Page 67 of Pin

All my cases in the past year had been similar. After I tracked down Zoe and Hector and busted the Las Balas drug ring, the LA Times ran a huge piece that put me on the top of the list for any and all missing persons cases. It was what I had always wanted: the in-depth profile of top PI Claire Brennan.

It had been nice, I couldn’t deny it. But I didn’t care about the accolades. I just cared about making sure Zoe, who had gotten addicted to heroin, got the help she needed. And that Hector met some of the Outlaw Souls so he could learn how to love bikes and be a real man.

Pin had gone crazy over the article. He had even printed it out and framed it to hang on my wall above my desk. He could be dorky like that. I loved it.

I checked my phone and saw that he had texted me:

You still be home by 7?

I checked my watch and texted back in the affirmative. We still had our own places, but we spent every night together. He came to mine to stock up my fridge and cook, or I went to his place where he had cleared out half his closet for me.

I never thought that I would last a year in a serious relationship. I thought I would feel trapped or bored or anxious. But with Pin, it wasn’t even hard. Yes, we had our moments, but we were always honest with each other. We always found a way through the challenges.

When I got antsy, he just took me out to his bike, and we drove until I was smiling again.

He understood me, and I understood him. Both of us had mistrusted relationships before, and maybe we still did have that baggage. Maybe we did doubt the idea of relationships as a whole. But we did trust each other. I had never lied to Pin once after the first deception, and I knew he was honest with me. We told each other how we were feeling instead of keeping it bottled up inside.

We made each other happy. Just the sight of Pin, bent over his accounting books on my kitchen table made me grin from ear to ear. And every time he saw me, Pin couldn’t keep his hands off me. We had found a way to make the relationship work. I knew that my life would never be boring as long as Pin was by my side.

When I got back to my apartment door, I fumbled with the keys. Before I could even put them in the door, it swung open.

Pin stood smiling. I knew something was up right away. Behind him on the table, there were candles lit and two glasses of red wine.

He grabbed my hand and pulled me in. My heart started to pick up. We had talked about forever before. I had told him I wanted him for the rest of my life.

But we had never discussed details. The closest we had gotten to talking about a timeline or any sort of plan was a budgeting spreadsheet Pin had made. Which, I had to admit, had been weirdly romantic. It had been comforting seeing that he planned for us to get our own apartment at some point.

Before I could say anything, Pin had dropped down on one knee.

I never thought I would be the type of girl to erupt into butterflies at the sight of an engagement ring, but it turns out I never fully knew myself until I met Pin.

When he popped open the box to reveal the ruby ring, I gasped and clamped one hand over my mouth.

“Claire Brennan, I have loved you almost from the moment I first saw you,” Pin said.

“Yes,” I said. “Yes.”

“I haven’t even asked!” Pin cried.

“Well, my answer is yes.” I started pulling on his hand, trying to yank him to his feet so I could kiss him.

“Claire, will you marry me?” Pin blurted as fast as he could.

“Yes!” I screamed, launching myself into his arms.

I vowed to never let go.

The End.