She couldn’t speak. Couldn’t breathe.

His eyes clouded slightly as he clenched her fingers a little harder. “It is still the one, right? Your taste hasn’t changed?”

“It hasn’t changed,” she whispered, sliding the ring onto her finger. “It’s still the one.” Just like you are.

He chin dipped slightly in relief. “So that’s a yes?”

“That’s a hell yes.”

Brynn heard her sister give a little yelp of excitement, and her mom gave a definite sniffle as Will climbed to his feet and looked down at her newly adorned left hand.

“It doesn’t stop here, you know,” he said, rubbing a thumb along her fourth finger. “I want babies. Lots of them. And I want them to grow into precocious little monsters that have their entire lives planned by the age of seven.”

Brynn laid her palms on his cheeks, her fingers tracing his familiar features. “I want that too. But you know what? I’m more excited for the day when our kids see the light and get rid of the lists.”

Will smiled into her eyes. “Yeah?”

“Of course,” she said, pulling his head down for a kiss. “Because that’s when life really begins.”