Page 27 of That One Moment

“You had no warning at all?” Cooper shifts so that he’s lying between my legs on his stomach, his chin resting on my naked chest as he looks at me.

“None at all. And he looked absolutely horrified moments after he kissed me, mumbling a thousand apologies. I wasn’t mad at him, in fact all I could think about was how much I wanted to kiss him more. How I’d never felt that sort of rush inside from kissing a girl.”

“What did you do?”

“He looked like he was going to pass out with how hard he was apologising so I grabbed the back of his head and kissed him. He melted into me and I spun us around and pressed him against the bookshelf. It was the history section if I remember correctly. I remember feeling really hot, but in a good way and not like I'd felt before. That's when I realised I could be interested in a guy as much as I could a girl.”

Cooper laughs and crawls up my body until his lips meet mine. “And where is Elton now?”

My tongue darts out to lick his lips. “No idea, we had a fun summer, and then his parents moved and he transferred universities. I didn’t love him, we didn’t really even date. It was just fun. I dated a few girls and guys after him but nothing serious. Until now.”

Cooper smiles at that and I flip us over, a chuckle escaping him. “What about you?”

“I saw a show on TV once where two men were talking about how much they loved each other. I must have been maybe nine and I said to my dad, ‘I’m going to marry a man one day.’” And I knew it was true, it felt right. Dad nodded and told me best to start saving because weddings are expensive, then he told me to eat my vegetables and we carried on as usual. I remember Caiden watching me with a frown but it was only a month or so later that he told me that he felt the same - minus the marriage.”

My heart thuds rapidly in my chest as the next words pop into my mind and I’m too overwhelmed with emotion and giddy feelings for the boy beneath me to hold them back. “I’m going to marry you one day, Cooper Carrington. I’m going to put a ring on your finger, build you a house and then love you forever.”

His smile is brighter than the sun and I lean in to taste the happiness.

“I’m going to hold you to that,” he says. “And best start saving, I need a big ring and a huge wedding.”

Cooper settles into my chest, his ear to my heart and a comfortable silence fills the room.

“I'm going to make a difference in this life.” His voice is quiet but certain, in a way I have come to love about him. “Every little kid I teach, I'm going to let them know they're seen. My mother never saw me and I never want anyone to feel the way that made me feel.”

My mind tumbles over his words, not quite sure how we moved from me building him a house to this, only that we're talking about the future. Our future. So maybe, it all makes sense. He knows what he wants from us and from his life.

I thank whatever stars delivered him to me, that I get to be a part of his forever.

Chapter Thirteen

Jamie

“There’s so many choices, how do you decide?” Sage muses. Her hand slides over the glass surface, an assortment of rings in all shapes and sizes glittering beneath. We’re in a jewelry store not far from campus, hidden on a small street set off from the main shopping area.

I’m a simple guy. I like jeans and t-shirts and occasionally, I’ll throw on a smart polo. I like flannel and beanies and comfortable clothing, and the only jewelry I’ve ever bought were the necklace and bracelet I got for the twins for their birthday. I know nothing about rings and what I do know about precious metals is better suited for inlays, fixtures and accents in architectural designs than it is for picking out the perfect engagement ring.

“Hmmm.” My lips purse as my eyes browse the selection, coming to land on a row of plain silver bands. “I’m hoping I’ll just know it when I see it.” I remember my mum telling me that when she looked at me after I was born, she just knew I was aJamie. I’m putting a lot of hope in having that same sort of ‘ah ha’ moment when I finally spot the right ring.

After our weekend in the cabin two months ago, I made the decision that I was going to marry Cooper sooner rather than later. Since the topic was brought up, it's been on my mind. What’s the point in waiting when you know you’re with the person you’re meant to spend the rest of your life with? And if he’s not ready, I’ll wait for him. I will always wait.

“How about this one?” Sage points to a shiny black ring with a red gem in the middle. It’s not nearly delicate enough for my boyfriend; I shake my head and we continue looking.

“Mind if I offer some suggestions?” The lady behind the counter asks. She must be in her early sixties, with short silver hair and a friendly smile. She’s wearing a navy blue suit with the jewelry store's logo on it.

“Please,” I say, my hand doing a sweeping motion above the cabinet. “I’m looking for something for my boyfriend.” She introduces herself as Anne and then asks me a bit about Cooper and then about my budget.

She nods while I speak, her attention focused on my words.

“He sounds like a lot of fun, and it’s clear that you love him. Have you considered something with a gemstone of some sort? Maybe something to match his eyes? Or perhaps there is a stone that holds meaning to you both.” Anne gestures to another cabinet to my right. Moving over to it, Sage and I watch as she pulls out a red velvet lined tray. Then she carefully moves around collecting up a selection of rings which she places on the velvet.

“These are all platinum, it's a really durable material and as you can see, it’s elegant too.” She smiles and I lean in, getting a closer look. “This one has a sapphire in the middle, and this one,” she picks up another, “has a topaz.” The blues are verypretty, the sapphire does match his eyes but neither are quite what I’m after.

Sage is quiet next me as Anne puts the rings back and busies herself taking out a few more when my eyes snag on one she hasn’t shown us. “That’s it, that’s the one!” I exclaim, my very own ‘ah ha’ moment hitting me hard. I grab Sage’s wrist and point at the solitary ring at the far end of the glass cabinet. Anne smiles, then pulls it out and places it on the tray.

“This one is stunning. It’s a little out of your budget which is why I hadn’t shown you earlier.”

It’s a solid platinum band about two millimeters deep with a diagonal line of diamonds. Four sparkling diamonds that remind me of that night we lay outside and watched the stars.

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