Epilogue
TWO WEEKS LATER
“I think that’s the last of it.”
Aiden stepped into the bedroom carrying another uneven stack of boxes, his arms straining slightly beneath the weight. He nudged the door shut with his foot before tipping his chin toward the top box. “Grab that one for me?”
Maya quickly lifted the smaller box away before the entire tower could topple. A laugh threatened at the corners of her mouth as he carefully lowered the remaining boxes into the corner of the room.
The last two days had been chaos.
The moving truck had arrived an entire day late, leaving them with little more than blankets, takeout containers, and each other sprawled across the hardwood floor last night.
Maya’s back still ached from sleeping on the ground, which was exactly why she’d insisted the bed be unloaded first thing that morning.
Still, exhaustion couldn’t dampen the quiet excitement fluttering inside her chest.
This was real.
She and Aiden were officially living together.
Even now, surrounded by half-opened boxes and the disarray of unpacking, it felt surreal. Everything between them had moved so quickly, yet nothing about it felt rushed. Being with him felt natural in a way nothing else in her life ever had.
Safe.
Certain.
Like she’d somehow stumbled into the life she’d always wanted but never believed she deserved.
Aiden straightened and gestured toward the box still in her hands. “That one’s yours.”
Maya frowned slightly as she turned it over. The wood was dark and polished smooth, intricate carvings winding across the lid. It looked far too elegant to be anything she owned.
Curiosity stirred as she slowly opened it.
The moment she saw the diamond ring resting against red velvet, her breath caught hard enough to hurt.
For a second, the world seemed to stop.
Her pulse roared in her ears as she lifted her gaze—and realized Aiden was kneeling in front of her.
Emotion crashed into her so suddenly she could barely think.
“What do you think?” he asked softly.
Maya stared at him, her throat tightening painfully. “It’s beautiful, but…” A shaky laugh escaped her. “Aiden, are you serious?”
He rose slowly and cupped her face in his hands. “I know it’s fast,” he admitted quietly. “But I don’t care about fast. I care about you.”
Her eyes burned with unshed tears.
“I want you, Maya,” he continued, his voice rough with emotion. “I want every day with you. I want to wake up beside you every morning for the rest of my life.”
The sincerity in his eyes nearly shattered her. So much of her life had been filled with uncertainty—with doubt, fear, disappointment—but nothing about Aiden had ever felt fragile. Every day with him had slowly taught her how to believe she was worthy of that kind of love.
Maybe it was fast. But when something felt this right, what was the point in waiting?
A tear slipped free before she could stop it, and she nodded frantically. “Yes!”
Aiden pulled her into a kiss, warm and overwhelming and full of everything he couldn’t quite put into words. Then he drew back just enough to take the ring from the box before carefully sliding it onto her finger.
It fit perfectly.
Maya stared down at it, emotion swelling so tightly in her chest she thought she might burst.
“As much as I’d love to marry you right this second,” Aiden said, brushing another kiss against her forehead, “we can wait as long as you want for the ceremony.” His mouth curved slightly. “Within reason.”
Maya laughed and blinked back tears of joy. The truth was, she didn’t need a giant wedding or rows of strangers watching her walk down an aisle. None of that mattered to her. The only thing she wanted was him.
She lifted her gaze to his. “How would you feel about a quiet civil ceremony?”
Aiden studied her face carefully, as though making sure she wasn’t settling for less than she deserved. “Is that really what you want?” he asked. “Because I’d take you anywhere. We could disappear for a while. Elope somewhere beautiful.”
His mouth twisted into a rueful grin. “Although, I guess we do live at the beach now.”
Maya grinned. It was true. What a crazy thought. The beach was a half hour away, and she looked forward to spending time there collecting shells, swimming in the surf, watching her children dig in the sand…
At the thought of babies, her heart gave a hard thump. She melted against Aiden, loving the way he held her tight. “All I want is you. I’ll marry you any day, anywhere.”
Something fierce and emotional crossed his expression before he pulled her tightly against him and kissed her like he would never get enough.
When he finally pulled back, he rested his forehead against hers, his eyes bright with happiness. “Would tomorrow be too soon?”