Page 176 of Hometown Halftime

I lean back against Riley’s chest. “Hey yourself.”

He glances around the crowded restaurant before lowering his voice. “Wanna get out of here for a minute?”

I turn my head. “Are you kidnapping me?”

“Probably.”

“Okay. I’m in.”

Riley takes my hand and leads me toward the front door. When we step out into the evening air, downtown Cedar Falls glows beneath streetlights while the music and voices from Gordy’s fade behind us. Riley keeps walking, fingers laced through mine while a nervous energy radiates off him.

“Where are we going?”

He just grins. “You ask too many questions.”

And then, when we make it to Town Square Park, I realize exactly where we’re headed—the tree we stood beneath at Fall Fest. The one where we kissed while my entire life changed beneath orange leaves and string lights.

Excitement creeps under my skin as we stop beneath the branches. Twinkle lights glow gold against the dark sky, wrapped around the tree. A small wireless speaker rests near the trunk beside us, and I look at Riley.

“Rookie, what’s all this?”

His grin widens. “Just hold on, Kitten.”

He bends to grab the speaker before tapping something on his phone. A second later, Motown music drifts through the night air. It’s the same song from our first kitchen dance the morning after the first time we slept together.

My heart feels like it’s going to burst out of my chest.

Riley steps closer before holding out one hand toward me. “Dance with me, Kinsey.”

I can’t fight the grin on my face or the butterflies in my stomach.

I slide my hand into his and melt against him as he pulls me close beneath the lights. The world feels quieter out here. It’s just us. Calm washes over me as Riley’s heart beats steadily beneath my cheek while he sways us slowly.

“You know what sounds fun?” he asks casually.

I look up and narrow my eyes. “That tone sounds suspicious. But I’ll bite. What sounds fun?”

He laughs. “What if you danced with me for the rest of our lives?”

I lift a shoulder in a shrug. “That sounds fun.”

“Yeah?” His hand tightens against my waist. “Good.”

He spins me once beneath the lights before pulling me back against him. But this time, when I settle against his chest, I notice the way his heart is beating faster and the way his breathing sounds uneven now.

Then he says, “I think we should get married too. That’d probably be fun.”

A startled laugh bursts out of me. “Probably?”

He plays it cool. “There are the tax benefits, and you could go on my insurance. I have really good insurance now, ya know.”

“Oh my God, insurance? You really know how to tempt a girl.”

Riley grins shamelessly while spinning me once more beneath the lights. “You think maybe you’d wanna marry me?”

I tilt my head thoughtfully. “Hmm. I guess that would be alright.”

“Yeah, it would be alright.”