You, Me, and Forever (Blushing)

New York City

“That wasn’t so bad, was it?” Montana asked when we got back to the apartment.

She’d adjusted to the city with ease, and she’d somehow brought my dysfunctional family together.

“That was probably the most bearable family dinner we’ve ever had.” I shrugged as I dropped my keys on the counter.

My father and his new girlfriend, Mandy, had joined my mother, Gino, Samuel, Brianna, Caleb, Montana, and myself for dinner.

Yes, Montana had encouraged me to reach out to Caleb, who’d actually visited us in Blushing because he was interested in seeing the hotel I’d built there.

My father was now acknowledging the fact that he had three sons, and this weird weight was lifted from my shoulders now that everything was out in the open. My parents were getting along a lot better now that they weren’t together.

“And Caleb seems really happy to be part of the family. He really worships you, you know?” she said as we both settled on the couch.

“He does not. He’s just an awkward kid.” I chuckled, because he’d asked me no less than thirty questions about the business during dinner.

“He looks up to you, Myles. It’s sweet.” She ran her fingers through my hair as my phone vibrated, and I pulled it from my back pocket.

“Sweet, huh? This is him calling. We just had dinner, and there can’t possibly be anything left for him to ask me.”

“Answer the phone. It could be important.”

I put it on speaker after I answered. “Hey, Caleb. What’s up?”

“Myles. Hi. I wasn’t sure you would answer,” he said.

I glanced at Montana as she settled on my lap, facing me, and listening like this was the most important phone call she’d ever been lucky enough to listen in on.

“I’m here. Everything okay?”

“I, um, I wanted to ask you a favor,” he said, sounding nervous.

“All right. What is it?”

“My fraternity is having father-son day, and you know, your father, well, I guess he’s technically our father now . . .” He cleared his throat. “But I just don’t feel super comfortable around him just yet. Some of the guys are having their brothers come instead. And I just wondered if you and Samuel would consider coming. I thought I’d ask you first.”

Montana smiled at me, and I nodded. I didn’t need her to tell me I should do this. I knew I would do it.

Hell, I wanted to do it.

He was a good kid, and as much as I joked about it, I liked him.

He was family.

“Yeah. I’d be happy to come,” I said.

“Really?” His voice was nineteen octaves higher now.

I chuckled. “You’re my brother, Caleb. I wouldn’t miss it. Text me the details, and I’ll be there.”

He was quiet for a few beats, and Montana’s head rested on my shoulder.

“Thanks, Myles. It means a lot.”

“You got it, buddy. Talk soon.” I ended the call, and she lifted her head and smiled.

“I have a surprise for you,” she said, pushing off my lap and hurrying down the hall.

“I hope you’re coming out of that room naked,” I said.

“Nope.” She held a large bag in her hands, and she came to sit beside me on the couch. “I have something that I think you’re going to like.”

I took the bag and pulled out a large LEGO box, then chuckled. “You got me LEGOs?”

“My fiancé likes to build things, and what does this place look like to you?”

I studied the box. “It kind of looks like our place in Banff.”

“It does, right?”

“I love it. You going to help me build it?” I asked, because this woman was everything good in my life.

“Well, you know how you keep asking when we’re going to make this engagement official?”

“That’s an understatement.” I wanted to marry her the day I proposed to her. And I’d brought it up every day since.

“So we both want to have a small wedding, right?”

“Oh, is it small now? I thought you only wanted it to be you and me?” I teased, because I didn’t give a damn what kind of wedding we had; I just wanted to make it official.

“I know. I’m sticking to the song and the hashtag, and I don’t want anything big, but I thought maybe it could just be me and you, and our families, and just our closest friends. I feel like my dad and your mom and brothers would want to be there. I know Violet and Blakely would want to be there, and Connor and Jackson and Charlie and Benji. We could get married in Banff at the house, and keep it real small, but a little bigger than I originally planned.”

She handed me two small boxes. I opened them up to find a bride and groom who looked very similar to us. The names Moneybags and Honey Badger were written on their shirts.noveldrama

“What do we have here?”

“It’s you and me.”

“Did you have these made?” I asked, completely fascinated by them.

“I sure did. Who knew that you could customize your LEGO figurines?” she said as she climbed back on my lap.

“My future wife did. And it was very thoughtful.”

“So what do you think? A wedding in Banff in two weeks? Nothing fancy, just family and friends, and you and me.”

I placed a hand on each side of her face. “I’d marry you right now. I’d marry you tomorrow. And I’ll marry you in two weeks. I just want you to be my wife.”

“Well, we have the custom figurines, so I feel like we have to go through with it now.” She chuckled.

“Thank you,” I said, a lump forming in my throat as my gaze locked with hers.

“For what? The figurines?” She smiled down at me.

I ran my thumb along her jawline and shook my head. “For showing me how much I was missing. For showing me how good life could be.”

“Well, I never believed in fairy tales before I met you.” Her voice cracked a little on the last word. “But you showed me that they’re very real.”

“I’m just getting started, baby.”

And I meant it.

Forever may have just started the day I rolled into Blushing, Alaska . . . but we had a lifetime to go.