Page 130 of Irresistibly Us
“He’s right,” Jack says, bending to straighten the blanket and fluff the pillows I laid out. “Soph doesn’t need fancy shit or massive gestures. She only needs you.”
“You’re amazing together, you know.” Oliver jogs up to the deck and grabs the cupcake I brought, setting it on the blanket for me. “I’m glad you finally figured out what the rest of us always knew.”
“Shut it,” I mutter, but there’s no heat behind it. My family has been ribbing me for months about finally figuring out Sophie and I were always meant to be. I don’t really mind it though, because they’re right. I should have realized sooner, but I also wouldn’t change our story for the world. Our love grew over decades of family and friendship. It has become something more beautiful than I ever could have imagined, and now I get to ask my best friend—my favorite person—to be mine forever.
I am the luckiest fucking guy in the world.
“You really think it’s good?”
“It’s better than good.” Jack surveys the yard. “It’s perfect.”
“You guys still good to hang inside? The girls are bringing Soph here and they’re staying too.”
“Totally, but are you sure?” Drew asks with a frown. “You don’t want to maybe be alone tonight and then see everyone tomorrow?”
Oliver laughs, clapping Drew on the shoulder. “That’s not what we do here, my guy. Tyler is lucky our grandma didn’t insist on staying out here for the actual proposal, and I had to shut Asher down when he started making noises about recording the whole thing in person. No one in this family does anything alone. It’s always a family affair.”
“I didn’t think families like this actually existed,” Drew says, something in his voice feeling a lot like sadness. “It’s nice, the way you all are together.”
“You mean the way we are,” I say, tossing an arm around Drew and channeling my very best Rachel Parker to put a smile back on my friend’s face. “You’re one of my besties, which means you have a permanent place on the very tangled and convoluted Parker/Hansley/Wright/Sullivan/Simpson/Wyles family tree. And tonight, that includes waiting inside while I ask the love of my life to marry me and then celebrating with us. You’re important to Sophie and me. We need you here with us.”
“Thanks,” Drew says quietly, his voice a little thick. Then, in a split second, he snaps out of it, lips tipping up in a smirk. “Assuming she says yes.”
I scoff. “Fuck entirely off with that. I love Sophie with my entire heart and soul, and she loves me just the same. We are written in the goddamn stars, and in about twenty minutes, we’re going to belong to each other forever.”
With those words, every single nerve I have vanishes, and I’m counting down the minutes until I get to see my girl.
“Tyler?” I grin when my favorite voice on earth filters into the backyard. Bouncing up from the blanket, I jog over to the gate, throwing it open and wrapping my arms around Sophie, pressing my mouth to hers.
“Fuck, I missed you,” I murmur against her lips, tangling my fingers in her curls.
Sophie laughs, wrapping her arms around my waist. “We woke up together and then I was at your game. I know you saw me in the stands because when you threw your first touchdown you pointed to me, made heart hands, and yelledI love you Sophie Sullivanso loud I think the entire stadium heard you.”
Grinning wider, I kiss her nose. “Don’t forget about how I told every reporter in the stadium at my press conference after the game that I’m the happiest guy in the world because you own me, heart and soul.”
She snorts, hopping up and wrapping her legs around my waist. “How could I possibly forget? Your coach looked like he was two seconds away from spontaneously combusting at your little press performance. I’m pretty sure he would have rather you stuck to football.”
Wrapping one arm around her waist, I tangle my other hand back into her hair. “That would be boring. He doesn’t understand that I want to love you out loud. Everyone needs to know Tyler Hansley is off the market because he is owned entirely by his gorgeous, brilliant, absolutely ethereal bestie who takes his breath away.”
“Ethereal is new,” Sophie says, kissing my forehead in the way I love.
I shrug, leaning into her lips, breathing her in. “I’m workshopping new adjectives to describe you. Gorgeous and beautiful, while true, are not strong enough words to accurately portray your perfection.”
Sophie laughs, hugging me tightly. “You are my favorite person on earth.”
“And you’re mine,” I murmur, pressing my lips to her neck.
“So, you want to tell me why I’m here?” she says, easing back. “I was on the way home from dinner with the girls and Caitlin told me we needed to make a detour here. When I tried to go into the house, she shoved me down the driveway and told me you needed me back here. So what’s with the subterfuge?”
Grinning, so ready for this and everything that comes after, I set her down, taking her hand in mine and leading her into the backyard.
She stops short when she sees the setup, looking from our striped blanket back to me. “What’s happening right now?”
Pulling her to the blanket, I tug her down with me. “We didn’t get to have birthday night in our favorite place this year, so I thought we needed a redo.”
“I don’t know, I think birthday night this year was kind of perfect,” she says with a smile, then looks up. “I see you went extra heavy on the twinkle lights, but why is there only one cupcake box?”
Ignoring the cupcake box question, I flick her bracelets and link my finger with hers. “You love twinkle lights, and I want to give you the absolute most of everything you love.”
