Page 92 of Timeless

“I think I can agree to those terms, but shh, careful.” She covered my lips with her finger and looked over her shoulder to make sure my brother and Arizona hadn’t heard anything before turning her attention back to me. “We agreed, the only wedding talk today is to be about Boden and Lakelyn.”

No one knew that I had proposed to Lily two weeks and six days ago.

And yes, I counted. I couldn’t help it.

I wanted to shout it from the rooftops.

But that would have to wait since we thought it was best to keep it under wraps and to ourselves, as we didn’t want to draw any attention away from Boden and Lakelyn. Admittedly, it wasn’t the worst thing in the world; it turned out I liked having a secret that was just ours.

Maybe even a little too much.

The day Lily left the hospital, she said her focus would be solely on getting back to full strength before any major decisions were made about our future. I took that to mean once she felt like herself again, I could propose.

So, the day she declared herself healthier and stronger than ever and ready to return to work, I eagerly booked a chalet in themountains and took my girl on a road trip the next day. I chose the location on purpose because I knew she didn’t want any special accommodations.

Admittedly, that was a tough request, in general, because I just wanted to pamper my girl.

After all, I needed to make up for the ten years we had been robbed of, and acts of service were just one of my love languages when it came to showing Lily how much I loved her.

But she’d made it abundantly clear there was to be no tiptoeing around her recovery; she just wanted normalcy and not to be treated any differently. So we disconnected from our phones and explored the great outdoors, far from where anyone knew us.

I proposed overlooking a picturesque lake at sunset during our walk along one of the many scenic trails in the area. Getting down on one knee and asking Lily to marry me was an unforgettable moment stamped in time and by far the easiest question I’d ever asked. The date of that day was also newly inked in Roman numerals on the inside of my biceps, just below the date she came back to me. There was no anger, frustration, or sadness associated with that day, only positives in my head. I also planned to add our wedding date and our future kids’ birthdays, too.

“But that being said, you did an incredible job officiating their wedding.” She beamed, pride swirling in her gorgeous cornflower-blue eyes, which I loved getting lost in. “I never would’ve guessed ‘ordained minister’ would have ended up on your résumé.”

“What can I say, I have a hard time saying no to those I love.” I curved my lips in a knowing grin.

“I happen to think it’s sweet that Jameson asked you to officiate his and Ari’s wedding.” She did her best to hide her next thought, which dimmed her expression subtly, but I could tell what she was thinking before her lips parted. “I wish I’d been brave enough to witness it in person.”

“I know, but you’re here now, and that’s all that matters. No stressing over things in the past that we can’t change, remember?” My fingers spread across the exposed curve of her lower back, stopping shy of where the silky material of her dress began.

“Fisher, unless you’re about to put a ring on it, the clock’s ticking, my friend,” Boden shouted from where everyone had gathered for a group photo.

If they only knew.

I gently lifted her chin so she would look at me, ignoring everyone else.

“Thank you for waiting for me.” Lily pushed up on her toes and kissed me slowly.

Little did she know I’d wait an eternity for her if it meant I got to experience just an ounce of the happiness and love currently filling my heart.

“Thank you for coming back to me,” I whispered across her lips in an honest reply before we took our place in the group with my hands on her hips, standing tall and proud behind her while her fingers curled around the stems of her bridesmaid’s bouquet.

We often joked that our lives felt like a dream, a second chance that not everyone was lucky enough to experience. There’s a saying, “If you love something, set it free. If it returns, it’s yours. If not, it was never meant to be.” In her own roundabout way, that’s what Lily did all those years ago. She chose to protect me as best she could with the information she had at thetime. As our paths remained apart, life continued to test and throw her off course. But in the end, she ultimately found her way back to me, and that was all that truly mattered.

It wasn’t the end of our story; it was only the beginning.

And this time, I never planned on letting go.