“Cam, we can’t control everything, babe. We just can’t. That’s not how life works. The good always comes with bad, we lose people, we gain people. It hurts and it’s hard, but it’s necessary.”
Beckett’s gentle voice in my ear brings me out of my spiraling thoughts.
“You’ve had a lot of loss. Too much. I wish I could take some of it from you, but then again, you’re the strong, courageous woman, full of heart and grit and determination because of all that. But you’ve also gone too far in protecting yourself. You can’t escape all pain or loss. It’s inevitable. All you can do is surround yourself with people who will hold you, catch you when you fall, lift you up, and remind you that you’re never alone as long as you let good people in.”
His lips press against the top of my head like a benediction, and I feel the weight of everything I’ve been carrying, the walls I built, slowly wash away.
“You’re right that I can’t guarantee how long forever will be for us. But I can guarantee that my feelings for you are true, and my commitment to you will not go away. That’s where the confidence you hear comes from. It comes from knowing I control my feelings and my commitment, and I dedicate them to you.”
If I believed in the woo-woo soulmate shit, I’d swear it felt like a golden thread left my body and connected with one emanating from Beckett’s body in that moment. Something snapped inside of me, that’s for damn sure. A connection, no more than that, a blending of our energies. His bolstering mine, mine fueling his.
I turn my face up to meet his, wrap my hand around the back of his head, and pull him down so I can kiss him. I try to infuse all that I’m feeling into that kiss. I don’t feel equipped to say it with words, so I can only fucking hope my body conveys how I feel. He’s realigning every thought process, every emotion, every belief I’ve held for years. Reshaping them into something so peaceful, so balanced, so joyful, it’s almost unbelievable.
But I have no choice but to believe it. Because he has given me no reason not to.
“Thank you,” I whisper, knowing those words are not enough. But before I can say the ones I know he wants to hear, I need to take care of some stuff.
Because I’m falling in love with my best friend. My husband.
I manage to pull myself together enough for Beck and me to eat lunch. If he senses the whirlwind of changing thoughts and feelings swirling around me, he doesn’t mention it, and I’m grateful for that. Now that the wool has been pulled off my eyes, I see so clearly what I want for my future.
And I’m determined to have it all. With Beckett by my side.
Once we’re in the car, I expect Beck to drive back to Dogwood Cove. And secretly, I’m excited to go home and get this amazingly sexy husband of mine into bed so I can continue showing him just how I feel. But to my surprise, Beckett turns down a different street, heading to what looks like an industrial area.
“Where are we going?” I ask, but he just gives me an enigmatic smirk.
“Just go with it, babe.”
I sit back with a small smile of my own, happy to let him lead me anywhere. But my curiosity over what he’s got planned turns to confusion when he brings the car to a stop outside of a nondescript warehouse style building.
We climb out and Beckett grabs a bag from the back seat before taking my hand and leading me to a door.
Pausing outside, he turns to me. “This is for you, and only you, Cam. I’ll stay if you want me to, or I’ll find somewhere to wait until you’re done. But you need to find all the parts of yourself that you used to love, all the things that filled you with life and happiness. Art was one of them, and this was another.”
With that cryptic statement, Beckett pushes open the door and guides me in. Instantly, my jaw drops, and my heart flutters with excitement.
Thick mats line the floor, long colourful silks drape down from the ceiling, and in the middle, a cable is hanging down and holding up a large hoop.
“You found an aerial hoop studio,” I whisper, my mind already racing with all the memories of when I used to practice hoop work regularly. The freedom I felt, flying through the air, twisting and moving my body into sensual shapes. Hoop was my favourite way to express everything I felt through my body, everything I was. It was empowering and made me feel so vibrant.
“I did. And it’s yours for the next two hours.”
I jump into his arms, making him stagger back. My lips pepper kisses everywhere I can reach, punctuating each of my words.
“I am so fucking excited. Thank you so much. Seriously, this is amazing. Fuck, Beck. I’m speechless!” By the end, I’m squealing like a little kid, and I wriggle to be set down. Turning to step toward the hoop, I stop and glance down at myself. The cutoff denim pants and one-shoulder top I chose for our date day are cute, but definitely not hoop appropriate.
Beckett steps forward, holding out the bag he brought in. “Here. You’ll need this.”
Looking inside, I see a pair of Lycra shorts and a sports bra, and I grin up at him. “You’re the shit, Beckett Donnelly.” Pecking a kiss to his cheek, I dance off toward the bathroom I saw when we first walked in. A couple minute later, I return to where Beckett is still standing, his hands in the pockets of his shorts, a satisfied smile on his face.
“I like seeing you happy,” he murmurs as I wrap my arms around his neck and go up on my toes to kiss him again.
“Good thing you make me happy, then.”
With a growl, Beckett takes the kiss deeper, his hands going to my ass to lift me back up in the air. My legs wrap around his waist, and even through the fabric of our clothes, I can feel his hard length pressing against me. I moan, rocking my hips even closer to his body.
“I should go,” he grinds out. “Let you do your thing.”
