Page 83 of When We Meet Again

I mean, when you know you know.

I help her light one lantern after she secures her notes.

She releases one, then another, then the others. She isn’t crying, but stands silently watching her four lanterns intermingling with each other while they travel to the heavens.

After I give hers some time, I light mine. She watches every movement as I release it like a prayer, hoping it will reach the right hands up above.

Waverly’s hand finds mine and we lie on the blanket in a comfortable silence and watch until the lanterns are barely specks in the night sky.

“This means so much to me, Rome. The fact that you put this all together for me.” She turns her head to me, her eyes finding mine. A hopeful gleam passes in her eyes, and they shimmer in the moonlight. “And your note. It’s…” She takes a deep breath in and exhales a smile. “It’s everything.”

“I love you, Kensi.” I don’t want to smother her with my overwhelming feelings for her. Not right now.

My brother overlooked her in the worst ways you can as a partner. I always saw her and the possibility of us. And I’ll remind her of that every day until I take my last breath.

We must doze off, because although my arm is covering my eyes, the air feels a little warmer, the birds are chirping, and life seems a little lighter. A warm exhale comes from my chest before Waverly starts to stir. Her coconut-scented hair blows into my face, tickling me.

“Good morning, gorgeous.” I kiss the top of her head.

“Morning, Rome.” She rolls off of me, resting her head on the blanket and stretches, making a weird fucking noise.

Propping myself up with my elbows, I turn to her. “What the hell was that?”

“A stretch?”

“No. It’s like you summoned a demon with the noise of a pterodactyl,” I joke, sitting up and ignoring her pointed stare.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see her tuck my rolled note into her bag. There is a small tilt of her lips as she zips the pocket. Just as I start to think I should lean in for a kiss, she snaps. “What?”

Ah. Gotcha.

“Are you hungry?” I didn’t plan on staying overnight on the beach, and someone is pretty hangry.

Her delicate fingers work through her long blonde strands, tying it up into a messy bun on top of her head. Another glare.

“Yes. You have fifteen minutes to feed me before you change your mind about loving me, Roman Huxley.” She stands, looking out to where the ocean meets the sky.

I follow her lead, but pull her back against me. “I’ll never change my mind about you, Kensi. I just have to start feeding you in four-hour increments to counter the hangriness. Were you always like this?”

I feel a whack against my thigh before she lifts her hand and moves it into my hair. I chuckle against her neck. This is the life I’ve been waiting for. The life with her in my arms, knowing there is nowhere to go for us except forward.

It’s funny how the world puts people in your life. Sometimes they are the right person for us, but the timing is all wrong. Sometimes they are just meant to be a stepping stone in life, helping you get from one season of life to the other.

But Waverly, she’s always meant to be here. I feel it in my heart and soul.

EPILOGUE

WAVERLY

“It hurts!” It really does. It really,reallyhurts.

“It’s supposed to hurt, baby,” Roman’s hand is white in mine, mainly because I’m squeezing so tight, “You’re having our babies, but you’re almost finished.”

“I need one more big push from you, Waverly.” One more.Dr. Carleton said that fifteen minutes ago when I pushed our baby boy out.

“I can’t.” I look at Roman with pleading eyes, begging him to save me from this agony somehow.I’mthe one who opted out of an epidural. Who in their right goddamn mind would let me do this? I’m strong and I know I am. But only when it comes to going after what I want in life. When it comes to physical pain? I’m a baby.

“Kensi,” Roman’s voice is calm, his silver eyes summon mine and we lock gazes, “You’re giving us the most beautiful gift. Two babies. The twins you always talked about.”

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