I’d moved in with Dean after I left my sister’s house, and though I didn’t have many things he made me feel at home. It helped that everything we did together was still as thrilling as it was comfortable. We spent a lot of weekends with our hands in the dirt, growing flowers in the gardens of the pocket park while that tiny space flourished all around us. The miracle of green things continued, as trees and grass and vegetables became a permanent fixture. Annie’s Park became the place for block parties and barbecues, for cups of coffee and mindless gossip on summer nights.

It was a beautiful thing to behold.

Through it all, we took turns surprising each other with fun activities – some wild and adventurous, and others as sweet as sitting on our stoop, limbs entwined, and watching the city pass us by. One year in and making Dean smile was still my favorite thing to do. I’d never known that being in love had its own rush—of passion and tenderness, desire and intimacy. It was hot sex and quiet nights and teasing seduction and cozy mornings in bed.

Forget temporary. I wanted Dean forever.

We reached the top at the same time. He pulled me in for a kiss to celebrate, hands sliding up my spine as his firm lips made me dizzy with butterflies.

“I think we should call that a tie,” he murmured. “Don’t you?”

“I think we should go find a back seat.”

He laughed against my hair, the vibrations sending goose bumps across my skin. He turned me gently until I was facing the famous view. His arms wrapped around me, his chest a solid wall of warmth.

“Before I met you tonight, I went to go see your family,” he said. “I wanted to let them know what I was going to ask you. And to thank them—for loving you as much as I do. For supporting us this first year. I’m not sure what to do with the cat videos that Kathleen sends me, but Mom and Midge seem to like them.”

I laughed, my body filling with a tingling awareness.

“They wanted me to let you know that depending on how things go, your dad’s gonna shut down the diner for a big party tonight. Alexis and Eric are making the playlist. Kathleen’s got cocktails. All of Tenth Street will likely show up, so you should prepare to do the twist with my parents.”

I turned my head. “A party? For what?”

Dean wasn’t standing there.

He was down on one knee, holding a very pretty ring.

For as long as I lived, I would never forget this moment. Would never forget the look of true love on Dean’s face.