Page 114 of Puck Princess

“Fuck. Where do I go?” he whisper-yells.

I look around in a panic before I shove him towards the balcony doors.

“There’s no fire escape!” he says, looking around and down.

“Jump to Kennedy’s balcony. It’s not that far of a leap. You’ll be fine.”

“No, I won’t. She’s not going to let me in. Are you kidding?”

I hear Callie’s key turning in the front door. “This is your problem now. Goodbye.”

I shove him onto the balcony and rush back to the front door, stopping about three feet in front of it. I rake my hand through my hair and take a deep breath.

This is a good idea. A great idea.

Maybe we’re moving too fast, but it’s also perfect.

I pull the small velvet box from my pocket and drop to one knee just as the door opens.

37

CALLIE

I slam to a stop in the doorway and blink. Once. And again.

I’m not sure if I’m waiting for the image in front of me to dissolve like a mirage. Maybe I should give myself a good, hard pinch.

Then again, I might not want to wake up.

The apartment is dim, the only light coming from the flickering of tealight candles that are scattered across every conceivable surface. They illuminate enough for me to see the roses.

Scattered rose petals. Random long stemmed roses. Rose bouquets…everywhere.

As dreamlike as that all is, it’s not what has me frozen in the doorway. It’s not what has me wanting to take a mental snapshot of this moment that I can live in forever. One I can come back to anytime life gets dark, a reminder that impossibly good things can still happen.

Owen is standing in front of me. In a suit. With a ring box in his hand.

And he’s on one knee.

“Hey, Cal.”

His deep, happy voice tugs me another step closer.

“What is—” I drop my hand from my mouth. “Hi. Hello. What is… happening?”

As if I don’t know. I was never great at math, but this equation isn’t hard to work out. I’ve seen movies. I’ve read books. And I’ll never ever admit it, even under penalty of death, but I’ve spent time imagining what it would look like if, somehow, in some way, I ever got lucky enough to have Owen Sharpe propose to me.

And this is it.

Yet, I’m still having a hard time believing it. Because…

Wow.

Justwow.

Owen clears his throat, and I think he might be nervous. “Callie, I love you.”

Welp, any chance I had of keeping my emotions in check goes right out the window. No chance, no way. Tears roll down my cheeks, and I blink them away fast so I can see him. I don’t want to miss a second.

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