Laurel rushed around her room, dresses falling from her body, making puddles on the floor. I watched her from my seat in the corner, amused and in love. For once, I was on time and she was making us late.

“What was wrong with that last one?” I asked as she tore off yet another dress.

She looked at me, her eyes wild, and I realized I shouldn’t have spoken. “Are you kidding me?” she screeched. “It was so tight I could barely breathe! And don’t you smile at me. This is your fault!”

She went back into her closet, and I followed her, wrapping her in my arms from behind. I cupped her rounded belly and laid a soft kiss on her bare shoulder.

“You know what I am going to say, yes?”

She softened against me. “That I’m more lovely than ever?”

“You are. I have never seen anyone lovelier.”

“I like my belly. It’s my ass I’m not too sure of.”

I growled, bending my knees so I could press my cock against her soft ass. “Do you feel what you do to me? If you don’t put on clothes soon, we’re going to be really late. And when we arrive, everyone will smell me on you and they will know I just had you.”

She angled her head back so she could smile up at me. “You make it seem like I should be trying to avoid that, but I’m tempted to say to hell with Frannie’s reception to stay home and fuck my husband all night.”

Husband. It’d been four months since I became her husband, and I still couldn’t quite grasp she was mine forever. My wife.

I bought a ring before she took the test. I gave it to her while we waited for the result. And when it was positive, I asked her if we could get married as soon as possible. I’d wanted to skip the whole wedding thing and just be married, but Laurel’s mother jumped in and planned a small—for them—ceremony in under two months. She had even found a rabbi to officiate.

When I said I thought Laurel could be the mother of my children one day, I had been holding back. That wasn’t typical for me, but maybe living in America was rubbing off on me. I was polite, on occasion.

I knew I wanted to marry Laurel from very early on. We had a crazy attraction, but we also had a fathomless connection. Something in me recognized her as mine from the beginning.

And now, our child was growing inside her. Each day I thought I couldn’t love her more, but then I did. I thought I’d reach my fill, that my heart would have no more room, but it just kept expanding.

“We’re going. You are going to be beautiful, and then when we come home, I’m going to take you in a place I haven’t before.” I pulled down a dress with flowers all over it. “What about this one?”

She spun around and took it from me. “I think we’ve had sex everywhere in this house.”

I smirked because we had tried very hard to. “Then I will have to spend the evening thinking of some place we haven’t.”

Laurel pulled the dress over her head. “I’m going to know what you’re thinking about.”

I kissed her forehead. “That is my plan. To drive you mad.”

She waved a dismissive hand. “You already did that a long time ago.”

Taking a step back, I let my eyes travel up the length of her. Of course it didn’t take long. I’d done her hair earlier, but from trying on dresses, it had gotten messy and looked a little bit like she’d just gotten out of bed. Her face was flushed and her chest was rising and falling in quick, shallow breaths.

“Perfect,” I whispered.

Laurel looked down at herself. “You think?”

“Yes, my lovely. You know I would tell you if you looked like shit.”

She snorted. “If you told me that today, I’d punch you right in your smiling face.”

Picking up her hand, I nibbled at her knuckles. “These tiny hands couldn’t hurt a fly.”

She landed a jab to my stomach with her other hand. It didn’t hurt. Not even a small amount. But I folded myself over and moaned.

“See? Watch it, bub.”

I yanked her against me and kissed her deeply. “I love you.”

A soft smile bloomed on her lips. “I love you too, sabra.”

Laurel drove us to Frannie and James’ reception. She’d said I was a shit driver and now that she had a baby on board, she was taking over. I didn’t argue. I liked sitting next to her and watching her as she concentrated.

Sometimes, at night, when she fell asleep first, I’d hold her and sort of marvel at where I was. Less than a decade ago, I was a soldier on the other side of the world. Less than a year ago, I was in a withering relationship, only a few miles away from the woman who would be my wife. Nine months ago, this tiny, beautiful blonde sat in my chair, and from the second I touched her hand, I felt an invisible thread, that grew into a cord, and then a steel chain, tethering us.

When I learned of her affair, my first instinct was to shut down. It was either that or scream, and I would never scream at her. But then, when I’d been able to process, I realized the mistakes she’d made before she met me had shaped her into the woman I fell in love with.

And she was pretty fucking wonderful.

When she found a spot in the parking garage of the building where the reception was being held, I jumped out of the car and went around to her side to help her out.

