Epilogue
Grant
Almost One Year Later
Grant checked his jacket pocket for the third time in ten minutes.
Still there. The small velvet box that had been burning a hole in his pocket for the past two weeks.
"You're doing it again," Riley said from the passenger seat.
Grant's hand froze. "Doing what?"
"Touching your jacket pocket. You've done it like fifteen times since we left the house." Riley's eyes narrowed. "What's in there?"
"Nothing."
"Grant Lawson, you're a terrible liar."
"It's a surprise."
"For who?"
"You'll see." Grant pulled into Hannah and Mark's driveway, relief flooding through him when he saw they weren't the first to arrive. Mark's truck was there, along with Ryan's car and what looked like Chris's SUV.
"You're being weird," Riley said, unbuckling her seatbelt.
"I'm not being weird."
"You absolutely are." She leaned over to kiss him. "But I love you anyway."
"I love you too." Grant kissed her back, his hand going to his pocket one more time.
Riley laughed. "There you go again! What is in that pocket?"
"You'll find out soon enough, woman." Grant climbed out before she could interrogate him further.
Inside Hannah's house, the party was already in full swing—the same decorations, the same chaos, the same energy as last year.
Except everything was different now.
Last year, he and Riley had walked in there pretending. Fake dating to get people off Riley's back about being single.
This year, they were the real deal. A couple who'd built a life together. A couple who were about to take the next step.
Grant caught Jenna's eye across the room and gave her a small nod. She grinned and gave him a thumbs up.
He glanced toward the kitchen where he could just barely see his dad and Riley's parents lurking, trying to stay hidden until the right moment. They'd all insisted on being here for this. Hannah had set it up perfectly—the whole friend group in the living room, the parents waiting in the kitchen.
Everything was in place. Now he just had to not panic.
"Attention, everyone! Attention!" Jenna's voice rang out as she climbed onto a chair, waving a piece of paper. Ryan pretended to try to convince her to get down, but Grant knew he was in on it too.
"As is tradition," Jenna announced, "I have this year's Naughty List!"
The crowd erupted in cheers and groans.
"But this year," Jenna continued, grinning, "we're doing things a little differently. Usually I send this out ahead of time, but someone made a special request to do it in person tonight." She winked at Grant. "So here we go!"
Riley laughed and leaned into Grant's side. "Here we go again."
Grant's heart was pounding, but he wrapped his arm around her waist and tried to look casual.
Jenna cleared her throat dramatically and Ryan gave her a fake drumroll on the counter. "This year's 'Most Likely To' Christmas Naughty List!"
She started reading, and Grant only half-listened, too focused on the weight of the ring box in his pocket and the way Riley fit perfectly against him.
"Hannah: Most Likely to Cry at a Hallmark Movie."
Hannah raised her glass in acknowledgment.
"Mark: Most Likely to Fall Asleep Before the Ball Drops. Again."
Laughter rippled through the crowd.
"Emily: Most Likely to Have Already Bought All Her Gifts in July."
"It's called being organized!" Emily called out.
"Chris: Most Likely to Wear the Same Ugly Sweater Three Years Running."
"It's vintage!" Chris protested.
Jenna grinned. "And now, for our favorite couple—"
Grant tensed.
"Riley: Most Likely to Expand Her Business to Three More Towns."
Riley blushed as people cheered. Her marketing business had exploded over the past year. What started with the farm and Mrs. Patterson's bakery had grown into a full client list spanning three counties.
“Oh wait… That’s not it. While it’s true…” Jenna grabbed a pen, scribbled on the paper and wrote something down, then said, “I have a revision.”
Riley’s eyes got huge.
Jenna continued. “Riley, we have actually voted you ‘Most Likely to Get Married Next.” She gave herself applause and encouraged the rest to do the same.
Riley stiffened in Grant’s arms. “I’m sorry; that’s not funny,” she whispered to Grant. He had a grin on his face like the cat who ate the canary.
“It’s fine, babe. It’s almost done,” he said, barely able to contain his excitement. He wanted to laugh.
"And Grant—" Jenna's smile turned wicked. "Most Likely to Finally Propose."
The room went silent.
Grant felt every eye turn to him. Beside him, Riley had gone completely still.
"Jenna!" Hannah hissed, but Jenna just winked at Grant.
The crowd laughed nervously, and Grant knew this was it. It was set up perfectly.
Riley was looking up at him now, her eyes wide, and Grant pulled the ring box from his pocket.
The room erupted in gasps and quiet cheers, but Grant only had eyes for Riley.
"So," he said, his voice surprisingly steady, "I guess it's time."
Riley's hand flew to her mouth. "Grant—"
"I planned this with Jenna," Grant admitted, loud enough for the room to hear but looking only at Riley. "Asked her to put it on the list. Figured if we started this whole thing at last year's reunion with that naughty list, we should take the next step at this year's reunion the same way."
Grant dropped to one knee, and the crowd lost it completely. Phones appeared, camera flashes going off, but Grant ignored all of it.
"Riley Monroe," he said, opening the box to reveal the ring he'd spent months picking out—a simple diamond on a gold band, elegant and classic, just like her. "A year ago, we walked into this party pretending to be together. Fake dating so people would stop teasing you about being single, and so I’d stop being asked to be everyone’s plus one through the holidays. "
Riley laughed, her hands shaking, her eyes bright.
"But the thing is, it was never fake for me. Not for one second. From the moment I offered to be your fake boyfriend, I knew I wanted to be your real everything."
"Grant," Riley whispered.
"This past year has been the best year of my life.
Growing the farm with you. Waking up next to you every morning.
Watching you build your business from nothing.
" Grant's voice roughened with emotion. "You're my best friend.
