Page 294 of Heartache Duet

Also, we might be a little drunk. Well, everyone but Amy, obviously.

“So, I know it’s extremely early to ask this,” Mom says. “But have you got any idea about timelines? Dates? Maybe just a season?”

I shake my head. “Honestly, I’ve never even—”

“Tomorrow,” Connor squeaks, and we all laugh at the mere thought.

“Sure.” I roll my eyes. “Let me just pull an entire wedding—”

Connor coughs a few times, cutting me off, and tests his voice. When he’s sure it’s back to normal, he repeats, “Tomorrow.”

“Connor,” I laugh, but the longer I stare at him, the less funny it is.

He turns to me, his eyes searching mine as if we’re the only two people in the room. “I’ve waited five years for this moment, Ava. I don’t want to wait anymore. Everyone who’s important is here now, and afterward, if you want a big ceremony with all the bells and whistles, you know I’ll move heaven and earth to give that to you. But I’m asking you now that tomorrow, you give me forever.”

I suck in a breath. Hold it. “You’re serious?”

He nods, less confident than he was only minutes ago.

He’s right. Everyone important is here, but— “We don’t have a venue.”

“I know a place.”

“You know a place?” Mom asks, cutting through my thoughts. “Connor, sweetheart, I love you, but girls dream about their wedding day—”

“Not me,” I reply, not taking my eyes off the man in front of me. “The only thing I dreamed about is Connor...”

“You’re actually contemplating this?” Trevor asks, but it’s not out of worry. It’s more… anticipation. Excitement, even. He wants me to do this. I want to do this.

It’s clear that as much as Connor involved my family in this special moment, it’s evident that neither of them knew about this.

“Don’t we need a celebrant or something?” It’s the only thing I can think to say.

“That’s where I come in,” Michael chimes in. “Got it online!”

I laugh once, disbelieving, and focus on my fiancé. “You thought of everything, huh?”

He nods, his bottom lip caught between his teeth.

“I don’t have a dress.”

“I told you I packed you a bag.”

“You picked out her dress?” Amy coos. “That’s so romantic.”

Connor says, “It’s not a real wedding dress, but it’s white, and it’s perfect for where we’re going.”

My eyes narrow. “Where are we going?”

AVA

“This is the place where I drooled on his weenus!”

“Ava!” Both Mom and Trevor admonish, and all I can do is laugh, settle in the car seat.

For such an untraditional wedding, there was only one tradition Connor was adamant on keeping—that we spend the night apart. I wanted to fight him on it, obviously. The boy just asked me to marry him, and I’d wanted to strip him naked and jump his bones the moment he got down on one knee. Instead, I ended the night in bed with my mother.

Fun.

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