Chapter 46
46
Millie
Ten Months Later
Months ago, I overheard Ezra talking to Cam about wanting to wait until the show got off the ground and the dust settled before he proposed. But The Proposal was practically an overnight sensation, and life has yet to slow down. In fact, between Ezra’s new role as principal, the unexpected success of the show, and Kane’s school and work schedule, we’ve been going a mile a minute. I was even nominated for a Tony for best performance by an actress in a leading role in a musical. I didn’t win, but the show did bring home an award for best original score. Ezra looked so breathtaking in his tux on the red carpet, I considered flushing my birth control that night.
I was convinced he’d propose while we were in the Hamptons after the Tony’s last week. Joey and Cam met us there, which felt like a dead giveaway, but when I came home without a ring on my finger, I did my best not to be salty.
Turning onto my side, I tap my phone screen. Two a.m. Ugh. There’s no use lying here when I can’t sleep, so I slip on a pair of comfy cotton shorts and one of Ezra’s shirts, then pad my way into the kitchen for a cup of chamomile tea.
Just as I sit on the couch with my mug, Ezra appears. With one eye still glued shut, he tucks his messy curls behind his ears. The plaid pajama pants hanging from his hips reveal the panty-dropping, delicious lines pointing straight to his?—
“Everything okay?” He props himself against the doorway with his arms crossed.
“Can’t sleep,” I say over my steaming mug.
“Do you feel okay?”
“I’m fine.”
His brows pinch together in uncertainty, but he doesn’t continue to dig.
Uneasy under his scrutiny, I blurt out, “Why haven’t you proposed?”
Something like shock spreads across his face.
Before he can answer, I go on. “Do you not want to marry me?”
He immediately rounds the sofa and sits beside me. “What would ever give you that idea?”
“Nothing, actually.” I shrug, setting the mug on the table. “I just—we’ve been living together for nearly a year.”
“Mills.” He rests a hand on my thigh. “We’ve been so busy. I didn’t want to add any more busyness to your life.”
I keep my attention downcast, but his gaze burns my cheek.
“Wait right here,” he finally says.
When he returns, he drops to his haunches, his knees hitting the floor between my feet. Then he grips me by the hips to pull me closer to the edge of the sofa. A hard object digs into my hipbone, but before I can see what it is, he’s presenting me with a dark red velvet box.
“Millie.” He clears his throat. “Amelia, you captivated me from the moment I met you in Greece. You sparkled and shone like a diamond. Maybe it’s corny, but it’s the damn truth. I couldn’t take my eyes off you. While we may have had an unconventional reunion”—we both chuckle at that—“we were given a second chance.” He quickly wipes at his eyes. “You make everything in my life brighter. Being with you is entertaining and exciting. It’s a privilege. And I promise I won’t ever let you feel otherwise. I loved pretending to be married to you. I want to do it for real.” He takes a deep breath. “So, I have a question…”
My heart races, and my stomach is twisted into knots. My hands are trapped in his. Otherwise I’d wipe the dampness from my face.
“Would you rather…”
I toss my head back and roar with laughter.
When I’ve mostly calmed myself, he starts again. “Would you rather drink black coffee every day for the rest of your life or… be my wife?”
“Hmm.” I tug my hand free and tap a finger on my chin. “That’s a tough one.”
His dark eyes are soft and spectacular, full of patience. But I can’t make him wait a second longer.
“Wife! I pick wife.” I fling my arms around his neck with so much force I nearly knock him over.
Settling next to me, he slips the ring onto my finger. I hold up my hand, my breath catching, and the two of us admire it like a painting in a museum.
“Is this the same ring?” I bring it closer to examine it in the dim light. It’s a circular diamond with smaller diamonds surrounding it set on a white-gold band, just like the one he gave me at the airport last summer. “It looks more sparkly.”
“That’s because it is.” He kisses my knuckle right above the ring. “I exchanged it for a moissanite diamond. It’s the brightest gem there is. ”
“Ezra, it’s stunning.” I preen. “I love it. I love you .”
“I love you so much, baby. I’m sorry for making you question whether I wanted to marry you. Of course I want to marry you. I’ve wanted to marry you since the moment I called you my wife at the hospital in Hawaii.”
“Really?”
With a nod, he licks his lips. “The thought of calling you that every day for the rest of my life felt so fucking good.”
Folding into his tight embrace, I study the stone, unable to get enough of it.
We stay like that for so long that I startle when he finally speaks. “I think we should get married tomorrow.”
“What?” I turn in his arms and blink up at him. “Tomorrow?”
“Yeah. Kane is leaving for camp in a couple of weeks, and I can’t do it without him. Plus, there’s something I’ve been meaning to talk to you about.”
My heart tightens in apprehension. “Okay?”
“Since we haven’t heard from Rob since I took guardianship of Kane, I can officially adopt him now.”
“That’s great.” I bounce on the cushion, my heart leaping. “Have you told him yet?”
“No. I wanted to talk to you about it first.”
Head tilted, I frown in confusion. “Oh?”
