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What if it never happens?
But those depressing sorts of notions occur far less often lately, as the happiness Triston provokes in me allows me to enjoy life, to not constantly be on alert for the next disaster.
“It will happen,” he says confidently. “And anyway, it’s not like I’m ever going to get tired of trying.”
I playfully slap his arm. “You animal. Keep your eyes on the road.”
“As if you’re complaining,” he chuckles.
He takes us to the center of the city, to a skyscraper. It’s in the upscale section of the city, the kind of place I never would’ve had cause to visit if I hadn’t met Triston. Without him, I could’ve gone my whole life without ever leaving my dingy neighborhood.
Turning, he takes us into the underground garage.
“Where are we?” I ask.
“Offices,” he says. “Space for hire or to buy.”
“Triston…”
My mind spins as I try to imagine how much a single unit in an area like this must cost.
As he comes to a stop, he reaches over and places a hand on mine. “Don’t you Triston me. You deserve the best, always. Let’s go.”
We ride the elevator up together. He has his hand on my back, so close to my ass I have to forcibly stop myself from arching my hips and pressing against him. I know how easily we could sink into each other, his length digging into my ass, our bodies grinding harder and with more purpose.
The doors part.
And I gasp, the scene spilling open before me.
We’re in a large, unfurnished office space. Photos I’ve taken over the last three weeks – of Alexis, of nature, a couple of Triston, and finally one of me and him together – hang from the walls. Now I know why Alexis was smiling. She must’ve helped her dad choose my favorite ones.
The floor is covered in flower petals, pink.
Triston guides me into the office space with his possessive hand. “This is yours. You can start whatever kind of photography business you want. Or you can go to college and use this as your basecamp in the city.”
“Are you serious?” I say, walking around as I take it all in.
I can already imagine where a desk could go. There’s even a room off to the side that would work perfectly as a darkroom, in case I want to experiment with film cameras.
There’s a space where I could do portraits and…
I’m crying, I realize, as I come to a stop at the floor to ceiling windows. Only a few weeks ago I was at the bottom of the city, all the way down there, in that rundown apartment block lost in the afternoon mist.
And now here I am, with the man of my dreams, ready to pursue my dreams.
“Are you sure it’s not too much?”
“I’m sure.” He clears his throat. “Tamia, turn around.”
I gasp again, more intense than the first time.
Triston is on one knee, a ring box in his hand, a smile on his face as he looks up at me. I wave my hands in front of my face without even knowing why, as though I can dry the tears spilling down my cheeks.
“I love you.” His husky voice makes me shiver. “I love you more than I knew I could. I thought something broke inside me, a long time ago, maybe when I was a kid. Or maybe that’s just an excuse. I don’t know. But there’s one thing I do know, with all my heart, with all my soul.
“I love you, and I need to be your husband. I can’t imagine life with anyone else.”
“I love you too. So much,” I whisper, afraid to shatter the moment but I just can’t keep the word in.
“Tamia Knight…” He opens the ring box, the large cushion cut diamond twinkling in the light. “Will you marry me?”
“Yes,” I cry, stepping toward him.
He lets out a mix between a cheer and a roar and a sob, a tangled mess of beautiful emotion. Slipping the ring onto my finger, he jumps up and wraps his arms around me, pulling me close.
Our hands slide over each other, our lips taking control as we kiss passionately.
As we sink more intimately into our love, I imagine Lisa smiling down at me.
I can see her in my mind's eye, a shine in her eyes, that selflessness, that same look she’d get whenever she helped me growing up, the same one she probably had that night on the road. Telling me she’ll always look out for me.
And she has.
Her heart brought me to the man of my dreams.
Thank you, Lisa, I silently mouth.
“So you like it?” Triston grins, breaking off the kiss.
“Like it?” I look around at the rose petals, the room, and the man of my dreams. “I love it. And I love you.”
EPILOGUE
THREE WEEKS LATER
Triston
“Are you sure you don’t want a straw?” Tamia asks as I pick up my glass of Coke.
