Then the door to the back room opens, and I freeze.

Just like everyone else in the room—Eric, Mal, Sydney, my mom and all our close friends. Even Heidi and Bryce are here.

“So?” Lucy asks, half standing.

Next to me, Dylan clears his throat, straightening his shoulders. “Family, friends, ladies and countrymen,” he bellows.

I narrow my eyes at him. What the hell’s gotten into him?

He curls his hand around my waist and adds, “I’d like you to meet my fiancée.”

I’m not really sure what happens next. It’s just a blur of flailing limbs as they all come charging toward me. Followed by shouts, cheers, handshakes and hugs, in between laughter and tears.

The girls reach for the ring on my hand.

The guys pat Dylan on the back.

And when the initial excitement fades, we sit and we eat.

We laugh some more, cry some more, and we love.

Boy, do we love.

I look over at Dylan, leaning back in his chair next to me, his smile wide and boyish and innocent as he looks around the table, finally landing on me. I shift to my side and hug his stomach. His arm goes around my shoulder, holding me to him as his chest rises with his slow intake of breath. “It’s a good life, Riley Hudson,” he murmurs, kissing the top of my head. “A damn good life.”

I follow his gaze from earlier, watching our families, our friends—new and old—the people who played such a heavy hand in getting us here, by doing nothing more than existing and accepting and loving us, even when it could’ve been impossible to do so. I look over at Jake, who’s already watching us, a slight smile on his face.

Then a loud sound comes from the door of our private room as five police officers step through, their gazes frantic as they search the space in front of them. I look up at Dylan, my heart racing, panic clear on my face.

He hasn’t moved.

An officer stands in front of the others and after looking down at a piece of paper in his hand, lifts his head—his voice loud when he says, “We’re looking for a Jake Andrews, Logan Matthews and Cameron Gordon.”

“I’m Jake Andrews… officer sir…” Jake says, slowly standing up.

“What’s going on?” Mikayla asks, standing with her boyfriend.

Logan and Cameron are on their feet—their fear and panic filled eyes wide and everywhere.

The officer clears his throat. “Arrest them, boys.”

I look over at Dylan again.

He gets up and slams a fist on the table. “Wait one damn minute, good Sir. This is an outrage,” he mocks, same deep voice from earlier.

“Oh, jeez,” I whisper.

“What the fuck did you do, Cam?” Lucy shouts, fork gripped tight in her hand.

“Nothing, babe. Swear it.” He’s as loud as she is.

The cops walk behind the boys, taking their wrists behind their backs and handcuffing them.

The first cop speaks again. “You boys are under arrest for possession of illegal pornography.”

“What!?” Amanda yells, standing in front of Logan now.

“Babe…” he shakes his head, his gaze on hers. “I don’t know what the fuck—”

“Not only is it illegal,” the cop with Logan cuts in. “It’s also fucking weird, boys.”

The officer with Jake shakes his head. “I mean pornography is one thing. Animals… ehhh… we’ve seen it before. But coming on figurines? Vegetables? Clown and monster porn? And don’t even get me started on the inanimate objects! I mean, baseballs? Really?” he says, pointing at Jake. Then motions to Cameron. “And desks? What are you? A deskfucker?”

Slowly, Cameron’s gaze moves to Dylan. “I fucking hate you,” he says.

Dylan raises his hands in surrender. “I didn’t do anything,” he says through his smile.

“Take ’em away, boys,” the lead cop announces. Then looks at Eric. “Thanks for the tip, Banks.”

“You’re going to pay,” Logan warns, his eyes on Dylan.

They get led out of the room and restaurant, hands in cuffs while their girls scurry after them and the rest of us sit in silence, Heidi and Bryce included. The silence only lasts a moment before Dylan bursts out laughing, Heidi following soon after.

“You’re so bad,” I tell Dylan.

His grin gets wider. “Fight or die, Hudson.”

“How did you even…”

He points at Eric. “Had my big brother call in some favors.”

Eric chuckles, so similar to Dylan’s. “You’re going to be a Banks soon, Ry. You better get used to this.”

“At least you left the girls out of it.”

Dylan’s smile drops.

“No.” I shake my head. “What did you do?”

He shrugs and leans back in his chair. “You think the girls were innocent? Babe, it was a glitter cock! Besides, I didn’t do anything. The waiters who put laxatives in their drinks and brought them out did all my work for me.”

“Dylan!”

Heidi laughs louder.

I look over at her.

She shakes her head. “I’m just glad I wasn’t part of it.”

Dylan’s smile is back in place. “Not yet…”

“But I had nothing to do with Operation Glitter Cock!” she shouts.

“But you knew about it, Heids,” he says, sighing as leans forward. “And that’s just as bad.”

Bryce laughs next to her and when she turns to him, eyes narrowed, he simply shrugs and looks over at Dylan. “You need me to do anything, you let me know.”

Heidi smacks his chest.

“So…” Mom says, sitting next to Logan’s dad. “Is someone going to tell me what just happened?”

Dr. Matthews chuckles, shaking his head. “Mayhem, Holly. I really could’ve used you back when they were juniors and Logan came home with wax strips on his genitals.”

Sixty-Two

Riley

Dylan walks into the bedroom wearing his work pants, white tank, and blue flannel shirt—exactly the way he was when I fell in love with him. He stalks toward me slowly, his brow bunched. “What are you doing, baby?” he says, falling on the bed, his fingers linked behind his head.

I turn the laptop to him.

He cringes. “I’ll be in the garage.” He starts to get up but I stop him. He sighs. “Baby, I love you and I can’t wait to marry you but swear if I see that Pinterest board one more time—”

My laugh cuts him off, I shut the laptop and throw it on the end of the bed. Bacon walks in, his head high looking for Dylan. Dylan lifts his head when he hears him and pats his chest twice. “Up bubba,” he murmurs.

Bacon jumps on the bed and settles right on Dylan’s chest, his head resting on his front legs.

I pat his fur and lie down with them, my head on Dylan’s bicep.

“I was thinking,” I mumble.

“Uh oh, this can’t be good.”

I lick his face.

He pushes me away. “Gross.”

Bacon gets up on all fours and looks down at Dylan.

“Lick, Bacon!” I order.

“No!”

Bacon licks him.