Ruin My Life (Mangled Masterpieces #1)

Epilogue 2

Win

I love my boyfriend. Eternally. But the guy doesn’t know how to take a hint for the life of him.

“But you hate the beach,” Remy insists, slinging one of our coolers over his shoulder. I can’t help staring at the flex of his muscles beneath bare, tanned skin…

Ever since we moved into our new apartment last year, he’s been going to the gym like it’s his full-time job. He claims I overfeed him, but that doesn’t stop him from eating everything I make. I’ve been hyper-fixated on baking lately (My therapist recommended branching out my hobbies after almost relapsing on the anniversary of the worst day of my life) and caught him at midnight stuffing his face with cookies after claiming earlier I was trying to get him fat.

I refuse to let him live it down.

“Baby, you haven’t shut up about wanting to visit this spot for a fucking month,” I laugh.

“But it’s hot out. And sunny. What if you burn?”

“That’s what sunscreen and umbrellas are for: protecting vampires.”

He bites the inside of his cheek, attempting to hide his smile. I wiggle my eyebrows, pointing the umbrella in my hand toward the trail. “Are we going? Or are you gonna stand there making a hundred excuses?"

He squints. “Who are you and what did you do with my boyfriend?”

Blowing out a sigh, I drop my head back. “Dear Universe, give me the patience to deal with this paranoid, stubborn brat.”

“I am not a brat!”

I smirk. “You’re right. You’re THE brat.”

His nose scrunches as he marches up to me. Fuck, he’s sexy when he’s irritated. My dick wakes up at his proximity.

“Careful, Prince Winston,” he murmurs. “Your sass is gonna earn you a sore ass.”

Yep. My dick is at attention.

“Promise?”

He huffs, “ Menace ,” under his breath before leading the way down the path through a canopy of mangroves. Grinning, I sling a towel over my shoulders and jog to catch up.

Sun filters through the wide leaves, a slight breeze cutting through the branches smelling of low tide. Broken shells segue into fine white sand as we emerge onto the secluded beach.

It’s been eight years since we’ve been here.

Eight years since he kissed me for the first time.

I never thought I’d stand on this stretch of shoreline again, let alone with him. Emotion clogs my throat as he sets the cooler down, staring at the horizon line.

I’ve always observed him. Noted every tiny detail. The line between his brows when he’s deep in thought. The dimple that gives him away whenever he’s about to laugh. Or the way his eyes round right before he cries. I’ve studied him relentlessly. So when those expressive hazel eyes fall on me, I know what he’s afraid of.

Getting his hopes up.

I drop the umbrella, toss the towel in the sand, kick off my slides and grab his hand.

“What are you doing?”

Ignore his question, I drag him toward the ocean. The temperature instantly cools as we approach the waves. Wet sand sucks at the bottoms of my feet, white foam tickling my toes. I stop abruptly, gazing over the green-blue water.

“I’ve learned there’s always a balance in this world. Music can’t exist without silence. Light can’t exist without darkness.” Reaching into my pocket, I turn to face him. “I realize now that finding my way back to you was inevitable. You are my music. You are my light. Your soul balances mine. With you, I’m at peace. I’m seen. I’m understood. And I’m loved. And I want more than anything to spend the rest of my existence with you.”

His eyes brim with tears as I sink to one knee. Trembling, I pull out the little ring box.

“Sunshine, will you let me ruin the rest of your life?”

He crumbles to his knees too, grasping my face. “In this one and every lifetime after.”

Our mouths collide as seafoam laps at our legs. Choking on overwhelmingly beautiful emotions, I slide the gold band on his shaking finger. His cheeks glisten, eyes leaking and lips quivering.

“It’s perfect,” he whispers in awe at the tiny sun and star etched into the metal.

Suddenly, his eyes widen in horror. “Oh god! You don’t have one! I–I don’t have a ring for you yet and no one is going to know you’re engaged—”

I shut the idiot up with a kiss.

He pulls back, “No, don’t do that! I’m getting you one today. The same one but in black. And it’s gonna have a gold sun and star—”

Tackling him to the sand, I smash our lips together until he kisses me back. Soon, we’re losing ourselves in each other the way we’re destined to.