Lucian

I woke up that morning with a tight knot in my chest. Not the kind of anxiety that makes you want to run, but the kind that roots you in place and makes every breath hard. Today was the day I couldn’t put off any longer. The day I would finally ask Olivia to marry me.

For weeks, I’d been quietly planning every detail. I told everyone, her parents, Ava, Kelly, Adrian, even Harper and Aiden. Everyone was in on it, except Olivia. I wanted the moment to be completely hers. Pure and Unexpected.

The rooftop of one of my newly restored buildings was perfect. It overlooked the city...