Page 123 of Bad Crush
He nods. “Two hundred and forty-eight.”
“Adam, that’s amazing!” I throw my arms around him. He’s been seriously stressing the results of his step one test. He and Janine spent months studying for it. Med school is not for the faint of heart. “Did Janine get hers back?”
“Yeah.”
“And?”
“Two hundred and fifty.” He rolls his eyes.
“Oh, she’s never going to let you live that down.”
“No kidding. She keeps sending me silver medal GIFs and memes.”
“Ah, what an amazing day. Did you already know this morning with the horoscope?” He still sends them to me every morning, and it’s my favorite part of the day. Sometimes they’re silly, or sweet, sexy, but they always bring a smile to my face.
“No, uh, actually, I didn’t.”
“Must be fate.” I rest my head on his arm as we walk up the sidewalk in front of our house. It’s just a rental, halfway between campus and the theater, and within walking distance of both, but I love it.
My phone rings in my pocket, and I take it out. “Dakota’s calling. She probably wants to make sure I didn’t blow my first assistant directing job. I threatened to eat my way through the entire ice cream aisle if I did. I should answer and let her know I survived.”
“She’ll call back.” He plucks it from my hand and puts it in his back pocket, then takes my hands. “We’re having a moment here celebrating us.”
His mouth slants over mine, and I lift up on my toes to thread my fingers through his hair. He breaks the kiss and rests his forehead against mine. Those stunning hazel eyes pierce right through me. I don’t think I’ll ever look at this man and not feel like the world is standing still.
“I almost forgot to give you your birthday card.” He reaches into his back pocket and pulls out a red piece of paper.
“You made it?” I ask as I take it from him. The construction paper is cut into a perfect heart shape.
He grins as I unfold it.
Reagan,
My heart is yours. Marry me?
Adam
The words register slowly. I read it twice, tears blurring my vision.
“I love you. I want you to be my wife. I want to send you horoscopes every day for the rest of my life and celebrate your birthday big every year. I’ll be in the audience every single time you’re on stage, whether it’s acting or directing. I’ll cheer you on or wait with a tub of ice cream. I want all of it. Marry me, Reagan?” He pulls the ring box out of his pocket and gets down on one knee. It’s straight out of a fairy tale—no, it’s straight out of my dreams.
“Yes. Oh my gosh, yes!”
He slides the ring onto my finger. I toss the roses to the ground, jump into his arms, and kiss him with everything I have. He spins us around, laughing into my mouth. My heart is so full and complete, all because of this man. The past two years have been the best of my life. And now, he’s promising me more.
My phone rings again. The melody starts softly and gets louder.
“She’ll call back,” I say, knowing it’s Dakota again. I was a tad dramatic when I called her this morning freaking out about tonight, so I know that she’ll keep right on calling until she knows I’m okay.
Adam places me on the ground and hands me my phone.
“Answer it.” He grins and then kisses me on the forehead. “She wants to tell you congratulations.”
It dawns on me that she already knew he was going to propose tonight.
Today is the start of something big.
Of course, she knew because Adam thinks of everything, and if he were going to ask anyone for permission to marry me, it’d be her. She’s my family.
