Page 89 of The Icing on the Cake
“There are so many memories I’m grateful for, but I thought it was time we made a new memory here,” he says, taking my hand and leading me down the familiar path to the dock, where we stand at the edge.
The late-afternoon air is crisp, carrying the scent of woodsmoke and the earthy smell of fallen leaves. The small lake stretches out before us, mirror-smooth except for the occasional ripple. This is the place where Mom and I made our best memories, where Lucian and I fell in love, where I’ve always found a sense of calm.
He hands me a box he must have hidden in his truck.
“What’s this?” I ask.
“Open it.”
Inside, nestled on a bed of soft fabric, is a woodenfigurine—the most detailed one yet. It’s a maple leaf, intricately carved with our initials.
“Another piece for your collection,” Lucian says.
“Like your tattoo.” I glance at his rolled-up flannel sleeve where I know the maple leaf is hidden.
“Carved it after we had our first kiss, but it felt too soon to give it to you then.”
“And now?”
“Now feels right.” He takes my hand, the one holding the leaf. “Now feels like the beginning of something new.”
He pulls up his sleeve and that’s when I see it clearly. His maple leaf tattoo has changed—our initials are now carved into the design. “You added our initials?”
“Yeah. I wanted your name on me—permanently.”
I slide my arms around his waist, pulling myself closer, feeling like there’s nowhere else I could go to find this much happiness. “I love it. And I love you.”
The words come easily now, like I’ve been saying them all my life.
“I love you too.” He takes my palm and kisses the inside of it, his lips soft and warm against my skin.
“You know what would make this day even more perfect?” I say, remembering something from this morning. I’d been planning on making my announcement at dinner, but that was before Alexander showed up.
“What’s that?”
“Well, remember that grant I applied for?”
“You mean the grant I helped you turn in on time?” he says, his lips curving into a knowing smile.
“Thanks to you, the mayor’s office called me to tell me…” I pause. “I got the grant!”
“What?” His face lights up as he sweeps me off my feet, spinning us in a dizzying circle on the dock as I shriek with laughter. “Neesha, this is incredible! I’m so proud of you!”
When he finally sets me down, he immediately cups my face and kisses me deeply, sending fire racing through my body.
“I can’t believe it,” he says against my lips, his forehead pressed to mine. “You did it. You’re really going to have your own business.”
“We did it,” I correct him. “I never would have made the deadline without you. Now I just need a bigger kitchen.”
Lucian’s hands slide to my waist. “Speaking of kitchens, your apartment is way too small for your baking experiments. Henry can barely turn around without knocking something over.”
“It works for right now. And I can’t afford anything bigger.”
“What if we found you something with a larger kitchen and more room for Henry to run around?”
“Where would that be?”
“Right here,” he says, “at Maple Lake.”
