Page 177 of Closer

John turns to Marc. “You agreed to this?”

“As if you could’ve stopped it,” Marc says.

Some things never change, I suppose.

Sloan smacks John’s arm. “Stop it, you two.”

John holds up his hands, walking over to Sebastian and clasping him on the back, his normally stoic face split in a rare grin.

“Okay, okay, let the girl breathe!” Mary elbows her way through the throng to loop her arm through mine. “I’m sure she’ll give us all the details later. For now…” She steers me towards the tables. “I want to hear all about the proposal. Did he get down on one knee? Was there a string quartet? Rose petals? Oh! Did he hide the ring in a cupcake?”

I snort. “None of the above.”

“Well, don’t leave me in suspense! Spill!” She practically bounces in her seat as she tugs me down beside her.

I spot Sebastian, catching his eye across the lawn. He’s having a conversation with Elijah and John, but he must feel my gaze because he looks up, his lips curving into that familiar smirk. The one that never fails to make my heart stutter and my blood heat.

He winks, and I feel it like a physical caress.

“It was perfect.” I tear my eyes away, trying to focus on Mary’s expectant face.

Gemma leans her arm on my shoulder. “Oh, come on, we need more than that! Paint us a word picture here. I want to feel like I was there.”

“Well, if you insist…” The sides of my mouth curve up. “He took me to this drive-in theater, right? But get this, we were the only ones there. I’m talking completely empty lot, just his car parked in front of this giant screen.”

“Shut up,” Mary says.

“My brother rented out an entire drive-in just for you two?”

“Yep.” I pop the ‘p’. “So we’re watching Pride and Prejudice, and I’m thinking it’s just another one of our date nights. But then the movie ends, and suddenly there’s this new one starting up.”

“What was it?”

“It was us. Like, literally us. All these little moments and memories over the years. Photos and videos playing out on this massive screen.”

Mary clutches at her chest. “I think my heart just melted.”

“Oh, it gets better. So I’m sitting there, crying, and then these words just appear on the screen. Big, bold letters, like something straight out of those old Hollywood romances.” I pause. “Will you marry me,” I say softly.

Mary squeals, her hands flying to her mouth. “Holy.”

“I know, right? And then he lifts me out of the car, gets down on one knee, and pulls out this little velvet box, and I swear, I fell in love with him all over again in that moment.”

I peek at Sebastian again.

“He made me feel like the only girl in the world,” I murmur, more to myself than to them. “Like nothing else mattered but us in that moment.”

“Well, it’s about damn time,” Gemma says. “I was starting to think my idiot brother would never get his act together and put a ring on your finger.”

“Oh, please,” Mary says. “Like you and Elijah didn’t take forever and a day.”

“Totally different situation.” She sniffs, tossing her hair. “We had excusing circumstances.”

“Uh-huh. Sure,” Mary says.

“Alright, lovebirds!” Sloan claps her hands. “Enough canoodling! It’s time for brunch!”

A cheer goes up, and everyone scrambles for their seats, reaching for plates and platters.

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