Page 68 of Forever Fallen

Their date was better than any she’d ever been on – and she couldn’t remember a time where she felt so peaceful, complete, and whole. The movie was over before either of them knew it… and they laughed together as both realized that neither had paid attention.

They were at dinner, grabbing something easy and just hanging out, sliding into the orange benches at a local Whataburger. He’d looked slightly alarmed that she didn’t want to go to a nice steakhouse or a restaurant… but gave in.

Walking over to the table, he shook his head, smirking slightly.

“Never thought our first date would involve a table tent…”

“Hey, you and I both know that Whataburger is the go-to place for people going on a date.”

“Maybe when they are in high school?” he chuckled. “I got your Whatachicken with extra cheese just like you asked… and requested spicy ketchup for the onion rings.”

“Manna of the gods…” she teased, laughing, as he started smiling broadly, watching her with keen interest.

“You are a very simple and easy-to-please person, aren’t you?”

“What do you mean?”

“I heard what you were talking about at the house, and I guess I kind of expected that someday you would want a really fancy wedding ring…”

“Why would I want that?” she blurted out nervously, stunned that they were actually discussing wedding rings. “It’s a rock, and before someone polished it up or cut it to make it shine? It was nothing. Yes, it was a diamond, but that’s not what really matters… is it?”

“No. It’s not,” he smiled tenderly. “It’s just surprising.”

“Because I’m not high maintenance after all?” she reminded him, tossing back his words that he’d said about her at the chapel when they married. “I would rather have nothing on my finger and something in my heart, than to exist the other way around. Just because that woman has a ten-thousand-dollar ring on her finger – it doesn’t mean it will last or that it’s real.”

“You’re an incredible person, Sophie Merrick,” he whispered reverently.

“I’m just me…” she shrugged simply, feeling nervous at the way he was looking at her. Before she could comment or say something, the young girl working behind the counter brought out their tray of food.

She found herself watching Ryan, the way he moved, talked, how he held his head or looked up at her through his lashes. Even something as simple as him pulling the bun off his burger and salting the patty, made her watch him, memorizing the little nuances of who he was.

As he put the bun back on and took a bite, he hesitated, noticing that she was observing him.

“What?” he asked, chewing, and glanced down at his shirt. “Did I drop something on me?”

“No,” she smiled shyly. “I was just realizing how incredibly lucky I am – and how the stars had to align. I know it sounds stupid, but if I had been on a different flight or you didn’t come to Flyboys to help out? If one small iota had changed, our paths wouldn’t have crossed… and that seems like a tragedy now that I’ve met you.”

Ryan set his burger down, swallowed his bite, and stared at her.

“I love you and never dreamed any of this was possible…” she finished, feeling almost overwhelmed at the love in his dark gaze.

“Sophie…”

“No…” she laughed it off, feeling self-conscious and picking up her sandwich. “It’s just me being overly emotional and still reeling at just what a miracle this is. I’m sure in a few years, we’ll both be fed up with each other.”

“I don’t think that is going to happen,” Ryan said quietly, his forehead creased with a frown. “Do you?”

“No,” she breathed. “Not really.”

He sat there for a moment longer and she felt his eyes on her, making her a little nervous that maybe she was indeed being silly or too open about her feelings towards him.

This was all so new, awfully intense, and just seemed to be the complete opposite of where they were a few weeks ago when they met.

“Let’s finish eating and hurry home,” he said softly.

“Oh? You think we should check on them?” Sophie muttered, chewing, and talking with her mouth full as she was in the process of dipping an onion ring in the ketchup bucket between the two of them.

“No,” Ryan said quietly, his voice a hushed whisper. “I have the urge to hold my wife against me and make love to her all night long, because words just never seem to be enough to tell her what I am feeling…”

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