Zachary sat back down and ruffled Thomas’s hair. “Thanks for coming, buddy. It means a lot to me.”
Thomas just grinned and held up his hand for a high five. Zachary laughed and obliged him.
As the ceremony came to a close, I leaned over and kissed Zachary on the cheek. “I’m so proud of you,” I said.
Zachary wrapped his arm around me and pulled me close. “I couldn’t have done it without you,” he said. “You and Thomas are my everything.”
I felt tears prickle at the corners of my eyes as I looked at the two of them. We had been through so much together, and we had come out stronger on the other side.
As we left the ballroom and made our way back to the car, I knew that this was just the beginning of our happily ever after. And I couldn’t wait to see what came next.
“Caitlin?” I heard Zachary call my name, his voice muffled through the closed bathroom door.
“What is it?” I called back, pausing my hair straightening.
“Can I come in?”
I frowned at my reflection in the mirror. “What’s up?”
“It’ll just be a minute,” Zachary said.
I hesitated for a second, then shrugged. It wasn’t like he hadn’t seen me with a bare face and messy hair before.
“Sure,” I finally called. “Come in.”
Zachary opened the door and stepped inside. His eyes scanned over my reflection, and a small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “You look beautiful.”
I rolled my eyes good-naturedly. “Flatterer.”
“You know I’m not lying,” Zachary said, coming to stand behind me. He pressed a soft kiss to my shoulder, then reached into his pocket and pulled out a small velvet box.
“What’s this?” I asked curiously.
Zachary flipped the box open, revealing the silver chain necklace with a small diamond pendant that I’d admired when we were Christmas shopping. I gasped softly.
“I saw how much you loved it when we were at the store, so I went back and bought it for you,” Zachary explained, a hint of nervousness in his voice.
“You didn’t have to do that,” I protested, even as I reached out to touch the sparkling gem.
“I know.” Zachary smiled softly. “But I wanted to.”
I turned around to face him. “Thank you. It’s beautiful.”
“You’re beautiful,” Zachary countered. He pulled out the necklace and moved to put it around my neck.
I lifted my hair out of the way as he fastened the clasp. His fingers brushed against the sensitive skin on the back of my neck, and goosebumps rose up on my arms.
“You’re going to think I’m silly,” I said as he dropped my hair back down over my shoulders, “but this necklace… it’s more than just a piece of jewelry to me.”
Zachary raised an eyebrow in silent question.
I bit my lip. “It’s a symbol of hope. A reminder that things are going to get better. That I deserve to be happy.”
Zachary’s eyes softened. He reached out and brushed his thumb over my cheek. “You do deserve to be happy, Caitlin. I know things have been hard for you, but I’m so glad that you’re in my life. You make me happier than I’ve ever been.”
My heart swelled, and I felt tears prick the corners of my eyes. “I’m happy too,” I whispered.
Zachary leaned forward and pressed his lips to mine in a gentle kiss. I melted against him, wrapping my arms around his neck to pull him closer. His arms encircled my waist, holding me tight.
When we finally broke apart, we were both breathing heavily. Zachary rested his forehead against mine, and I could feel the rapid beating of his heart.
“I love you,” he whispered.
I smiled. “I love you, too.”
Zachary pulled into the driveway and killed the engine. We sat there in silence for a moment, and I tried to gather my thoughts.
“Are you okay?” Zachary asked, reaching over to take my hand.
I squeezed his hand and took a deep breath. “Yeah, I’m okay. I’m just… overwhelmed.”
“I know it’s a lot to take in,” Zachary said. “But you’re not alone. I’m here for you. Whatever you need, I’ll be here.”
I leaned my head back against the headrest and closed my eyes. I felt so many emotions swirling inside of me. Shock, anger, sadness, but also… hope. Because I knew that Zachary was right. I wasn’t alone anymore.
“I’m scared,” I whispered, opening my eyes to look at Zachary.
His face was soft with concern, and he reached out to brush a strand of hair behind my ear. “I know,” he said gently. “And that’s okay. But you don’t have to be scared. I promise you, I will do everything in my power to take care of you and Thomas.”
I felt a tear roll down my cheek, and Zachary wiped it away with his thumb. “I believe you,” I said softly. “I trust you.”
Zachary leaned over and pressed a soft kiss to my forehead. “Good. Because you can. I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”
I nodded, taking a shaky breath. I believed him. And for the first time in a long time, I felt safe.
“We should probably go inside,” I said, glancing at the house.
Zachary nodded. “Yeah. Are you ready?”
I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Yeah. I’m ready.”
Zachary squeezed my hand one last time before he got out of the car and came around to my side to open my door. He held out his hand to help me out, and I took it gratefully.
We walked up the path to the house together, Zachary’s arm around my waist. When we got to the door, he stopped me before I could open it.
“Wait,” he said. He turned me to face him and cupped my cheeks in his hands. “I need you to know something.”