“I want your name on the adoption papers too.”
My heart just about launches itself out of my chest. “Me?”
“I realize it’s a little unconventional, and I completely understand if it’s too much, but?—”
“I’m in.” I squeal, then quickly cover my mouth because Kane is sleeping in the other room.
Wetness spills down my fiancé’s face, triggering the waterworks from me too. Then we’re giggling and caressing each other, salty tears mixing on our tongues as we kiss .
“Can we wake him?” I squirm, excitement vibrating through my veins.
“Soon, baby.” He kisses my forehead. “Let’s go back to bed, and if he’s not awake when we get up, then we’ll wake him.”
I frown. “I’m too buzzed to sleep.”
“Who said anything about sleep?”
“Mmm, this is nice,” Ezra hums in my ear, waking me from a relaxing slumber.
“What is?”
He finds my left hand beneath the sheets and brings it to his lips. “Waking up to a naked fiancée.”
“Best feeling in the world,” I agree.
We cradle and massage every inch of each other’s skin with fondness. I never want to forget this moment. The moment where only the two of us know we’re engaged.
But before long, I’m restless with impatience again. “Can we tell him now?”
Once we’re decent, Ezra knocks on Kane’s door. The second he calls out, I dart in and launch myself onto the edge of his bed.
“Hey, buddy. Wake up. Wake up! Remember when you asked me if I was going to adopt you?”
“Okay, we’re jumping right in,” Ezra chuckles behind me. “ Good morning ,” he says, modeling an appropriate introduction.
Sitting up, Kane rubs his eyes. “Huh? What are you talking about?”
“Do you remember the time you asked if I was going to adopt you?”
He nods, his brow knitted and his lips tugged into an apprehensive frown .
“Is that something you still want?” My heart dangles from the edge of a cliff while I wait for his response.
“What?” he asks again, clearly not awake enough to process well.
Raising my hand, I flash him my engagement ring. “Your brother and I are getting married. For real this time. Tomorrow, actually.”
“And we have the green light on an official adoption,” Ezra says, sounding as elated as I feel.
“So is that?—”
“Yes.” Kane rockets off the bed and engulfs me in the biggest hug. Then he rises to meet his brother for a long and tearful embrace. When he steps back, he pokes Ezra in the shoulder. “I’m not calling you Dad, though.”
“That’s okay. I already call him Da?—”
Ezra clamps a hand over my mouth and brings his lips close to my ear. “Do not finish that sentence.”
“Or what?” I mumble against his hand.
His dark eyes flash. “You don’t wanna know.”
I lick his palm. “I think I do.”
“Oh my god.” Kane slaps a hand to his face. “Is it too soon to move out?”
Laughing, we head toward his door, but he calls out, stopping us.
He looks to me, then to his brother. “I… thank you.” His lips are pulled in tight, but then they loosen. “I love you.”
Ezra’s throat bobs as he stares unabashedly.
Fuck, the sight makes my heart race.
When he stands taller, pride seeps out of his pores. “I love you too.”
If he could have traded sexual favors for the ability to bypass the twenty-four hours we had to wait after applying for our marriage license, I think Ezra would have done it.
Standing in my underwear in our closet, I huff. “I have nothing white.”
“You do have that bikini…”
“Ezra, I am not marrying you in a fucking bikini.” Normally I’d find his joke adorable, but not when I have nothing to wear to my own wedding.
“Okay, okay.” He holds up his hands. “Don’t you still have those white sundresses from Hawaii?”
“They don’t fit anymore.”
Working with such a body-positive cast and crew was one of the greatest experiences of my life. Show business has a long way to go in this department, but I’m optimistic the rising generation will continue to drive the industry in a more supportive and inclusive direction.
“You don’t have to wear white. What about that pink dress?” He sidles up next to me—naked, having abandoned his own efforts—and nods to the back of our closet. “The tags are still on. That could be your something new.”
“I guess that will work.” I ease it off the hanger and turn to him. “Will you help me zip up the back, please?”
I make him stand with his back to me while I slip on my Spanx. While I love my body, there are some things a fiancé doesn’t need to see.
When the magenta dress with flowy chiffon sleeves easily glides over my hips, I let out a relieved sigh.
With deft fingers, Ezra drags the zipper up my back, the move causing goose bumps to blossom across my chest where the pendant from Kane lies.
Wrapping his arms around my waist, he tugs me against his naked body and kisses my temple. “Today, you become my wife.”
I hum. “I like the sound of that. It’s a shame I only get to call you my fiancé for a few more hours. But I guess ‘my husband’ has a nice ring to it.”
His dick twitches against my back. I think he likes it too.
“Does it bother you that we aren’t being married by a rabbi?” he asks.
“A little,” I admit. “It’s important to my parents. They’ve always assumed I would. But they’re okay with having a ceremony in a synagogue later. I can’t wait to start planning.”
“Thank goodness you have your PowerPoint.”
I tip my head back, glaring at him. “How do you know about that?”
He chuckles against my ear, still holding me tight in his arms. “Asher emailed me a copy.”
