8. The Getaway

Jess

I arrived in Rosewood in the late afternoon. It was warm, but not blistering. I hung back when the passengers got off, waiting for all of them to leave. As I stepped off the train at the platform, I looked around me and took it all in. The massive Victorian homes, pristine green lawns on the quiet streets, an enormous, triangular-shaped chapel, the coffee shops and boutique stores that lined the streets. I was definitely in Rosewood.

Everything about Rosewood was beautiful. Even its smells were pretty, like honeysuckle and lilacs. It felt right, like the small town had been waiting for me, but with a twist of disturbance in the air.

I slung my duffel bag over my shoulder, packed with the few things I planned to take with me. I wasn't bringing much, just enough clothes to last me a week at the very least between washing and the basic hygiene. There was no sense in developing a fondness to personal belongings. If I was going to survive, I had to detach myself from my old life. I had no intention to settle here. I'd be long gone before anyone could figure out who I was. Rosewood was just a stop on the way before my next destination, though I sometimes found my thoughts drifting back to my house and bedroom, and all the things and people I'd left behind.

There was a cabin nestled deep within the woods just outside of Rosewood's town limits, far from any trail or path in the middle of nowhere. It was a small place, but it was out of the way. The cabin was built with two floors and wooden-plank walls, concealed by oak and pine trees that stretched to the mountain summit. The bathroom was small and the bedroom upstairs didn't have a closet, but it was furnished and the living room and kitchen was spacious enough to feel like home. The place was dusty and covered with sheets from years of neglect. The cabin belonged to my aunt and she'd stopped using it years ago, so there was a good chance of no one finding me there. It was isolated from any civilization, which was why I liked it.

I breathed in the honeysuckle air and noticed a coffee shop across the street. A big neon red sign hung above the window, proclaiming it as The Brew. I hadn't noticed it before the last time I was here and assumed it must have been built over the last couple of years.

The sudden twist of my empty stomach reminded me of my hunger. I glanced at the sky overhead, which was just starting to darken. Maybe if I hurried, I could grab a cup of coffee before heading out to the cabin.

I pushed through The Brew's glass-paneled front door and stood in line to order a cup of coffee to go. As I waited, I looked around the shop. Long, oak-wooden tables by the rear window were filled by kids from Rosewood High, while others lounged along on the couches and comfy chairs that were half-concealed by long, velvet curtains. The floral, fabric counter stools were all vacant, the marble-topped table cluttered with half-eaten plates of bagels and cupcakes. On the other side of the room were countless selves of books to buy ranging from literature to fictional drama, and an espresso machine behind the counter brewed two ceramic cups of steaming coffee. The place was nice, I had to admit, and it wasn't like the other coffee shops here in Rosewood that felt cramped and smelled faintly of old cheese. Whoever had remodeled The Brew must have had unique taste.

When it was finally my turn at the cash register, I came face-to-face with a guy who had dark, curly hair, deep brown eyes, and was tall and lean, but not lanky. I searched for a name tag, but he wasn't wearing one. Taking by his navy-blue button down shirt and dark jeans, I could only guess he had to be the store owner. Up close, the guy smelled slightly of Lacoste cologne and dusty old books. He looked like he could be in college, exactly the type of guy Ali would go for.

His pink, full lips spread up into a genuine smile. It was the kind of smile that made girls melt. "What can I get for you?"

"An Americano." I set my bag down on the counter to pull out a few dollar bills from my wallet.

"Just the coffee for you then?"

I glanced up at the guy from underneath my lashes. "Yeah."

"That'll be two-fifty," he said.

I handed over the money as the guy set a white paper cup in front of me. But then he looked straight into my eyes, unnerving me. As crazy as it sounded, it felt like he was staring at me as though he recognized me. But I'd never seen him before in my life.

"Hey, have we met before?" The guy continued to stare at me, looking perplexed.

"No." I kept my eyes down, trying to appear casual.

