’s not, but I wasn’t expecting this today,” he says, a little in shock but also in awe. Both he and Casey were asking us over Christmas if we had any plans for the future, but we kept it casual and told them we were just enjoying our time together. Little did Lily know, I had already asked her dad for permission to marry his daughter and contacted a diamond broker.

“Who is it?” we hear someone say in the background, and then Casey’s face appears on the screen. She sees us and the ring, and starts screaming while jumping around. They’re in the family room, and behind them, the floor is littered with toys. A deep longing pulls in my stomach because I know that sometime in our near future, this will be Lily and me. We will start a family together, one I didn’t think I was ever going to have, and there will be little minis who will be half her and half me. I know brown hair is dominant, but I hope at least one will have her color, and I hope all of them have her eyes.

“I knew it!” she yells. “Lance, you owe me fifty dollars, so you’d better pay up.”

A scowl drops onto my face. “Fifty dollars? You bet against us?”

“Nope. Never.” He smiles. “I knew way before you did, again just call me the matchmaker, but the minute you told me you had fallen, it was game on. The bet was on the timeline. She said before the Fourth of July, and I said after.”

Casey’s head pops back in. “Fifty dollars and a few other things.” She smirks, and Lance lets out a deep sigh. Casey is the type of wife who loves home improvements and has a never-ending project list. It’s been fun watching Lance over the years learn how to lay tile, build garden boxes, convert their stairs railing from wood posts to wrought iron, things like that.

“So about that favor. Looks like I’m going to need a best man,” I say to him, and what does that fucker do? His eyes turn red and glassy.

“You know I’d be honored,” he says, looking at both of us.

“Good, because we’re all on the same page about Fourth of July weekend.”

If you had told me a year ago that I’d be planning my wedding, I would have laughed in your face. But there was no way I was going to wait until after the Fourth of July. I understand the bet of the one-year mark, but getting married that weekend sounds so much better to me. The season won’t have started yet, all our friends will be available, and down the road, it’s a great weekend for anniversaries.

“That’s so soon,” Casey says.

“Not soon enough in my opinion,” I tell them, and Lily laughs, drawing my gaze from the phone to her.

She’s so happy, with clear turquoise eyes lovingly gazing at me, freckles that are a little more prominent because of the sun, and a smile that looks permanent.

But then again, so am I.

She is mine.

Forever.

Asking her to marry me was the easiest question I’ve ever asked, and the best part, she didn’t see it coming. The weather is perfect today. Not too hot, not too cold, just a slight breeze and all blue skies. We picked up grouper sandwiches for lunch and then made our way to the island. I don’t know how I waited until after we ate. The ring was burning a hole in my pocket, but as soon as her stomach was full, and she looked relaxed on the blanket, I shifted to one knee. She didn’t stay relaxed as she jumped to both knees in front of me, and her hands flew to cover her mouth, but she told me that saying yes was the easiest answer she’s ever given.

“But perfect, don’t you think?” she asks them.

“I do,” Casey says. “That also gives me three months to get wedding photo ready.”

“What are you talking about? You look beautiful,” Lance tells her.

“Of course I do,” she sasses back at him, but then looks at Lily. “But a wedding!” she squeals. “You have to let me help you plan it.”

“Between you and Morgan, I have no doubts at all.” She grins.

“Oh God. Have you told her yet? I’m surprised we didn’t hear the screaming from her side of town to ours.” Lance grimaces.

Lily laughs again. “No, we haven’t told her. You know we had to call you first.”

Both Lance and Casey get all teary again.

Meanwhile, I tell them, “I’m fully expecting her to be on our doorstep ten hours after we do.”

“Stop it!” Lily laughs. “You should be so lucky to have a friend like her.”

“Umm, excuse me. I’m right here,” Lance says. “I’m his friend.”

“Yeah, and you’re there, not here.”

“Do you want me to come? I’ll bring tequila,” he deadpans.

“I appreciate the offer, but I’m good,” I tell him, wrapping my arm over Lily’s shoulder.

I have gotten better about Morgan’s surprise drop-ins, but for the next couple of days, I have plans with my girl, which don’t involve houseguests.

“Wait! What about your book release? Aren’t those around the same time?” Casey asks.

Lily looks at me, and I look at her. I didn’t think about this. But then she shrugs.

“Yeah, I guess so, but maybe the wedding will help sell more books.”

More books.

Are there even any more people out there left to buy her books?

Since her reveal last October, everything accelerated on a level that neither of us expected. The book world loves her. They love her stories. There’s been a huge demand for print copies and appearances. They love her personal journey, why she remained anonymous for so long, her strength to move forward, and they love us together. Even the chickens.

Basically, it’s Dean who?

After that first week or so, he was never mentioned again. A reporter asked him once what he thought of Lily’s success, and believe it or not, he did the respectable thing and said he was happy for her. Happy, but we all know he’s annoyed that him not knowing about her author career and her secret pen name makes him look like an asshole. An asshole that the media is finally letting shine through. After all, there’s something magical about a person who writes love stories and then gets to be in one, while sharing it with the world. It’s a feel-good story that everyone has wanted to be a part of.

We even had a reader mail me a T-shirt. It looks like a sports shirt, but on the back, it says Keegan. I wear it proudly.

As for me, I did seek out the team therapist. I was man enough to recognize that some outside help and wisdom were what I needed if I wanted Lily and me to start in the right place. We only had a few sessions with him, but with Lily by my side, we worked through some of my fears and insecurities, which in the end only made us stronger.

“You want to sell more books?” I look at her and smirk. “Then write about football players.”

“I told you I would for the next series.” She bumps me with her shoulder and we sway.

“Damn straight. Football, the best sport there is,” Lance chimes in.

“And on that note, we’re going to go. Congratulations, you two. We’re so happy for you both,” Casey says, but they’re not as happy as I am.

“Thank you,” Lily tells them, and then I disconnect the call and toss the phone to the side.

“I love you,” Lily tells me, and my heart, which was already so full, thumps hard in my chest.

“Not as much as I love you.”

Tucking a few pieces of hair behind her ear, my hand slides around to cup the back of her neck, and my forehead falls to hers. Neither of us moves. We just soak up the moment, her and me. Her skin is warm against mine. Above us, the call of seagulls echoes. Around us, the water gently laps against the sand. The breeze wraps around us like a hug. Everything is perfect, even when Lily giggles and asks, “Can we have donuts at the reception?”

The End.