The problem was, he wasn’t the one really writing them.

It’d been sixteen months since I started here, and no one else knew that this self-proclaimed “best sports-journalist alive” asshat couldn’t write his way out of a paper bag.

I was the puppet master holding the strings, and he was the stuffed suit who danced below—taking all of the credit and lining his shelf with awards that belonged to me.

There was only one reason why I had yet to blow the whistle, but with each day that passed, I stepped closer to the edge.

Grabbing a coat from my cubicle, I pulled the phone from its pocket and noticed a text from my friend, Alonna.

* * *

Alonna: Birthday drinks at Savoy this afternoon? Your boyfriend said he’ll pay for it. Please say yes. Please say yes!

Me: Sure. I’ll go ahead and head there now. (Just because he’s a successful guy doesn’t mean he should have to pay for everything, Alonna.)

Alonna: Ha! Like hell it doesn’t. See you there.

* * *

I wrapped a scarf around my neck and made sure I had everything before heading outside. Then, taking the long way to Pike Place, I walked along the pier and stared at all of the things that I swore I once wanted.

Sure, I’d asked for a new life with a hot guy, great friends, and a fantastic job, but none of it was enough to fill the vast void I was still trying to handle.

Shaking away the thought, I waited several minutes before heading inside The Savoy Bar.

For some reason, the entire bottom floor was empty. All of the chairs were pushed against the walls; the tables were stacked in the corners.

“Upstairs, Miss.” The bartender smiled at me. “You’re Courtney, right?”

“Right.” I paused. “Is my friend already here?”

He nodded, sliding me a cup of coffee. “You’ll find her upstairs on the roof top level.”

“Thank you.” I glanced over at the elevator, holding back a sigh once I saw the “Temporarily out of order” sign.

Steps, it is.

When I made it onto the final flight, I stopped dead in my tracks at what had to be a hallucination.

My coffee hit the floor, and my knees went weak at the sight of a smile I hadn’t seen in forever.

Kyle?

“Hello, Courtney,” he said, his green-eyed gaze pinning me to the spot. “How are you?”

I pressed my hand against the concrete wall, quite sure that today was a simulation after all. There was no way that this man had somehow become ten times more gorgeous since our last encounter.

Even the images and videos I’d caught of him onscreen failed to paint how beautiful he was.

He stared at me, and I stared back, and I couldn’t help but notice a palpable tension filling the hallway.

“What are you doing here?” I managed.

“I wanted to talk to you.”

“Oh?” I swallowed. “I vividly remember us saying everything we wanted to say—including ‘Goodbye,’ two years ago.”

“It was sixteen months ago,” he said, correcting me. “Can I talk to you after this?”

“This?”

Before I could ask him what the hell “this” meant, the door to the roof swung open, and Alonna’s red-colored curls slapped me in the face.

“Well, there you are!” She looped her hand in mine, pulling me onto the roof. “Surprise!”

In an instant, silver streamers and pink glitter fell over me. Loudspeakers began blaring a hip-hop version of the birthday song.

No, no, no …

I placed a hand on my chest as my heart raced into overdrive. My stomach churned, giving me the onset of a panic attack.

Bright flashes blurred my vision, loud applause sounded from every angle, and before I could make sense of all this, a giant, six-layer cake with “2-8” rolled in front of me.

Someone handed me a paper bag from my left, but he disappeared before I could see who it was.

Hyperventilating for several seconds, I tried to believe that this was a joke. None of my true friends would ever do something like this.

“Happy birthday to my favorite person in the entire world,” my boyfriend, Graham, was suddenly stepping in front of me.

“Here.” He moved the paper bag away from my mouth and kissed my lips. Then he handed me a small stress ball instead.

I squeezed it like I planned to squeeze the neck of whoever planned this event.

Looking around, I noticed my coworkers, Graham’s fellow executives, and several members of his family.

And Kyle.

Kyle really is here …

“Are you surprised?” Graham asked.

“I’m something.”

Everyone laughed.

I clung to the ball.

“I know that you’re not a big fan of parties or events like this,” he said. “And I hope you won’t mind that Alonna and I wanted to throw you something to make you happy, since it’s been a rough year for you.”

I nodded.

“I also hope you won’t mind that I couldn’t think of any other way to do this, since I also feel that I should’ve done it long ago.” He looked into my eyes. “Probably the first night we met.”

“Huh?” I raised my eyebrow. “What are you talking about, Graham?”

“This.” He gently grabbed my wrists and got down on one knee.

A chorus of gasps followed.

“I know that we’ve only known each other for six months, and that I’ve been the one insistent on taking things slow, but I want you to know that it’s because I fell pretty hard for you on day one.”

The rooftop was utterly silent now, save for the wind and a few squawking seagulls in the distance.

“I’m in love with you, and I want you to be mine for the rest of my life,” he said. “Courtney Nicole Johnson, will you marry me?”

I looked around the roof, and my eyes immediately met Kyle’s. His eyes were narrowed, and he was glaring at me, almost daring me to say yes right in front of him.

His lips parted as the seconds passed, and he looked as if he was about to rush over and pummel Graham into the concrete.

“Courtney?” Graham squeezed my hand again. “Courtney, what do you say?”

“Yes,” I said, looking at him again. “Yes, Graham. I’ll marry you.”

The rooftop erupted in cheers and applause, and Graham stood to his feet and pulled me into a hug.

Kissing me, he lowered his voice, “Should we wait until the honeymoon, or break our celibacy pact tonight?”

He didn’t give me a chance to answer that. Instead, he pressed his lips against mine, and I tried to get lost in his kiss.

Thankfully, music began to play as he let me go. I was saved from having to come up with anything to say.

“Congratulations!” “Can’t wait for the wedding!” “You’re so damn lucky to land Graham Callahan, girl!” The guests wished me well one by one.

“I have a present waiting for you downstairs,” Graham whispered into my ear. “I’ll be right back.”

“Oh my god! Oh my god!” Alonna rushed over to me. “So? What do you think about the party?”

“I think you should protect your neck before I get ahold of my keys.”