Page 42 of Falling Again For My Best Friend's Brother

Rolling my eyes, I couldn't help but laugh. "Very funny. But seriously, what if I mess it up?"

Donovan shook his head. "You won't. Just speak from the heart. Amelia loves you for who you are, not for some perfect speech."

I nodded, taking a deep breath. He was right. Amelia and I had been through so much together. We'd learned to embrace each other's imperfections and differences and find strength in our love.

A sudden commotion caught our attention. Hero had tangled himself in a strand of fairy lights, yipping and spinning in circles as he tried to free himself.

"Hero, no!" I lunged forward, trying to untangle the little troublemaker. Donovan joined in, both of us fumbling with the delicate lights as Hero wriggled and yapped.

"Stop, Hero! You're making it worse." Donovan's voice boomed out, trying to control the situation. The tiny chihuahua only seemed to panic more at the sound, his yapping increasing in intensity.

"Alright, let's not panic. Hero, sit!" I commanded.

With a whimper, Hero finally stilled, allowing us to untangle the chaotic mess that had become of the fairy lights. Once free, Hero trotted off, tail wagging as if he hadn't just caused total mayhem.

Donovan and I sighed in relief before we burst into laughter, the tension from earlier dispelled by Hero's antics.

"Man, that dog..." Donovan started, wiping his brow.

"I know, I know," I shook my head, chuckling. "But he’s worth all the trouble."

Finishing up with the fairy lights, I shot Donovan a grateful look. "I'd better go change before I meet Amelia. Appreciate the pep talk."

He gave me a mock salute. "Good luck, soldier."

I gazed around the garden, taking in the twinkling lights, the fragrant flowers, and the love that had gone into every detail. Yes, tonight would be the night I'd ask Amelia to spend forever with me.

I headed to my apartment to shower and change clothes. I had told Amelia that we needed to talk about the butterfly release and check on them, and then I had a surprise, but she had no idea what I was planning.

After getting dressed, I made my way to the butterfly enclosure, my heart fluttering in my chest like the delicate wings of the creatures we had nurtured together. Amelia stood inside, her face aglow with wonder as she gazed at the rows of cocoons, each holding the promise of new life.

"They're almost ready," she whispered, her voice filled with awe. "Can you believe it, Trevor? They'll be dancing through the sky in just over a week."

I stepped closer, my shoulder brushing against hers. "It's incredible. To think that we've been a part of their journey, from caterpillars to becoming beautiful butterflies."

Amelia turned to me, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Speaking of dancing, I talked to Grace about the butterfly ball. She's absolutely thrilled to help out. You should have seen her, Trevor. She was practically buzzing with ideas."

I chuckled, picturing the town's resident gossip queen in one of her signature elaborate hats, holding court at the dance. "I can imagine. Grace never does anything halfway, does she?"

"No, she certainly doesn't." Amelia's laughter mingled with mine, filling the enclosure with warmth. "But you know, I'm glad she's so enthusiastic. The whole town is coming together to celebrate these little miracles."

I reached for her hand, intertwining our fingers. "Amelia, there's something I want to show you."

Her eyes met mine, curiosity dancing in their depths. "What is it, Trevor?"

"It's a surprise." I tugged gently on her hand, leading her out of the enclosure and towards the garden.

As we walked hand in hand, I felt my heart racing. This was the moment I had been planning for, the moment that would change our lives forever.

I thought back to the journey that had brought us here - the laughter, the tears, the challenges we had faced together. Every step, every obstacle, had only made us stronger.

As I led Amelia towards the fairy-lit garden with the ring in my pocket, I knew with unshakable certainty that she was the one I wanted to spend the rest of my days with.

Just as we reached the edge of the garden, just as I opened my mouth to reveal the surprise, my phone blared to life, shattering the magic of the moment.

I froze, my heart plummeting as I recognized the ringtone reserved for emergency calls from the fire station.

With a sinking feeling in my gut, I reached for my phone.

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