Page 139 of The Most Perfect Wrong

She pulls back just enough to grin, biting her bottom lip. “Do you have a special permit to travel?”

I raise an eyebrow, confused. “What?”

Her expression turns serious. “You know, to be able to take a gun on an airplane.”

A laugh bursts out of me, louder than I expected.

“Too much?” she asks, her grin widening.

I shake my head, still laughing. “Never.”

The song fades, the DJ seamlessly blending it into something more upbeat. “I’m going to grab a drink. You want anything?”

“Will you get me another Chardonnay, please?”

“Yep. Be back soon.”

“I’ll just be out here dancing my little heart out.”

I make my way to the bar, glancing over my shoulder to catch Cooper finding Vivian and her friend, Sarah, on the dance floor before they let loose, dancing wildly.

When I return, drinks in hand, I take a seat at a nearby table, setting her glass down and sipping mine. My gaze is immediately drawn back to her. “The Time” by Black Eyed Peas blares from the speakers, and I can’t look away. She’s stunning—so alive and unapologetically her. Her laughter carries over the music, her dance moves full of carefree energy as she,Vivian, and Sarah, jump up and down, completely lost in the moment.

I smile, my heart full of love and gratitude. Seeing her like this—happy and free—fills me in a way I never thought possible. It’s impossible not to reflect on how far we’ve come. All the shitty things we went through, the pain, the uncertainty. Somehow, it all feels like part of the journey, the cracks that let the light in, necessary steps to reach this point. To come out the other side smarter, stronger—happier.

She catches me staring. Her eyes sparkling, her lips curving into that smile that never fails to knock the air from my lungs. She’s so perfectly right for me.

Cooper makes her way over to me, and I rise to meet her, unable to stop the grin spreading across my face.

“What are you staring at?” she asks amused.

“You.”

“Well, come dance.” She grabs my hands, tugging me toward the dance floor, but I plant my feet firm. I can’t resist her. I never could. Instead, I pull her into me. “I love you,” I murmur.

Her hands slide up my chest and around my neck, sending a shiver through me. “I love you too, Ry.” She kisses me, and the world around us disappears. It’s just her—her touch, her love—anchoring me to the purpose I didn’t know I was missing.

I brush my thumb along her cheek, my brows knitting together with concentration. “One day, I’m going to marry you, Coop. And it’ll be the best damn day of my life,” I whisper.

Her grip tightens, taking a deep breath as she takes it in, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “You’d better,” she whispers back. Then her lips find mine, and the love in that kiss is unlike anything I’ve ever known.

She’s it.

She’s the one.

She’s my everything.

And I love her—all the way down to her bones.

Epilogue

COOPER

March 15

One Year Later

I sip my coffee, letting the sounds of the waves and the warmth of the heat lamp wash over me. I sink into the sofa chaise, pulling my cozy blanket closer, savoring the moment. God, I really do love it here.

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