Page 85 of One Night in Hawaii

“I really did. But this house is in the best shape. I think this one would be the best one to live in, but we can check out the others.”

“We?” I said with a laugh.

“You don’t want to live together?” he asked with surprise. “We’ve spent so much time together the last couple of months, I just assumed that was our next step.”

“No, I do want to live with you. I’m so overwhelmed and excited about all of this.”

As we approached the house, I noticed the charm of its weathered exterior, which only added to its character. He unlocked the door, and we stepped inside the cozy home. It was evident that the interior hadn’t been updated in a while, but I could see the potential. The space felt warm and inviting, with a cozy living room and a quaint kitchen. Archer explained that the houses had been short-term vacation rentals, and when he made an offer the sellers couldn’t refuse, they decided to sell all of them.

As we walked through the house, Archer talked excitedly about the changes we could make, how we could turn this place into a haven that reflected both of our personalities and tastes. He wanted this house to be a reflection of our love, a place where we could create new memories and cherish the moments we shared.

“I want to make this our home,” he said with his arms around my waist. “We could raise a family here. I think this is the beginning of our future.”

With every passing minute, I found myself falling even more in love with Archer. His thoughtfulness, his generosity, and the love he poured into this gesture were beyond anything I could have imagined. I felt incredibly lucky to have him by my side.

We walked out to the front deck. I inhaled the salty air. It felt so much like home. Archer pointed toward the water, and I saw a dock stretching out. “This is where you can dock your boat,” he said with a smile.

My heart soared. I had always dreamed of having a place where I could keep my boat close by, a place where I could escape to the water whenever I wanted. And now, Archer had made that dream a reality. “I love you,” I said. “You think of everything. I am so lucky to have you.”

“I would buy you the world if you would let me,” he said. “I love you. “This is just the beginning for us.”

We stood on the deck for several minutes before going back inside. It was time to take another look at the house. “I cannot believe this is where we’re going to live,” I said.

“For a while,” he replied. “Until you drag my ass across the Pacific.”

I laughed. “Are you sure you want to go?” I asked him.

“I’m not letting you go alone.”

I got funding for my trip via a research gig. I didn’t have to take the money that tied me to James. I was thrilled to finally have the trip settled.

“You know it’s going to be cold,” I told him.

“Which is another reason why I have to go,” he said, grinning. “I have to keep you warm.”

“But I have to work,” I reminded him. “We cannot spend the entire trip below deck—naked.”

“I don’t know about that,” he joked. “Let’s go get our bags.”

“You want to stay here tonight?” I asked with surprise.

“It’s our new home,” he said. “Shouldn’t we break it in?”

“I would love that. We can stop at my boat and get some blankets.”

“You know, we are going to have to pick out furniture and decor and kitchen stuff.”

The very thought excited me. It was like we were officially starting our new life together. “I cannot wait,” I told him.

“Come on, let’s go get some supplies. Then we need to start planning.”

“Planning?” I asked.

“Paint colors. Flooring options. I think we need to get all new appliances and maybe even gut the kitchen.”

“Woah, that’s a lot of work.”

“I know, but I think it’s better to start fresh,” he said. “We don’t want to have to move stuff around and do renovations a little here and a little there, right? Don’t we want to just get it all done at once?”

---