Epilogue 2
MOLLY
Ipause in the entry of our brownstone, the door half-open, my breath catching in my throat. The floor is covered in roses—paper roses. Not just any roses, though. These are made from Josh’s rom-com script.
A smile tugs at my lips as I step inside, dropping my bag on the entry table and closing the door behind me. It’s been three months since Josh asked me to move in, the night of Bess and Pete’s wedding, and I’d said yes without a second thought.
I crouch down, picking up one of the roses, marveling at the perfectly folded petals. The words printed on the paper catch my eye, and I squint to read them.
I love you.
My chest warms, a familiar ball of gooey happiness bubbling up inside me.
I follow the trail of paper flowers, laughing softly at the pictures he’s hung along the walls. With every step, a little frisson of nerves and excitement builds in my chest.
The pictures tell the story of us.
There’s an old photo from when we were kids, our families forcing us into an awkward pose in front of a fountain. A still from The Dragon Slayer’s Kiss. A picture of me standing proudly between Josh and Sam, both of them holding their Oscars during a family dinner.
The photos shift to more recent memories.
Silly selfies. Shots from Bess and Pete’s never-ending engagement shoot.
Pictures of us dancing at their wedding, my dress swirling as Josh spun me around.
A snapshot from the vacation we took over a long weekend.
A strip of photobooth pictures from Syd and Elena’s engagement party, where we’d crammed into the tiny booth, laughing so hard we could barely breathe.
The roses lead me to the library, where the trail stops.
Josh sits in one of the chairs, a book open in his hands, his brow furrowed slightly as he reads. My heart sighs at the sight of him.
There he is. My one.
“Hey,” I call softly, holding up one of the roses. My voice comes out thick.
He looks up, his face lighting up at the sight of me. “Hey, Pahe.” He slides the book onto the table and gestures for me to come to him.
I stride across the room, glancing around as I go. There’s nothing out of the ordinary here—no paper roses, no photos—just Josh and the books.
He pulls me onto his lap, his hands gentle as he arranges me just so. I snuggle into his chest, resting my head on his shoulder as his arms wrap around me.
“I love you,” he murmurs, his voice soft, his eyes warm as they meet mine.
“I know.” I smile, pressing a kiss to his jaw. “You told me three times today.”
His lips twitch up into a smirk. “Only three? I must rectify this.”
He shifts slightly, reaching for the book he’d been reading earlier. He hands it to me, his grin playful yet nervous.
I glance down, frowning at the coverless book. “What’s this?”
“Open it,” he says, his tone laced with anticipation.
I lift the cover, and my breath catches. Inside, the pages have been carefully hollowed out to create a space—just big enough for a ring.
I gasp, tears already pricking the corners of my eyes.
“Don’t worry,” Josh says quickly, grinning. “I had the script printed and the book bound just for this. No real books were harmed in the making of this proposal.” His hand tilts my chin up so he can look into my eyes. “Will you marry me, Molly?”
I don’t even need a second to think. “Yes.”
His grin grows, and he pulls the ring free, sliding it onto my finger with steady hands.
“I love you,” he whispers between kisses—adoring, gentle kisses pressed to my mouth, my cheeks, my neck.
“I love you too,” I reply, sniffling, my voice thick with emotion.
“Are you happy, Pahe?” he asks, brushing a tear from my cheek.
“Yes. You?”
“Beyond happy.” His lips quirk into a teasing smile. “But promise me one thing?”
“Anything,” I say, laughing softly through my tears.
“Don’t become a Bridezilla. One in the family is more than enough.”
I laugh, swatting his shoulder, and he laughs too, the sound warm and full of joy.
And just like that, we start the next chapter of our lives—laughing, full of love, and ready for whatever comes next.
Thanks for reading Josh and Molly’s story!