Page 133 of Breaking Point

"Do a little spin." He does, and I whistle at the new leather shoes he has on too. "I think you got a great bang for your buck. What do you think of my dress?"

He taps his chin thoughtfully. "Do a little spin."

I do, my dress twirling around me in a cloud of verdant. My silver heels flash in the setting sun, and he whistles too before I come to a stop in front of him.

"You know, I'm not sure... but I think this might be your best one yet."

I gasp. "Even better than the silver sweetheart one I wore a few months back to that gala? I thought surely nothing could pass it."

"It was hard to beat, but you've got this... glow about ya right now, and there's nothing better," he tells me, and my chin wobbles as I try to fight off another round of tears.

I pull him in for a hug, and as his long arms wrap around me, I can't imagine anywhere else I'd rather be. My voice is muffled by his shoulder, "Thank you for coming."

"There's not a person in Westos who could keep me from coming," he says against my hair.

I chuckle. "You've proved that tenfold, too."

We draw back, and Ricky offers me his arm as we walk. For a bit we stare out at the river as people dance to a jazz song floating from a band on the patio.

"I don't think I ever properly said 'thank you,' you know. For last year," I tell him, and he narrows an eye at me.

He pats my hand, dismissing the comment. "There's no reason to."

I shake my head as I glance out at the swaying greenery hanging low over the water. "There is. You saved my life- multiple times. And others too. I'll never be able to repay you-"

"Repay me? Nah. Since I've known you, there's only one thing I've ever wanted. And you've given me that."

"What is it?"

He motions around us. To the lantern light and the music and the people dancing and laughing and smiling. To my greatest friends and family all in the same place, at the same time. I can't remember the last time everyone was in the same place together.

"Family," he admits quietly, and my heart squeezes in my chest. "For a time, thought I lost it. But I see now that the one I had was shit and this is the world making up for it."

I smile as he pinches my cheek. "We're closer than family."

"Well, I don't think they make a word for that," he says, and I laugh again, feeling lighter and happier than I have in a long time. "I think I've stolen you away from your fiance long enough, don't ya think?"

Just as he says it, I feel Crew lift me over his shoulder, and I break into a fit of laughter as he carries me up the dock.

He plops me right down in the grass and the world stops spinning enough that I see his brown eyes looking at me again. "I'm told that it's important to stay together. You know, so we're not so caught up in greeting everybody that we hardly have any time together."

"Really?" I feign surprise. "Who told you that?"

"You did, I believe."

"You learn fast." I give a curt, teasing nod as I look out over the party.

It's even more beautiful than I could've imagined. The ring on my finger sparkles in the setting sun, catching my eye, and I glance at it again. Still in awe that this man- this perfect, hardworking, incredible man- planned all of this without me ever knowing.

He hugs me from behind and I lean into him, enjoying his warmth as his breath fans my neck. "How do you feel about an elaborate big wedding?" he asks curiously.

He knows how I feel about it. We've talked before. I plan weddings for a living, but for my own, I want simple. Intimate.

"I'd rather just elope," I tease. Something gleams in his dark eyes when I turn to look at him, and I raise a brow. "What?"

"Then let's skip it. We've got the weekend." He motions to the door with his chin. "How about we go for a drive?"

He's serious, I realize. All I have to do is say the word and I'm sure we'd hop on his bike and find a chapel somewhere and get married tonight.

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