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I’m proposing to her tonight, and I’ve had this planned for months now.

Candles, a picnic setup on the hardwood floors I had redone, flowers, and the ring.

I even made sure there were blackout curtains in this place for when I visited at night to take her home and fuck her against one of the four walls around us.

Adeline and I have been nothing but perfect. Even though she refuses to change the dog’s name from Pickles to something more ferocious or even emasculating, I’ve given up on that request a while ago. The damn thing has already grown on me, anyway.

Besides, Pickles is obedient and currently sitting at my side, patiently waiting for our girl to come inside.

Glancing at my watch again, my heart hasn’t stopped racing since we arrived.

I don’t think she’ll say no, but the scenario has coursed through my brain because we haven’t been dating for a year yet, but I know she’s the only one I want.

The only one I’ll have.

I’ll spoil Adeline until my dying day because she deserves it. And I’ll take those random, nightly calls that aren’t as problematic as she makes them out to be.

I want kids, I know she wants them, too.

And I just want everything.

Absolutely everything.

The door suddenly opens to Adeline’s new flower shop—not that she knows it yet—and she peers inside.

There she finds all the flowers I bought, the candles lit everywhere, and me.

And Pickles.

Her smile is immediate as she steps inside and closes the door softly behind her, looking at me with genuine curiosity.

“What is all this?”

“Your new flower shop.”

Her eyes widen in pure shock. “What?”

“I bought it for you. Well, leased it. It’s⁠—”

“Dodger, are you insane?” She looks around, taking in every inch, as I pull out the engagement ring I bought her.

White gold with a pink diamond.

“Adeline,” I call out, as she still studies the space. “I need you to marry me.”

Her head snaps in my direction as I close the space between us. Her expression is nothing short of surprised at the plot twist I just threw down.

Dropping to one knee, Adeline’s hands go to her mouth as she follows me down with her eyes, and I open the box with her ring.

“I love you, Adeline Kerrigan. I did everything by the book. I asked your father. I asked Briggs⁠—”

“Who cares about him?” she teases lightly, sounding as if her brain is light-years away. “He’s not my boss.”

“I did anyway. I want you to be my wife. I want you every day. I want you to be the mother of my children, and I want to die knowing you were always mine.”

“Yes,” she breaks out before she begins bouncing on her toes. “Absolutely—yes, I’ll marry you, Dodger. Are you kiddin’ me?”

Plucking the ring out of the velvet box, I quickly slide it on her ring finger and rise for my kiss.