Page 61

I blink slowly and take a deep breath before grabbing the remote. “So, what movie should we watch next?” I ask, my voice sounding raspy.

His jaw twitches, and he swallows. “Right. A movie. How about Up?” He looks over at Sam for approval.

“Yeah! Up!”

He starts the movie, and before I know it, all of us have drifted off to sleep.

We’re 1,000 feet up in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. My husband stands in front of me, his brown hair blowing in the mountain breeze. He looks back at me with a wide smile on his face, his deep-brown eyes twinkling with delight.

“Baby, come look.”

We hiked for hours to make it to John’s Rock. We’ve heard there’s a magnificent view of Cedar Rock Falls from up here.

Discarding my backpack on a large rock, I take careful steps to meet Sam on the cliff. He pulls me into his side, and I close my eyes as his scent envelops me. He smells the way he always does: woodsy and masculine. But after our hike, that scent is mixed with pine sap, sweat, and the mountain breeze. I want to savor it, to remember it forever.

Finally, I open my eyes and gasp when I take in the view. The sky is big and blue, not a cloud in sight. It’s the perfect backdrop to the mountain landscape, filled with the most gorgeous fall foliage I've ever seen. A swirl of reds, oranges, yellows, and greens flows over the mountains, making it look like the most impossibly beautiful painting you’ve ever seen. Only this is real life.

“Oh Sam, this is the most beautiful sight I’ve ever seen.”

He doesn’t answer, so I glance over at him. His chocolate eyes are wide and glossy with unshed tears. “The mountains are stunning, sure. But you’re the most beautiful sight I will ever see. Past, present, and future. Nothing compares to you, Soph.”

The breeze blows and a few strands of hair flutter into my eyes. Sam reaches out and sweeps them out of my eyes with his hand. This tough, military man. But when it comes to me, he couldn’t be more gentle.

I step closer to him and link my arms around his waist. “Oh Sam, you’re so good to me. What am I going to do without you for nine months?” A tear escapes down my cheek.

He frowns. “I’m dreading being away from you for so long. You are my home. I’m afraid I’ll feel lost out there without you. But at the same time, I’m looking forward to doing my job. My duty.”

Laying my head on his chest, I listen to the steady rhythm of his heart, taking it in. Knowing next month he won’t be here, he’ll be in the Middle East, surrounded by danger.

“I’m so proud of you. But I’ll miss you more than I can ever tell you.”

He kisses the top of my head. “I’ll miss you too. My heart aches just thinking about it.” He lays his head on top of mine as we stand there in each other’s arms, taking in the magnificent view surrounding us. “Promise me something.”

I move my head to look up at him. “Of course. Anything.”

His jaw tenses and his expression turns serious. “If anything happens to me, promise me you’ll move on.”

“Sam—” I begin, but he interrupts me.

“You’re young, Sophie. You have a beautiful heart full of love. I don’t want you to be alone if something happens to me. I want to know you’ll take care of yourself, that you’ll move forward with your life and be truly happy. A long life filled with love, happiness, and children. Promise me.”

I’m about to argue, but I can tell he means what he’s saying. His eyes search mine earnestly, waiting for my answer.

“I promise,” I whisper. Tears flowing steadily now. “But nothing is going to happen to you, Sam. You’re going to be okay.” I force a smile.

“Thank you. I love you so much.”

“I love you too, Sam.”

I startle awake to see my brother, David, standing in front of me in Drew’s living room. I’m reeling from my dream. It was so vivid, like I was watching a film. It felt so real.

I blink a few times, trying to wake myself from my stupor. Looking down, I see Drew also fell asleep, and he’s slumped over with his head in my lap. Samantha is curled up on the other side of me, dreaming peacefully. A surge of emotion flows through my veins at the memory of my husband, and then waking to Drew snuggled up on my lap… but instead of my usual guilt, I only feel peace. Maybe that dream was a sign? Or maybe it was Sam sending me a reminder that it’s okay to move forward and be happy again. To fill another person’s life with love and allow them to do the same for me. I have the irresistible urge to run my fingers through Drew’s thick hair, but remember David is staring at us and resist.

“David,” I whisper. “What are you doing here?”

He looks stunned by the sight of us all snuggled up on the sectional. Not angry like I’d expect, but more curious about how we ended up like this.

“I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you.”