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August 11 - August 12, 2022
Tears were dripping from her eyes now, and I wiped them all away. Kissed her hand and squeezed it lightly to urge her to continue. “But that fear—it was crippling. And that’s not to say that I might not get in my head again… But I want it all with you, Matthew James Harper. I do. I want the house and the ring and the family and the kids and a life.”
“That’s good because I want everything with you, too, Noelle Marie Hastings. And one day, I can’t wait to give you my last name, too.” I grinned. “If you want it.” Noelle’s face spread into another glorious grin. Even though her face was streaked with tears, she was still beautiful. “I do. I think. Want your last name.” “Good.” I smirked. “Because I want the world to know you’re mine.”
I CANT
“I don’t want to burden you with my problems, but—” “I’ll always be here for you.” I nodded. “Just like you are for me.” I was sure there would be days where I still wanted to break down, missing my parents. I knew that she would be there for me on those instances as much as I would be there to reassure her that I loved her and would never leave her.
My God, this woman.
“Noelle. Sweetheart. As much as I want to carry you to bed right now and make love to you until we run out of breath, someone could hear. These walls are thin.” And we really don’t want to be caught in your dorm, with all of your students around. “I guess we’ll have to be really quiet then,” she said, nibbling on my earlobe. “Because I’d very much like you to be inside me, my sweet grumpy professor.”
THEYRE SOSJSNSNSDJD
“My sweet girl,” I said, standing back at the edge of the bed and holding her face in my hands. “I hope you know I’m never going to let you go again.”
“God, I can’t wait to make you my wife, Noelle. Watch you get round with our children. Take care of yourself the way you deserve.”
It was everything. She was my everything.
He gave me a warm smile, and I thought I could have melted in it. In this moment, and with the strength he had given me to say the words I needed to say. That, some voice in my head said, is what love is supposed to look like.
“Just until you move back into the dorm. I just… I want you here with me, Noelle.” “Oh. Matthew, I love you.”
We were in this—life—together.
“No, Noelle.” He flicked my nose. “It’s the opposite. I want every day for the rest of my life to be a sleepover with you. I want to roll over and kiss you good morning, make you breakfast and make sure you’re fed before you go to work, and then I want to be the one to welcome you back home every day.” He kissed my chin, then my neck, before moving up to my mouth. “I want to make love to you every night until you come—more than once—and I want to hold you in my arms afterward. I want to spend every moment of the rest of our lives together. I want it all with you, Noelle Hastings, and God help
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“Maybe after graduation.” I wrinkled my nose at him. “But only if you promise to help me pack. And carry my stuff down the stairs.” “Anything for you, baby.”
“But we found each other.” His smile was bright enough to fill a whole room. Brilliant, just like the first snowfall that coats the world in a glorious, dazzling blanket of white. Some people might think he was cold or withdrawn, but they just didn’t know him like I did. They didn’t know that he had just needed a bit of warmth to find himself again. “We did. And I wouldn’t trade us for the world.”
“Sometimes I think that everything in my life… every moment, every decision… they all led me here, to you,” Matthew said, pressing a kiss to my jaw. “I like to believe it was fate, us meeting that night,” I said, quietly. “Like the universe just knew that we needed each other and gave us a little push in the right direction.” “Is that right?”
“I love you.” I smiled into the kiss. “I love you too, Noelle Marie Hastings.” He held my face reverently. “More than I can put into words.” “More than words?” “More than words.”
In my cap and gown, with my diploma case still in my hands, I rushed over to where my family and friends stood after the ceremony. In the middle of them stood my beautiful blonde boyfriend. My Matthew.
And as I saw the bundle of sunflowers that Matthew was holding for me. I couldn’t help but run up to him, flinging my arms around his neck as soon as I got close enough. “So, Miss Hastings, now that you’ve graduated, what do you want to do?” Matthew whispered in my ear. “I think,” I said, beaming up at him, “that I’d like to kiss my boyfriend.” “Here?” he asked, looking around the quad as I leaned on my tiptoes, trying to bring our faces closer. “In front of everyone?”
“Yes, please.” “That’s all? Just a kiss?” He smirked, his hands closing around my waist as he pulled me tight against him. “Nope,” I whispered into his mouth, “that’s just the beginning, Matthew.”
“I love you,” I murmured as we pulled apart and he grazed his knuckles over my jaw. “I love you, sweetheart.”
I loved how she always smelled like roses with a hint of sweetness, like the chocolates she was constantly eating, and something that was distinctly Noelle.
I thought of how proud I was to stand by her side, and to be called her boyfriend. God. Her boyfriend. Her boyfriend. Her boyfriend.
“I’m so proud of you,” I said, pulling the cap out of her hair, setting it and the bobby pins down on the table. “I love you,” she said with a sigh, a happy, contented one. “I’m so glad I have you,” I murmured against her lips as I placed a kiss there. “I’m yours,” Noelle cupped my cheek with her palm. “And you’re mine.” “Forever.” “Forever is a very long time, you know,” Noelle said, looking a little devious. “What if you change your mind?” “I won’t,” I about growled.