She laughed when she saw me, then completely ignored my offered hand. “What are you doing over here?”

“I am helping my lovely wife out of the car. Or I was trying to. But she is too stubborn to take it.”

Laurel slipped her hand in mine and smiled up at me. “She doesn’t need help. Save that for a few months from now when you’re going to be able to roll me around like a little ball.”

Before we stepped into the elevator that would take us to the roof, I cupped my wife’s cheek in my hand and kissed her pretty mouth deeply. The elevator came and went while I kissed her and kissed her.

When we broke apart, I rubbed my thumb over her smile. “Can I be romantic with you now?”

She leaned into my touch. “That wasn’t romantic?”

“That was me kissing you in a parking garage.”

“I think that counts, Avi.”

I tapped her lips with my fingers. “Just wait. I’m starting now.” She giggled. “This is the moment.”

“Yeah?”

“Mmm...I want to steal your mutant power and stop time. The only trouble is if I stopped time every time we had one of these moments, then we would always stand still. There is no time with you I don’t want to freeze and hold onto.”

Laurel fanned her flushed face with her hand. “Holy hell, Avi, I might actually swoon.” Then she gripped my tie with both hands. “I’m not sure what I did to get so lucky, but I’m never giving you back.”

I laughed and pushed the button for the elevator. “Good. It might be awkward if you tried because I’m never, ever leaving.”

Soon, we would be three, and although my heart was so full I felt it in my throat most of the time, I knew it would only grow until everyone who passed me would see the people I lived and died for written all over me.

My heart. My loves. My everything.

“You stink, sunshine girl. Good thing you’re so pretty,” I said.

The little redhead responded by blowing spit bubbles and giggling.

“Yeah, you think that’s funny? Daddy has to change your poopy diaper while Mommy takes forever to get ready?”

Rachel stuck her head into the nursery. “I heard that!”

I laughed over my shoulder. “This is a private conversation between June and me.”

She giggled. “Okay! So sorry to interrupt!”

I picked up my freshly diapered daughter and walked over to my wife. “You look gorgeous.” She’d dressed up for tonight. Her hair fell in long, loose waves around her shoulders and the V in her green dress dipped low enough that I didn’t think I’d be able to look away from her for more than a few moments all night. I brushed her hair off her shoulder and kissed the creamy, freckled slope of her neck. “And you smell like heaven.” Always like cinnamon.

June grabbed a lock of Rachel’s hair and yanked...hard. That was her new favorite thing to do, so Rachel rarely wore her hair down anymore.

“Want me to braid it?” I asked.

She untangled her hair from June’s damp, chubby fist with a wince. “Not tonight.” Leaning in, she nuzzled June’s nose. “This gorgeous little monster is going to stay home with Grandma, isn’t she? Mommy’s hair will be safe for one night.”

June squealed and made a grab for Rachel’s hair again, but she jumped out of the way.

Five months ago, we went to the hospital, expecting to bring our baby boy home with us. After twenty-nine hours of labor, we both thought we were delirious when the doctor announced the baby was a girl.

But when we really saw her...well, it wasn’t love at first sight. It was something more. A connection. When I looked at her tiny, wrinkled face, and her dusting of red hair, my first thought was, “Oh, I know you.” And the first time she smiled in her sleep, I knew I’d crawl over broken glass for this girl.

We’d named her June after my grandfather Jacob, and June was the month I moved to Tiber City and we started this thing, this love that would never, ever end.

Having a baby hadn’t been easy. Rachel’s recovery was painful, and her anxiety got a little out of control. We were tired, like stupidly exhausted. And sometimes it felt like a huge, crazy mistake.

But then we’d look at each other, both with bags under our eyes and baby barf staining our clothes, and we’d laugh right the fuck through it.

Because that’s who we were. That’s how we worked. We loved each other enough to say, “Holy shit, having a newborn is the real fucking deal.” We didn’t have to pretend with each other.

I’d never loved her more.

Once my mom came and we’d kissed June a thousand times, Rachel and I headed to Baltimore for Frannie and James’ reception. Before we started driving, I paused to really drink in my beautiful wife.

She smiled softly. “We made it out, buster.”

I brushed her cheek with the back of my hand.

“We have to do this more. I’ve missed you.”

“It does seem like there’s always someone between us now, doesn’t it?”

I smirked. “Good thing she’s so cute.”

Rachel glanced toward the house with a dreamy look in her eyes. “Do you think she’d get confused if I went back in and kissed her again?”