Whoever this guy was, I couldn't risk him finding out who I was, even if he thought we'd known each other at one time. I was thankful for the hood of my sweater that hid my face.

The guy frowned. "Sorry, you just…seem really familiar."

My heart hammered in my chest. Ali.

I lifted my cup of coffee. "Well, thanks."

"Don't mention it." He waved farewell as I pushed out the door, fighting against the impulse to sprint down the street.

Outside, the wind played with the strands of my hair and the town was illuminated only by the street lamps glowing on the sidewalk corners. I would have to walk the rest of the way there to the cabin. I couldn't be seen.

I was on the rough, woodsy countryside within twenty minutes, making sure to stay close to the wooden roadside fence with my duffel bag in tow. Cars swished by on the bumpy road and I kept my face down, hoping none of the drivers could see me.

I found the unpaved road easily, just a flat terrain of dirt and grass. The sloping path turned sharply north, then twisted abruptly southward that stretched out for another two miles into the deep tundra of the forest. It went north and then south, the way I'd always seen the lines in my memories. Just like a mountain peak.

The lines that would lead to Ali. She would find me.

Alison would have figured it out with or without my help. She was smarter than me, and she had pictures of the cabin.

It was a five-hour walk from here on foot, something I was used to after having spent a year on the run from Jonny. I felt the desire bubbling beneath the surface: freedom. To be able to go where I wanted without having to fear someone following me. The prison of that life was unbearable, to be left scared and vulnerable with no real choices. To be trapped.

I walked over a grassy hump and felt myself relax as the rambling farmhouses disappeared behind me, and I was soon surrounded by the sparse shrubbery of overgrown trees. The distance to the cabin seemed to loom miles away, but I kept my feet moving. The faster, the better.

My steps began to falter as I moved further through the forest. The muscles in my body ached, screaming for mercy, but I was tougher than that. I moved my arms and legs forward, no matter how useless they felt. I kept fighting towards an impossible goal. But if it seemed impossible, that was exactly the kind of fight you had to take on.

I lengthened my stride and focused on the trail ahead of me. I was careful to step only on the small, flat rocks nestled in the prickly pine needles covering the forest floor so as not to leave any tracks behind. I had to stay off the dirt path, make sure that I wasn't being followed. Still, I continued to watch for him.

The miles passed quickly as the sky fell into nightfall. I could just make out the dark silhouettes of trees and the shrubs, making my way over the moss-covered fallen trees and rock boulders that bordered west.

I shivered in my jacket, straining my eyes to catch a glimmer of light from the moon glowing behind the thick, bristly trees. The only sounds in the deafening woods were coming from the owls hooting from the treetops. The loneliness soothed me.

I let my mind drift to the cabin as I climbed over the dark rocks, dreaming of that place. I counted nineteen steps before reaching the end. I pushed my legs forward without a second thought.

The path lay ahead of me now, of my careful trek across the wooded preserve outside of Rosewood. The cold forest felt safer to me in some ways, mostly because the branches were thick and concealing from the rest of the world.

The dirt road continued to wind upward, until it was interrupted by another pathway leading downhill into a valley of green grass and massive willow tress. I gazed upon the sight in pure astonishment. The small, cottage cabin hadn't changed since the last time I'd seen it. It stood a few feet away, on the other side of a streaming river flowing through the trees. In the ground, a cedar-wooden picket fence bordered the yard, between the short curved gate door and the rock-stone pathway to the cabin. And then, beyond the stone steps, was the familiar arched, wooden-plank cottage door.

I imagined Jonny right now, of his reaction when he couldn't find me in town, and shuddered. I considered turning around immediately. How long would it take for him to figure out where I really was? And what would he do once he knew I had wandered all the way to an isolated cabin deep in the woods as a ploy to escape him? Jonny would find me, I was sure of it. He always did. He would know where I was. But I refused to let him know that I was weak. For the time being, all I could do was look over my shoulder and watch for him.

