AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Psssh.” She waved her hand in the air, but I could see the tears shining in her eyes. “You won’t even remember me once you’ve moved in with lover boy.”
I chuckled. She was probably right. When Cade and I were together, we lost all sense of time. He said it was a side effect to our love, I just thought it was because he was so damn consuming.
Arms wrapped around me from behind, and I squealed as I was lifted into the air and twirled around. I couldn’t help the laugh that burst out of me because I knew whose hands they were. “Congratulations, baby,” Cade said, and I was aware of eyes burning over our skin, but I didn’t care one bit. He planted me on the floor and spun me around to face him. He dipped down and pressed his lips to mine. We were out in the open, and I wasn’t sure how we survived before it was like this.
“How long do you think we’ll have to wait until you can move in?” Cade asked, his dark-blue eyes hopeful.
“Well, I’m officially graduated now, so…tonight?”
His lips spread even wider as he lifted me off the ground. “Sounds perfect to me.”
“What sounds perfect?” Belle asked, bounding over to us. “Ew, stop kissing, it’s gross.” She screwed up her nose and made a gagging sound.
My head flung back, and I laughed harder than I had in weeks. I hadn’t seen Belle much lately, but now that summer was here, I had every intention of spending as much time with her and Asher as I could.
Cade placed me back down onto the grass, and I crouched down in front of her. “Shakes,” I said. “Shakes sound perfect.”
Her eyes widened. “Oh! Can I come?”
I grasped her hand in mine and stood, my gaze flicking over to Mom and Sal. They’d both cried this morning when I’d put my cap and gown on, even though Sal had tried to cover it up. “We’re all going. I think it’s time we celebrated as a family.”
“Couldn’t have said it better myself,” Uncle Brody said. “Proud of you, baby girl.” His eyes shone, but I could tell he wasn’t only talking about me graduating. They said it took a village to raise a child, but it also took one to support one too. They’d all been there for me, ready to listen and ask what they could do to help. When the simple fact of the matter was, them just being there was more than enough.
“Thank you,” I croaked out and flicked my gaze down at Belle to distract myself. “Let’s go get shakes.” I wiggled my fingers to get her attention, and she whipped her head up to face me. “I vote banana.”
“Ew.” Belle shook her head and pulled me away from the crowd. “Everyone knows strawberry is the best.”
I glanced back at everyone as they followed us off the school grounds and spotted Hope pushing through everyone to get to Belle and me. “Shakes, here we come!” She clasped Belle’s other hand. “Hey, Cookie Monster.”
“Hey, Hopeful.” Hope laughed, not fazed by Belle’s nickname for her one bit.
Cade grasped my other hand, and I glanced up at him, seeing the love shining in his dark-blue eyes. We’d not had an easy road to get here, but I thought it made us stronger. Together, we were unbreakable. Together, we could master any situation and come out the other side hand in hand.
“Love you, baby,” he whispered, bringing my knuckles to his lips and planting a kiss on them.
I would never tire of hearing those words coming out of his mouth, and I would never get tired of replying, “Love you, too.”
