Page 327 of The Hopelessly Bromantic Duet

I love it all with him.

Every night. Every day.

And when the calendar turns to November again, and we’re hanging out at The Lazy Hammock with Grant and Declan, the shortstop offers us the cabin one more time.

“Yes,” River says, pouncing on the invitation in less than a second.

“I’ll just add in myyesas well, though it seems Mister Bossy has spoken.”

“Mister Bossy,” Grant says with a chuckle. “That’s a perfect name for my business partner.”

Riverisbossy. He likes to be in charge. He likes to be in control. But he also likes to give that power to me. To let me make him feel good. Feel wanted. Feel loved.

Fortunately, I’m great at that.

So we road trip again, snacking and arguing, debatingSleepless in Seattlethis time, and deciding it didn’t age well, but thatLove, Simondefinitely deserves a rewatch.

“Let’s watch it tonight when we get to the Fight Club Sex Cabin,” River declares when we reach Markleeville.

“Before or after the hot tub?” I ask.

“Depends on what we’re doing in the hot tub, cutie,” he says.

“So maybe Ishouldn’texhaust you in the jacuzzi.”

“Exhaust me anywhere you want. You know I love that you’reonlyspeedy at taking showers,” he says with a sexy wink.

“I do like to take my time on all the field-day events,” I say.

Fifteen minutes later, we pull into the driveway, cut the engine, and stare out the front window at the orange haze in the sky. “River?”

“Owen?”

“I think it’s starting to snow.”

I couldn’t ask for anything more.

Well, there’s one thing.

A little later, when we break out the champagne—using flutes this time—and settle in for a game ofWould You Ratheron the couch in front of the fire, I draw a quiet, measured breath.

I can do this.

I ignore all the nerves skating over my skin. The wild thrumming in my chest. I meet my boyfriend’s deep, soulful eyes. Then I ask the question I came here to ask.

“Would you rather be proposed to in front of the fire right now, or outside in the hot tub in a few minutes?”

River’s eyes pop.

His hand flies to his mouth.

And he just nods, like crazy, like he can’t stop. “Yes, yes, yes.”

My heart glows, and I take that as anow.

So I get down on one knee in front of the fire, and remove a tiny box from my pants pocket. With nervous fingers but a certain heart, I flip it open. “You’re my best friend, my boyfriend, my lover. You’re my favorite person. The one I want to curl up with every night, wake up to every morning, and spend all my days with,” I say, my throat tightening with emotion, so much it’s overflowing in me. But it feels so good to love this deeply. “River Michaels, I love you so much. I love you more than I ever thought possible. And I would be the happiest man ever if you would be my husband.”

He wastes zero time. He’s down on the floor, on his knees, clutching my face. “Yes. I say yes. I’ve been thinking about it constantly and you beat me to it, and I love that, and I love you, and you are the only man for me. So I say yes.”