BONUS EPILOGUE TWO
Cece
ONE YEAR LATER
Nothing good ever comes from creepily staring at your partner at nearly five in the morning as you’re propped up infirmly on your elbow.
Levi has this ridiculously adorable habit of reaching for me in his sleep. And I should’ve thought of that before I became so hyper focused on my plan that I forgot about him stupidly flailing.
Which is why I’m now flat on the bed, pulse pounding in my throat. All while he dumps his limp right hand on my waist, grunting sleepily.
Then to my horror, he’s pulling me closer. Like he didn’t just accidentally shove my arm from right under me.
Now, I’m wondering how I’ll get access to hislefthand that’s tucked between our bodies.
Shit.
Slowly, I cover his right hand with mine. Holding it there. Then I proceed to tickle his brow with my hair strand that’s sticking out on the front.
This won’t work, Cece.
Oh, but it does. Because the next thing I know, he has successfully untucked his left hand and is scratching his face where it itches.
Clearly, he didn’t want to let go of the contact and resorted to using the hand I needed—falling prey to my manipulation.
Hell yeah!
When his left hand goes limp in front of his face, I carefully—oh, so gently—grasp at my ring on his pinky, and begin the process of sliding it out.
Thankfully, it isn’t too stuck on his finger. And within a few seconds, I’ve triumphantly removed the ring that he’s been wearing for almost two years now.
A faint line is now visible where the ring used to be. Well, he can fix that with time. His problem. I’m not focusing on that.
My eyes are currently staring at my hands in awe. They won’t waver from where I’m slowly sliding what belongs to me onmyring finger.
It fits so perfectly.
Even if it’s blurry as hell because I can’t stop the tears from the fierce rush of relief I feel.
I’ve watched Levi take it off before washing his hands, or showering, countless times. Those were the only times I’d allow myself a closer look.
But now I can take this ring in, anytime. Anywhere.
It’s mine.
Well, according to Levi, he was simply carrying it for me. Until I was ready.
And the thing is, I’vebeenready. For months. There’s a reason I decided to do this today, though.
Tomorrow will mark what should have been the end of Levi’s five-year probation. But he’s been an elected, permanent President for a long time now.
And I wanted to do this today, so that my decision is never tied to that clause. Ever.
It’s almost surprising how the clause rarely ever pops up in my head anymore.
But a week ago, I realized how much time had passed. Time that was beautifully spent on learning each other without the past shadowing our lives.
It wasn’t as though marriage wasn’t on my mind that whole time. It definitely was. Not just because the reminder is constantly onLevi’s finger. But also because my love for him evolved out of that box of arranged necessity. In reality, that had happened the moment the clause was gone. But my heart took its sweet time.
