11. Dean

11

DEAN

“ A llie, where do I even start? Bottom line: you’re incredible. From the day we met, I knew we were meant to be… Okay, well, no, you had a boyfriend when we met and I was a manwhore. But. From the day that we hooked up—shit, no, it was a one-night stand, and you were ashamed and didn’t speak to me for days after…”

I take a breath and regroup.

“From the day that you took me back after we broke up because I was an asshole and got high and missed your play.”

Nope. Also terrible.

I try again.

“Allie. I don’t even know where to start.”

“Clearly,” comes Garrett’s dry voice. “By the way, the answer is no. Go ahead and close that box.”

I stare at the open jewelry box in my hand, all plush blue velvet and glittering diamond, trying to tamp down my frustration. I’m still kneeling in front of Garrett, former college roommate and best friend for life, in the living room of his expensive Boston brownstone, while our other best friend watches with amusement from the couch .

“I didn’t mind it,” Logan says frankly. “It adds sincerity most proposals are lacking.”

“It was awful,” Garrett corrects. “And I will not be marrying you, Dean Heyward-Di Laurentis. Sorry to break it to you. Now do it again.”

“Fine.” Normally I wouldn’t let G boss me around like this, but I’m a man on an important mission. You can’t go into something like this blind.

So, once again, I get in position. One knee. Velvet box in hand. This is my third proposal attempt, because as it turns out, Garrett Graham is goddamn hard to please. I wonder if Hannah has this much trouble satisfying him.

“Allie,” I start.

“Look into my eyes,” he orders.

I clench my teeth and look into his gray eyes.

“Stop squinting.”

I open my eyes wide.

Logan snickers. “Dude, you look like you’re possessed. You need to blink.”

I blink.

“Allie, you’re the greatest thing that’s ever happened to me,” I begin, keeping my gaze trained on Garrett.

“Ain’t that the truth,” Logan remarks.

I swivel my head toward him. “No commentary, asshole. You guys are supposed to be offering feedback.”

“I am. I’m offering feedback that she’s the best thing that’s ever happened to your sorry ass. Without that woman, you’d still be screwing your way through life, arguing cases in a courtroom and making an obscene amount of money, driving a Lambo or some other obnoxious sports car and—you know what? That doesn’t sound so bad. Maybe you don’t need to marry her.”

Garrett snorts out a laugh.

I just sigh. These two idiots, along with our friend Tucker, whose wedding I’m in town for, are closer to me than my own brother. Which says a lot, because my brother, Nick, and I are pretty damn close. But they’re right. Without Allie, I don’t know what my life would look like right now. Before her, I was on track to follow in my parents’ footsteps and attend Harvard Law, which I didn’t want to do. I also didn’t do girlfriends. The one I had in high school tried to kill herself after I broke up with her, and—not gonna lie—that scarred me.

But then a one-night stand changed my entire life. Allie Hayes is it for me. We’ve been together almost four years now, and there’s no doubt in my mind she’s the one I’m going to marry, have kids with, grow old with. I was never in a rush to propose before, but lately I’ve been feeling this urge to start moving things along. To know we’re moving forward in our relationship. And, yeah, now that Tucker and Sabrina are finally tying the knot and we’re all in Boston to celebrate with them, I guess I have wedding fever. I didn’t know that happened to dudes, but there you go. Somehow, I found myself picking out a ring at Tiffany the rare times Garrett brings him up, he calls him “Phil.”

Unfortunately, G can’t be rid of him entirely because Phil Graham is still a legend in the hockey world. But I’m pretty sure Phil played till he was forty-two, which is impressive.

“Oh, thanks for helping with Tuck’s surprise, by the way.” I rest the beer bottle on my knee. “I can’t believe it all worked out.”

“Tuck’s going to freak,” Garrett says.

“Seriously,” Logan tells me. “I hate giving your ego any more fuel, but I think this was the best idea you’ve ever had.”

“I know, right? It’s a good one.”

Ah, I can’t wait to see Tucker’s face tomorrow night. And I can’t wait for Allie to get here already.

Let wedding weekend commence.