One year later
Living in New York all by myself was hard, especially when a piece of my heart was in St. Louis. Cain was able to visit me a few times and I got a chance to return home twice but seeing the man I loved so infrequently was starting to take a toll. I knew it would be hard, and for the first few months, I was distracted by work. I still had that to keep my mind occupied during the day, but when I went home to an empty apartment, I missed Cain so much that my heart ached. Cain was struggling too—and I don’t think either of us were prepared for our first big fight. It started over something stupid, but it escalated from there. We ended the conversation without saying we loved each other—it was the first time that had happened.
I—I don’t want to lose him, but how can we keep doing this forever? We can’t. The long distance thing is just too hard.
“Chloe!” A voice, followed by a knock, roused me from the brink of tears—Cain’s voice—and it was at my front door.
“Cain?” I ran over to the door and pulled it open. “Oh my god! What are you doing in New York?!”
“Fighting for what I want.” He walked into my apartment and wrapped his arms around me. “I’m done with this long distance thing. It’s too fucking hard.”
The fight became a memory in an instant. Cain kissed me and I melted into his arms. He was right. The long distance thing was too hard. There was no way our relationship was going to survive forever running on the fumes of the moments we had together, no matter how much we loved each other. My head was spinning by the time his lips separated from mine.
“I told my boss I’m leaving.” He nodded quickly. “I’m moving here—and…”
Cain pulled back from our embrace and dropped down to one knee. My eyes nearly bulged out of my head when he pulled a box out of his pocket and opened it. It was the most beautiful diamond ring I had ever seen. He was proposing! I thought the fight was going to drive him away, but—it just brought us closer together. I fought for the words I needed to say, but all I could do was accept the ring and squeak out ayeswhen he asked me to be his wife.
“Please tell me you didn’t actually quit your job.” I slid the diamond on my finger and got lost in the sparkle for a moment.
“I—kind of have to.” He started to stand. “I’m not going to have a long distancemarriage.”
“No—you don’t have to quit.” I shook my head back and forth. “I talked to Mr. Cardinal this morning. He’s going to let me relocate to the St. Louis office.”
“What!?” Cain took a step back, practically reeling in shock. “Seriously!?”
“Yes!” I nodded quickly.
“That’s—amazing.” He hugged me tight.
Cain and I got married shortly after my transfer to St. Louis went through. Bridget was my Maid of Honor and Abby was the most beautiful flower girl in the world—and ring bearer—and I’m pretty sure she thought she was my second Maid of Honor too. She was about to have another title soon—cousin. We hadn’t broken the news to anyone yet, but I was pregnant when I said my vows. Cain was so excited to become a father that he broke down in tears the day I told him. If the way he was with Abby was any indication, our child was going to be spoiled rotten, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. As long as we had each other, we could make anything work.
