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“Not me.”

“You must’ve written something great,” I tease.

“Want to find out?”

“Am I allowed to read it? You made a big deal about me not reading it back then.”

“Well, that was back then.” He shrugs. “Yours first. Unless you don’t want me to know.”

“I don’t even remember what I wrote,” I admit. I slowly open the envelope that has my name on it, taking out the piece of paper I stuffed in there twelve months ago.

“Wow.” I laugh. “I thought I would’ve written something more profound than that.”

“Hey, there’s a little bit of an existential crisis sprinkled into that note, so what’s deeper than that?” He kisses my temple.

“Is yours deep?”

“You’ll have to find out,” he says, hugging me tighter.

I’m not sure why, but I’m a little scared to read his. A prickle of nerves shimmers through my body, quickening my heart rate. My fingers tremble slightly as I open his envelope, pulling out his note. My breath hitches as I read his neat handwriting.

At this point, I’m pretty sure my heart is beating so fast that it’s about to take off and shoot into space, my fingers gripping the piece of paper like it’s the only thing anchoring me to this earth.

Hayden moves one of his arms from my waist, and I feel it behind my back as he puts his hand in his front hoodie pocket.

A moment later his arm returns, but this time he’s holding an engagement ring in his fingers.

“Baby, I need you to breathe.” He chuckles.

“I can’t,” I huff out, and he kisses my temple.

“Well, I’m not good with speeches, nor do I like stereotypical over-the-top gestures, and I know you don’t either.”

I shake my head.

“But I’m good at loving you, and I want to love you for the rest of my life. I mean, I will love you for the rest of my life regardless but”––he takes a shaky breath––“I would really like to love you as your husband. You’re the best thing that has ever happened to me. And I’m gonna be honest, I felt like an absolute weirdo writing that note after I knew you for like, what? Two months?”

I laugh at that, a tear streaking down my face.

“But I already knew back then that you’re the one for me. So, what do you say?”

“You haven’t asked a question yet.” I smile.

“Oh shit. Sorry. I’m too nervous. Wait, let me try again.” He laughs.

I can’t help but giggle when he exhales in preparation.

“Baby.” He tries to keep his voice steady, but I can tell from the way his chest moves that he’s trying to keep his laughter in like me. “Okay, you ready?”

I snort.

“Stop it, woman,” he says, laughing. “I’m trying to propose. Why are you laughing?”

I keep laughing. “I’m sorry. I don’t know. It’s the nerves. I’ll try to keep it in.”

He inhales deeply, and as he lets out another shaky exhale, we both crack up again.

“Robin.”