Sitting in the driver’s seat of the Spider, I glance over at Calypso who is giving me a very suspicious side-eye.
Yes, I get to drive her car on a regular basis now. Only when she is present, but it's still a win.
Tonight, she has no idea where we’re going. It’s Valentine’s Day, which isn’t a holiday she put much thought into last year. I’m not trying to change her mind about the day, but it lined up perfectly to bring her now.
It’s killing her to not know what our plans are for the night. She’s opened her mouth a hundred times in the last ten minutes, only to immediately close it and glare at me.
The last year with Calypso has been close to perfect, to say the least.
Unfortunately, as Mia and Lucas suspected, pressing charges wasn’t as simple as they make it seem in movies. Ultimately, nothing other than a protective order happened. I was angry for a long time, partly because I finally understood why Calypso was hesitant to do anything from the beginning.
It’s been enough to offer her and Ruby freedom from his obsession, though. Well, in Ruby’s case, it sounds like she experienced his indifference more than anything, but it still came with the idea that she was his property. The fact that people eventhinklike that anymore has been one of the hardest things to wrap my mind around.
But as far as Calypso and I go? Goddamn perfect.
Rosie and I still live with her. We figured we’d enjoyed living together up to that point, there was no reason to rock the boat now. Later, Calypso admitted she felt more unsettled at the thought of living alone than she ever had before. I hate that Stefan took some of that independence, and solitude, away from her. Until things were finalized, I didn’t want her alone either.
Now, there’s nowhere else I’d rather be than right by Calypso’s side. Our life has formed so naturally around usthat it’s hard to remember how different it was only a year ago.
Our evenings look much the same, split between ordering in and eating on the couch, meeting up with family for dinner, or cooking at home together. Calypso has ironed out her morning routine, finding time to work out and enjoy the quietness before her day starts. Even though my job requires waking early as well, I actually like my nights more. I’ll usually stay downstairs longer, finishing a puzzle or sketching something when I can’t sleep.
Our time together felt limited before, and neither of us wanted to waste even a second of it when the future was so uncertain. That’s not a problem anymore.
As I pull into a driveway, Calypso turns in her seat and finally asks a question. “Where are we?”
With a boyish grin, I get out of the car and quickly round the hood. Opening the door and taking her hand, I bring her to the front porch of a mid-century modern bungalow. “I want to show you something.”
Silently, Calypso takes a step inside of the open living room.
The three-bedroom house is similar to her townhouse with the natural wood finishes and industrial-style accents. But it’s brighter and more spacious with large windows and open floor plans.
The house went on the market a week ago, and I immediately made an offer. Since I’m not such a pariah around town anymore, I’ve made a few connections of my own. Like with some of the local real estate agents—one who gave me until Monday to make a final decision.
There’s something aboutthisproperty that feels right for us. It has more rooms, which would give us an office space and a guest bedroom. There’s a small backyard that would be perfect for Rosie and a small seating area. Plus, we’re only a few blocks away from Asher, and have our own private beach area too.
Calypso walks to the middle of the room before turning to look at me with a curious smile. “What is this?”
Slowly, I close the distance between us until our chests are almost flush with each other.
“This is my proposal to you.”
Her face immediately drains of color, and I can’t help but chuckle.
“Nota marriage proposal.” She lets out a sigh but shakes her head, still not understanding. “I want to spend my life with you, Calypso Rainn Davies.”
“I want that, too,” she murmurs and fists my t-shirt.
“Good, because I made an offer on this house.” Her eyes fly open but I continue on. “We have until Monday morning to make a decision and get the ball rolling, if you want to.”
She’s quiet but nods for me to keep going.
“I think we could be happy here, honey. I think we could make a home for ourselves.” I try to infuse as much affection into my words as I can. “Not one with babies—at least not ours—or a wedding or any expectations other than this: I want to spend my entire life loving you, and I hope you’ll let me.”
A breathtaking smile pulls at her lips as she beams at me. Calypso may not ever see herself the way I do, but she lights up my entire life. She’s my sun, and I was out of orbit my entire life until I found her.
“I don’t need to see you wearing my ring when all I want is to know I’m coming home to you every night.”
She leans up and places a soft kiss on my lips. “Show me the rest.”
