Page 102 of Fate Forever and Always

I think I heard a small sniffle from Lincoln. Callie came up beside me and hugged me around my waist. I looked down at her and kissed her nose. “I love you.”

She leaned up and kissed mine. “I love you more.”

We both watched our best friends' dreams come true. If anyone deserved this, it was Aubrey.

“Songbird, this past year has been a whirlwind. It has been full of excitement and pain and I wouldn’t change a single moment of it for anything,” he paused. “Except maybe the nickname you gave me.”

Everyone laughed.

It was a pretty weird nickname. She calls him Grumpy Butt. They really were perfect for each other. Their weirdness just fits.

“Aubrey, I love you with all my heart. You have completed my life in a way I never thought possible.”

Callie squeezed me tight with every word Lincoln said. I could tell she was trying not to cry, and honestly, my eyes were stinging a little, too.

We all watched Lincoln as he continued one of the most beautiful speeches I think I'd ever heard.

“Fate brought you home to me and made me a believer in what is meant for you will always find a way. Aubrey Lynn Miller, will you make me the happiest and luckiest man in the world and be my forever?”

Aubrey let out a cry and fell to the ground covering herself in snow. She wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him all over his face. Everyone smiled and let out a few laughs.

“Yes. Yes. Yes.” She was ending each kiss on his face with a yes.

After everyone gave their congratulations, we made our way inside since it was so cold out. We sat around chatting, and the girls were already making plans and talking about wedding colors.

I couldn’t help but smile across the room at Callie. She looked so happy and carefree. She had been through hell and back in such a short amount of time, and I hoped the universe got it out of its system for now.

Callie must have heard my thoughts because she looked over at me and smiled even bigger. She mouthed, “I love you so much,” before blowing me a kiss. I made a show of catching it and fell backward into the counter dramatically. I heard her beautiful giggle from across the room.

“You guys are sickening,” Elijah joked.

I patted his arm. “Thanks. I will take that as a compliment.”

Before he could say anything else, I went into the hallway, motioning with my head to get Callie to follow me.

I shut the door behind us, and before I could fully turn toward her, she had me up against the door. I was hoping the loudness of my friends and family chatting hid the thump of my body. I ran my hands in her hair, cupping her face. I never wanted to let her go. I was praying I never had to again.

“I miss you,” Callie said as she pulled away.

I smiled and let out a laugh. “I am right here, baby.” I ran my thumb over her bottom lip.

She nuzzled her face into my hand. “I know, but I just missed kissing you.”

I smirked, placing a light kiss on her forehead. “You kiss me anywhere, anytime you are missing me. I don’t care who's around. You get anything you want from me. All you have to do is take it, baby.”

Her playful look changed into a much more serious one. “I want to spend forever with you.”

Her admission surprised me, and I let my hands fall. I knew I felt that way, and would marry her tomorrow if she let me. I knew she loved me, but didn't in a million years think about bringing up marriage so soon after her relationship with Jake.

“I didn’t mean right now,” she stammered. “I...damn…I scared you. Sorry, I didn’t mean to drop that on you. I just—”

I cut her off with a kiss. A kiss so deep neither one of us would ever forget it. I pulled away, and she was smiling again.

“Sweets, I didn’t have that look because I don’t want to spend forever with you. That’s literally the only thing I want in this life is for you to be mine forever. I just didn’t expect you to say it first.”

She began to blush. “What do you mean, say it first?”

I stepped in even closer to her and held both her hands in mine. “Callie, I would marry you tomorrow if you let me. Ididn’t want to rush you. I didn’t want to overwhelm you with everything that’s been going on.”

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