Aliana’s POV

I swallowed the lump in my throat. “And what’s that?”

His gaze softened. “You. Our family. This life.”

My heart clenched, and I stepped closer, wrapping my arms around his waist. He crushed out his cigarette before pulling me against him, his lips pressing into my hair.

For a long time, we just stood there, wrapped up in each other, letting the past rest where it belonged.

The future was ours now.

And we were ready for it.

The next morning, excitement buzzed in my veins as we drove back to the small shop that would soon be my restaurant. The early sun cast a golden glow over...