My partner. My home. And I don't want to spend another day without knowing you're going to be mine forever. "
Riley was beaming now, her whole face glowing.
"So, Riley Monroe—will you marry me?"
For a moment, Riley just stood there, her smile so wide it had to hurt. Then she dropped to her knees in front of him and grabbed his face with both hands.
"Yes," she said, kissing him. "Yes, yes, yes!"
The room exploded.
Cheers and applause and whistles filled Hannah's living room as Grant slipped the ring onto Riley's finger with shaking hands. It fit perfectly, glinting in the party lights.
Riley threw her arms around his neck, and Grant held her tight, both of them laughing and completely oblivious to the chaos around them.
"I love you," Riley said against his shoulder. "I love you so much."
"I love you too." Grant pulled back to look at her. "So that's a yes?" he teased.
Riley laughed. "That's a definite yes."
Grant kissed her again, and the crowd cheered louder.
When they finally stood up, they were immediately swarmed. Hannah was squealing with excitement, Emily was already babbling about wedding plans, Jenna was taking credit for the whole thing, and the guys were clapping Grant on the back.
And then from the kitchen, Riley's parents and Thomas emerged, all of them grinning and excited.
"You knew?" Riley gasped, looking at her mom.
"Grant asked us two weeks ago if we wanted to be here," Carol said, pulling Riley into a hug, careful not to crush her. "We've been hiding in the kitchen for twenty minutes. I thought I was going to burst!"
"Dad!" Riley turned to her father.
"Wouldn't have missed it for the world, sweetheart." David pulled her into a hug, then shook Grant's hand. "Congratulations, son. We're so happy for you both."
Thomas clapped Grant on the shoulder, his eyes bright. "Well done, son. Your mom would be so proud."
Grant's throat tightened. "Thanks, Dad."
"I knew it!" Hannah said, pulling Riley into another hug. "I knew he was going to propose tonight!"
"How?" Riley asked.
"Because he asked me to help him pick the ring two months ago." Hannah grinned. "And he's been texting me every day for two weeks asking if I thought tonight was a good idea."
"You all knew?" Riley looked around at their friends, who were all grinning.
"Grant swore us all to secrecy," Emily said, beaming. "It was so hard not to tell you!"
"The hardest two weeks of my life," Jenna added. "Do you know how many times I almost ruined it?"
The rest of the evening passed in a blur of congratulations and celebration. Riley kept looking at her ring, her smile never fading. Grant kept catching himself just watching her, still amazed that she'd said yes.
As the party wound down, Grant pulled Riley outside for some air. The night was cold and clear, the stars bright overhead.
"How are you feeling?" Grant asked, wrapping his arms around her from behind.
"Happy." Riley leaned back against him, her left hand resting over his, the ring catching the light from inside. "Excited. A little overwhelmed."
"Good overwhelmed or bad overwhelmed?"
"Good." Riley turned in his arms to face him. "Definitely good. I just can't believe this is real."
"It's real." Grant pressed his forehead to hers. "You're stuck with me now."
"Good thing I like you then."
"Just like me?"
"Love. I love you." Riley's smile was soft. "And I can't wait to marry you."
"When?" Grant asked. "I know people usually wait a year or whatever, but—"
"I don't want to wait a year." Riley's eyes sparkled. "Spring? Early summer?"
"Yeah?" Grant's heart soared.
"Yeah. I want to marry you as soon as possible. Why wait when we already know?"
Grant kissed her, pouring everything he felt into it. When they broke apart, both breathing hard, Riley was grinning.
"So that's it then," she said. "We're engaged."
"We're engaged."
"No more fake."
"Never was."
"Just real."
"Forever real."
Riley laughed. "We should probably get back inside before Hannah sends a search party."
"Probably." But Grant didn't let go. "One more minute. I just want to stand here with my fiancée and appreciate this moment."
"Your fiancée," Riley repeated, her voice full of wonder. "I like the sound of that."
"Me too." Grant pulled her closer. "Almost as much as I'm going to like calling you my wife."
"Mrs. Riley Lawson."
"Has a nice ring to it."
"Terrible pun."
"You love my puns."
"I really don't." But Riley was smiling. "But I love you, so I guess I'll have to put up with them."
"For the rest of your life."
"For the rest of my life," Riley agreed, and kissed him again.
Inside, the party continued. Their friends and family celebrated, the music played on, and Pine Valley rang in another holiday season with joy and laughter and love.
But outside, under the stars, Grant held Riley close and thought about how far they'd come. From high school sweethearts to exes to fake dates to this—engaged, building a life together, planning a future.
It had taken ten years, a fake dating scheme, and a whole lot of complications to get here.
But standing here now, with Riley in his arms and a wedding in their future, Grant knew it had all been worth it.
Every moment. Every mistake. Every second.
Because it had led them here.
Home.
Together.
Forever.
"Ready to go back in?" Riley asked after a while, shivering slightly in the cold.
"Ready." Grant took her hand—her left hand, with the ring on it—and pulled her close for one more kiss. "Though I can't wait to get you home later and celebrate properly."
Riley's eyes darkened. "Properly?"
"Very properly." Grant's voice dropped. "Just you, me, and that ring."
"I like the way you think, Lawson." Riley grinned. "But we should probably make an appearance for at least another hour before we sneak out."
"An hour?" Grant groaned.
"Maybe forty-five minutes." Riley kissed him again. "If you're good."
"I'm very good."
"I know." Riley took his hand and tugged him toward the door. "Come on, fiancé. Let's go show off my ring some more. And then later..."
"Later," Grant agreed, grinning as they walked back inside.
Back to their friends and family. Back to the celebration.
But Grant was already counting down the minutes until he could get Riley alone and show her exactly how he felt about her saying yes.
His fiancée.
Soon to be his wife.
Forever his.
The End