Page 202 of How to Kiss a Hawthorne Brother
“I scored two goals. Did Mommy tell you? I was super-fast.”
“I bet you were.”
“Do you want to come and watchCocowith us tonight?”
Perry looks to me, and I nod my approval of Jack’s impromptu plan.
“I’d love to. Think I could bring us a pizza?”
Jack’s eyes go wide. “With extra cheese!”
Perry gives me a knowing look. “You have no idea how happy that answer makes me.”
I laugh as he leans in to kiss me one more time.
“Hey,” Olivia calls from the SUV. “I’ve got to nurse my kid before next Tuesday. Are you coming back with us?”
Perry holds up a finger, asking them to wait. “I’m going to go get my truck,” he says to me. “And take a shower. Then I’ll come back. Is that okay?”
I nod. “I would love that.” I look at Jack. “Wewould love that.”
He kisses the side of my head, then kisses the side of Jack’s head before putting Jack down and backing away. “I’ll see you tonight?”
I nod, not even attempting to curb my smile. “We’ll be waiting.”
Later that evening after a movie with Jack, bedtime with Jack, and another movie just for us, we’re snuggled on the couch in my tiny living room, our feet resting on the ottoman, my head resting on Perry’s chest.
“Hey, Lila?” Perry asks sleepily.
“Hmm?”
“Would it be weird if we don’t wait long to get married?”
I lift my head, somehow not surprised that we’re circling back to this topic. “No, but I think you’d have to ask me first.”
“Marry me,” he says, nuzzling the side of my head with his nose.
I smile and roll my eyes. “You’re asking me right now? Like this?”
“You want a big production with my whole family watching? I’m not much of a showman, but I can call Flint and get his input—”
I cut him off with a kiss. “I don’t need a big production,” I say. “This, right here, just the two of us, is perfect.”
“Does that mean you’re saying yes? You’re actually going to marry . . .” He hesitates and grins, like he can hardly get the next words out without laughing. “You’re going to marryHotty Hawthorne?”
My eyes go wide at the name I once uttered, then convinced myself he hadn’t heard. “Wow. You’ve been holding that one in your back pocket for a long time.”
“Just waiting for the right moment.”
“Oh, I’m so glad you decided yourproposalwas the right moment to make fun of me. How nice.”
“It was so hard to keep a straight face after I heard you. The way you were psyching yourself up, and then—”
“You know what?” I sit up and reach toward the side table where our phones are both sitting. “If I’m marrying Hotty Hawthorne, I should call up Flint and see if he’s interested.”
“Nope! That’s out of the question.” Perry wraps his arms around me from behind and hoists me off the couch, spinning me around and putting me down so he’s standing in between me and our phones. And then he drops to one knee.
“You still haven’t said yes, Lila. Please marry me. No jokes this time. Just me. Telling you how much I love you. How much I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”
