I nod, smiling. “You do know me.”
Bane tucks my hair behind my ear. “Are you happy, Jerr?”
“Happier than I’ve ever been.”
“Good. I’ll tell you a funny story.”
“Okay.”
“Do you remember a couple of months ago when Florian gave us the drink samples for our signature cocktail?”
I nod. “Kind of. I remember thinking that we didn’t get individual drinks.”
“That was my doing. I worked with him to come up with something that I hoped would show you I was trying to get your attention in a romantic way.”
“Really?”
“It’s called Love Potion, Jerr. By design. It’s sweet and sexy, just like you.”
I laugh softly. “That’s adorable, but I didn’t get it.”
“Yeah, you did actually.”
“I guess I did.”
“Now—” He gets to his feet. “—let’s dig into this cake and pick a movie to watch. Tomorrow we’ll tell the guys and our folks, then we’ll start planning.”
“Okay.”
After we get settled under the blankets, with the cake box sitting on our laps and forks in hand, Bane leans in and kisses my cheek.
“You’re gonna be my husband soon. That’s so badass.”
“It is.” I exhale slowly. “Thank you.”
“For?”
“Being everything I always thought you were. Not only did you help me see myself as whole, you showed me what love feels like, long before you declared it.”
“The easiest thing I’ve ever done is love you.”
It took a long time for this to happen, but I know now that we weren’t ready any sooner. As Bane has said before, better late than never.
“You’ll still be my best friend,” I whisper.
Bane smiles, kissing my cheek. “Always.”
EPILOGUE
THREE YEARS LATER
Bane
“This is wild,”Jerryn says, peering through the drapes. “There’s a crowd of people on the sidewalk.”
“Lowen definitely didn’t expect this,” Indy says from his spot on the green velvet couch. “Guess he figured he was old news.”
“He underestimated the public’s interest,” Ridley says, smiling with Wren perched on his lap. “He hasn’t exactly stepped out of the limelight though.”
