Page 46 of Unexpectedly You (Boston Boys Bozok #1)

One year later

Alex

“Oh, um, what are we doing here?” I ask, when Bentley pulls into a parking spot at Johnny’s and parks the car.

It’s my birthday and he treated me to dinner at a restaurant I’d been wanting to try that turned out to be amazing, then told me he’d baked me a chocolate cake for dessert.

But when we finished and he asked if I was ready to go I thought he meant home, so I’m kind of confused.

“What’s–” I start, turning to face him, only to cut myself off when I see him holding up a penguin that looks like it’s been knitted, no doubt by him, with a bow tie around it’s neck, and my breath catches when I see what’s dangling from the bow tie. A simple but gorgeous white gold ring.

“Oh my God,” I say, as my eyes start to fill with tears and he smiles at me.

“I need to ask you something,” he says, and I laugh as tears slide down my cheeks.

“About a year and half ago I met this really amazing guy in kind of an unlikely way, and it turned out he was the best thing that ever happened to me. He told me once that penguins are the most romantic animals, and since our relationship started with a penguin, well I figure we should continue it with one, too.” I have more tears spilling down my cheeks as he continues.

“I don’t consider myself a particularly intelligent person.

I’m a simple guy. I may not know a whole lot.

But I know I love you with every part of me.

” His eyes fill with tears and he clears his throat.

“To borrow from Jane Austen’s Mr. Darcy, ‘You have bewitched me, body and soul, Alex Florez-Romano. And I wish from this day forth to never be parted from you.’” He takes another breath. “Will Alex marry Bentley?”

I’m full on ugly crying as I nod with tears of joy streaming down my cheeks.

“Yes,” I tell him. “Fuck yes, baby, you know I will.” I grip his cheeks and smash the penguin between us as I give him a sloppy kiss.

When we pull apart I grab a tissue from the middle console and wipe my face before I look at the ring again, itching to have it on my finger.

Bentley unties it from the ribbon it’s attached to and takes my hand. We’re both shaking as he slides the band around my ring finger and it settles into place. Holy shit. I’m getting married. To the best man I’ve ever known, my best friend. The ring fits perfectly and I can’t stop staring at it.

“I love it,” I tell him, “and I love you, cowboy. So fucking much.”

“I love you, too,” he says, and we kiss again.

“Did you make this?” I ask, taking the adorable penguin from him.

He grins. “I did.”

“God, that’s so sweet.”

“Marble helped by attacking the yarn on several occasions and almost destroying it,” he says, and I laugh.

“Okay, now we have to go inside and do it all over again, because our family and friends are in there, and they’re expecting a proposal.

I didn’t want to do it the first time in front of them and be a blubbering mess, so you have to give the ring back. ”

I laugh and slide it off, already hating being without it, but I figure I can make it a few more minutes.

I leave the penguin in the car and we head inside, greeted by my smiling family, who sing Happy Birthday to me, and then proceed to cut the cake.

When I’m finished eating, Bentley kneels in front of me and everyone gasps and awws as he asks me to marry him yet again.

Mom has tears in her eyes when I say yes, and she’s the first to wrap me up in a warm hug after Bentley slides the ring on my finger for the second time.

Even Tommy gives me and Bentley hugs and Pierre presses a kiss to each of our cheeks.

We get more hugs and kisses from friends and family. Peyton is there with a huge smile on her face, cheering the loudest of all, and there’s even a picture of Bentley’s Gram sitting on the table along with my presents, which I love, because it’s like she’s here with us.

We dance and laugh and eat, and I can’t imagine a better birthday, or a better group of people to have around us as we celebrate the beginning of the rest of our lives.

I never would have expected that when I knocked on that apartment door a year and a half ago, and a gorgeous, shy man answered the door, it would lead us to where we are now.

But thank goodness life doesn't always turn out the way you expect.

The End

Thank you for reading Alex and Bentley’s story.