Page 58 of Thaw My Heart
I turn in his arms, reaching up to cup his face. "You never lost them," I tell him. "You just needed time to find your way back."
He leans down, pressing his forehead to mine. "I couldn't have done it without you," he says. "You gave me the strength toface my past, to let go of my guilt. You showed me that it's okay to be happy again."
I think about the journey we've been on - from childhood friends to estranged acquaintances to lovers. I think about the pain we've overcome, the trust we've rebuilt, the love we've nurtured.
"We found our way back together," I remind him. "And we're just getting started."
As we stand there, wrapped in each other's arms under the starlit sky, I'm filled with a sense of peace and anticipation for the future. We've weathered the storm, faced our demons, and come out stronger on the other side.
I think about the ring hidden in my dresser drawer, the one I found last week when I was putting away laundry. I think about the nervous excitement in Cody's eyes when he catches me looking at wedding magazines. I think about the life we're building, day by day, moment by moment.
"I love you," I whisper, the words feeling both familiar and new. "All of you. The good, the bad, the complicated. I love every part of you."
Cody's arms tighten around me. "And I love you," he says. "More than I ever thought possible. You're my home, Darcy. My past, my present, my future. Everything."
As we seal our words with a kiss, I know that whatever challenges life throws our way, we'll face them together. Because that's what we do. We fall, we get back up, we keep moving forward. Always together, always stronger.
And in this moment, under the vast expanse of the night sky, with the man I love by my side and our family sleeping peacefully nearby, I know that this - this love, this life, this journey - is just the beginning of our forever.
