Page 240 of The Hopelessly Bromantic Duet

Curious, Jude looks it over. “Is this a new edition?”

A forever one, I hope.

My heart pounds in my ears. My stomach flips with anticipation. “Looks like it. Why don’t you open it and see what the first page says?”

As Jude opens the play, I get down on one knee.

“Oh God,” he murmurs.

I don’t know if that reaction is for the inscription I left for him or if it’s for me.

But I’m all in.

My heart floods with hope. I reach into my pocket, grab a velvet box, and flip it open. I clear the nerves from my voice and begin. “Nearly ten years ago I walked into this shop to find you, Jude. I’d come back here a million times to find you again. You were the first man I ever loved. You’re the only man I’ve ever loved, and I plan on loving you for the rest of my life.”

I pause, breathe, and drink in the look in his eyes.

Joy.

Just Joy.

I ask the question I wrote on the first page. “Will you be my husband?”

The answer comes in less than a second. “I would love to marry you, TJ.”

I stand, slide a platinum band on his finger, and then I kiss him wherewebegan.

Our love story won’t end. We’ll keep turning the pages every day and every night for the rest of our lives.