Chapter 88

My mouth is wide open as I stare at Luke. This isn’t happening. I blink, but the scene remains. Luke, calm, down on one knee, looking up at me with that maddeningly confident smile—except now there’s something else. Something raw. Emotion. I clutch my chest, feeling my heart slamming against my ribcage. My throat is dry, my knees trembling. I finally find my voice. “Luke…” “Julie,” he says. “There was a time I thought love wasn't meant for me. And then you came along and ruined everything. You weren’t part of my plan. You were this unpredictable hurricane of sarcasm, laughter, and stubbornness. Every time I thought I had you figured out, you flipped the script. And somehow, amidst all the chaos, I found someone I can’t live without.” I press my hand to my mouth, tears welling in my eyes. My knees feel weak, and I’m certain I’m going to collapse. “I love how you laugh too loud at jokes,” he continues. “I love how you argue with me even when you know I’m right—especially when you know I’