Page 44 of When Love And Destiny Collide

I fold the small piece of paper and carefully write her name on it. Then, I take it downstairs and place it against the coffee pot,making sure it’s the first thing she’ll see when she walks in later this morning.

***

As I enter the kitchen, I see Lily flipping golden French toast on the griddle. The aroma of sizzling bacon and sweet syrup fills the air, mingling with the delicate scent of white lilies—her captivating perfume.

I walk up behind her and wrap my arms around her waist. "Hi," I whisper into her ear, feeling the warmth of her body against me.

She smiles and turns to face me, her blue eyes shining.

"Good morning,” she says softly. "I saw your note. Noah, I feel the same way. I don’t know how it happened, but I can’t imagine my life without you and Davey."

"Everyone will say we're crazy," I reply, drawing her closer. "You’re young, Sweetheart. They’ll question why you’d tie your life to a man nearly twice your age and with a child."

"I know," she nods, her voice steady. "But I don’t care. I love you."

"I love you too," I say, "What we have is worth fighting for. Only you and I truly understand the connection we share."

“Promise me that no matter what happens, we’ll never let anything come between us.”

“I promise,” I say, my voice steady and sincere. “Nothing will ever pull me away from you.”

“Now, about Dad,” she begins. “The last time I spoke to Loren, she mentioned I should make sure to invite him to Sunday dinner."

"Okay," I say, "but I’d like to meet him before then."

"How about tomorrow night?" she suggests. "We could all go out to dinner."

"Or, I could make something here.”

“Really?” she smiles. “You’re going to cook for us?”

“Of course,” I reply with a grin. “I’m a spaghetti-making expert.”

“You know what else you’re an expert at?” she asks, her cheeks flushing a pretty pink.

"Come here," I reply with a playful edge to my voice. I pull her close until our lips are almost touching.

"Kiss me, Noah. Kiss me like the expert you are."

***

After Lily heads out to meet her dad, Davey and I play catch in the backyard. We're deep into the game when the familiar ringtone of my brother’s call breaks through the afternoon calm. Since the day he said we'd table the conversation until his return, we've both sidestepped any mention of Lily and me. With everyone due back this week, the decision looms over me—should I tell him I'm dating Lily over the phone or wait to face him in person?

"I need to take this call, Buddy," I tell Davey, ruffling his hair. "Play by yourself for a bit while I talk to Uncle Jon."

With a deep breath, I pick up the phone. "Hi, Jon."

"Good morning!" his cheerful voice instantly puts me at ease.

"You sound rested," I say with a smile. "I can almost see your tan from here."

"Most of us are coming home with golden tans," Jon says. "But you know Sharon—she doesn't tan, so she doubled up on sunscreen to avoid burning. And Loren? She practically hid under a beach umbrella with a massive sun hat to keep the sun at bay."

"Is there anything you need done before you get back?" I ask, hoping he’ll dive into a list of tasks and steer clear of any mention of Lily.

"No," he says, "Lisa's already cleaned everyone's houses and restocked the refrigerators. I think we're all set. But while I have you on the phone, how's Lily doing?"

I should've known better—the idea that he wouldn't bring her up was just wishful thinking on my part.

---