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Jo and Brandon watch with wide smiles on their faces. I blush and squeal when Holden lightly tickles my sides. He doesn't stop until I distract him with a kiss. However, the moment I do, Jo fake gags. If anything, it only eggs Holden on and I need to stop him from going too far in the middle of a crowded airport.
After collecting our luggage, the four of us make our way out to the parking lot. I stay close to Josephine as Holden and Brandon lead the way, talking about some big party on Saturday night. When we get to the car, Jo and I climb in the backseat together, letting the boys take up the front of the car.
The drive to the house is nothing short of amusing. It's just like the drive to the laser tag arena, only this time, stories from and about Brandon are added into the mix. If I thought Jo had embarrassing tales to tell about Holden, Brandon's put hers to shame.
"Remember that time we threw a party at the house, and you left to go home?" Brandon asks while laughing. "I texted you and asked where you were going, and you said home like it was the most obvious thing in the world. You told me you got an Uber and not to worry, until I reminded you the party was at our house."
Holden throws his head back as the rest of us are in hysterics. "Yes. You had to get on the phone with the Uber driver and tell him to turn around. What address had I given him again?"
"School." Jo and Brandon answer in unison, causing us to laugh even harder.
We pull up to the house and are immediately welcomed by Heather and Dan. They greet me with the same level of excitement as they greet Holden and Jo with. Heather happily tells me how delighted she was to hear that Holden and I got back together, whispering in my ear that I'm her favorite.
Before stepping into the house, I find myself taking in the view. The Jersey Shore is a beautiful place, even in the fall. Being able to look up and down the coast from the front porch is something I could never even begin to get tired of.
"You okay?" Holden questions, putting his hand on the small of my back.
"It's still the most beautiful thing I've ever seen." I answer, completely mesmerized.
He gazes at the beach before looking at me. "Again, not quite." He presses his lips to mine for only a moment, smiling as he pulls away. "I'm really glad you're here with me."
"Me too."
The six of us spend the evening in the living room, playing family board games and just enjoying each other's company. Seeing the way they are together is heartwarming. They're the kind of families you see in movies and read about in books. How they matter to each other more than anyone else in the world - it's the best thing I've ever experienced and I find myself hoping my future is the same way.
I WAKE IN THE morning to Holden whispering my name. I don't even need to open my eyes to know he's, once again, up before the sun. Whining quietly, I blindly feel around to put my hand over his mouth. When I find it, he kisses my palm.
"It's official. You’re incapable of being near a beach and letting me sleep past five in the morning." I complain, my voice groggy.
He hums in agreement. "It's my second favorite thing."
I peek my eyes open to look at him. "What's the first?"
Smirking, he leans forward and kisses my forehead. "Come on, up you go."
The two of us get dressed in sweats and warm jackets before quietly exiting the house. Walking over to the beach, it's like déjà vu. Memories of last Thanksgiving and our time in Miami flood my mind, and all I can do is smile up at my boyfriend as he pulls me toward the shore.
We sit in the sand, and he pulls me back against him. I shiver from the cold until his body heat warms me. Just as the sun begins to peak above the water, he takes a deep breath.
"I could stay like this forever and never have a single complaint." He murmurs.
I sigh contently. "That sounds perfect."
"Yeah? You would spend the rest of your life with me?"
Turning my head to look at him, we stare into each other's eyes. "Absolutely. I love you."
"I love you, too." He nuzzles his head into my neck comfortably. "I can just picture sitting here with you, watching our kids run around the beach."
"Kids?"
He nods. "Two – a boy first, and then a little girl. He'll have my smile, and she'll have your eyes. We'll spend our days at the beach, and nights at hockey practice."
"With both of them?"
"Of course. Girl hockey players are bad ass, and they end up with an entire team of guys ready to fight someone at the drop of a hat. Don't worry though, she'll still be a total mommy's girl."
I chuckle as I shake my head. "No way. She's going to be all about you, and you know it."
