Page 97 of The First Time

My heart skips a beat. The world suddenly seems brighter. The sound of his laugh carries a hint of mischief and joy, effortlessly infectious, making it impossible not to smile in response. “So, what does this happily-ever-after consist of?”

“I’m glad you asked.” He looks around us. “This land. It’s ours. I’m buying it off the owners over there. It’s been vacant since this development went up. The original owner of the home wanted to build a large guest house, but never got around to it. With a little convincing, they agreed to sell it to me.”

“You bought this land?” I whisper, shivers rippling through my body.

“I did. It will take some time, but I’m going to build our home right here. Our happily ever after is the dreams that my seventeen-year-old soulmate had. She was right all along. This is where we are meant to be.” He wraps his hand around my waist and pulls me in along with Biscuit. “I may not be able to afford all the mansions on the water around here, but I can still figure out how to make all of your dreams come true. That is if you’ll forgive me.”

My heart feels like it might burst with the sheer intensity of its happiness. I feel a powerful, all-encompassing sense of joy that fills me with energy. I feel more alive than ever. Tears are streaming down my cheeks, but I don’t even bother to wipe them.

“Of course, I forgive you. Josh,” I say as I look around. “You didn’t have to do all of this. A simple apology would have been enough.”

He leans down and kisses me. A kiss that feels like we’re sealing the deal on our love. “I didn’t want you or anyone to ever doubt what we have ever again. But…” he starts as he looks around, “we technically don’t own this property yet. The papers are beingdrafted by our lawyers right now. So, we should probably head back to my car.”

“What? We’re standing on someone else’s property right now. Oh my god, Josh.”

I start to take large strides back to the car with Biscuit curled into my chest. Josh is laughing behind me.

“I don’t think they’re going to get their gun out and shoot us, Freckles.”

When I get to the top of the woods, I notice Asher and Charlotte are gone. Before I can turn around, Josh grabs my hand and leads me to his truck.

“Did Charlotte and Asher go home?” I ask after we close our doors.

Biscuit snuggles in my lap, and I scratch his head. I can’t believe this is all happening right now. I don’t even know how to process everything. And I have a million questions.

“Yep, I sent them back home. Man,” he sighs while he drives us out of the neighborhood, “it’s been a crazy day. I didn’t know if Biscuit was going to take off and run when I put him down or walk up to you like he was supposed to do. I was considering telling Charlotte to rub some peanut butter on you to bait him in.”

I erupt in a fit of laughter. “It’s a good thing she didn’t. If I caught Charlotte trying to lure me out into the woods while smothering me in peanut butter, I would have officially thought she was plotting to have me killed.”

“You thought she was going to have you killed?” he laughs.

“Well, what was I supposed to think? She picks me up on a Thursday night for a drink, even though she’s pregnant, with her four-year-old, tells me to look nice, then proceeds to tell me there’s actually no drink but to walk out into the middle of the woods by myself.”

Josh is now laughing so hard he has tears flooding his eyes. “You’re right,” he croaks. “That sounds exactly like a messed-up murder plot. I’m so sorry, Freckles. I told you I suck at this. I can’t be romantic for shit.”

My laughter dies, because that is so far from the truth. “Josh, this is the most amazing thing anyone has ever done for me. Like you said, you made my dreams come true. I couldn’t be happier, even if I did briefly think Charlotte was going to kill me.”

“Your dreams are my dreams now.” He grabs my hand and squeezes it. “I really am sorry for how I behaved Saturday. It was awful, and I’m humiliated.”

“Just don’t do that again. We work things out together from now on.”

“Deal, baby.”

“I do have some questions,” I ask as he seems to be driving a path to my house.

“Shoot.”

“So, you’re building a home on that land…for you and me to live in together?”

He smiles. “That was the plan.”

“How long do you think it will take?”

He thinks for a second. “Well, we still need to deal with a loan and then I have to put a schedule together and hire the guys to start. It’ll be about eighteen months.”

“In the meantime, we live in our own homes? And who gets Biscuit until then?”

I realize I’ve lifted Biscuit to my face and am clutching him, daring Josh to tell me Biscuit isn’t staying with me.

---