“What?”
Cassie’s hand dipped into her pocket again, removing something this time. Something small and dark and—
Erin gasped as Cassie went down onto one knee.
“You kinda stole my thunder.”
There were more fireworks going off now, but Erin barely registered them. She could only see Cassie and the open ring box in her hand.
“True to form, I’m such an idiot with feelings that it took Parker asking me why we weren’t married for me to realize I was allowed to do this,” Cassie said.
Erin glanced at her daughter, a few steps away, shakily holding her phone. There were tears in her eyes, too.
“I always thought it was stupid when guys proposed with ‘will you make me the happiest man in the world’ but fuck, I can’t imagine how anyone could be happier right now,” Cassie said. “I almost did this so many times today, and so many times before today. As soon as I bought the ring I wanted to give it to you. I wanted to beg you to be my wife.”
“You don’t have to beg.”
“Could you be quiet? I’m trying to propose here.” She rubbed at her eyes. “God, you did this so much better than me with that scuba diving line, why didn’t I think of that?”
Erin knelt beside Cassie, her hands coming up to hold Cassie’s face. “You’re doing it perfectly.”
“I told you to be quiet,” Cassie said. “And what are you doing? You’re supposed to be standing.”
“Shut up and kiss me.”
Rachel let out a whoop and suddenly Erin remembered they had an audience.
“Your proposal’s perfect,” she said. “And if you’ve got more to say you can say it in a minute, okay? Just kiss me.”
“You heard the woman!” Acacia yelled.
But Cassie didn’t do what she was told. She took Erin’s hand instead, held the ring at the edge of Erin’s finger.
“You gonna be my wife?” she whispered.
“And you’re gonna be mine,” Erin whispered back.
Cassie grinned, sliding the ring on fully. “I suppose if I’m gonna be this ridiculously heart eyed over you, I might as well kiss you, right?”
And kiss her she did.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Honestly, God bless Patrice Caldwell. She became my agent at a time I desperately needed her enthusiasm, support, and utter competence. I’m not sure I would’ve found my footing without her. The same goes for Vicki Lame, who helped remind me that writing is something I love to do. She’s the type of editor I wish on every author.
Thanks to the whole team at New Leaf, especially Leah Moss, Trinica Sampson, and Joanna Volpe, who answered every one of my way-too-many questions while Patrice was out of office. Thanks also to the team at Griffin, especially Rivka Holler, Brant Janeway, Sarah Haeckel, Kiffin Steurer, Justine Gardner, Hannah Jones, Joy Gannon, Angelica Chong, and Vanessa Aguirre. I’m so grateful to have such a beautiful book, and for that I thank Gabriel Guma, Soleil Paz, Olga Grlic, and Petra Braun.
The first draft of this book came long ago, and I’m lucky enough that it brought some friends along with it. Zabe Doyle, thank you for always being a disaster with me. Jas Hammonds, I can’t believe the first thing of mine that you ever read is a real book! Tash McAdam, you yelling at me about this was the first time I ever felt like being an author was something I could really do.
And then there are newer friends I picked up along the way. Rosie & Ruby, aka clit crew, the best romance writer group chat. Jen St. Jude is one of the kindest and most giving people I’ve ever met. Anita Kelly is an amazing writer and I’m a better writer for knowing them. Courtney Kae is a fountain of joy and light. I’m grateful Mary Randall has let me get to know her, even if she’d rather not be perceived. Emma Patricia is my little crustacean. Thank you for letting me force you to become friends with me through Zoom. And thanks for being on your best behavior the first time we Zoomed with Ashley Herring Blake, so we could trick her into being friends with us, too. Ashley, I almost dedicated this book to you just because of how much you blush when we call you a MILF.
Thank you to Ashley, Anita, Dahlia Adler, Olivia Dade, and Denise Williams for taking the time to read and blurb this book, even though in the early copy they read, there were about four thousand more instances of eye-rolling.
As always, to my number one, Brooke. It’s embarrassing, as a writer, but I don’t have the words to explain how much you mean to me, how much you make my life better. There’s a reason I had to write poetry to woo you—you make me feel in metaphors.