It's not anywhere near ready. But it's slowly coming together (if nothing else, in my head), the sequel to Olivia & Ricky's Odyssey to Rock Bottom. This is a little teasing sneak peek of the prologue for the forthcoming book.

Any guesses as to what will be in store for these two? All I can say, is that the drama is guaranteed to continue.

Until then, enjoy.

"All done." Olivia smiled as she watched Zeppelin race off after drying his fur and paws for snow. Pushing the sleeves of her oversized sweater up, she grabbed the cupholder with the two hot takeout mochas and the small paper bag—lightly grease-stained from the freshly baked pastry inside, and followed the blueish-gray pit bull mix.

Coming into the bright living room at one end of the apartment, she deliberately ignored the giant framed mugshot of Ricky, hanging on the wall. Though she understood his rationale for wanting it up as a reminder of how deep he had sunken, and to never let it happen again, it made Olivia uncomfortable as it was also a reminder of the lowest point in their relationship. She would rather not think of, or be reminded of that time. It was seven years ago. They had had their ups and downs since then, but they had also grown closer and stronger with the help of therapy. Olivia preferred focusing on that, rather than one summer which led both of them to their rock bottom.

"They brought out a fresh batch of their amazing giant cinnamon rolls when I was in line. So, I couldn't resist getting one," Olivia said, walking over to the couch where Ricky sat with his feet up on the chaise lounge, Zeppelin resting his head on Ricky's crossed ankles. The dog had one ear standing up straight, as always, while the other was helplessly flopped over. It was this goofy trade of his that made Olivia fall for the dog when she and Ricky were looking to rescue one, and it still made her smile.

Ricky didn't react to what she'd said at first. Sitting in a pair of gray sweatpants and a T-shirt, he had his concentration fixed on his phone—absentmindedly pulling on his short stubbled beard.

"So? What she say?" Olivia asked, sitting down on the couch next to Ricky, placing the mochas and paper bag on the low coffee table.

"Uh." Ricky scratched the back of his head through the black beanie he was wearing, taking his gaze away from the phone for a second to glance over at Olivia, who was freeing the mochas from the cupholder. "Yeah, I uh, I got a couple more shows."

Olivia smiled as she handed him his takeout cup. "Really? That's amazing. I'm so proud of you." She leaned toward him and kissed his cheek.

Ricky smiled at her, feeling a warm spread to his face. Not much could make him shy, but getting praised was still something he didn't quite know how to handle.

Grabbing her own mocha and the paper bag, Olivia scooted up to Ricky, leaning her back against his side as he automatically moved his arm to accommodate her. She kicked her legs up on the couch and covered them with a blanket.

"So, who've you booked?" she asked, opening the paper bag, letting out the sweet smell of cinnamon and sugar icing.

Ricky swallowed a mouthful of his mocha drink. "Ralph Lauren wants me again. And then this newer designer, Hugh Wood, whom I'm not sure if you know?" He put his cup down on the end table, adding the last details to the calendar on his phone.

"Mm-mm." Olivia confirmed in the negative that she didn't, taking a bite of the big soft cinnamon roll. She closed her eyes and sighed at its deliciousness. Warm, sweet, and with just a hint of spice.

"And then I have Tom's show." Ricky had been the face of Tom Ford's campaigns over the past couple of years and was therefore a shoo-in for his show at the New York Fashion Week.

"Bello, you have to taste this. It's so good." Olivia lifted the cinnamon roll up to Ricky so he could take a bite.

Ricky looked at it, the rich smell hitting his nose. "I can't. I have the first show in a couple of days." Olivia lifted the baked goods a little higher, trying to tempt him. One bite wasn't going to be the end all considering the amazing shape he was in. Ricky sighed, looking at it, and then leaned forward, taking a generous bite.

Olivia smiled at the sound of his humming, enjoying the taste as much as she did. She peeled off the outer ring of the roll before putting the rest of the pastry back in the paper bag, reaching to place it on the coffee table, and grabbed the iPad lying there.

"Okay." She snuggled into Ricky's side, wiggling her butt a little to get comfortable, ready to continue where they had left off. She had left the apartment to give Ricky some privacy when his modeling agent called, going down to the Swedish bakery and cafe at the corner of their block, bringing Zeppelin along for the short walk so he could tend to his necessaries. "Were where we..." She took a bite of the cinnamon roll piece, waking the iPad up to the book Ricky was studying to become a certified personal trainer. "Um," she chewed some, finding the right spot. "What is the sequence of connective tissue within the muscle from largest to smallest?"

