I press back, and Grey reaches up, his hand cupping my cheek as he looks at me with such tenderness it takes my breath away. “Happy anniversary,” he murmurs. “We love you, Amelia.”
“So fucking much,” Misha agrees.
I close my eyes, leaning into the touch, a soft smile playing on my lips.
“Until our hearts give out,” Oliver whispers.
“I love you, too,” I whisper back.
We’re each other’s favorite person.
And this?
This is a forever thing.
BONUS CHAPTER
At the trailhead, I stop and drag in a lungful of crisp mountain air, pine and earth, a sharp bite of altitude that makes my chest expand like I could swallow the whole damn sky.
God, I love this.
The way the peaks claw at the clouds, the way the wind smells like freedom. Living twenty minutes from trails like this? Best decision we ever made.
“I hate the outdoors,” Grey grumbles from my left, thumbing through menus on the fancy new smartwatch strapped to his right wrist. The left one still carries Grandpa’s ancient analog, the one he refuses to retire.
Oliver chuckles while Amelia pushes up on her toes to plant a kiss on Grey’s cheek. “Don’t be like that. It’ll be fun. And think how cool it’ll be to see Jamie react to all the live health data on the go.”
I grin. A fitness-watch giant practically begged us to integrate Jamie into their system. Normal trackers can nag you about heart rate, sure, but can they talk back? Can they hear you wheezing and go, “Misha, darling, slow your roll, or you’ll blow a gasket,” then instantly recalculate your VO2 max, predict muscle fatigue, and suggest the exact micro-pause to keep you in the fat-burning zone while simultaneously ordering you a post-hike burger with extra cheese because you’ve earned it?
Exactly.
Grey scowls harder. “I just don’t understand why we have to beta-test this on your birthday. We could’ve gone somewhere with linen napkins, ordered something I didn’t have to cook, then peeled the birthday princess out of a dress in a five-star hotel room. Maybe even caught a movie first.”
Amelia’s laugh bubbles up. “You know what? We’ll do exactly that on your birthday. Peeling the birthday princess out of a dress included.”
Grey’s glare could melt steel, but two seconds later, he’s got her by the waist, kissing her like he’s trying to win an argument with his tongue. Oliver and I trade a look and snort in unison.
I lift my arm. “Jamie?”
“Yes, Misha?” Jamie’s voice is crisp, cheerful, and straight out of my watch.
“Please start hike tracking for the crew. We’re heading up the ridge trail.”
“With pleasure! Planning the full loop to the summit?”
“Spot on.” I grin and start the hike, the others falling into step beside me.
“It’s sixty-six degrees, sunny with scattered clouds,” Jamie announces. “Perfect weather for a four-hour adventure.”
Oliver chokes on air, and Grey halts mid-step. “Four hours? Are you kidding me? You said two hours max, Misha!”
Whoopsie.
I flash my most innocent grin, purposely ignoring him. “Amelia, birthday Bug. How’s the weather inside you?”
She beams up at me, cheeks already pink from the altitude. “Was sunny, but the four-hour bombshell just rolled in a couple clouds.”
“Don’t worry. Time flies when the company’s this pretty.”
