by Marni Mann
“Everything in my life has led me to this moment, and now, I’m asking you to make me the happiest man in the world.” He opened the box, showing the most exquisite diamond wedged inside. “Chloe, please be my wife.”
I swallowed, squeezing his hand so tightly, tears dripping over my lips as I said, “Yes.” I sucked in a breath of air. “Oh my God, yes.”
There were too many tears filling my eyes to see the details of the ring as he slid it on my finger, but I felt its heaviness and the foreign sensation of the metal. And once it was all the way on, he rose and pulled me into his arms, lifting me in the air.
“I love you so much,” he hummed in my ear, circling us over the sand.
“I love you.” A whole different wave passed through me, like the ones I heard just behind us, but these were slamming inside my chest as I processed what this moment really meant. “Lance”—my fingers raked through the back of his hair—“you’re going to be my husband.”
His lips hovered in front of mine as he growled, “For the rest of my life, you’ll be my queen.”
We came to a standstill, and he kissed me.
“Molly!” I shouted as she answered my call while I was rushing to the bathroom. “He asked me to marry him. We’re engaged.”
“GAH!” Her scream was even louder than mine. “I’m crying. I can’t even—I just can’t. Babe, you’re getting married.”
My feet were wet and sandy, and I was trying not to slip on the pavers around the pool.
Our pool.
“Molly”—the emotion was back in my voice—“it was so perfect. In every single way.”
“Where is the ring, woman? And why aren’t you blowing up my phone with a picture of it?”
“Because I’m peeing, and I only have a second before I rejoin Lance for dinner. Later tonight, I’ll send you everything. I just didn’t want you to hear the news through text.”
“Oh, Chloe …” There was a seriousness in her tone that made me pause, a sound that reminded me of a time so long ago. “He’s the one.”
“I know.” I rushed straight into the pool bath. “Now, we have a wedding to plan, maid of honor.”
“You’ll have a subscription to every bridal blog in your inbox before you return from Florida,” she shrieked. “And I literally just planned your bachelorette party while you were flushing the toilet.”
I laughed so hard; I almost snorted. “God, I fucking love you.”
Thirty-Four
Lance smiled at me from across the table, his hand circled around a ginger old-fashioned, a drink he only ordered when we came to our favorite Peruvian restaurant in downtown Sarasota. There was a plate of wahoo and tuna ceviche in between us that we’d been picking at while we sipped our second round of cocktails.
Each time he shifted his fingers over the glass, his gold wedding band caught the light and shimmered. The ring was thicker than mine but identical, something I’d insisted, instead of the diamond band he’d wanted me to get. The four carats he’d proposed with in my engagement ring—that he’d designed himself—was more than enough bling for me.
He had been just as hands-on with our wedding.
With an extremely long list of attendees he had to invite, he was very specific on what he wanted to feed them, what they drank, and how they were entertained. A Hamilton wedding had to be memorable.
Exactly one year after he proposed, we exchanged vows in front of five hundred people at the iconic Boston Public Library, followed by a party in the Bates Hall, a room on the same property, that not a single attendee would ever forget.
The wedding had been very much for Lance, but the two weeks we’d spent on the Amalfi Coast of Italy for our honeymoon couldn’t have made me happier.
Now that we’d reached our six-month wedding anniversary, it wasn’t the date that had brought us to Florida.
This time, it was because of me.
As my husband looked at me, even his eyes were smiling back. “I’m so proud of you,” he said. “You’ve worked so goddamn hard for this.”
My cheeks reddened, my grin as large as his. “Thank you, my love.”
After several promotions at Back Bay Digital, the company still hadn’t felt like the right fit, so I’d started my search, and it had taken a while. But, as of three days ago, I’d accepted a job with an online travel booking company to work in their digital marketing division. The position was in management, where I’d have my own team with a higher title and salary than I’d had before. There was an opportunity for growth and travel. It was everything I wanted.
Once the paperwork had been signed, Lance had said he wanted to celebrate, and this was where I’d chosen for us to come.
Our place.
I lifted my Prosecco and took a drink. “Let’s take the boat out tomorrow,” I suggested. “Maybe dock in St. Pete and have lunch.”
We’d only landed a few hours ago, and after getting settled at home, this was our first stop.
He smiled. “You just want to see the bridge.”
The Sunshine Skyway Bridge, what we would have to pass under to get to St. Petersburg, was one of my favorite sites in the area. Flying over it on the way to Sarasota was just as pretty, but being close to it, the arches and grandness of its structure, was just amazing.
He reached across the table, putting his hand on mine, as I said, “I can’t get enough of it.”
“That’s what makes me happy.” His thumb rubbed over my knuckles. “But we were just here a few weeks ago. Now that you have a little time off before you start, I was hoping you would want to go to Europe, maybe London.”
“London?” I said, laughing. “You’ve never mentioned that you want to go back there.”
He took a bite of the fish. “I haven’t been since I lived there. I’d like to see it with adult eyes.”
Lance knew about Oliver, how I’d lost my virginity to him, that he was my first love, and that we’d dated throughout the semester, my heart torn in half when it was time for me to leave.
