Page 112 of The Wrong Date Deal

She got into position, leaning on the counter with her phone out, and waited for August, just as she had been, without realizing it, one year ago.

She spotted August walking towards the door with enough time to send her a quick text:Tan coat. Red beret. Completely in love with you

August looked overwhelmed as she stepped through the door, phone in hand, already knowing something was different. She laughed, tearing up as she took in the decorations, and her eyes lingered on the boards that led her to Piper.

After each one, her gaze bounced to Piper and she took a step closer, clearly torn between wanting to take in every detail and simply running at Piper to sweep her up into a kiss.

Piper tried not to adjust her stance too much as she waited. She didn’t want to crush the petals before she’d even managed to propose. Now that August was here, though, she was feeling a lot less nervous. This made sense. Everything about the two of them did. They’d had their first conversation here and, fromthose very first words, it all just fit. Now, there was nothing in the world that made more sense than the fact that she was about to propose to August Carmichael.

“Happy anniversary,” August whispered, her voice teary when she finally made it to Piper.

“Happy anniversary,” Piper replied, looking up at her adoringly. She had never seen anything as beautiful as August and that was never going to change.

August laughed, gesturing to their friends and family. “I can’t believe you did all of this.”

Piper bit her bottom lip, taking August’s face in her hands. “There is nothing I wouldn’t do for you, August.”

Tears broke free of August’s eyes, running down her face, and even that was impossibly beautiful.

“You know I feel the same way about you, too, don’t you?” she asked, her voice husky with emotion.

Piper nodded. She did know that. She knew it down to her bones and it made her feel like the luckiest person in the universe. She took a breath, moving to hold August’s hands. “August, one year ago, I stood here and sent a message to someone I was supposed to be meeting. It turned out I was sending that message to the wrong person entirely, but, somehow, the universe figured that out and intervened. I don’t know how it happened and, honestly, I have no interest in questioning it, because that day, I met you and you are everything I’ve ever been looking for. You are my best friend, the love of my life, and the only one I want by my side for whatever comes next.”

She kissed August’s hands and reached into her pocket to pull out a ring box—red, just like her beret.

August gasped as if she hadn’t been completely sure what was happening until that very moment. “Piper…” she breathed.

Piper smiled at her and dropped to one knee on the bed of red petals. “I know hard times will come, but so will good ones, and the good ones will be infinitely more plentiful with you in my life. And, if you say yes, I will do everything in my power to make your life everything you’ve ever dreamed of and more because you deserve to beadored, August, for every day of your life.”

“Why would I ever sayno?” August asked, her voice low and confused and amused.

Piper laughed and opened the box, not missing that August didn’t even look at the ring, her eyes locked on Piper’s. They’d look at it later, revel in it later, but, right now, it was just about the two of them. “Well, then… August Carmichael, will you marry me?”

August started laughing and crying, nodding wildly. “Of course! Of course I’ll marry you. Yes!”

She dropped to the floor with Piper, being just cautious enough not to send the ring flying as their lips found each other, arms wrapping tight around the one thing they both loved above all others.

The room erupted in cheers and Piper knew her mom would be taking a ridiculous amount of pictures. She couldn’t wait to see every single one of them.

She and August pulled apart and she moved to slip the ring on August’s finger—a perfect fit since they’d both had their fingers measured for exactly this eventuality.

August finally looked at it and her breath hitched. It was the exact one she’d pointed out to Piper six months ago. “It’s perfect.” She looked back up at Piper. “You’reperfect.”

Piper laughed. “Hey, I think I’m the lucky one here.”

“Not at all.” She shook her head, getting up from the floor and helping Piper up. “I knew I should have swung by the apartment and picked up your ring on the way here.”

Piper paused on her way to press another kiss to August’s lips. “You already have it?”

“Of course I do. I’ve had it for the last five-and-a-half months. And youjustbeat me to the punch.”

“You were going to propose this weekend?” Piper laughed, already knowing the answer.

“I was indeed.” She wrapped her arms around Piper’s back and pulled her in close. “But I’m not sorry it went like this. And I’ll still propose. You deserve it.”

Piper kissed her eagerly. “I don’t know how I get to spend my life with you, but I’m not ever giving that up.”

Their loved ones descended on them, a whirlwind of hugs and kisses and congratulations and Piper knew she’d absolutely made the right decision by doing this with them present. It wasn’t for everyone but it was for them.

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