“I can do that,” he says quietly. “I want to.”
My breath catches.
“Okay,” I whisper. “Then okay.”
He doesn’t kiss me right away. That’s what I notice first.
Colton stands there in front of me, close enough that I can feel the heat of him, close enough that his breath brushes my cheek, but he doesn’t rush the moment.
His hands come up slowly, settling at my waist.
“I don’t want to do this halfway,” he says quietly.
My body sags with relief.
He pulls me into his arms then, holding me tightly. For a long moment, neither of us moves.
We don’t need to.
When he finally pulls back, he cups my face in his hands, thumbs brushing away the last of my tears. His gazesearches mine one more time, like he’s asking without words.
I nod.
This time, when he kisses me, it’s slow and sure and full of everything we’ve already survived. No urgency. No doubt. Just warmth and intention and the quiet promise of showing up.
When we break apart, he rests his forehead against mine again, smiling faintly.
“Come here,” he says, guiding me back to the table.
He picks up the wine bottle, turning it so the label faces me.
“I know it’s old,” he says. “And rare. And probably not meant for moments like this.”
I laugh softly. “What kind of moment is it meant for?”
He considers that, then shrugs. “A meaningful one.”
My chest aches in the best way.
He sets the bottle down beside the tickets. The two objects sit side by side, symbols of time, patience, and choice.
“I don’t know exactly what our future looks like,” he says. “But I know I don’t want to face it without you.”
I reach for his hand, lacing my fingers through his.
“I’m not afraid of taking this slow,” I tell him. “I’m afraid of standing still.”
His grip tenses.
“I won’t,” he promises. “Not anymore.”
I believe him. Not because he’s perfect. Not because everything is suddenly resolved. But because he’s standing here, telling me the truth, even when it scares him.
I lean into him again, resting my head against his chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heart.
For so long, love felt like something done to me— a battle I survived, a loss I endured.
But standing here now, with Colton’s arms around me and his truth laid bare between us, I finally see it clearly.
