Her Best Men

When we pulled apart, I reached into my coat pocket and got down on one knee. Julie’s eyes were wider than ever. She stared down at me, shocked and speechless.

“There are so many things I want to say to you,” I said. My voice was weak, but I kept going. “My love for you is stronger than anything I’ve ever felt in my entire life. Julie, I can’t even begin to tell you just how much I need you.”

“Oh my god.”

“I’ve never loved anyone the way I love you,” I said. “You’re everything to me. Everything.”

“Michael.” Julie’s eyes filled with tears.

“When we planned this trip, I could think of only one thing,” I said. “If I’m sure of anything, it’s that you and I were meant to be together. Always.”

I swallowed hard and opened the box. Julie’s eyes flickered to the ring and then back to my face. She was crying in earnest now, tears sliding down her cheeks.

“Julie,” I said. “Will you marry me?”

Her answering nod was the best moment of my life. She laughed through her tears and flung herself at me. I caught her and stood up, spinning her in a fast circle before setting her back on her feet.

I slid the ring on her shaking finger and kissed her. She was crying and laughing while I could barely contain my excitement.

“I love you,” she said.

“I love you, too.”

We kissed again, right there in front of the Eiffel Tower. People around us began to applaud, but we barely noticed. We were lost in each other, and nothing else mattered.

The End

RYE HART SNEAK PEEKS

BEAUTIFUL DISASTER

A SECOND CHANCE ROMANCE

PROLOGUE

Drake

Four Years Ago

“Dinner’s ready, babe!” Shannon called. Her sweet southern voice echoed up the staircase, as I stepped out the shower.

“Just finishing up baby, be right out!”

I stared into my reflection in the mirror, quietly thanking the cosmos for blessing me with more than I’d ever deserve. I had best fucking wife known to man, and I didn’t deserve her or that precious little girl that was waiting for me to come downstairs and join them for dinner.

I smiled as I threw on a shirt and my jeans, a nervous energy running through me as I thought about the night ahead.

I dashed down the stairs like a bat out of hell.

“Daddy!” Ava called from her seat at the table next to my wife.

She shot me a toothy grin, throwing her hands in the air as I passed by. I picked her up, and Ava squealed with delight, a high-pitched laughter bubbling up out of her. It was the best sound. I hugged her tight and spun her around. Shannon shook her head at our antics, trying not to laugh.

“Oh, you two. Sit, eat,” she said. “We're gonna be late as it is.” The frown lines on her beautiful face told me she meant business. She always had the cutest expressions when she was serious.

“Gotta do as mommy says. She’s the boss, you know?”

I kissed Ava on the head before putting her back down into her high chair. Her smile quickly turned upside down. Her second-year birthday had just passed, and she was growing up too damn quickly.