Page 32 of Loving Lauren
Sierra broke. No holding it back this time. Tears, laughter, everything all at once as she threw herself at Lauren. They went down together, landing in the pile of pillows with a graceless thud and a tangle of limbs.
“This is too much.” Sierra swiped at her face and failed. “You surprised me. You can’t stand keeping secrets.”
Lauren’s hands found her cheeks, thumbs brushing away the wetness. Their eyes were shining. “Guess you’re worth the effort.”
Sierra let out a half-sob, half-laugh. “I love you so much.”
Lauren felt it hit them, warm and heavy, like the air before a storm. “I love you, too. Enough to pull this whole thing off instead of blurting it the second I felt it.”
They laughed again, holding on to each other while the light shifted from gold, then pink, then the deep violet of early night. The fairy lights softened everything, as if the edges had been blurred.
Later, when they started gathering up the pillows and packing away the album, Sierra caught Lauren’s wrist. “Come home with me?”
Lauren leaned in and kissed her, tasting the frosting on her lips. “Always.”
They left the park together, hands linked, fairy lights behind them winking as if they knew. Lauren felt lighter than air, drunk on love and the success of their first genuine surprise.
“Hey, you’ve got frosting on your nose.”
Sierra gasped in mock outrage and swatted at them. “That’s incredibly rude to point out after such a romantic evening.”
But she was laughing as she said it, and Lauren thought they could listen to that sound for the rest of their lives.
Chapter 18
Sierra had never freaked out this much about something that wasn’t work. Her apartment looked like a Pinterest board threw up. Candles adorned every flat surface, fairy lights she’d spent an hour untangling, and a playlist Calliope helped her make called “For Every Version of You I’ve Loved” playing in the background.
“It’s romantic but not spa-music weird,” Calliope had promised when they picked out songs.
The rose petals had cost her forty dollars. Forty dollars for flower bits she was going to scatter on the floor like confetti. Lauren was worth every penny and then some. She’d made a trail from the door to her bedroom and covered the bed, then stood back wondering if it looked romantic or like a crime scene.
Wine was chilling. She assembled the cheeseboard. Candles were lit, and she was losing her mind. She grabbed her phone and made a quick group chat without Lauren.
Sierra:Help, is this too much??? What if they think I’m insane?
Raven:You’re fine. stop spiraling
Jett:It’s cute as hell
Calliope:Put on the black lace thing we bought and stop being a baby
Sierra sent back a row of kiss emojis and was reaching for her phone to text Lauren when it buzzed.
Lauren:Hey babe, can you meet me at the park near the coffee truck? I need help shooting some promo content. bring your camera? ?? magic hour waits for no one.
“Oh, come on.” She stared at her phone. “Seriously?”
Salem was watching from his spot on the couch, tail twitching like he thought this was hilarious.
“Don’t look at me like that. This timing is insane.”
She blew out the candles, grabbed her camera, and ran out.
Lauren’s surprise had been perfect. The whole picnic thing with lights in the trees, the photo book, those little heart keychains. Sierra cried actual happy tears. They kissed under the fairy lights and walked home. Sierra felt like she might float away.
Now Lauren stood in her doorway looking stunned.
“Holy shit.” Lauren took in the candles and rose petals. “You did all this?”
