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IT ISN’T UNTIL THE flight back that we finally get a chance to talk about everything. Pure joy radiates off Holden as the plane sores through the air. He talks about how crazy it all is, and how he thought his chance was gone when he turned it down his sophomore year.
“Why did you?” I ask.
He plays with where are fingers are laced together, avoiding eye contact. “I was five when I started playing hockey. My dad was a huge fan and got me into it. Honestly, I didn’t like it at first, but he pushed me to succeed and I ended up doing pretty well.” He pauses. “But my mom was always very big on my academics. She made me promise that no matter what I wanted to do when I got older, that I’d graduate from college. When they died, I swore to myself that I would keep that promise.”
“So, when you were asked to possibly leave college for hockey…”
He nods. “I felt like I had to pick between my mom’s dream and my dad’s.”
My heart hurts as I imagine how hard that must have been for him. “So, why did I have to talk you into going in the first place?” I’m half joking, but the answer intrigues me.
Holden finally lifts his head and looks me straight in the eyes. “Because my own dream of spending my life with you became so much bigger than a promise I made to myself at twelve years old.” His expression holds so much honesty. “No matter what they wanted, the thing that always mattered most was my happiness.”
“They sound like amazing people.”
He squeezes my hand, getting a little choked up. “They would have loved you.”
I THOUGHT NEW JERSEY WAS nice in November and December, but the summer puts that to shame. Waking up in the mornings and being able to just walk across the street to the beach – I’m surprised Holden ever left this place.
Him and I sit on the sand, soaking in the sun rays and just enjoying each other’s company. Emily comes today from Rhode Island. Her birthday is tomorrow and I’ve been working so hard on her gift. Even though I j
ust saw her a few weeks ago, I’m excited. I love when the four of us spend time together. It’s like every girl’s dream come true.
“Hey babe.” I get Holden’s attention. “I think I’m going to head back. I have to finish Em’s present before she gets here.”
He sits up and starts brushing the sand off his legs. “I’ll come with you.”
The two of us collect our things, walking back up the beach and across the street. We use the outdoor shower to rinse off. The feeling of the water ridding my body of the sand, salt, and sunscreen is refreshing.
Once we’re done, Holden goes into the kitchen to make us some lunch while I head up to his room. The photos I’m using lie across the floor. I sit down and start to sort through the last of them.
“How’s it going?”
I jump slightly and turn around to see my fiancé coming into the room, carrying a tray of food. He made each of us a sandwich and grabbed two bottles of water. I smile at him thankfully and take a bite. It’s delicious.
“I can’t figure out if I want to leave pages blank at the end so we can continue it together, or if I should end it with asking her to be my maid of honor.”
He ponders it as he chews. “Leave it blank. We’ll ask her and Brandon together at some point.”
I nod, picking up the glue stick and rubbing it on the back of a picture before placing it in the book. Just as I’m adding the finishing touches, I hear the front door close.
“Hello?” A voice yells, but it’s not Emily.
“Up here!” Holden yells back.
We’re the only people home. Brandon went to get flowers and his parents are at work. That only leaves one other person it could be.
“Hey lovebirds.” Josephine greets us.
Holden smiles widely as I get up to give her a hug. “How’d you get here?” He asks.
“I took an Uber from the airport.”
“We could have picked you up.”
“Yeah, I know. I didn’t want to be an inconvenience.”
He chuckles. “Fifteen years of being a pain in my ass, and now you choose to not be an inconvenience?”