I laughed. Through all our trials of adjusting to parenthood, I’d never seen a more natural mother. And damn if that didn’t turn me on. The rounded hips and overflowing bras didn’t hurt either.

“I wouldn’t be confused if you kissed me again,” I said.

She turned back to me, an eyebrow raised. “Oh yeah?” And then she climbed across the console, straddling my lap. “I can kiss you. I wouldn’t want you to be confused.”

It started slow and deep, our tongues sliding, lips moving languidly, but it quickly turned to so much more. The car was parked to the side of our house, tucked away in the shadows. No one could see us and there was no stopping what we’d started.

“I need you,” she panted.

“Fucking hell, sweet girl, I always need you.”

She had her underwear pushed to the side and my dick out of my pants before my brain could even register it. But I was aware of every millimeter of my body entering hers.

We went hard and fast, taking each other in this little space that was only ours. She rode me like she did when we first fell in love, as if she couldn’t quite believe I was really there, and I held her like there was a chance she’d disappear if I didn’t.

When we both came, she fell against me, and I was engulfed in cinnamon.

Rachel started giggling. “I can’t believe we just did that.”

I shook my head and grinned at her. I had a feeling I’d be hard pressed to wipe the smile off my face all night. “Me neither, but goddamn am I glad we did.”

“I love you, Joe Silver. You’ll always be my dream guy.”

I ran a strand of her silky red hair between my fingers. “I fucking love you too, Rachel Silver. We’re still in the crescendo, and it’s only gonna keep building and building. Sometimes it’ll be so loud, we won’t hear each other, but we’re writing a symphony, sweet girl.”

“Can I sing at this symphony?” Rachel asked.

I held in my laughter and gave her the most serious look. “No, baby. You really can’t.”

“I’m going to do it anyway.”

Lacing my fingers with hers, I said, “I know you will.”

“Come on, let’s go celebrate James and Frannie.”

I threw my arms over my head and screamed at the sky. “Fuck yeah! We did it!”

Eliza laughed, wiping the sweat from her forehead. “Are you really going to yell that every time we finish a run?”

I pulled her against me and grinned. “Did you see our time? We left that fifteen miles in the dust, baby.”

She gripped my soaked T-shirt. “Don’t get cocky, Charlie. Fifteen miles is quite different than twenty-six-point-two.”

Running my hand over her short hair, I said, “I think I can do it if you’re there with me.”

Rising on her tiptoes, she kissed me softly. “I know you can do it, Charlie. And I can’t wait to do this thing together.”

Eliza and I were training for the marathon we’d signed up to run together in three weeks. She’d already killed two on her own, but this would be my first. I’d fucked up my foot and it took a long damn time to heal enough to run long distances.

And in the meantime, while I healed, my girl became even more of a badass. She finished the first marathon, then immediately started training for a triathlon. Once she’d fucking demolished that, she signed up for yet another marathon. I’d started running with her again on her shorter distances, but I’d had to tap out at nine or ten miles.

So I stood on the sidelines and cheered for her. I didn’t mind being her cheerleader. She deserved it, and she was my number one fan too. She’d hung prints of my art in her salon and convinced me to start a website to showcase and sell it. And she kept business cards for my music shop at the front desk, right next to her own cards.

She was my partner in every way. Well, except one. We’d joked about getting married, but she never pushed, never even hinted.

We both knew we were permanent. That wasn’t a question. But I wanted to be able to call her my wife. I wanted the world to know we were each other’s forever. I wanted to say those words we’d heard Rachel and Joe say at their wedding over a year ago. Ani l’dodi v’dodi li. I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine.

Back at our place, we showered, then wordlessly agreed to climb in bed together for a short nap.

She stretched with her arms over her head. “How much time do we have before we have to get ready for the reception?”

“Maybe an hour.” Propped up on my elbow, I watched her eyelids grow heavy and I had the strongest urge to make her mine right then. I’d planned something out for after the marathon. Something elaborate involving all her friends. But my gut said this was the moment.

I touched her bare cheek. “Don’t fall asleep yet.”

Turning her head toward me, she opened her eyes. “No?”

I hopped out of bed and went to my dresser, digging beneath piles of T-shirts for the little velvet box I’d hidden there a month ago. I took the ring out, then slid back under the covers with Eliza. She rolled into me, resting her head on my chest, her left hand over my heart.