Ricky took another drink from his mocha as he tried to remember the answer. "Epsi...epsi, damn it. E-pi-my-si-um," He spelled out the word to get it correctly across his lips and tried again. "Epimysium, perimysium, and uh, endomysium...?"

"Correct." Olivia smiled. She knew words sometimes got stuck because of his traumatic brain injury, so every time he didn't give up but pressed on, was a victory. "Mmm..." she scrolled further down the page. "What is the basic contractile unit of a muscle?"

She continued to quiz him, helping him with his studies. As she did, Ricky ran his fingers through her soft dark-brown hair. He leaned his cheek against her head, getting a whiff of the fresh and clean scent of her hair products. It made Olivia smile, getting distracted for a second.

As they sat huddled together on the couch with Zeppelin next to them, warm inside while gentle snow was falling outside the big panoramic windows, Ricky felt his chest fill with a feeling of not only happiness but an intense, almost overwhelming, love. He couldn't explain it. They had been together for years. Spent hundreds of hours snuggled up just like this. But all of a sudden, he was hit with an all-consuming feeling of never wanting to be without. He hadn't realized she was asking him another question as the sensation overtook everything.

"Liv?"

"–can lead to a decrease in—"

"Will you marry me?"

"What?" Olivia scrambled to sit up straight without spilling from her takeout cup, putting it and the iPad away as she turned around to look at Ricky with big eyes, astounded.

"I mean, I just..." Ricky suddenly felt insecure. He knew he wasn't the easiest to be with because of all his issues, yet she had never failed him. And looking into her warm brown eyes, the intense feeling of love for her, which he knew so well, washed through him once more. "Yeah," he smiled, "will you marry me?"

Olivia clasped her hands over her mouth. Her heart was beating so hard it felt like a drum in her chest. Tears of happiness sprung to her eyes and she nodded. "Yes." An incredulous laugh slipped past the smile that had spread across her face, tears running down her warm pink cheeks. "Yes, I'll marry you." She got up on her knees, throwing her arms around his neck, falling onto his lap. Ricky hugged her tight in the embrace and Olivia laughed through her happy tears. "A million-billion times yes."

They both laughed from an overflow of elation, holding each other close, kissing warmly.

Zeppelin caught the sudden joyous shift in the atmosphere and got up, his tail swaying energetically back and forth, giving a small grunt as he tried to be part of their hug.

"Zeppy," Ricky laughed, breaking the kiss he shared with Olivia, trying to hold back the dog with an arm as it jumped on them, wanting to lick their faces. "Zep, get down. Down," he repeated with more authority, and Zeppelin obeyed. Jumping from the couch he ran off, coming back immediately with one of his stuffed toys, looking excitedly at them as he jumped onto the part of the chaise lounge that was covered with his blanket. His tail was wagging so forcefully that his whole body swayed back and forth before he laid down, licking and chewing his toy.

"I don't actually have a ring or any—"

"Oh, no, you have to ask your dad for your mom's ring, I understand."

Ricky blinked as he held Olivia's head in his hands, lowering his gaze. Everything in him seemed to drop to the bottom of his stomach at her words. She expected his mother's ring.

Olivia grimaced at the look on his face. She had been waiting patiently for him to be ready to take this step, and now she ruined it. "No, I'm sorry. I spoke without thinking." She rested her arms around his neck, shaking her head. "I..." she sighed, "we'll figure things out. Finding a ring together is going to be really special." She smiled, trying to save the moment.

"Yeah." The tone in Ricky's voice sounded defeated. The thought of seeing his father after years of no contact was daunting. He knew Olivia meant no harm. That the words simply fell off her lips. She was a traditionalist when it came to things like this, so of course she expected he would use his deceased mother's ring. It's what people did. And truth be told, he hadn't even thought of needing a ring until the second he proposed.

"We'll figure it out," Olivia said again, letting a hand slide from around his neck and down to his strong chest, resting it over his heart. "We always do." She looked him in the eyes with a kind expression.

"Yeah."

Olivia hugged him tight again to both apologize and comfort him. She could feel him take a deep breath, his chest pressing against hers as he held her to him, his strong arms wrapped around her.

"I love you so much," she whispered as their heads rested against each other.

"I love you too, heartbeat."

Olivia smiled at the nickname, squeezing him even tighter, feeling grateful, warm, and so, so, incredibly in love.