Page 37 of The Best Friend Power Play

"You're not asking. I'm offering."

I think about it for half a second, but then… "No, no, no. This is a terrible idea."

"Why?"

"What about your list? This is your hot girl summer, remember?"

"I know that. And I'm free to add things to the list."

"You want to add getting fake married to me to your list?"

"Sure." She bites her lip, then adds, "Just don't tell my friends, otherwise they will have a field day with this."

"That's actually a very good point, Hannah," Pa says, glancing around the room. "We can't have word of this getting out. This stays here. Okay, everyone?"

Everyone nods, like it's a done deal.

It is not a done deal.

I swivel around to face Hannah, grab her by both shoulders, and look deep into her beautiful light-blue eyes. I can see the sincerity in them, but I'm still not happy that her summer, her time to finally do things for herself, is going to begin with her doing me a huge favor.

But before I can voice any more of my concerns, she drops to one knee. Her grin blooms into a wide smile as she says, "Culver Palladino, will you marry me?"

5

Hannah

"Honey, I'm home," I call out, tossing my keys into the bowl.

It's been four days since I did the single craziest, most spontaneous, thing I've ever done in my twenty-five years on this planet.

I. Proposed. To Culver.

I still can't believe I did that.

And it wasn't just a casual, 'Hey, let's do this thing so you can score an inheritance.'

No.

I dropped to my knee, and I proposed in front of almost his entire family.

It was a moment of temporary insanity for sure, but I don't regret it for a second. In fact, I'm proud of myself.

If I'd thought about it—or, as I'm prone to do, overthought it—I wouldn't have done it.

It was rash.

Impulsive.

Completely embarrassing.

In other words, a totally un-me thing to do.

And that's what I love about it.

It's the first un-me thing I've done in a very long time. I didn't have to factor in the kids, or my work schedule, or anyone or anything else. I got an impulse and went for it, and I'm glad I did.

His stunned expression, with eyes wide and mouth hanging open, will always stay with me. Did he think I was crazy? Was he trying to come up with a nice way to break it to me that he thought I was crazy?

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