ROME

“So, this is your idea of a first romantic date?”

“We both know we passed that first, second, third, and so on dates.” I let her fall to the mattress. She wasn’t even settled yet. I followed her and tumbled on top of her. I anchored my elbows on either side of her head. “I took you here. I thought you hadn’t gone fishing.”

“You’re right. It was fun.” 

I took Carly to our lake house. The Langston had it for decades, and it was one of my father’s favorite places.

Something lit in her eyes earlier that I knew I’d done something right in my life. She was...