“Abby, is it cake time?” he asks excitedly.
I pretend to consider by bringing my finger to my chin. “Hmm. I think we need to eat hotdogs and burgers first.”
His look is disappointed.
“But then it’s cake time,” I remind him, and his little face lights up again.
“Cool. It is the coolest bestest cake,” he says before running back to the pool.
It makes me smile and my head turns to look up at Lucas who must have been watching my every move the past few minutes. His eyes looking at me and his smile warm and sweet. I see happiness in his face, and it makes me smile at him and puts a glimmer in my eyes.
Even when we’re not speaking together, our thoughts are. Our eyes are the transmitters of our messages.
Our message is that we are in a good place, a great place, a loving place.
* * *
Later in the evening,we’re sitting outside at Matchbox with wine for me and a beer for Lucas. The night sky has bright stars and the sound of live music in the distance.
“We survived today.” He sighs as he pulls me close on the lounge sofa.
“Mmm we did. Theo is out like a light at home. And your mother is probably laying rose petals on your bed,” I have to tease.
Lucas laughs. “Oh man, I need to chat with her. Rein her in a little.”
I kiss his cheek. “She did bring up wedding planning. I had to gently inform her that we haven’t discussed that.”
“Maybe we should,” he says it coolly. My head moves so I can study his face that is neutral, but I see his eyes and it says enough. He’s serious and enjoys the idea of this conversation.
My mouth tugs at his answer. “You would want to get married again?”
His grin is now cunning. “With you? Yes. It would be different. Our wedding, our marriage doesn’t have to be the way we did our first rounds. It would be better and right.”
“Different.”
His finger and thumb gently pinch my cheek. “Yes. Everything is different with you,” he reminds me.
“I am not saying that I never want to get married, Lucas. I just can’t picture it right now. Nothing against you, because trust me, you are the only one I could imagine doing it with,” I explain and hope this isn’t a bump for us.
He leans back, confident and casual. “I get it. We should probably try living together first,” he mentions.
“Exactly.”
He moves and brings my face into his hands as he makes sure our eyes hold.
“You know, Abby. The way I feel with you is better than I felt with anyone. Something tells me that it could be a really good future. I don’t need labels, but I do need you always with me. Move in with me?”
My grin is forming. “You do realize that Romeo comes with, right?”
He brushes it off. “The Labrador may have grown on me.”
My ear-to-ear smile should give him my answer, but just in case it didn’t, “Yes, absolutely yes.”
Our mouths meet for a deep kiss that makes me moan, and I wish that I had glue to keep his mouth on me like this forever. His lips are so firm yet soft. Controlled and always meet me with want and leads us to where we should go.
I hum my pleasure as I pull away gently. “Moving in together is the perfect step. It’s us.”
His thumb rubs my cheek. “Yes, and maybe one day we can discuss other things, maybe not. But what I know is that loving you, Dr. Call, is different to everything else I’ve experienced, and I love that. It’s different with you, and that just tells me that you and I may be stuck together for life,” he warns me with a grin.