It was like Cinderella, but without the handsome and charming prince to sweep me off my feet. I rolled my eyes at the ridiculous thought. I didn't need a hero. I didn't then, and I didn't now.

I shut the door firmly behind me, bolting the locks securely. Hopefully no one would notice that I was here. I grimaced. This was not the first time I'd run from Jonny.

The first time was about a few months ago after I'd discovered who he really was, when he'd left me and fled after the police came to arrest me for helping him steal a famous Van Gough painting at an art museum in Colorado. I hadn't realized then that it had all been a set up. Later that night, I broke into his house and found several pictures he'd taken of Ali and me, and a crime map of all the horrible things that had happened in Rosewood. Jonny knew everything. He wanted revenge for all the terrible things Ali did. And he'd been spying on Alison since he joined the N.A.T. Club that was created to watch teenage girls and record them on video. When Ali found Jonny's tapes, she threatened to go to the police with them if he told anyone about what he knew about her binding Jenna Marshall, a girl in her neighborhood who had lost her sight during a fire that Alison had accidently started. She also learned that he was wanted back in Italy for numerous petty theft, possession of stolen paintings, and sexual assault. Jonny agreed to leave silently. But shortly after she'd blackmailed him, the police scoured the entire city for Jonny in in Italy when an anonymous source turned over evidence of all the felonies he'd committed. Jonny blamed Ali for the cops discovering his true identity and made a plan to get revenge against her, which unfortunately involved getting close to me in order to reach his goal. Without thinking, I quickly grabbed the photos, his journals that documented my whereabouts, and the crime map proving that Jonny had been planning to hurt me as a twisted plan to extract revenge against Alison. An hour later, he'd found me and nearly stabbed me to death, disappearing into the night with the only evidence I had that guaranteed my safety and Ali's.

The next time I'd gotten as far as New York before Jonny found me again, possibly to permanently shut me up about what I knew about his illicit N.A.T. Club activities. I'd taken money that Ali had left for me at our secret drop off location and bought a ticket for the bus, but he'd found me within an hour of arriving in the city. He'd chased me into a back alley where no one would see me and beat me. Then he pulled out a knife at my throat. Luckily, I knew how to fight, so I kneed him in the groin and took off.

After that, it became much harder to hide from him. Jonny started tracking me obsessively and went to extraordinary lengths to find me. He was dangerous and persistent, and his instincts were usually right. Every time I ran, I made up a fake name to conceal my identity so he wouldn't be able to track me down, relying only on the money Ali gave me whenever I had to move to a new place. We always met in secret, at night where no one would think to look for us. But one day, she left me a message in our secret code, telling me I had to pick up the money at a UPS store. When I opened the package, I found a note attached to the wad of bills inside that read, Stay safe. An ache welled up deep inside of me. I never missed Ali more than I had in that moment.

I ran to the bus station that same night and stepped onto the first bus heading to Arizona. When I got on, I hid in the backseat. It took several hours before the bus finally arrived in the Tuscan city. The baking heat irritated my skin and my clothes stuck to my body from the sweat, but it was far away from Jonny. I found a room to rent on the far side of town, and although it was more expensive, it provided privacy and my own shower and bathroom. I stayed there for two weeks, a longer period of time than I'd ever spent in one place, and eventually moved on to Minnesota. I picked up a job as a waitress at a small diner, accumulating tip money to help pay for the run-down motel I rented by the week. I was able to save a few hundred dollars, but not enough to start over. Again, I packed up my stuff and left without bothering to quit my job. I could never stay in one place for very long. I frantically searched the bus schedule at the station and boarded the one that would take me as far as Charleston, Maine.

I was there by the evening. The constant moving around and job changing was never ending, but it was worth it as long as I could stay somewhere safe, if only for a little while.

