Wedding bells are ringing for Power Book II: Ghost actress Paige Hurd, who is now engaged to Phoenix Suns player Royce O’Neale after a year of romance.
The couple’s journey to “forever” culminated in a dreamy proposal during a trip to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico—a moment nearly derailed by travel hiccups but executed with movie-worthy flair.
O’Neale popped the question at the end of a dinner, presenting Hurd with a slice of red velvet cake adorned with “Will You Marry Me” written on the plate.
“I was feeling nervous because I wasn’t trying to give off any nerve-wracking behavior or give any signs that something was up,” O’Neale told PEOPLE in an exclusive interview. “I was really excited because I knew Paige wasn’t expecting it and wanted it to be a huge, special surprise.”
View this post on InstagramRelated stories
Hurd was floored by the gesture. “During the proposal I was in such shock, it took me about a full minute to stand to my feet. I’m over the moon and so happy,” she said. The classic setup left her speechless, but the joy was unmistakable.
For O’Neale, a first-year Suns forward, Hurd had long been more than just a partner—she was a dream come true.
“She was my lifelong crush. Couple years ago me and my friends were talking, I mentioned to them one day I will meet her, date her, and marry her. Of course they thought I was joking, but I was serious — it was just the fact we had to meet each other in person.” That determination paid off when the two crossed paths, sparking a connection that deepened quickly.
Hurd, however, wasn’t initially looking for love, stating: “I had just vowed to myself and my therapist I was not dating for a while,” she said. “I was fasting and on my walk with God and boom there’s Royce. Nice as can be, but I just said we could be friends. After a while he won me over, and we have been truly inseparable ever since. That’s my best friend first.”
The couple’s certainty shines through after just one year together. “I’m beyond lucky and blessed. Royce is the most thoughtful, down-to-earth, gentle man I’ve ever known and I couldn’t be happier to spend the rest of my life with him,” Hurd says. “I believe deep down I knew for a while, but for sure in August of last year.”
O’Neale felt it too: “I knew I wanted to marry Paige and spend the rest of my life with her,” he said. “We spent a lot of time together, traveled together, lived together, been around each other’s families and closest friends, learned about each other, and loved being with one another all the time.”
What started as a crush for O’Neale and a cautious “maybe” for Hurd has blossomed into a partnership built on mutual adoration and unshakable trust.
