“This ring belonged to my grandmother,” he said, voice trembling at the end. “When I told my parents I was going to ask you to marry me, Midge got this ring out immediately. She told me she was saving it for me. Apparently, they’d been waiting for me to ask for it since the day you moved back home.”

I laughed, wiping my eyes. “They must have strategized around the kiddie pool.”

His smile was adorable. “This is the grandmother who used to throw huge Pride parties for my parents, to celebrate them and their love. She was a lot like you. Bold and big-hearted. When I imagined slipping a ring on your finger, it was a ring worn by someone who would have celebrated who you are, Tabitha.”

Tears fell down my cheeks without me even realizing. Which was wild because I was smiling so much my face hurt.

“I want to spend the rest of my life with you,” he said. “I want to tell stories with you and go on spontaneous adventures and build parks together and sit on our stoop eating water ice. I want to give in to pleasure with you, give in to a love that is loud and takes up space. No holding back. No hesitating. I love you—” He paused, swallowed. “Tabitha, I love you more than I ever thought was possible.” He raised the ring. My heart spun, nerves sparkling. “Will you marry me?”

I dropped to my knees in front of Dean, too emotional to stand. “Yes,” I said. “Yes. Yes. Nothing would make me happier, Dean Knox-Morelli, than marrying you and loving you forever.”

The ring would have slid on easily if not for the fact that we were both shaking too much. But the instant it was on, I fisted my hands in his shirt and kissed him for what felt like hours. Dean was laughing, kissing me back, and when I gripped his face his cheeks were wet.

There were too many threads in this love story to count. But they’d brought us here, to this moment, holding each other on steps high above the city as the world spun and dazzled.

We were finally home.

WANT MORE DEAN AND TABITHA?

Pre-Epilogue, Dean promises to take Tabitha on a real first date. Click the link for the bonus epilogue and get a peek as Dean picks up Tabitha for a romantic, candle-lit dinner in Philly’s famous Italian Market…

TAP HERE: To check out this bonus scene!

**If you are having any trouble tapping on the extra scene please type “twsspub.com/bonus/otr” into your phone or computer browser.**

A Note from the Author

Dear reader,

Go birds, baby! Thank you so much for reading this cute South Philly romance. Dean and Tabitha’s adorable love swooped in and totally stole my heart while writing them.