It wasn’t that I was avoiding the city altogether or that I didn’t want to make adult memories.
I just wanted to keep that part of my life separate from the one I was living now.
“I bet that would make an unbelievable guys’ trip,” I said, both of my hands now surrounding his. “In fact, I think you should take Marshall and the boys there before the end of the year because we know it’s only a matter of seconds before Molly gets pregnant again. Then, Marshall will be on a strict no-drinking-until-Molly-can-again policy, and he won’t be any fun at all.”
“Jesus, he’s a patient man.”
We laughed.
“I’ll bring Molly to Nashville, which she’s been talking about visiting anyway now that little May is six months old.”
“I’ll text my assistant in the morning to have her start working on it.”
I didn’t know why, but I felt relief.
I reached for my drink, finishing the rest of the glass. When I set it down, Lance’s eyes were on me, and I said, “You’re about to make Molly the happiest girl; she’s so desperate for a vacation.”
He said nothing; he just smiled.
Part Three
Even if it hurts.
Thirty-Five
“Hey!” I said to my husband when he answered my call. “You wouldn’t happen to have a few free seconds for me to pop in, would you?”
I knew it was a long shot, but I had to try. The news I wanted to share with him wasn’t something I wanted to say over the phone, and I didn’t know if I could wait until tonight to tell him.
I heard the sound of his keyboard, and he replied, “If you can come right now, I do.”
I grabbed my jacket and purse and waved to my assistant on my way out my door. “I’ll be there in five.”
“I’ll see you soon, baby,” he said and disconnected the call.
Having left Back Bay Digital eight months ago, my new office was only two blocks from his, and several days a week, we would meet for lunch.
/> But food had nothing to do with why I was going there today.
I was greeted by the doorman the moment I arrived at his building, and once I was inside, I immediately went over to the reception desk to check in.
“Good morning, Mrs. Hamilton,” Chelsea said, entering my name into the computer. “Can I get you anything to drink?”
“I’m fine, thank you.”
I waited to be buzzed through and continued to the elevator, joining several of the associates inside, seeing one of them had already pushed the button for Lance’s floor.
“Nice to see you again, Mrs. Hamilton.” One of the women grinned.
I didn’t know if I would ever get used to being called that, and I really preferred just my first name, but Lance’s family had set a precedent many years ago, and I wasn’t going to be the one to change things.
“You too, Cindy,” I replied.
“Great shot from the Bruins game,” one of the men said to me from the corner, regarding the picture Lance had posted of us last weekend when Boston played in Tampa.
Now that we were spending so much time in Florida, he had purchased us season tickets.
“Who were you rooting for?” one of the paralegals asked.
The elevator came to a stop, the door sliding open.
Standing in a small space full of Bruins fans, I responded carefully, “I’ll never tell,” and I laughed.
“Don’t blame you.” One of them cackled back.
I waved good-bye and turned in the direction of Lance’s office, his door open when I arrived.
His eyes instantly found me. “My beautiful wife.”
I shut his door, and as I reached him, he turned in his chair. I stood between his legs, my hands resting on his shoulders. The scent of power filled my nose while I took in his solid-weave dark gray wool suit that looked so incredibly sexy on him.
His hands dropped to my ass, pulling me closer to kiss him. “Did you miss me?”
As I dragged my lips off his, heat moved across my face, and so did my grin. “Of course, but I’m here because I have news.” I reached for the coffee on his desk. “Mmm,” I moaned. “You always have the best.”
“I’ll have Chelsea bring you one.”
I shook my head. “I don’t want any more.” I took another drink from it, and I heard him chuckle as I brought the mug to the front of his desk where I sat in one of the chairs. “Major stuff happened today at work.”
“Sounds like it.” His eyes dipped to my mouth. “Tell me.”
I took a deep breath, using my free hand to grip the edge of his thick mahogany desk. “Management called me in for a meeting and offered me a promotion.” His expression was a reward in itself, and I kept going, “Now that we’ve been purchased by International Bookings, they’re looking to put together a small team that will merge the US and European markets into a global brand.”
“And my baby was selected.” He rubbed the side of his clean-shaven face, his smile never falling once. “Chloe, this is your dream.” He licked across his bottom lip. “What you’ve wanted since the day I met you.”
My chest heaved, goose bumps spreading over my skin. “But there’s a catch, and it’s a big one.”
“I figured.”
“The position would be a six-month contract, requiring me to stay at their headquarters in Amsterdam every two weeks.” Before he could say anything, I added, “This is a ton of travel, and it would be a significant amount of time away from home. It’s a decision I want us to make together.”
He waited as though he wasn’t sure if I was done speaking. Then, he said, “Get over here,” and held out his arms.
The love I had for this man was flowing as fast as my blood when I pushed myself out of my seat and hurried over to where his arms circled around me.
“I’m so proud of you.” He held me tighter, his face going into my neck, his hand palming the back of my head. “You took a big leap with this company. I know it terrified you and how hard it was. But, baby, look at how it’s paid off.”
I gripped the back of his neck, feeling the stiffness of his gel and how it glued his dark locks in place. “I got through it because of you.”
