Page 75 of Give Me Forever Love

This is love.

This is what it’s all about.

Lying together in bed, holding each other and talking about life and the future.

“Good,” she says. “I’m glad that’s settled.”

“You have no idea howgladI am.”

We sit up late, talking into the night about what we want for our future and the next steps we need to take to get there.

I want to travel, and she always wants Mugs & Books, but says she’ll let Claire and Becca run it until we can get back home. She wants to start a pod cast and write a blog about our travels, and I can’t fucking wait to marry her and have babies so they can see how awesome she is.

We fall asleep when the sun comes up, and we stay in bed until late afternoon when we decide to move our snuggle-fest downstairs on the couch that we both declare not to care about messing up anymore. We order in and watch action movies, and my life has never been more meaningful.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Bryce

(A little over a month later)

I step out of the truck, reaching in the back for the pumpkins K bought at the farmers’ market. “Set those outside in front of the door,” she says to me as she carries an armload through the open French doors. I shake my head. “So many damn pumpkins.”

She turns back and gives me a look. “You knew my obsession before you asked me to marry you.”

I smirk. “Yeah, I guess I did.” Claire stands with an apron on that has black cats all over it. Rubber bats hang down from the ceiling and purple and orange lights are strung around. It’s the month we’re getting married, and it’s close to my girl’s favorite holiday.

I place the pumpkins down and grab a crate full of small ones before walking into the shop. Becca’s doing a display of new Halloween coffee mugs, and I see they got in some new magnets for the book lovers.

“Grab that small ladder and put some on top of the bookshelves,” K says to me.

“Sure thing,” I reply, unenthused with the Fall/Halloween decorating. Becca laughs and Claire smirks. She tolerates me for Kat, but I can tell she’s still not one hundred percent on board, which is her problem.

A few college kids sit in the chairs that have fall-colored throw blankets and pillows that sayBoo. I do as I’m told, and once I’m done, I walk around the counter and fix myself a cup of coffee.

“I’ve got to go get my dress,” K says to Claire. “Are y’all good here?”

“You know we are. I’ll see you in the morning.”

K exhales. “Okay.” She smiles and the two share a look I don’t get.

“Let’s go then,” she says to me like I’m the reason we haven’t left yet.

“See you tomorrow, Kat,” Becca says.

“Yep,” K replies with a wink. I grab her hand as we exit and step out onto the sidewalk. I open the truck door and K climbs in before sliding over to her side. “Sit beside me,” I say. She smirks and scoots back over.

I start the old Chevy, and we head to the bridal shop. We drive with the windows cracked and the radio on, both of us in our own little worlds. I think about tomorrow and how I’ve never been more ready. K and I only grow closer as time passes. We’ve come so far since spilt coffee and a late-night breakfast.

I love this woman with everything I have. Love doesn’t come quickly for some. It’s a slow simmer, an uphill ride. She caught my attention the first moment I laid eyes on her, but I was so stuck in my ways, I would have never sought her out.

Fate had to step in and my brother who had to have coffee before we took off to Grant Ranch. The universe knew what it was doing. No two people were meant for each other more than she and I. We fight, we make up, we laugh, and sometimes we can just be.

Love is sitting quietly beside your partner, not having to fill the silence because you’re completely at peace as long as the other one is near.

Love is holding hands for the simple fact of it.

It’s late nights and lazy afternoons ordering takeout and watching movies. Busy days when you hardly have time to see each other, but you make time because your day seems off if you don’t.

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