Amy didn't even realize she was smiling until her cheeks started to hurt. She sat curled at the edge of the bed, still in the aftermath of the night,hair loose now, makeup half wiped away, the room quiet in that post-celebration hush. The house had finally settled, laughter replaced by distant murmurs and the occasional clink of glassware being cleared downstairs.
Jace had taken her by full surprise, she didn't even see this coming. She's going to be his wife and that's all that keeps ringing in her mind. She walked to her vanity to finish taking off her makeup. Just then her phone rang, she rushed to pick it up from the bed and it was Sophie.
"HAPPY NEW YEAR!" Sophie's voice burst through the speaker the second Amy picked up. It was a video call.
Amy laughed immediately, breathless and bright. "Happy New Year," she replied.
Sophie squinted at the screen. "Why do you look like that?" she asked suspiciously. "You look… shiny. Did you cry? Did you drink too much champagne? Are you drunk? Did something...."
Amy didn't answer.
Instead, she slowly lifted her left hand into the frame.
Sophie froze.
Her eyes dropped.
Then widened.
Then her mouth fell open.
"No," she whispered. "No...Amy. Amy, wait. Is that?"
She leaned closer to the screen. "Is that what I think it is?"
Amy's lips trembled into a smile. She nodded. Once. Slowly.
Sophie screamed.
She actually screamed high, sharp, joyful, throwing her phone slightly away from her face before grabbing it again.
"OH MY GOD!" she yelled. "OH. MY. GOD. YOU'RE KIDDING ME!"
Amy laughed, tears pooling in her eyes. "I'm not," she said softly, still sounding like she couldn't quite believe it herself.
Sophie gasped dramatically. "He didn't tell me," she said feigning betrayed. "Jace Prescott really woke up today, looked me in the face this morning and chose betrayal."
Amy laughed harder.
"I can't believe this," Sophie continued, pacing now. "My best friend is engaged. ENGAGED. Do you hear how insane that sounds?"
She pointed at the screen. "Show me again. Let me see it properly."
Amy tilted her hand, the ring catching the light. Simple. Elegant. Perfectly her.
"Oh, it's beautiful," Sophie breathed. Then she narrowed her eyes. "Wait. WAIT."
She snapped her fingers like she just remembered something really important. "I know why he proposed."
Amy raised a brow. "Oh?"
Sophie nodded confidently. "It's the nails."
Amy burst out laughing.
"I'm serious," Sophie insisted. "That color? That shape?, thank God we chose that color.You practically forced the man's hand. He saw those nails and said, 'I can't let this woman walk into another year unmarried.'"
Amy shook her head, laughing through tears. "You're ridiculous."
"And still correct," Sophie added smugly. "You're welcome."
She suddenly started bouncing on the spot. Then dancing. Just full on moving around her living room, arms in the air.
"My best friend's getting married!" she sang loudly.
She spun. "She's getting married!"
Another spin. "YH! SHE'S GETTING MARRIED!"
Amy watched her through the phone, laughter spilling out of her as she hugged a pillow to her chest.
"I wish I was there," Amy said quietly.
"I wish I was there too," Sophie replied, stopping suddenly, her voice softening. Then she smiled again. "But for now, I'll settle for watching you glow through a screen."
She leaned in. "Where is he, by the way? Where's my brother-in-law?"
"Brother-in-law?" Amy asked slightly raising an eyebrow.
"Yh, brother-in-law.....what would you want me to call him.....friend-in-law?" Sophie teased.
"That's ridiculous" Amy replies laughing.
"I thought as much, where is he?, let me make fun of his rich ass" Sophie said.
Amy glanced toward the door. "He stepped out for a bit," she said. "Said he needed to handle something."
Sophie gasped theatrically. "Wow."
Amy grinned. "What?"
"Wedding preparations already," Sophie declared. "Men move fast once they lock it down."
Amy laughed. "You're impossible."
"And you're engaged," Sophie shot back. "Thats much better"
Amy didn't end the call right away. She and Sophie just stayed there for a few seconds, smiling at each other through the screen like neither of them wanted to be the first to let go of the moment.
"Hey," Sophie said softly. "I'm really proud of you."
Amy blinked. "For what?"
"For choosing happiness," Sophie replied without hesitation. "For letting yourself have it. You've come such a long way, Amy."
Amy felt her throat tighten. She looked down at her hand again, turning the ring slowly, as if it might disappear if she stopped watching it.
"I didn't even see it coming," she admitted. "I mean… I knew we were good. I knew we were solid. But this?" She shook her head with a soft laugh. "This feels unreal."
Sophie smiled knowingly. "That's how you know it's real."
"You are getting married to motorcycle riding camera prince, how crazy is that?" Sophie asked still mind blown.
"So crazy. I'm going to be a wife." Amy smiled.
And for the first time, saying it didn't scare her at all. She's going to be a married woman.
They fell quiet again, the kind of silence that felt safe.
"Okay," Sophie suddenly said, clapping her hands once. "Practical questions."
Amy laughed. "Of course."
"Did you say yes properly?" Sophie asked. "Like with words? Or did you just cry and nod like a rom-com character?"
Amy covered her face. "I nodded first."
"I knew it."
"Then I said yes," Amy defended. "Twice. Very clearly."
"Good," Sophie said seriously. "Because if you didn't, I would've flown to Virginia myself to make you redo it."
Amy smiled. "You'd do that?"
"For you? In a heartbeat."
There was a knock at Amy's door then soft, familiar.
Amy looked up instinctively.
"Oh," she said. "That might be him."
Sophie's eyes lit up. "PUT HIM ON CAMERA."
Amy laughed as she stood, adjusting the phone as she walked to the door. She opened it gently.
Jace stood there, coat still on, hair slightly tousled from the cold. The moment his eyes met hers, his face softened completely.
"There you are," he said quietly. "I was looking for you."
Amy lifted her left hand without even thinking.
"Well you don't have to anymore cause I'm going nowhere"
His smile widened.
Sophie cleared her throat loudly from the phone. "Excuse me. Hi. Hello. Future husband."
Jace chuckled, leaning against the doorframe. "Hi, Sophie."
"You had one job," Sophie said accusingly. "ONE. And that was to tell me."
He raised his hands in surrender. "I was going to."
"When?" she demanded.
"After I recovered from the nerves," he said honestly. "And the near heart attack."
Amy laughed, shaking her head.
Sophie softened immediately. "Okay," she said. "I'll forgive you. Eventually."
Jace smiled. "Fair."
"Damn!, Jace, you really locked our girl down, you know she's a keeper" Sophie smirked.
"Yh, didn't want someone else to take her from me even though I know that's hardly possible" He said pulling Amy close.
Sophie laughed sighing dramatically. "Alright. I'll let you two have your moment. But Amy...."
"Yes?"
She smiled. "Enjoy this. Every second of it."
"I will," Amy promised.
They said their goodbyes, exchanged another round of Happy New Year wishes, and then the call ended.
The room fell quiet again.
Jace closed the door behind him and crossed the space between them. He took Amy's hand gently, thumb brushing over the ring.
"You okay?" he asked.
Amy looked up at him, eyes shining. "I've never been better."
He smiled, leaning his forehead against hers. "Good. Because I meant every word."
She laughed softly. "I know."
"I love you" He said looking her in the eye with so much intent.
"I love you more" She replied and leaned in to kiss him.
They stood there with Amy resting her head on his shoulder, no rush, no noise, just the weight of something new settling between them.
Outside, distant fireworks still echoed faintly in the night.
Inside, Amy realized something with calm certainty;
This wasn't just a new year.
It was a new beginning for both of them.