Page 65 of A Love That Broke Us
THEN—TWOYEARS AGO
AUGUST
This.
This is a top five moment of my entire life—which says a lot, considering the best happened just six days ago. The day Alley became my wife.
I look around, taking it all in. It’s quiet.
My arm’s draped around Alley’s—no,my wife’s—shoulder. The corners of my mouth pull upward as that thought settles in.
My wife.
Shit. I’m fucking married.
A full-blown grin spreads across my face. So far, so good. These last few days have been some of the best. But right now? I don’t even know how to describe it.
Alley called itbreathtaking and indescribable. And well, I’ve never been great with words, but a few come to mind: magical, incredible, unbelievable.
Alley shifts closer, resting her head in the crook of my arm. Colors stretch wide across the sky, clouds hovering just below themountain peaks. The sun burns low to the left, promising another perfect day.
It’s fucking beautiful—almost spiritual, though I’m no expert in that department. But if anything fits the word, it’s this. People are talking around us, but only in soft whispers, like we’re on sacred ground.
I bring the mug of hot coffee to my lips, savoring the rich flavor as it warms my tongue and slides down my throat. A blanket stretches across our laps, and I sniff against the brisk morning air, my nose running.
The only thing killing the moment is my knee. It’s been throbbing for the last hour, despite wrapping it tight before we started the two-hour hike up Mt. Batur.
Setting my coffee down on the makeshift bench, I reach for my phone to snap a few pictures. Moving to use both hands, Alley sits up and stretches, her arms extending toward the sky as she lets out a long exhale, her breath visible in the cold air.
“Not too many,” she says, glancing at my phone. “It’ll take you out of the moment. You’ll blink and it’ll be gone.”
Grinning, I put my phone down, slide my arm back around her shoulder and pull her in for a kiss. Our lips meet, and the contrast of her warm skin against the cold on my face makes me want to get lost in her mouth right here. Right now. But I force myself to pull back. She’s right. We’ll blink, and this will be gone.
I slide my hand from her shoulder to her thigh, finding her hand and wrapping it in mine, our fingers weaving together.
“This is the coolest thing I’ve ever done,” I say, voice low, almost a whisper. “Aside from marrying you.” I nudge her shoulder with mine.
“I know,” she whispers back. “I don’t want it to end.” She glances out over the view. “I’m actually dreading the hike back down. Do you think we could call a helicopter to come get us?” A soft laugh slips from her lips.
I chuckle, my knee silently agreeing. “God, that’d be great.”
The hike was steep. Straight up, and unlike any hike I’ve ever done. The ground was soft—dirt or maybe volcanic ash, I’m not sure—sinking under your feet with every step. Rocky, too. Half of it wasgiant steps up jagged rocks, then planting your foot in soft sand that just slides back down. Basically, every goddamn step took twice the effort, and with my knee barking at me, it was fucking brutal.
Now, the thought of going back down freaks me the fuck out. I can only imagine those giant steps, the uneven ground—jarring in the worst way.
I take another sip of coffee, realizing I’m just about finished as coffee grounds start making their way into my mouth. The coffee’s different here—delicious, but not what I’m used to. Every cup has grounds at the bottom, and I seem to forget every day until I hit them and have to spit them out.
Bali’s been incredible, easily one of the coolest places I’ve ever been. Totally different from my usual Europe trips or long weekends in the States. The people are amazing—friendly, humble, and easy to talk to. I’ve never been to a developing country like this before, and honestly, it’s been eye-opening in the best way. I could definitely live here for a few months out of the year.
Our morning started dark and early, at 12:30 a.m. Our driver, Wayan, picked us up and drove us to the base of the hike, getting us there by 2:30. So, I’m tired as hell, but worth it.
My stomach flips and rumbles.
Fuck. I have to shit.
I glance around, even though I know damn well there aren’t any bathrooms up here.You’re on top of a volcano, dumbass. And at least two hours away from any kind of relief.Great.
This should be fun. The coffee’s running straight through me. I’ve had a few of these moments since we got here—hunting down questionable spots to take care of business. I’ve even given in and taken a few of Alley’s activated charcoal pills she packed after doing all her research. I thought they were hokey as hell, but I’ll admit, they work.
