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When I look up at Shea and Grace, their tears are flowing, but they also have smiles on their pain-filled faces. “We all can learn a lot from how Mark loved Jenna, and how she loved him. Thankfully, through you two, I’ll always have that reminder. So, know that while they’re gone, they’ll never be forgotten. For each ‘I love you’ that leaves our lips, we honor the legacy they created for us.”
I sigh deeply, and everyone starts to clap. Benson cheers louder than needed, but that’s just him, and I can’t hold back the grin that spreads my swollen lips. Shea leans in, kissing my cheek. “I couldn’t have chosen a better person for my son.”
My heart swells. “I could say the same, that Benson choosing y’all as his family was the best thing that could have ever happened to me.”
“We love you, honey,” Elli says, kissing my cheek.
“I don’t know you, but that was beautiful. Thank you,” Grace tells me, hugging me tightly, and I laugh in her arms. Once we part, I start toward Benson to find he’s already across the ice, holding out his hand for me. I take it eagerly as his lips curve up just for me.
“Was it too much?” I ask quietly as he guides me carefully off the ice.
“It was perfect. You’re perfect.”
Our eyes lock when our feet crunch in the snow. Benson pulls me into his arms, his chest to my back, and gone are my feelings of oversharing. I honored Mark and Jenna by speaking of the love they inspired in all of us, and I should be proud. I am proud. Benson kisses my temple, and together, we watch Shea and Grace sprinkle their parents into the pond at their spot.
A tear trails down my cheek, and I lean my head into Benson’s chest. Our hearts pound in time together while Shea leans into Elli, his body shaking with sobs. Elli wraps her arms around his neck, holding him close to her chest before kissing the top of his head. My heart lurches at the sight. As tragic as it is, it’s also beautiful. What a life Jenna and Mark had to leave such pain behind. They’ll be truly missed.
Once the ashes are free, everyone silently starts for the house, though Benson doesn’t let me go or follow behind everyone.
“Cameron,” he says roughly in my ear, and I lean into him even more.
“Benson?” I ask as he turns me in his arms, and our gazes meet. “How are you holding up?”
“Better when you’re looking at me like this.”
“Like what?”
Lust swirls deep in his dark gaze, and my breath catches at how stunningly handsome he is. And he’s all mine. A grin pulls at one side of his mouth as he tells me, “Like you’re absolutely in love with me.”
“Makes sense.” I reach up, running my thumb along his bottom lip. “Since I am.”
He cups my jaw with both his hands before leaning in, pressing his forehead to mine. I tuck my hands under my chin as his eyes bore into mine. “You know I’m yours.”
My breathing stops. “I do.”
“And you’re mine?” His words form a question I never thought he’d ask. Benson has never questioned if I was his. I think we both know by now that we belong to each other.
“You know I am,” I say, mirroring his earlier words. “I have been for longer than I want to admit.”
Benson’s eyes fall shut as he presses his forehead into mine. “I want everything you said.” His words are so thick with emotion, and when his eyes meet mine once more, I’m breathless at the sight of his unadulterated love for me. “I know you said you wanna skip everything and get to where we die together, our ashes scattered in the same space, and go into the next life together. But Cameron, my heart wants the middle part too.”
His eyes burn into mine and I feel like tiny sparkles are dancing along my spine. “I want to wake up and see your face every morning, knowing that my day will be great just because you smiled at me. I want you to hold my hand as we wait for my name to be called at the draft. I want to move in to our first apartment and argue about what color we’ll paint the walls—and don’t worry, I’ll hire a maid.” I laugh around the lump in my throat, my eyes burning with tears. “I want to see your eyes blaze for me when I ask you to marry me. I want to catch your tears when I declare my love for you. I want to hold you as we wait for a stick to tell us we’re pregnant with a baby we’re ready to have, and then cry together when we hear the heartbeat of our child.” My lips start to twitch as tears gather in my eyes. “I want to reassure you, Cameron. I want to remind you how much I love you every chance I get. My beauty, I want to make every moment of your life worthy of being posted as your highlight reel.”
