Page 99 of Stick Fight

His expression shifts, mischievous and tender as he flashes those adorable dimples again.

“I’d really like it…” he says, voice warm and steady, “…if you designed one more dress, Gabby.”

I blink. “What? Why?”

And then he drops to one knee. A gasp escapes me, my hand flying to my chest. “Roman…”

“I want you to design yourweddingdress, Gabby,” he says, looking up at me like I’m his whole universe. “And I’d really like it if you married me in it.”

Tears flood my face before I can even nod. “Yes,” I cry, barely getting the word out before he slides the ring onto my finger.

He stands, pulls me into his arms, and kisses me like he’s been holding that kiss in his heart for a lifetime. The kind of kiss that melts knees and reboots souls. And then I remember. Oh, God, we’re still on camera.Our friends are all watching.I turn, hand in the air like I’ve just won the big cup, flashing the ring to the cheering crowd. The rink erupts with applause. Roman gently wipes the tears from my cheeks, and I laugh through the flood of emotions.

“This cannot air until I call my parents.”

He grins. “They already know.”

“What?”

“I called your dad. Asked permission.”

My jaw drops. “Roman.” I swat his arm. “You’re such an old-school romantic. He must’ve loved that.”

“Oh, he did,” Roman says with a playful grimace. “But I was sweating bullets. The man asked a lotof questions.”

His gaze softens, dipping low with a flicker of heat as he leans in. “So… can we go home now?”

Home.

That one word settles into me like peace. Like purpose. Like forever.

“It’s all I’ve ever wanted,” I whisper, rising onto my toes to kiss him. “Thank you… for all of this.”

He winks, his grin downright dangerous. “So… you think you could maybe put on that Mrs. Roper get-up again?”

I pull back, giving him a mock glare. “You scare me, Roman. You really scare me.”

He smirks. “Come on, babe. It’s not every day a man discovers he’s into vintage floral caftans and orthopedic sandals.”

“You’re crazy, you know that?”

“Maybe.” He scoops me up, making me squeal. “But I’m your crazy.”

“Guess I better start stocking up on caftans.”

He kisses me, slow and deep, the kind of kiss that says we’ve got a whole wild, beautiful life ahead of us.

“Best investment you’ll ever make.”

And just like that, he carries me off, into love, into chaos, into whatever comes next, with all the grace of a man completely unbothered by fashion crimes and totally head over heels in love.

The crowd fades behind us, the rink, the cameras, the applause. And honestly? We are the world’s weirdest, happiest love story.

And I wouldn’t change a single thing.

Epilogue

Roman

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