Page 75 of The Proximity Effect

The terrace had been transformed with strings of warm white lights creating a canopy overhead, each strand perfectly spaced to create a starlit effect. It was a little cooler than inside, but the electric fireplaces made it cozy. Plush pillows and throws were arranged around a low table laden with her favorite desserts from Sweet Cheeks, champagne chilling in an ice bucket, and small plates of chocolates and chocolate-covered strawberries.Beyond the terrace, the lake stretched out like liquid silver under the full moon, surrounded by snow-capped peaks. Even I had to admit it looked magical.

“This is...” She took it all in, her voice wavering. “You guys did this for me?” The wonder in her voice made something in my chest knot.

“Happy Valentine’s Day.” The words came out in near-perfect unison, making her laugh even as she wiped at her eyes.

“You’re going to make me cry.” Her smile could have outshone all the lights above us.

Evan pulled her toward the picnic setup with his usual enthusiasm. I caught Liam’s eye as we followed, sharing a quiet moment of understanding.

We had spent days planning this together, wanting to show Tessa that she meant more to us than just the woman running the kitchen or sharing our bed. The way she looked at everything with such appreciation made me realize we had achieved exactly what we had hoped for—and perhaps something more.

Chapter 26

One Last Word Vomit

Tessa

Isank onto the pile of pillows, my legs suddenly feeling like they were made of the chocolate mousse I’d been plating all evening. The guys settled around me, and I was caught between wanting to stare at everything they’d created and wanting to stare at them.

The lights above us twinkled like stars, and the way they reflected in the guys’ eyes made my heart do complicated things I wasn’t prepared for. “I can’t believe you planned all this with everything going on today…”

Liam poured champagne into flutes. “We wanted to do something special.” He passed me a glass, his fingers brushing mine. “You’ve changed things around here. For all of us.”

I took a sip of champagne to hide how much these men affected me. These weren’t just three men I was sleeping with anymore. Somehow, they’d become essential and important in a way that scared me a little. Especially because it was happening so fast.

“You know, when I got stuck in the snow that first day, I thought it was the universe’s way of kicking me while I was down.” I looked around at the three of them—Archer with his quiet intensity, Evan with his infectious joy, and Liam with his steady warmth. “Turns out, it was more like the universe showing me exactly where I needed to be.”

“Even with the underwear-in-the-tree incident?” Archer’s lips twitched.

I groaned, hiding my face against his shoulder. “I was trying to have a moment here.”

“You can have all the moments you want.” Liam tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, the gentle gesture making my skin tingle. “We’ve got all night.”

“And a whole platter of desserts.” Evan held up chocolate-covered strawberries. “These are done the right way. We take complaints very seriously around here.”

I laughed, but my eyes welled with tears. “You guys are making it really hard not to fall for you, you know that?”

The words slipped out before I could stop them, hanging in the air like the lights above us. For a terrifying moment, I thought I’d said too much and pushed too far.

Archer’s hand tightened on mine. Liam’s thumb brushed across my cheek, catching a tear I hadn’t even realized had fallen.

Evan set down the strawberries and moved closer, his usual grin softened into something more vulnerable. “Maybe that’s exactly what we’re trying to do.”

I looked at each of them, seeing my own emotions reflected back at me three times over. This wasn’t only about amazing sex anymore—although that was definitely a perk. This was about falling in love, and somehow not being scared about it at all.

“Well then.” I raised my champagne glass. “Mission accomplished.”

“Speaking of mission accomplished… while you were gone, we got a letter from Gavin.” Archer sounded uncertain for the first time, and it immediately brought my attention to him. “There hasn’t been a right time to talk to you about it.”

The champagne bubbles were suddenly too sharp on my tongue as I thought about their complicated history. After everything I’d learned, a letter from beyond was loaded with meaning, like one of those movie moments where everything could change. “Is... everything okay?”

“More than okay.” Archer’s thumb traced circles on my palm, the gentle motion at odds with the intensity in his expression. “The letter confirmed some things we were already working through with each other.”

“And it gave us permission to move.” Evan popped a chocolate into his mouth and made an exaggerated expression of bliss that pulled a reluctant smile from me despite my nerves.

“Move?” The word came out squeaky, like I’d been sucking helium instead of sipping champagne.

“Gavin said we could find a bigger place as long as we still lived together. We’ve already started looking at properties online,” Liam said with a bit of hesitation in his voice.

---