Page 111 of The Wrong Date Deal

They both turned to fuss over ‘their boys’, and Piper turned on the spot, taking the moment in. Not one part of her had expected to fall in love with the woman she’d end up marrying when she’d walked in a year ago, looking for a woman with brown hair, but here they were.

Her phone rang.August.Even with the nerves, the sight of her face lighting up the screen, knowing she was on the other end of the line, was so soothing and exciting all at the same time, even after almost a year of dating.

“It’s August,” she called, alerting everyone to keep the noise down.

Meilíng let out an involuntary, excited squeal before clamping a hand over her mouth and laughing into her partner Noah’s shoulder.

Piper held back a laugh as she answered the call.

“Hello, gorgeous,” August said, sounding carefree.

Piper sighed, relaxing into August’s happiness. “Hello, beautiful.”

“I just got your message—you want to eat out?”

She hummed. “Yeah, I’m really feeling Bellham’s. What do you think?”

August laughed softly. “I think you’re ridiculously romantic.”

“I know,” Piper said, drawing out the word. “And I know we said we were having a cozy night in tonight and going there on the weekend to celebrate, but it’s today, and I want to be there with you.”

“Sounds perfect. Want me to pick you up on the way?”

“Nah, that’s okay, I’m already pretty close.”

“Oh, you were already on your way there, huh?”

“Maybe.”

August laughed again. “I love you, you hopeless little romantic.”

“I love you too,” Piper said, feeling the words in every part of her body.

In her peripheral vision, she saw Massima practically swoon at her words, gripping Shea’s arm for dear life.

“I’ll be there in about fifteen minutes,” August said. “And I can’t wait to see you.”

“You too.” Piper looked around. Fifteen minutes. That was enough time.

August wrapped the call up and, after checkingthree timesthat the line had disconnected, Piper announced her ETA to the room.

There was a rush of activity, a flurry of voices and decorations, and, with seven minutes remaining, the place was ready.

Shea cleared her throat behind Piper’s back when Piper was staring at the placards with teary eyes—an exhibition of her year with August. Important dates, adventures, quiet, sweet Saturday mornings, late, busy Friday nights… All of the minutes that made up a life together laid out in the place they first met, forming a path from the door to the counter, where Piper would be waiting for her on a carpet of rose petals.

“I think it’s time for these,” Shea said, and even she was unable to hide her giant grin at the romance of the moment.

Piper looked from Shea’s face to the tan coat and red beret she was holding out. She nodded, pulling the coat on.

“She’s going to sayyes,” Shea assured her.

“Hell yeah, she is,” Ford yelled from over by the tables.

Shea laughed. “She’s just as obsessed with you as you are with her, and you’re about to get everything you’ve ever wanted.”

Tears sprung up in Piper’s eyes. She’d usually come up with a witty retort for Shea but, today, she found she didn’t have one. All she had was more love for August than she’d ever known it was possible to feel for someone.

She pulled the beret on, looking over Shea’s black lace blazer that looked like an intricate, risqué tattoo on her skin. It fit a little too well to have been something she bought randomly, just for this occasion. Piper wasn’t going to ask questions right now. Later, maybe. But, also, maybe that was just Shea.

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