Page 86 of The F*ck-It List

“Nothing,” Bea, Cas, and Nina say in unison before all three of them fall about laughing.

Joanie and I share a confused look, but both end up laughing, too, while Cas makes senseless jokes about once you pop, you just can’t stop, because the atmosphere is infectious. I take a look around the room and decide I’m in love. With Bea, yes, but also with this life. With friends and family and feeling light and happy. I’m going to marry Bea one day; I know the truth of it in my bones. But it won’t be today or tomorrow. Right now, I pull her onto my lap and hold her against me while she argues with Joanie about the rules of Pictionary. I smile into her shoulder blades and allow myself to be happy in this little bubble of perfection.

Epilogue

Bea

“Are you sure it’s okay?” I ask for about the fiftieth time.

“It’s fine, Bea,” Eli says to me over the phone, ever patient and kind.

“I feel like I’m asking so much.” I bite my lip and look out the window of our hotel room, the sky turning inky black with a beautifully clear view of the gleaming stars above. It’s the perfect night for it.

“No,” he says slowly. “You’re not. You guys travelled all that way specifically to see the lights and today might be your only chance. Stay an extra night and enjoy the view, get some good photos for me, yeah?” I can hear the smile in his voice, and it makes me grin. Eli is the best.

“Okay, great. So, the new tenant is arriving tonight, late, I think. I told him I’d meet him at the cottage to hand over the keys and go through any questions. If you could just do that and tell him we’ll be back tomorrow afternoon, that would be great.”

“I think I can handle it,” he says with a hint of amusement.

“How’s mybaby?” I ask.

“I’m fine,” he says.

“Heathcliff, you dweeb.” I laugh, and he joins in.

“Heathcliff is fine, most unimpressed to be at the pub though. I think next time he’d prefer to stay at your place, and I’ll just go in and feed him.”

“That’s what we thought but splitting him and Darcy up made me too sad.” I pout even though he can’t see me.

“Oh yeah,” Eli agrees. “Those two have serious co-dependency issues.”

“Much like you and August,” I say with a grin.

“What’s that about August?” The deep rumbling voice behind me sends shivers down my spine. I turn to see my very hot boyfriend emerging from the bathroom with a towel around his waist, a towel that doesn’t quite fit around his bulk, leaving one entire leg exposed and gaping open to show the occasional glimpse of his dick, swinging heavily between his legs.

“Eli, I’ve got to go, but you’re the best. I love you and we’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Okay, b—”

I hang up before he finishes and launch myself at August. He catches me, of course he does, he always will, but to do that, he has to let go of the towel. He’s hot from his shower, hair damp when my fingers plough into the strands, tugging and petting as we kiss. August lowers me to the mattress, the bed in this hotel protests under the weight of the two of us as he climbs over me, claiming my mouth with his and grinding himself between my spread legs.

“You’re wearing far too many clothes, sunshine,” he growls against my mouth, and I have to chuckle.

I’d showered first and had only manged to put my underwear on before Eli returned my call from earlier. “Good, we don’t have time for naked sexy cuddles.”

“I was not thinking about cuddles,” he says, tracing his lips over my jaw. His delicious weight blankets me, erection persistent at my pussy, and hot skin pressing to my own.

“Either way, we don’t have time. The bus is picking us up in fifteen minutes.” I stroke up and down his back.

“We can be a little late.”

“No!” I shove at his shoulders, and he laughs, rolling off of me and onto his back. “They say the lights are going to be visible tonight, this is our last chance.”

August smiles up at me, clearly amused by my unrestrained excitement. We’ve been in Norway for four days hoping to see the Northern Lights. We had a night booked in a glass igloo so we could watch the Aurora Borealis from the cosy comfort of our sleeping bags last night, but it came over cloudy and our tour guide said we wouldn’t be able to see anything. We were supposed to be flying home today but were told tonight was the night, our best chance to see them and August wasted no time in changing our flights and igloo reservation.

It’s been eighteen months since I moved to Port Doone, two months since I moved in with August even though we’ve spent every night together for over a year. It’s not always been easy, anxiety and self-doubt still creep up on me sometimes when I least expect it and August can sometimes be reluctant to step out of his comfort zone. Which was why it surprised me when he organised this trip so I could cross off number forty-two; see the Northern Lights.

I’ve found a place in the world that feels like home and the people around me make me feel loved and a part of this village wide family. I may never know who destroyed my books and made me want to crawl back to London after only being there a few days, but I have too many people rooting for me now to dwell on it.