He continued to hold me but leaned back so he could see my face. “I know you want this.”
I swallowed, feeling the rush move through my chest. “I do, but I want us more.”
He clutched my face, holding it tightly. “You can have both, Chloe.” He gently pressed his lips to mine. “It’s only for six months. I’ll schedule my travel for the weeks you’re gone, putting us home at the same time.” One of his hands dropped to my red hair, a long curl circling around the back of his palm. “We’ll make it work.”
I took a deep breath, feeling the tightness take control of my excitement. “But what about our plan?”
I hadn’t stopped taking my birth control, but we’d been discussing when I should, and we agreed the time was getting much closer, possibly even by the first of the year.
That was only two months away.
And I was ready to start a family with him.
When his eyes turned serious, I grasped the fingers he was still holding against my face. “As much as I want you to take this job, it’s going to be hard, watching you leave every month.” He slowly exhaled, his lips briefly touching mine. “But if our child was inside you and I had to go that long without touching you or kissing your belly, I don’t know if I could handle you getting on that plane.”
The rawness of his honesty stabbed right through me, and it was pulling at my throat. “Lance …”
His grip caused my voice to fade out, and he said, “After your contract, we’ll revisit the idea of having a baby.”
With tears in my eyes, I threw my arms around his neck and whispered, “I already miss you.”
Thirty-Six
Amsterdam was art, and it was everywhere I looked. It was a city built around canals with the simplest yet most exquisite small bridges, buildings with dark brick facades, and charming houseboats parked right in the waterway.
I’d never been to another place like this, and I absolutely loved it.
Since I’d booked my own travel, I had given myself a two-day cushion. I wanted to get a feel of the city, get acclimated to the hotel I would be living in every month, and get over the jet lag so I had my bearings on my first day of work.
The alarm went off at six, and I grabbed my phone from the nightstand and called Lance.
“Good morning, baby,” he said as he answered.
The six-hour time difference would make phone calls challenging, but he didn’t usually go to bed before one.
“I was hoping you wouldn’t be asleep yet.”
“Are you going for a walk this morning?”
I turned on the light and climbed out of bed, stretching my body as I rose. “Getting ready to go right now.” I yawned.
“Just be careful.”
He could make me smile, even this early in the morning, at how protective he was. Part of the reason I had chosen this hotel was its proximity to the office and city center and because it was in one of the safest areas, which Lance had insisted on as well. Not that it mattered because he still would have worried.
“You know I am,” I replied.
“Excited for your first day?”
I went to the dresser, taking out my warmest pair of yoga pants and a fleece. “Very, and I’m anxious to get started. I was reviewing some of their programs last night, and I’m loaded with ideas.”
“You’re going to blow them away.”
The grin still hadn’t left my face as I zipped the jacket up to my neck and slipped a headband on. “I’m certainly going to try.”
He was quiet for a few seconds, and then I heard a short laugh. “You haven’t checked your texts yet, have you?”
“No, hang on.” I was standing in front of the sink, getting ready to brush my teeth, and I pulled the phone away from my ear. I clicked on my messages, seeing one had come in from Lance and sev
eral from Molly. I tapped on his first, and a picture popped up. “Oh my God.”
This was the cutest photo I had ever seen of my husband. He was standing by the window in his office with the most beautiful smile on his face, holding May in his arms, pointing at the glass like he was showing her something in the distance. Her little hand was gripping his lapel, and she looked so tiny against him.
“Molly brought her in to see Marshall, and I got to steal her for a little bit.”
He claimed he wasn’t a patient man, but that was all I saw when I looked at this shot and how he was going to make the most incredible father.
“I’m melting right now.”
He chuckled even harder. “I knew you would be.”
I glanced down at the sink, the water running, my hand gripping the edge of the porcelain while the other held the phone to my ear. “I miss you so much.” My voice was soft, and it wasn’t because I had just woken up.
Despite how exciting this was, it was hard, too, and it would only get harder, the longer I was here.
“Go have a great first day at work, baby. I’ll call you when I wake up so I can hear how it’s going. Now, go enjoy your walk.”
I took a breath, sticking my toothbrush under the stream. “I love you,” I said just as softly.
“I love you more.”
I waited for him to hang up before I zipped my phone in my pocket and finished getting ready.
One thing I’d learned during my travels was that the wind felt the same in every city, and it hit my face the second I stepped onto the sidewalk. I pulled my scarf a little tighter, and I began to move, stretching my muscles, feeling the hardness of the pavement under my feet.
There wasn’t a nook I hadn’t explored around our condo in Boston and our house in Florida because every morning, I walked at least four miles. But here, everything was new, and I wanted to see every inch.
Weaving down the sides of the canals, I explored some bridges I hadn’t been on yet and a pathway that led to a park. There was a market that butted up against the grass, and I went there next. Vendors were just starting to stock their booths with fresh cheeses and breads, produce and protein. But it was the tulips that captured me. They came in colors I’d never seen before, a tangerine that had the richness of a sunrise, an eggplant-colored one, even ones that were the darkest black.