Page 94 of Dreams and Reptiles

“We don’t need to finalize our contract today if you need time to come up with a counteroffer—Oh, baby, I’m too nervous to keep up the clever business talk. Francis Liang, will you marry me? Today, next year, or decades from now? Whenever you’re ready?”

I covered my mouth with my hands, and tears burned my eyes.

“Wait. Did my mom put you up to this?”

The entire crowd cracked up, and Kendall blushed.

“I was already planning to ask you tonight in this very spot, but, yeah, she and Shay told me that I had the right idea.”

I looked toward the house, where Mom, Shay, and Auntie Judy were hugging each other and bouncing up and down cheering. My squad. I loved it.

But I noticed another figure standing several feet behind them.

My father.

In a way, he’d been the catalyst for me ending up in Foggy Basin. If he hadn’t kicked me out, I probably would have stuck around Silicon Valley and found another job in finance and continued to kill myself at a job that made me miserable. The past four months I’d been here had been the greatest of my adult life, and finding Kendall was the icing on the cake.

He was my best friend, my lover, my person.

And I wanted us to be husbands. Now.

My father offered a closed-lip smiled, the most he usually did, and gave a slight nod. Not that I needed his permission, but I appreciated in that moment that he was there to witness My Ascent. Because hitting rock bottom with My Demise was the beginning of the New Francis. I lived for me, I lived to help others chase their dreams, and I lived to find happiness with a wonderful man who made me feel safe and loved.

“Francis?”

“Kendall, yes. Yes. I see no need for any further delay in closing this deal. I want to be husbands. Now. Please.”

A huge whoop of joy filled the yard of Maison De Reve as Kendall climbed to his feet.

“Really, baby? Because this is what I want, but if you aren’t ready⁠—”

I reached out and put a hand over his lips. “Seriously, I want it, too. I didn’t know how to ask you the other night if you’d ever want to get married again, because it’s all I’ve been thinking about. I love you.”

“I love you, too. Now⁠—”

Dianne cleared her throat. “May I speak?”

We both laughed, and so did the crowd, who all had cameras and phones out, snapping pics and recording video.

“Of course, thank you so much.”

She nodded. “As was said before, this won’t be a legally binding marriage, but an oath before each other and your friends and family that you wish to enter into a marriage of love and fidelity for the rest of your days. Is that what you wish?”

“Yes.”

“Please.” I couldn’t help it. Now that I knew he wanted it too, I wanted to get to the good part.

“Wonderful. Let’s begin.”

I spaced out most of her words in the beginning because I was lost in wonder as I gazed at my person, who was about to become my husband. For the rest of our days. Together. Of course, we had a million things to work out, but the most important thing we’d learned in our time together was that we could do anything as a team. We’d figure the rest out.

“Do you have the rings, Kendall?”

“Oh, yes.” He started to hand Dianne the rings, but then he hesitated. “These rings were worn by my father and grandfather, two imperfect men that I looked up to very much. One thought would be that the rings might not represent the kind of fresh start that you and I came to Foggy Basin for, that we found in each other. But I would argue that by using the rings of the men who molded and shaped me into the man I am today, we’re embracing their legacies and taking the lessons from one and inspiration from the other to live and love the life I think they would have wanted for themselves, and for us. One full of love and honor and happiness.” He exhaled and smiled hesitantly. “What say you, soon-to-be Mr. Liang-Warren?”

“I say,” I began, my full heart threatening to spill over, “that by expressing our vows to love and support one another, on this special ground that has been repurposed to help make dreams come true, we are absolutely giving and receiving a second chance at happiness. I’m all for redemption arcs.” I leaned in and stage whispered, “I learned that from the romance authors.” I gave him a wink, and he laughed, but his blue eyes filled with tears. The good ones, I hoped.

“Now that we’ve settled that, may I do my job? Please?”