“That little turd,” I laugh. “I think my vision has changed a bit since.”
“I’d say, since your partner has a penis and not a vulva.”
“You’re hilarious,” I deadpan. “Ugh, can you imagine how adorable Bea will look in a flower girl dress? Oh, that reminds me.” I rotate my head to look at him again. “Remember when you put her to bed that first time? With those awful animal impressions? What did you whisper to her?”
He gives me a squeeze. “That I was going to make you my wife.”
“Cocky, were you?”
“Always. I can’t wait to marry you.” He sucks at my neck, making my knees buckle.
We sway together, my head resting against him and his lips moving along the sensitive skin of my jaw.
While I love the way his hard cock presses into my ass, that will have to wait until later. “Put some pants on. You better not get precum on my dress,” I scold playfully as I pull away.
“Or you could…” A mischievous look washes over him.
“Get changed, big guy.” I tap his dick, and he contracts in surprise. “Let’s go get married.”
“We have a surprise for you tonight,” Stevie announces from the stage. “Please welcome, and give a great big mazel tov to our very own queen, Millie, and her very average-looking new husband ”—they give an exaggerated wink—“Ezra.”
The crowd at FrenchSHEs goes wild as a spotlight shines on us.
My parents, Dawn, and Kane were our four witnesses at our perfect little courthouse wedding. It was logical for us to end up at FrenchSHEs on karaoke night, doing what we did the night we met.
“What are you going to sing?” Joey asks as Cam passes around glasses of champagne. Asher got a babysitter, and Claire is here too.
“I haven’t thought about it, actually,” I admit. “Ezra says he’s got it covered.”
She quirks a brow, surprised that I’d relinquish control like that, I guess.
“Look.” I point to where Stevie, Kane, and Dawn are dressing my dad in a Dolly Parton wig. “I think he’s having more fun than anyone.”
Once it’s in place, he can barely keep his head up. My mom snaps pictures from all angles, probably to ensure she has the best shot to put on this year’s Chanukkah card .
“Hey.” Ezra appears next to me and squeezes my ass. “It’s time.”
“For what?”
Without responding, he drags me up the stairs, and instead of standing center stage, he leads me to a chair slightly off to the side.
He gently forces me to sit with my back to the audience so all I can see is my husband, who now has full control of the mic.
When a loud whistle rings out, the crowd quiets. I whip my head around to find the source and catch Asher tossing up a very dorky-dad thumbs-up.
“Good evening,” Ezra announces.
He’s removed his suit jacket, and though his white shirt is still tucked into his hunter green slacks, he’s undone the top few buttons, showcasing a smattering of dark hair, and he’s rolled his sleeves. His pants taper above a pair of brown loafers that complete the outfit. Who knew a man’s naked ankle could be so sexy?
“Many of you know my wife, Millie.”
Everyone cheers and I toss a reluctant wave, still at a loss for what the fuck is happening.
“What some of you may not know is that we met at a karaoke night. And let’s just say, things got very heated… in more ways than one.”
The room fills with hoots and hollers, and my dad yells, “That’s enough, son.”
Ezra chuckles. “Millie and I don’t shy away from friendly competition, but I thought I’d do things a little differently tonight.” He turns to me. “You’re always the one performing. Now it’s time for you to sit back and enjoy the show, honey .”
He winks, and the familiar chords of an iconic Shania Twain song play as the house band’s guitarist walks on stage .
My heart tightens in my chest, and tears push their way to the surface as Ezra serenades me with an acoustic version of “You’re Still the One.”
As he sings, I can’t help but think about just how far we’ve come and all that we’ve been through: The closet in Crete. Discovering we were dating the same woman. The moment he told me his ridiculous plan. Meeting Kane. My stay at the hospital, where Ezra never left my side. So much matzo ball soup. Making a long-distance relationship not only work but thrive. And now this—marriage.
He’s better than any man I could have ever dreamed of.
Any person I could have dreamed of.
Our love is so strong.
And our love will go so far.
This is only the beginning.
Ezra’s voice cracks at the end, and when I leap into his arms, the audience breaks into applause. The microphone digs into my back as he clutches me to his chest, but I don’t care; I’m too busy laughing and crying into my husband’s neck.
“I love you,” I promise him.
His eyes shine with his own tears. “I love you too.”
We’re separated in the crowd for a bit, passed around like a bottle of champagne until we finally reunite at the back of the club.
“You know,” I say over my glass of bubbly, “I never commended you for your acting skills back when we pretended to be married.”
“Honey, none of that was pretend.”
A surprising ache clings to my ribs as an overwhelming sensation of warmth zips through my body.
We dance for what feels like hours, never once letting go of one another, despite being sweaty messes .
“Tonight was perfect,” I affirm in the middle of the dance floor, dazedly soaking in my husband’s handsome features.
My husband . My new favorite word.
“It’s not over yet.”
Turning in his arms, I play with the damp hair at his nape and bring my lips to his. “Take me home, Mr. Greer.”