The Beauty of Us

“That was a great speech,” Mia says. “It’s worthy of my pizza.”

“Wait, you made pizza?” Riley asks, her eyes as wide as saucers.

“That and carrot cake,” Mia says, smiling with satisfaction. “This man pays attention. You should keep him.”

“So, I’m asking you today, with all the love and trust in my heart, to marry me. Continue being my partner, my love, my life.”

“Trevor,” she whispers.

“Will you marry me, Riley?”

She nods and sinks to her own knees, cupping my face in her palm.

“Of course I’ll marry you.”

“I won’t do that again. With you, I’ve learned that there can’t be one without the other. Just like there is no me without you.”

I take a deep breath and decide that the speech I’d prepared is dumb. The right thing to do is to speak from the heart.

“Riley, I need to tell you a story.”

“Okay,” she whispers.

“It might be autobiographical.”

Her lips twitch. “I like those kinds of stories.”

“I’m so damn nervous,” I say to Cami one week later at the restaurant. I’ve arranged for Mia to make Riley’s favorite food, a special pizza that apparently only Mia knows the recipe to, wine, and mini carrot cakes for dessert.

Not to mention the diamond ring currently burning a hole in my pocket.

“Okay, we’re going to squash this right now,” I reply, feeling my blood begin to boil. “You are not needy. Stop saying that. You need attention from me, and I’m your partner, Riley. You should have all of the attention that you need and more. I don’t ever want you to feel guilty for asking for what you need from me.”

She’s not saying anything, and I swear my heart has stopped beating. She’s frowning, thinking over everything that I just said, I’m sure.

Finally, she looks into my eyes and smiles.

“Of course I want you here.”

Holy shit, I can breathe again.

I stop short when I see Mia yelling at Trevor, whose gaze is on hers. He’s not replying, he’s just listening as she rails at him in my defense.

Landon is standing behind her, arms folded over his chest, legs shoulder width apart.

“Why does Landon look like the Secret Service?” Cami asks. “Damn alpha man.”

“I’ll tell you later. Do you see Kat?” We both look through the glass windows. Kat’s on a treadmill, running as if her life depends on it. “Why is she running so fast?”

Addie snorts. “Is there a grizzly bear chasing her?”

“Maybe Captain America is waiting at the finish line?”

“Is the treadmill stuck on that speed and she’s trapped like a mouse?”

“I think you mean a hamster.”

We both giggle, and the instructor sighs in frustration.

Just as I get into my car to meet Kat and Addie at the gym, my phone pings with a text.

From Trevor.

Good morning. I want to tell you that I love you, Riley. Don’t give up on me. I’m coming for you.