It turned out, I had always believed in love—I had just forgotten what it was like to have someone make you feel worthy of their love. But at the end of my story was a happily-ever-after, my perfect guy waiting for me, a cup of coffee and a book in hand.
This grumpy professor had turned out to be the love of my life.
And speaking of romance novels—mine was sitting on my new desk. Somehow, in the process of letting in love again, the story had poured out of me. I had slaved over it for what felt like months, but now it was done. Officially.
And I could see it all in my head. Our lives expanding, growing, and continuing to be full of so much happiness and love together. I didn’t know what exactly would happen, but I knew that we were going to write our story next. Who knows? Maybe it would be the next best seller.
OHMYGOD
To show how much I completely adore you, I’ve hidden clues all over for you. Take a sip, you will find, they are hidden in all of the spots where I have called you mine. For the next clue, try picking up a book or two.
Matthew reversed the truck and drove towards our favorite bookstore where we spent our rainy days.
I’m definitely crying over this
“What are you thinking about?” he asked as I gave another happy sigh. “How much I love you.” I placed my hand on top of his and laced our fingers together. “How lucky I am to have found you. How glad I am that you came over and talked to me at that mixer.” “How could I not have? You were the most beautiful girl in the room. Always are the most beautiful girl in any room,” he said seriously. “You messed with my mind and entranced my heart, Noelle.”
Clue No. 5 On every early morning run, I’d carry you into the sun. And sometimes when I couldn’t drag you out of bed, I’d promise cinnamon rolls would be ahead. Into the trees now, you must go, to find your final clue with those you know.
I just laughed at him—my boyfriend, the love of my life.
Noelle, From the very first time I saw you, I knew you were the one for me. While I could never have guessed the spark that would grow between us, or how much love I would feel for you, I know it just as well today as I did then. You are my sunshine, my life, the only person I ever want to wake up next to and kiss good morning. I want a lifetime with you, Noelle Marie Hastings—a life full of laughter, kisses, a whole lot of love, and endless books read. For the final clue, you will find… if you turn around, I’m right behind. Matthew
“Oh.” My breath caught in my throat. I turned around to find the love of my life down on one knee, black box in hand. “Matthew—” Tears spilled from my eyes. “Noelle,” he began, holding my shaking hands in one of his. “This last year and a half together have been the best times of my life, and I don’t ever want them to end, baby. You’re… you’re all I’ve ever dreamed of. All I could have ever hoped for. The love I feel for you… It’s the most wonderful thing in the world. I’m so glad to share this life with you, and I want to walk the rest of it side by side, holding your hand. And I’m never
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STFU STFU ATFU SRUDYENDNENSMEMEKEK
“Thank you,” I smiled. “For what?” “This. All of this. My friends being here. For choosing me to be your wife.” “I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way, Noelle, sweetheart. I love you.” “I love you too,” I sighed, happier than ever. Forever, we’d have this. Each other.
W aking up every morning with Noelle by my side was one of the best decisions of my life.
My friends probably thought I was a little whipped—but I didn’t care.
God he’s so fucking whipped
That this girl let me call her mine. And even though my favorite story didn’t start with Once Upon a Time, our story—one that started with my beautiful redhead walking into a crowded room—I was positive that for us it would end with a Happily Ever After.
My heart was beating strong and true like it always had. Beating for Noelle.
She was ethereal. The most beautiful woman I had ever seen, and the only one I would ever have eyes for.
“Hi,” she whispered, as I just stared at her. Up close, she was even more beautiful. She never failed to take my breath away. “Hi, baby,” I murmured back, taking her hand in mine and pressing a devoted kiss on top of it.
“Noelle—you are the sunshine on a cloudy, grey Portland day. You are the best part of every day, and the only person I want to come home to at night. I know you love words, but there aren’t enough of them in the dictionary, or in all of the romance novels you read, for me to tell you how much I love you. Words can’t possibly express how I feel when I see you smile at the sun, or bite into a freshly baked brownie, or when you lick the spoon of a bowl of frosting.” I smiled. “They can’t explain how I think that my whole life—every choice I ever made—led me to you. If it wasn’t fate that brought
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“Matthew,” she gave me a big smile, one that stretched across her face. “If you had asked me three years ago if I ever thought I was going to have my great love, the story I would be writing for the rest of my life, I would have said no. But then—I met you. And there was part of me that always knew, I think, that I would love you. I saw you, and it was like my heart knew. “You’re better than every dessert combined, and there isn’t anything I wouldn’t do to see that beautiful smile on your face or to hear you laugh. I vow to love you and cherish you, and I promise that when things get hard,
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crying
“Hi, wife,” I said, leaning my forehead against hers as we both stood at the end of the aisle, facing the smiling guests. “Hi, husband,”
“Do you like your surprise, wife?” “I love it, Matthew. Thank you for surprising me, even today.” She nestled into my side, and I wrapped an arm around her before kissing her forehead. “Ready to go celebrate with all the people we love, wife?” “I’m ready for everything—as long as it’s with you, husband.”
