Page 104 of Forever Mine
“Wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
He digs something out of his trouser pocket. “He would want you to have this,” Shaun says and places a gold link necklace in the palm of my hand.
My fingers close around it, the metal warm to the touch. A piece of David.
“Thank you.”
“I need to get back to Yo. Don’t be a stranger.”
We give each other a brief, back-slapping hug.
“I won’t.”
He stops and says something to Julien, who glances my way as they shake hands.
It hits me. Life is too precious and too fucking short to waste even a second of it. I make a vow to never take it for granted. To never take Julien or our love for granted.
I know what I want. I’m looking right at him.
No more waiting. I’m going to ask Julien to marry me.
Chapter Thirty
JULIEN
As my sneakershit the gravel, my metered breaths provide a steady rhythm that drowns out everything else except the myriad of thoughts swarming my mind. Today’s the day. The most important day of my life.
“Holy hell… why is this… so hard?” Elijah pants.
Not able to pass that up, I reply, “That’s what you said last night.”
He clutches his side but doesn’t slow down. “Ow. Please don’t… make me laugh. It’s hard… enough to breathe.”
“Your own fault for skipping a month to lie in and be lazy, Sleeping Beauty,” I reply and increase my jogging speed as we start up the hill.
“Sadist!” he shouts but doesn’t let me get far before he catches up to me.
When we crest the hill, the first light of dawn kisses the horizon, turning the sky into a canvas of yellows and soft pinks. I breathe in the crisp, fresh scent of morning dew, welcoming thenew day. A life-altering day. A day that will mark the beginning of our happily ever after… at least, I hope so.
Elijah stops and bends over at the waist, pulling in gulps of air.
“We need to work on your cardio.”
He flips me off.
An arc of faint yellow breaches the horizon.
“Babe, it’s happening.”
“I will never get tired of seeing this,” he says, shielding his eyes.
“I know what you mean,” I reply, looking at him and not the sunrise.
How his eyes reflect the early morning light. How his blond curls, damp with sweat, frame his face in a perfect halo. How his soft smile is more beautiful than the sunrise we’re about the experience.
Feeling the weight of the moment settle deep inside my chest, I try to steady my racing heart that has nothing to do with the five-mile run to get here. I had planned this moment meticulously in my head. Had the words mapped out and memorized, wanting them to be perfect. And now, standing here beside the man I’m about to ask to spend forever with me, I can’t remember a fucking one.
“E,” I begin, my voice barely a whisper.