I couldn’t quite find the words, and I was a words guy. But how do you tell the woman who makes up your entire world what she means to you?

So, I held her hand in mine and quickly slipped the ring on her finger. She was so close to the edge of sleep, she didn’t even realize what I’d done. I hugged her close, kissing her forehead. “You’re the bee’s knees, Eliza. I’m gonna love you forever.”

She nuzzled into my chest and hummed. “I love you too, Charlie.”

She still didn’t notice the ring. Okay, this is gonna be awkward when she wakes up with an engagement ring on her finger. I guess I should...take it back off?

I started to inch the ring up her finger, but she clenched her hand in a fist.

“Don’t you dare,” she whispered.

My eyes widened. “Ah...wha…?”

“Are you going to ask me?”

I laughed. “I was working my way up to that.”

She lifted her head, a playful smile on her lips. “You couldn’t possibly think I’d say no.”

“I was thinking of a big speech…”

“Just ask, Charlie.”

Sucking in a big breath, I asked, “Will you marry me, Eliza Goldberg?”

“Yes, Charlie Hamada. Yes, I definitely will.”

We both started laughing and kissing and hugging, then rolling around on the bed together, just kind of basking in the joy of the moment. For once, it wasn’t sexual. It was pure, unadulterated bliss.

Nothing had changed. We were still Charlie and Eliza. We weren’t perfect on our own, but goddamn, together, we were as close to perfect as humanly possible. And now we were going to officially be each other’s forever.

I was still wrapping my head around the fact that this gorgeous, fancy, talented, badass woman wanted to be with me, and now, I’d somehow convinced her to be my wife. I mean, that was crazy. Good crazy. Completely rad and unbelievable crazy. But crazy.

“There’s no way I’m napping now.” Eliza held her hand above her face, gazing at the simple, round solitaire I’d chosen for her. “This is exactly what I would have picked for myself.”

“It’s classic and fancy, just like you.”

“We’re almost two years into this relationship and you still think I’m fancy?”

I cupped her cheek, rubbing my thumb over her smooth skin. And then I booped her nose. “Babe, it’s because we’ve been together so long that I know you’re fancy.”

“Charlie?”

“Yes, Eliza?”

She bit the corner of her lip. “I know it’s not, like, a rock and roll thing to do, but I kind of want a real wedding. With flowers, and a poofy dress, and bridesmaids—”

I kissed her hard. Just hearing that she wanted something big and traditional for our wedding would have brought me to my knees if I hadn’t been lying down.

“I want that too. I want all that shit with you. I’m gonna wear a tux and look like an upstanding citizen for you.”

She snorted. “You give guitar lessons to children. You are the most upstanding citizen!” She ran her hands over my hair and studied my eyes. “I can’t wait to see you in a tux, though. I’m so excited to marry you!”

This was a time capsule moment. I knew it. I’d want to take this out every few years and relive it over and over. I’d never been this happy. And there was no fucking doubt I’d remember tonight when we made the next happiest moment of my life….and the next, and the next. We weren’t even to the middle of our story yet, and already, I’d collected a thousand deliriously happy pages with this woman.

“Me too, Miss Eliza. Me too.”

I paced back and forth in front of the bar, waiting for my wife. The collar of my shirt was too tight around the racing pulse in my neck.

“You look like you need this.”

I turned to see my brother, Ryan, holding out a beer bottle, which I gratefully took. “Thanks, man.”

His husband, Marcus, smiled kindly at me. “You already got the girl, James. No need to be nervous.”

I laughed. Or I tried to. “There’s going to be a lot of people here tonight.”

Ryan squeezed my arm. “Look at me, James.” I looked, reluctantly. “Take a deep breath. There’s going to be like thirty people, tops. Everyone will be looking at Frannie, anyway.”

I chuckled and took a long swallow of my beer. He was damn right about that. She was going to wear the same red dress she’d worn at our wedding ceremony five months ago, and I hadn’t been able to take my eyes off her that day.

“Where is she?” Marcus asked.

“Her friend Anna is helping her do her hair. She should be out in a minute.”

Anna’s husband, Will, was setting up a table of desserts his company had made. Joe’s friends’ band, The Two Jars, was getting ready to play on the other side of the roof. The night was clear, and just starting to get cool. I could see the Domino Sugars sign in one direction and the lights of the Inner Harbor in the other. Tonight was going to be good.

From beside me, Ryan whistled. “Lady in red!” he called.

