Chapter 39 #2
One afternoon, Lucas ran up to him with excitement, lighting up his face. “Cole, are we going to go to another island this weekend?” he asked eagerly.
Cole chuckled. “I’m not sure,” he said. “You liked the last one, huh?”
“It was fantastic,” Lucas said. “It reminded me of summer camp.” He paused before adding, “Can Noah join us for the next one?”
Cole smiled warmly. “That’s a good idea, Lucas,” he said. “I’ll check with your Mama. She can talk to Elle, and we’ll try to arrange something.”
I lay in bed one night with my head resting on Cole’s chest, listening to his heartbeat beneath my ear like someone who listens to waves on a shore.
The room was quiet except for the faint rustling of the curtains as the night breeze slipped through the slightly open window.
His arm was wrapped loosely around me, his fingers occasionally tracing slow, absent circles against my arm as if he were just as content as I was to stay in that peaceful moment.
“I don’t know much about your parents,” I said, lifting my head slightly so I could look at him. “What were they like?”
Cole shifted a little beneath me and laced his fingers through mine.
“Well,” he began thoughtfully, his voice warm with affection, “they were great parents. They were the kind of couple you look up to, you know… the kind of couple you hope to become as you get older.” His gaze drifted somewhere past the ceiling, as if he were watching memories play out in his mind. “I wish you could have met them.”
“Me too,” I said, kissing his chin.
I loved these moments with him and the way I kept discovering the small details about his life—the experiences that had shaped him into the man he was now.
His past, his family, and the love he once had for his late wife and daughter all mattered to me.
“I never saw them fight, to be honest,” he continued. “If they did, it was probably behind closed doors. Never in front of Liam or me.”
“What was your mom like?” I asked, genuinely curious.
“Liam and I both look like Mum, but we got the height of our father… at least that’s what everyone says.” He chuckled softly before continuing. “She was a fantastic mum and an amazing cook. She made sure that she was present in every way possible for both of us.”
I watched his expression as he spoke, noticing the pride and love in his eyes.
“My parents came from Australia in their forties and settled on Vancouver Island,” he went on.
“Dad worked hard to start the company and build it to where it is today. Liam made his dream come true with the heights he took it to.” He looked down at me and smiled.
“And I got Dad’s love of photography passed down to me. ” He leaned forward and kissed my nose.
I loved having Cole beside me. Waking up next to him in the morning and falling asleep beside him at night whenever he stayed over had quietly become one of my favourite parts of life.
Spending weekends with Liam’s family had slowly become a routine for us as well.
“Sweetheart, did you buy the gift for Tristan?” Cole asked one afternoon while we were getting ready to leave.
“Yes,” I replied. “I left it on the table.”
It was the end of November, and we were heading to Liam’s house for his son’s birthday party.
“Got your camera?” I asked him, adjusting Emma’s jacket.
Cole lifted his camera with a grin before picking Emma up into his arms. “Check, ma’am.”
The birthday party was lively and full of laughter.
Children ran across the yard while colourful balloons bounced in the breeze.
I spent time chatting with other parents while Cole moved around the yard, capturing moments through his lens.
Lucas bounced enthusiastically in the inflatable castle with the other kids.
“He seems very happy,” Liam said to me as we stood near the patio watching the children.
I followed his gaze to where Cole was crouched down, showing Lucas one of the photos he had just taken.
“I’m so glad he’s found you,” Liam continued warmly. “You and your children are the best things that have happened to him. I hope you know that.”
A smile spread across my face. “I do,” I said. “He’s the best thing that has happened to me too.”
Later that night, after the party ended, we drove home with the children and Geeta asleep in the back seat.
Cole reached across the console and held my hand.
“I was thinking…” he began cautiously. “What do you say about us moving in together?”
I laughed softly. “You practically have already.”
He chuckled. “Yeah… that’s true,” he admitted. “But what about me officially moving in… and all of you guys moving in with me… into a new home?”
I turned my gaze toward the road ahead, the headlights stretching into the darkness. Wasn’t it a bit too soon for such a big step? We had only been dating for five months.
“Um…” I hesitated.
“I know what you’re thinking,” he said quickly. “It’s a bit too soon.”
His fingers tightened slightly around mine.
“I just thought… we’ve known each other for a very long time already. And whatever we don’t know about each other, we’ll find out together… on a door that has both our names written on it.” He pressed his lips together nervously.
I had known Cole for years. He was practically living in my house already. The children adored him. Geeta adored him. And I loved him.
Even though I had never actually said the words to him yet.
I didn’t want to repeat the same mistakes I had made before. I wanted to make sure that when I expressed my feelings, they came from a place of conviction and not fear.
“Think about it,” he said gently. “I don’t want to rush you.”
He reached over and touched my face with a reassuring smile.
When we got home, we quietly carried the sleeping children inside and tucked them into their beds.
A few minutes later, I heard a sudden noise coming from the bathroom.
Cole was throwing up.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, knocking lightly on the door.
“Must have been the cake,” he said with a small laugh when he opened it. His face looked slightly pale. “I’m feeling better now… just a bit of a tummy ache.”
Later that night, as I lay in bed beside him, my thoughts drifted back to his question.
I turned slightly and looked at him.
He was already asleep.
Moonlight streamed softly through the window, casting a pale silver light across his face. He looked peaceful, almost boyish, his breathing slow and even.
He was everything I could have hoped for. So what was stopping me from saying the words I already felt in my heart?
Before I could second-guess myself, the words slipped out.
“I love you,” I whispered.
The confession came easily, and it didn’t scare me.
I turned and draped my arm across his chest, resting my head beside him.
I had finally said the words out loud.
And I knew without doubt that I truly meant them.