Page 149 of The Goat in the Bedroom
Also Ren says to tell you the catering arrived and if you don't get here soon, the rugby girls are going to eat everything.
Jules is now literally sitting on Parker to keep her from reorganizing the flower arrangement.
HURRY. THE. FUCK. UP.
We pulled into our driveway as the sun was starting to set, painting the sky in shades of pink and gold that felt almost too perfect, like the universe was in on the plan.
“Home sweet home,” Artie said, stretching as she got out of the car. “I need to check on the goats. They probably think we abandoned them.”
“Actually, why don't we go through the house first?” I suggested, my heart hammering so hard I was sure she could hear it. “I need to... check something.”
“Check what?”
“Just... something.”
She followed me through the front door, still looking suspicious. I led her through the house, my hand finding hers.My palm was definitely sweating. She was definitely going to notice.
“Gryff, seriously, you're starting to freak me out.”
“Just... trust me?”
We reached the back door. Through the glass, I could see what Flynn and everyone had done. The entire backyard had been transformed into something out of a dream. Fairy lights strung between the trees, flowers everywhere, not just any flowers, but all of Artie's favorites from every place we'd ever been together. Columbines from Colorado, wildflowers from California, even heather from Scotland that Flynn had somehow managed to source.
“Oh my god,” Artie breathed, stepping out onto the patio. “Gryff, what is this?”
Vincent and Holly were in the middle of the yard. She was in frilly pink tutu with a tiny flower wreath over her horns and Vinnie had a cowboy hat and red bandanna he was trying to chew attached to his collar... along with the ring box.
“Go see what Vincent has,” I managed, my voice not quite steady.
She walked toward the goats, still looking stunned. Holly pranced over first, clearly proud of her tutu, while Vincent stayed still, waiting. As Artie knelt down, I saw the exact moment she noticed the small box attached to Vincent's collar.
“Gryff?” Her voice was barely a whisper.
I was already on one knee when she turned around, the ring box now in my hands since Vincent had done his job.
“Artemis Ingvar Fraser,” I started, and my voice cracked immediately. “You walked into my life six years ago with those thick thighs that could crush me and eyes on all the same hotties as me. In all these years, you've taught me that vulnerability wasn't weakness, that feeling things deeply wasn't something to hide.”
Artie's hands were covering her mouth, tears already bubbling up along her lashes.
“You're the strongest person I know. You face every challenge head on, whether it's your dad's expectations or Olympic trials or my family's Christmas chaos. You make me braver just by being you. You make me want to be the person you already see when you look at me.”
Vincent chose that moment to headbutt my knee, nearly knocking me over. Artie laughed through her tears.
“Even our goats know we belong together,” I continued, steadying myself. “They knew before we did. Everyone knew before we did.”
“Gryff—“
“You're my best friend, my favorite person, and the love of my life. You're the first person I want to tell good news to and the only person I want beside me when things go wrong. I love your competitiveness and the way you sing off-key in the shower and think I can't hear you.”
“I'm not that off-key,” she protested, laughing and crying at the same time.
“You're completely off-key and it's perfect.” I opened the ring box, revealing an east-west oval diamond in a platinum bevel setting, not huge, not flashy, but unique and beautiful, just like her. “I love that you convinced me to adopt goats, that you see the best in everyone except people who hurt the ones you love, and the way you fiercely protect and take care of me even though I'm the six four football player. I love your strength and your softness and everything in between.”
Holly bleated and started eating one of the flower arrangements.
“Artemis, I'm asking you, here in our backyard with our goats and a crap ton of flowers and our life that we've built together,and all the love I can carry in my heart for you... will you marry me?”
“Yes,” she said, not even hesitating. “Yes, of course yes, you beautiful idiot. Yes.”