I turned to look in the direction he was leering, and my pulse picked up as Frannie made her way to us. To me.

She smiled at Ryan and Marcus for a moment, but then her focus locked on me. Her lips were painted red and her hair was pulled back, her whole face visible. She knew I liked her like that. And I knew she wore it like that just for me.

I closed the gap between us in two long strides. “Francisca. You’re the most beautiful woman in the world.”

She circled her long arms around my neck and smiled up at me. “My sweet James. You’re the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen.”

I kissed her softly. “You ready for tonight?”

“Mmmhmm. Nervous?”

“Not anymore.”

She ran her fingers through the sides of my hair. “I’m going to be glued to your side all night. You can gaze at me adoringly while I do all the talking.”

“I love you.”

Frannie gave my beard a tug. “I know. And I love you too.”

I’d wanted a small, private ceremony, and Frannie gave me that, even though I would have gone along with something bigger if she’d asked. But we’d gone to the courthouse, with just my parents, Ryan and Marcus, and Frannie’s brother, Rick, as witnesses. Then the seven of us had gone out, sitting around a paper-covered rectangular table for hours, laughing and cracking open the shells of dozens of crabs. That day had been one of the best of my life. It was perfect.

So when Frannie found this rooftop bar and said she wanted to hold our reception there, I couldn’t say no. And even though the introvert in me wanted nothing more than to take my bride back to our quiet condo and hide from the world, the bigger part of me wanted tonight. I liked Frannie’s friends. Hell, I was pretty sure at this point I could call them my friends too. And our relationship had been so unlikely, it deserved every bit of celebration.

We shouldn’t have fit, but we did. Frannie would say it was something about algorithms and deep learning, but it was just us. Her pieces fit mine.

If you’d asked me a couple years ago if I thought I’d end up celebrating my marriage next to a tall, beautiful dancer on a rooftop in Baltimore, surrounded by our friends, well...I probably wouldn’t have even bothered answering. But in my head, I would have been screaming it was a crazy question and I was clearly meant to be alone.

I hadn’t known I could have all this. I hadn’t even thought to look for it. But maybe that’s the point. If I’d gone looking, I might have missed seeing her.

The rooftop filled with our friends and the band started to play. Frannie kept her hand in mine the entire time, even as she greeted guests and sipped her drink.

“So, you left little Miss June home alone?” asked Frannie.

We’d gathered in a tight circle with Rachel and Joe, Laurel and Avi, and Charlie and Eliza.

Rachel giggled. “Yeah, she’s five months old now. Girlfriend can fend for herself.”

Laurel rubbed her belly. “You hear that, kiddo? Five months and I expect you to be completely independent!”

I glanced around at our smiling friends as they talked babies. We weren’t there yet. We’d talked about it and decided we had time, if we even had kids at all. I didn’t need children. I only needed Frannie. I’d love the hell out of our child if we ended up with one, but for now, just the two of us was more than enough.

And then I looked at Frannie, on her knees talking to Laurel’s belly, and I wondered if we’d become three sooner than I expected.

“I love you, baby! I think you’re a boy. And I’m going to name you Rex. Hi, baby Rex! Are you being nice to your mama?” she cooed.

Laurel snorted and took a step back. “My baby is not being named Rex!”

Avi laid his hand on her stomach. “I think it’s a girl. And I like the name Rex.”

Frannie high-fived him. “See? Avi has good taste!”

“I think you should have your own baby so you can name it whatever weird name you come up with!” Rachel said.

Frannie’s eyes met mine for a moment. “Maybe. Not yet, but maybe.”

“Well, don’t get pregnant yet. I’m going to need you to fit into a bridesmaid’s dress in about six months,” said Eliza.

Everyone got quiet for a beat. Then there was gasping, and Frannie, Rachel, and Laurel flocked around their friend. I couldn’t help smiling. I knew what Eliza had gone through. I’d been there when she left her prick boyfriend. And I’d whispered to him before I left that I’d break his knees if he ever spoke to her again. I’d meant it too.

“Congrats, man,” I said to Charlie.

He nodded. “Thanks. I had some elaborate shit planned out, but the moment happened today, you know? I couldn’t wait.”

Joe, Avi, and I nodded. We knew. Our stories were all different. We’d found happiness in our own ways. But every single one of us had fallen for a beautiful, unique woman.

And what we all had? The thing that came after the fall? It was nothing less than sublime.