“That’s what they call you at school.”
“Huh, really?”
“Because you’re golden,” I explain, my fingers tracing absent-minded patterns on his chest.I could get used to this girlfriend shit.
“Well, you’re worth more than gold to me.”
“God, I love you.”
“Say it again.”
“I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you.”
I kiss him again, my heart beating wildly as the wind swirls around us. “I actually can’t get enough of this, you,us.”
His eyes soften, a warmth washing over his features. “We’re just getting started.” He kisses me again with so much hunger like it’s our first and last kiss.
It’s only then that I realize the universe was never out to get me. Through the chaos, through the heightened emotions, it’s led me here, right where I belong.
Epilogue
Serena
The Inthavong-Collins household is a circus sight with Christmas cheer, every corner adorned with twinkling lights and colorful ornaments. I’m knee-deep in icing and sprinkles, trying to build gingerbread houses with Tyler at the dining table. I’m pretty sure there’s a peppermint in my bra and I could practically cry tears of green frosting. Our fingers are smeared with frosting as we vow to win in a creative showdown against his dad and Harper. I told myself I wouldn’t go all out but now I’m in this shit to win it.
“The roof is falling, babe.” Tyler points out, separating the Christmas themed gummies into reds and greens like I’ve told him to do.
Good boyfriends listen and don’t question the art of gingerbread houses.
“It’s not falling, it’s art,” I say, the tip of my tongue poking out as I focus on gluing the roofs together.
“I wouldn’t sayart, and it looks like the big bad wolf blew it down.” He jokes, tucking my hair behind my ears as I concentrate on icing the roof back together.
I take that back, he’s distracting me while I’m trying to win the gingerbread competition.
I slap his hand away from my face, “Babe, stop distracting me.” I hand him a bag of white glittery sprinkles. “Can you just add sprinkles to the roof?”
Tyler starts ripping the bag open, “Why do we need these again? We already spent time using a spatula for the snow falling effect.”
I shoot him the most authoritative glare, “To make it look pretty.”
Tyler’s dad, Mr. Westman, chuckles next to us as he helps Harper carefully place M&Ms on their windows. “Don’t mess with a woman’s gingerbread house.”
Behind us, Lily, my ever-energetic niece, darts around the room, strategically hanging mistletoes in the weirdest places. “You’ll never know where this one is!” She giggles, her mischief infectious.
In the kitchen, the air is filled with the sweet aroma of Aunt Lina’s freshly friedkanom fok bua, my favorite Laotian treat saved for special occasions, like holiday parties or at weddings. AsI take a break from meticulously icing my gingerbread house, I survey the room around me, relishing in the festive feelings.
Nearby, Ralph helps Avery, the other half of the twins, with her new kitchen toy set. The clatter of miniature utensils and Avery’s giddiness fills the room as they immerse themselves in their pretend cooking shows.
Meanwhile, Lily watches the hallway’s entrance, anticipation dancing in her eyes. She watches her mischievous plan unfold as Jared and Alli walk beneath the hidden mistletoe she placed in the doorway.
“Think they’ll find their way back to each other?” Tyler nudges me as he sprinkles the roof. Good boyfriend.
I watch Alli scurry off to the kitchen to help my aunt, leaving Lily complaining and Jared looking flustered. And… is that hurt I see in his eyes?
With a nonchalant shrug, I bring my attention back to my gingerbread house, carefully piping frosting along the edges of the roof. “Who knows.”
“It’s been two years since we’ve graduated. You can’t tell me it’s not fate that they end up at the same university, same major and end up being lab partners. That’s destiny.”
