"You did three shots of tequila to calm your nerves," I reminded her with a smile. "After the third one, you finally agreed to come back to my place. I asked the bartender if I could keep the glass. Told him it was my lucky night."
She shook her head in wonder, a smile forming as she carefully set the glass aside.
The next item was a Shadow Wolves keychain. "I bought one of these before I left for New Hampshire. I still have it," she admitted. "It's on my clinic keys."
My heart beat faster at the revelation.
"Easton," she said, clearly overwhelmed. "I had no idea…"
"There's one more thing," I said, my voice rough. "At the bottom."
She reached into the box and pulled out a small velvet pouch, her eyes questioning as she looked at me.
"Open it," I encouraged softly.
Her fingers worked the drawstring, tipping the contents into her palm. A delicate silver bracelet slid out, with a single charm dangling from the fine chain. It was a tiny silver wolf.
"I bought this for you the day after we were together," I explained, my voice thick with emotion I didn't hide. "As an impulse buy when I was out. I had all these plans—I was going to call you, take you to dinner, see where things might go. I was going to give you this bracelet, tell you I wanted more than one night." I swallowed hard against the memory. "But when I tried calling the number Holly gave me, it didn't work. Something was wrong with it. And I couldn't find you."
Palisade's eyes filled with tears. "Easton, I—"
"I'm not telling you this to make you feel guilty, Sadie," I interrupted gently. "That's not what tonight is about. I wanted you to know that night meant something to me. You meant something. Even before Casey, even before I knew she existed."
She held the bracelet out to me. "Would you…?"
I took it from her palm, our fingers brushing in a way that sent electricity up my arm. She extended her wrist, and I carefully fastened the clasp, my fingers lingering against her pulse point.
"Part of me never let go," I breathed, "even when I believed you'd gone from my life."
A tear slipped down her cheek, and I reached up to brush it away with my thumb. The touch was gentle, but understanding dawned between us as my fingers lingered against her skin. The air changed, charged with memory and desire.
"I never thought…" she started, then paused, collecting herself. "I convinced myself it was just one night for you. That someone like you wouldn't remember the quiet, pre-vet student a week later."
"I remembered everything," I told her, my hand still cupping her cheek. "How nervous you were when we got back to my apartment. How you admitted after… you'd never done this before. The way you trusted me enough to be your first."
Her eyes searched mine, looking for any sign of insincerity. Finding none, she leaned forward, her forehead resting against mine. "I was so scared. When I found out I was pregnant, I thought you'd think I'd trapped you, or that it would ruin your career right when it was starting."
"I know," I nodded, understanding washing over me. "I'm not saying you made the right choice, but I understand why you made it."
She pulled back slightly to look at me, wonder in her expression. "How did we get here? From all that anger and hurt to… this?"
I smiled, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "We stopped fighting what's always been between us."
The air between us changed, charged with possibility and history and the future we could build together. When she leaned forward to kiss me, it was like coming home after a long, hard journey.
The kiss deepened, and I set the memory box carefully aside. My hands found her waist, pulling her closer until she wasstraddling my lap. Her fingers tangled in my hair as our mouths moved together, hungry but not desperate. Certain.
"Easton," she said against my lips when we finally broke apart.
"Do you trust me?" I asked, the question layered with meaning.
"Yes," she said without hesitation.
"Then let me show you something." I stood, offering my hand. When she took it, I led her to the center of the living room, where the fairy lights cast everything in warm gold. "Stay here."
I retrieved the wine bottle from the ice bucket, condensation beading on the glass. Then I grabbed one of the ice cubes, watching it glisten in my palm.
"What are you doing?" she asked, curiosity and anticipation mixing in her expression.
