Lily finished curling the last piece of my hair and set it down gently on my shoulder. We took a moment to just look in the mirror at the beautiful look she'd created. Lily has decided she wanted to become a hairdresser and began styling right after dropping out junior year of college.

Now she worked at a prestigious salon and had even met a few celebrities. When she had off, she would usually come test out designs on me, or in this case do my hair special for date night.

Jace and I are going strong, we had a small breakup three years ago, but got back together after a month. I truly considered him to be my soulmate.

Tonight we were just going out for a nice dinner together at our favorite restaurant, Maria's, now fully owned and managed by the head chef, Sebastian.

After earning a culinary degree, Sebastian had worked hard to take over Maria's, the first place Jace and I had ever had dinner together. Seb's father had finally deemed him ready six months ago, and business was good.

I turned to look at Lily over my shoulder. "My hair looks beautiful as always."

"Beautiful hair on a beautiful girl," she commented with a grin on her face. The doorbell rang, and she held her hand out to me in a stop motion, "I'll get it... you make a grand entrance."

I rolled my eyes and let Lily run to let Jace into our apartment, and waited for her to call me to come out.

"Lexi! Come on out!" She cried joyfully from the front hall.

I walked out slowly and saw Jace's eyes follow my body from top to bottom. "Wow," he breathed, "it's like you get more beautiful every time I see you." He walked up to me in three giant steps and wrapped a hand around my waist. "Hello gorgeous." He murmured.

I loved how seeing Jace was like seeing him for the first time every time. Babysitting for the Johnsons was the best thing that had ever happened to me because I got to meet him.

"Hey babe." I replied and picked him on the lips, "Ready to go?"

^^^

Jace and I arrived to Maria's and were sat at one of the romantic moonlight tables, reserved specially for us by Sebastian.

"Gonna challenge anyone to a taco eating contest tonight?" I asked Jace jokingly and he rolled his eyes at me.

"My stomach was messed up for days. I am never eating so many tacos again." He groaned and put his forehead into the palm of his hand.

I giggled. That was one of the first interactions we'd ever had, besides me telling him his ugly face melted my camera, and that had been a total lie.

Jace and I casually talked through dinner, and he told me about work. I loved listening to Jace talk because of the level of passion he displayed in his voice.

You could tell he truly cared about the environment while he talked about what he had been doing recently to try and protect coral reefs. It was so sexy to watch my man so invested in something, I almost forgot to pay attention to what he was saying.

"What about you, Lex? How's work been going?" Jace asked with a sympathetic look on his face.

I was working as a nurse practitioner in the ER and I almost always had the night shift. That not only meant I was working throughout the late night and early morning, but Jace and I were rarely home and asleep at the same time.

That was why we had to make the most of date nights when I had nights off, and date days when Jace had off.

"It's been fine. I just miss sleeping with you a lot."

At this Jace winked at me, "We do enough of that, babe."

"I meant sleeping next to you doofus." I replied, lightly hitting him on the arm but chuckling.

"I know, baby, I know." Jace replied with a laugh. Then his eyes turned serious as the song changed from some poppy Latin song to Photograph by Ed Sheehan. "Lex, do you remember this song?" Jace asked seriously.

"Yeah, how could I forget? It was one of the best nights of my life." I replied and thought back on how dreamy that night had been, and how amazing my boyfriend was.

Jace slowly stood up from his chair and kneeled to the ground and my hand flew to my mouth.

"Lex, we've been through a shit ton of good, and a fair share of bad together. We met when my mom hired you to babysit Cal and Hallie, and by default me."

The whole restaurant had gone silent and was watching Jace give his speech while I silently cried next to him.

"We've overcome so much together, we've grown together, loved, cried, and lost together. You've been there for me at my darkest moments, and I've been there for your lowest points. Whenever I need you, you're there for me.

"You've always stood by me, no matter how hard it may have been. Standing by you has never been hard for me because that's where I belong, right next to you. And I promise I will be at your side supporting you for the rest of my days

"You're my best friend in the entire world for about six years now. You get me like no one else does. You make me happier than I've ever been. I've loved you since I was 18, and I can't imagine spending another day without you in my life.

"I don't know a lot of things for sure, but I can tell you without one doubt or beat of hesitation that I want to spend the rest of my life with you as my wife. I want you by my side in everything that I do, and I want to be by your side in everything that you do. Alexis West, pleases do me the honor of saying you'll become my wife?"

"Yes! God yes, Jace!" I exclaimed and threw my arms around his neck. Tears were streaming down my face and I was happier than I had ever been.

I couldn't believe that I was going to marry this man that I had loved for so long.

I pulled back for Jace to put the ring on my finger and then immediately pulled him back into a kiss. Jace was the love of my life and I wanted to be his for the rest of mine. And after all,

Alexis Johnson has a nice ring to it.