Page 117 of Beg Me

She laughs, touching my face. “I love you. I want all of that, too. And if that was your way of proposing, my answer is yes.”

I drop my lips to hers and kiss her like my life depends on it. Because, really? It does.

I came to Sugar Creek uncertain about the future, and yet somehow, due to this amazing woman, I’ll leave here with my future.

Funny how that works out—how the world puts you where you’re supposed to be.

And I’m supposed to be right here, with Markie in my arms.

EPILOGUE

Markie

Three weeks later …

“I told you,” Brooks says, pointing at me as he walks toward the fire. “You should’ve let me be your partner.”

“Excuse fucking me?” Jory says, lifting a brow.

Brooks laughs, sitting in a lawn chair next to him. “So, where’s the Guster?”

The fire crackles in front of us, casting a rosy glow across Gianna’s backyard. It’s our new favorite hobby—having a fire, a drink, and smores in the evenings. It will be one of the things I miss most about Sugar Creek.

Jory laces his fingers with mine. “Gus is fishing with his friends. He goes back to his mom’s next week. She’s going to come here and take him back with her since Markie can’t travel well on crutches. Deidre wants to meet Gus’s soon-to-be stepmom that she keeps hearing about.”

I know the smile on my face is goofy, but I can’t help it. I’m that fucking happy.

Deidre and I have spoken a couple of times on the phone since Gus came back from Ohio. She’s so sweet and such a doll. We’ve even texted a few memes back and forth, and I’m thrilled that we get along so well.

“And,” I say, smiling at my fiancé. “We decided to have a little wedding ceremony at my house before Gus leaves for Nevada.”

“What did you just say?” Astrid asks, her jaw hitting the ground.

Gianna, Nettie, and Audrey all turn toward me.

“Mira already knows this, so she won’t care that I’m telling you now,” I say. “But Jory and I are getting married next Friday.”

“Oh, my gosh,” Nettie says. “Markie! That’s amazing. Congrats!”

“Thank you.”

“Ring?” Gianna asks, side-eyeing Jory.

“It’s getting sized. Relax,” he tells her, making everyone—but Gianna—laugh.

The ring’s stunning and more than I expected. I had to see a specialist in Nashville last week because the doctor wanted a second opinion on whether I needed surgery. The ankle’s not healing as they thought. While we were there, I saw his apartment—where we’ll be living once we leave here this winter for the rugby season—and we went to a jewelry store. Siggy’s was where Drake found Gianna’s ring and now where Jory found one perfect for me.

“Where did the guys go?” Gianna asks, just noticing that Drake, Gray, and Hartley left about a half hour ago.

“They’ll be back,” Brooks says, trying not to give away that something is brewing.

“But, where did they go?” she asks again.

Brooks takes a long swig of his beer. “Hell if I know.”

“You’re a liar, Brooks Dempsey.”

“What a terrible accusation to throw around.”