After a while, we float on our backs, staring up at the clear blue sky. Thomas’s hand finds mine under the water, his fingers lacing with mine.
“Lily,” he says, his voice serious. “I’ve been thinking…about us, about our future.”
I turn to look at him, my heart pounding in my chest. “What about it?”
“I think…I think we should buy a house together,” he says, his gaze steady on mine. “I know I’ve asked you to move into my place but I want something that’s ours. Equally ours, from the start.”
I blink, surprised. “Thomas, your house is fine. It’s more than fine, it’s beautiful.”
He shakes his head. “It’s not about the house being fine, Lily. It’s about us, about starting this new chapter of our lives on equal footing. I don’t want you to feel like you’re moving into my space. I want us to create our own space, together.”
I’m silent for a moment, taken aback by his words. As I look into his eyes, I see the sincerity there and the love. I realize that this is just another example of how Thomas is trying to make things right, to show me that he’s committed to us, to our future.
“Okay,” I say, squeezing his hand. “Let’s do it. Let’s buy a house together.”
A wide smile breaks out on his face, and he pulls me into his arms, spinning us around in the water. “You won’t regret it, Lily,” he promises, his voice full of joy. “We’re going to make a beautiful home together and fill it with beautiful babies.”
I gape at him. “Babies?”
He shrugs, his smile never wavering. “Only if you want. I love you, and I want to build a life with you. I hope that means kids, but you’re what’s most important to me. We don’t have to decide now.”
I stare at him, my heart pounding in my chest. I’ve always wanted children, and I won’t pretend I haven’t thought about living that dream with Thomas, but it always just felt like a fantasy. I see the sincerity and excitement in Thomas’ eyes just at the thought of kids.
“You want to have kids,” I say slowly, savoring the words on my tongue. “With me?”
Thomas nods, his gaze serious. “Yes. I want to have kids with you. Not right away, of course. We have plenty of time. But if it’s what you want, I can’t wait.”
I’m silent for a moment, processing his words. Then, I nod, a slow smile spreading across my face. “Okay,” I say, my voice full of wonder. “I want that too.”
Thomas grins, pulling me into his arms and pressing a kiss to my forehead. “I love you,” he murmurs.
I wrap my arms around him, the sound of the waterfall echoing in my ears, and I know that I’ve made the right choice.
twenty-nine
Forever- Thomas
Thenextfewweeksare a whirlwind of wedding planning. Lily’s mom and Christina take the reins, coordinating everything from the venue to the flowers to the catering. I’m more than happy to let them handle the details, content to simply nod and agree with whatever they suggest. All I care about is marrying Lily.
We fly out to the wedding destination, a beautiful resort nestled in the mountains of Colorado. I’ve arranged for everyone in both our lives to attend, wanting to share this special day with all the people who matter to us. Granted, Lily’s guest list is a lot longer than mine, but I can’t wait to meet everyone who means something to her.
As the plane touches down, I glance over at Lily, who’s nervously chewing on her lower lip.
“You okay?” I ask, reaching over to squeeze her hand.
She gives me a shaky smile. “Just nervous, I guess.”
I chuckle, pulling her close. “You? Nervous? I thought I was the one who was supposed to be freaking out.”
She rolls her eyes, but I can see the relief in her gaze. “I just…I hate being in the spotlight, you know? And I’m scared I’ll say something stupid. What if I accidentally mention your cute butt in my vows?”
I tilt her chin up, forcing her to meet my gaze. “Well, I do have a great butt. Truthfully, Lily, you could recite the alphabet at the altar and it would still be the most beautiful thing I’ve ever heard. This day is about us, about our love. It doesn’t matter what you say or do. All that matters is that at the end of the day, you’ll be my wife.”
She blinks at me, her eyes filling with tears. “You really mean that, don’t you?”
I nod, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. “Every word.”
As we disembark from the plane and step into the crisp Colorado air, I wrap my arm around Lily, pulling her close. She leans into me, her nervousness slowly fading away. As we make our way to the resort, a sense of peace washes over me. Because no matter what happens, no matter how many nerves or hiccups we encounter along the way, I know that marrying Lily is the best decision I’ve ever made.