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After about twenty minutes, I hear giggling and whispers behind a large tree on the outskirts of Beau’s property. When I look behind said tree, there is my brother and Laney, evidence of the chocolate bars they snatched all over their face, which were supposed to be eaten later with s’mores.
“What in the world you two! We were worried sick. You can’t run off like that. We’ve been looking for you everywhere.”
My brother looks up at me, a variation of blue-green similar to mine staring back, mischief evident in his gaze.
“Chocolate is my favorite.” He says this with a big smile.
I scoop him up while Shane grabs Laney, careful not to get the chocolate mess on ourselves and we walk back toward the house. The moment both moms see their mischievous children, they come running.
Laney and Grant are still laughing—not too sure if it’s from their little adventure or the fact their bloodstream has just gotten an uptick of sugar. Either way, they’re safe, which is most important.
I hear both mothers scolding the kids, but it’s falling upon deaf ears. Laney and Grant are still laughing, and the moms stop their reprimand and simply let out a loud exhale. I know both of them are exhausted by the antics those kids are putting them through on the daily.
Shane and I fall back, walking slowly as we head back to the barbecue. He has his hand on my lower back, caressing me as we leisurely stroll. I let my head fall onto his side. I’m too short to reach his shoulder, so it’s more like my head ends up in his armpit, but I’m not focusing on that aspect too much. It’s not as romantic.
After a few steps, Shane speaks and what he says throws me off. “Would you like to have children one day?”
I stop in my tracks. I feel my heart rate accelerate, and I simply stare back at him. He is so calm, a soft smile spreading across his lips.
“Come on, Becs. It can’t be that crazy that I ask this question.”
Once I calm my nerves a bit, I finally answer.
“Well, since I am only turning seventeen in a matter of days, yes it’s a bit crazy. We have so many plans. I don’t plan on having kids anytime soon if that’s what you’re asking.”
Shane chuckles, like I’m now a comedian. He shakes his head but continues to smile.
“I didn’t mean tomorrow. I mean, what are your plans for having kids? Do you want them someday?” He explains as if this is a completely normal teenage conversation.
This calms me a bit. But I still tread lightly because I don’t want to come off heartless and selfish with my response.
“Yes, someday I want kids, Shane. But by someday I mean, way down the line. I can’t imagine going to medical school and having mouths to feed.”
Shane looks off into the distance.
“I want to have children with you. I want to marry you and continue this ride for as long as our lives allow us. I don’t see tomorrow or any day that follows without you in my life, Becs. I, too, would wait, mostly because I’d rather put years of practice into having kids.” With that he waggles his brows and gives me that sexy smirk I crave.
“But most of all, I just wanted to make sure we are on the same page. I know it’s not in the cards for us for many years, but I would love to know that someday, I’ll look down at you and feel my child kick me back from your belly. Something about that is incredibly sexy and gives me more to look forward to, especially because I’ll most likely be overseas. I’ll need things like that to hold on to when I’m missing you on that Navy ship.”
I can’t help but start to envision this future he’s describing. Seeing Shane come home to me, I’m barefoot and pregnant—obviously after I finish my shift at the hospital because that dream will continue—and he comes right up to me, bends down, and kisses my belly. I can even imagine him speaking to our little one, and that baby probably memorizing his voice. For some reason my thoughts cause tears to form. He notices and pulls his eyebrows together in concentration.
“Shoot, Becs, I didn’t mean to upset you. It was just a thought after we found the kids. I’m sorry if I upset you.”
I stop walking right then and turn to face him.
“Nothing about what you said upsets me. It has just given me something to look forward to as well. You know me and how easily I can cry. I know I’ll have many late nights of studying ahead of me. So maybe this will give me some daydreaming material while I sit and miss you too much. I already know my heart won’t handle it well.”
He grabs my face and kisses me softly. These are the moments, the ones I know will be etched into my heart for the rest of my life. These little snapshots with Shane where our layers are peeled back and we are exposing ourselves to so much love, it’s palpable across the oceans and under all the stars.
We continue to kiss until we are called to dinner. Hand in hand we walk toward our friends and family, and I try to memorize this feeling so that I can carry it with me through those future nights when our hands will not be close enough to hold.
ChapterSixteen
REBECCA
Present Day
It’s been a few weeks since I last saw Shane. He had to return to Boston for some work he couldn’t do remotely. Every night, though, we text after I get the twins to bed or between deliveries for me. I haven’t had him meet the twins yet because I’m still very cautious about my time with Shane. Although we might be taking things at a pace we find exciting and fun, there’s still so much about our past we need to uncover. So many emotions flood my mind about how he has simply reappeared without much concern about how things ended between us.
