Page 129 of Roommate's Guide to Love

Did my sisters know about this? I mean, Porter and I talked about it a few times, and both of us agreed that we were in this for the long haul. He’s it for me and at this point I’d shank a bitch if she tried to take my man. But the word “marriage” never actually came out of either of our mouths.

It’s then that out of the corner of my eye I see my family at the doorway to the library, doing their best to peek in without giving themselves away.

“Quinn Elizabeth Banks, you were once the girl I had a crush on. Then you became the woman I couldn’t wait to see a few times a year. In that time we became friends. You became my person. My confidant. My partner. And now, I ask you, will you be my wife?”

There’s a split second of silence in the room before I scream out a “Yes!” which causes a volume of screams that should never be heard in a library.

Porter stands up as I hug him with everything in me. It’s only a few seconds before I feel a dozen arms around me, hugging and jumping on me like it just happened to them.

As soon as I’m done embracing my co-conspirator students, my family is pushing through for their turn. Mom and Dad are here, along with Simon and Charlie, Maeve and Logan, Stella and Emmett, and of course, Ainsley and her new beau.

Which is a bold move on her part bringing a star Nashville Fury player to a middle school. Which is why I’m guessing that my students are suddenly very quiet. They’ve just realized Linc Kincaid is in their presence.

“How long has this been in the works?”

“We only found out the other day,” Maeve says, narrowing her eyes at Porter. “Seems as if this guy didn’t think we could keep a secret.”

Porter holds up his hands in surrender. “In my defense, when have y’all ever kept a secret from each other?”

“That’s true,” Stella says. “Though if I do remember, you two were a secret for a very long time.”

Porter and I share a smile as I quickly run down memory lane.

All the nights of sneaking around.

The trips where I’d make up excuses to come home, but I secretly wanted to see him.

Or the biggest secret that I was keeping from myself—that I wasn’t madly in love with this man.

I finish hugging my family as I realize that all of my students are now completely preoccupied by a pro football player in their presence, and a few have realized that my brother-in-law invented their favorite video game. The distraction gives Porter the chance to steal me away behind a book stack, which is where I receive my proper kiss as a newly engaged woman.

Holy shit I’m engaged.

I’m going to marry Porter.

I’m going to be Quinn McCoy.

Yeah…it’s going to take a minute for that one to sink in.

When the kiss is over, we don’t let each other go. I know we need to soon, but I just want to stay in this moment. A moment I’ll remember forever.

“How much longer is book club?”

I laugh as I take a peek around the stacks. The Arizona class has signed off, and there’s now a line to get both Linc and Logan’s autograph.

“I think we’re about wrapped up.”

“Good. I arranged Charlie and Simon to take Grace. I thought maybe we could celebrate. Maybe go get some chicken wings?”

I throw my head back as I laugh at Porter’s inside joke. Oh wow, it’s been a minute since we’ve said that.

“I like the sound of that,” I say. “Anywhere particular?”

He smiles and dips me down to kiss me again—a kiss I feel from my head to my toes.

“Anywhere beautiful. As long as I’m with you, nothing else matters.”

I bring him back down for another kiss, because how is this my life? How did quitting my job and moving back to the town I never wanted to live in result in me living a life I could have never imagined? One filled with love and laughter and family.

I guess you really can never say never, because if I did, I’d wouldn’t be here.

And I wouldn’t trade this life, my fairy tale, for anything in the world.