There were times when Jason and I used to dream of running away together–of all the places we'd go. Italy was always our favorite. Jason said we'd assume different identities and sip wine at the Tuscany sunset. When I hesitated, saying we could never do that without our families noticing, Jason said we'd come up with a decoy plan. He thought it was romantic and exciting. Wherever we chose to go, Jason promised me we'd spend every waking moment together, and I had secretly hoped that meant he loved me as much as I loved him. But instead of telling him that, I just said he had no reason to run away, his life was perfect in Rosewood. And Jason would grimace, saying I was wrong. Then he told me everything about his family, how they always ignored him and gave all the attention to Ali instead, of all the lies and the secrets that tore their family apart. How Jason's father mistreated him because Jason wasn't really his son. I felt his pain and opened up to him about my absent mother and the father who never treated me like his own, only as his property. That was the first time I realized that Jason and I weren't that different.

In the upstairs bedroom of the second floor, I unpacked my duffel bag and pulled out the supplies I'd used earlier to slip Ali the decoded note on top of her car tire, alerting her to my whereabouts. Thick parchment paper, my black Chinagraph pencil, and an initial letter A wax seal stamp. I'd written the message with grammatical errors so that only she would know what I meant and then sealed it with candle wax from the stamp.

Next, I started unpacking my clothes from the duffel bag and put them away into the mahogany wooden dresser. The room was spacious and cozy, but it was freezing from having turned off the thermostat for the hot summer months and there was no electricity, so there was no light anywhere in the house. And you'd have to go down the creaky stairs at night to use the bathroom at the end of the hall. The bed was shoved into the corner by the small four-paneled window, where it opened up into the encroaching forest. I had enough money to last me four days, plus the little food I'd brought from home, but that could only last for so long.

I touched the ruffle-lined white comforter with the matching oversize pillows on top. It was still neatly made, almost as if no one had slept in it. My grandmother's floral-printed quilt lay folded in half at the end of the bed. In the corner, the rickety old rocking chair from my baby days sat on the hardwood floor, accompanied by a yellow cotton blanket. The wood-paneled ceiling was peaked, with stark-white walls and a heating furnace built into the wall that was always breaking, especially in the winter months.

I sat on the edge of the bed, trembling, afraid of what was going to happen, my mind whirling. I tried to tell myself that Ali would find me soon and everything would be okay.

Outside, the sky had fallen into a dark blue, but the moonlight shone in through the window. I heard voices murmuring quietly below and looked out. Walking through the wide and twisting path of trees and thorny briar bushes at the bend was Aria, Hanna, Ali, and…Jason.

My heart thumped. I could just barely make out the dark outline of his silhouette. He'd grown taller since that last time I'd seen him, and his shoulders and arms were hard and muscular underneath his olive-green jean jacket. A soft wind rustled through the trees then, blowing a few stray golden hairs off his forehead. He pushed further into the woods, beaming a flashlight across the grassy area, checking over his shoulder to make sure Alison and her friends were still following behind. All of the girls teetered haphazardly in their knee-high and ankle boots, dodging braches along the way. Ali looked like she was shaking and her teeth were chattering, the way she always did whenever she was afraid. Hanna's cropped, pale blonde hair shone in the moonlight's bathing glow and she was holding her phone in her hand, as if she might need to call for help in case something went wrong.

About a hundred feet away was Alison's great aunt's house, before she had passed away two years ago. Jason's flashlight moved along the left of the cabin and I quickly ducked away from the window, praying no one had seen me. As soon as they disappeared into the trees, I yanked the curtains shut, my heart hammering. I couldn't keep living this way, I thought to myself. I wasn't strong enough. By morning, Ali would find my note, but then what? How would I explain everything to her?

I grabbed my bathroom bag and walked down the stairs slowly, not fully registering anything. I left the lights off and slipped through the door. I stood in the shower, too tired to move, my body aching all over. The hot water of the shower unknotted the tense muscles in my back and legs, warming my cold skin. I lifted my face into the steaming spray, letting the familiar scent of my shampoo calm my anxiety about tonight. I tried not to think of Ali coming home late at night, waiting to see how she'd react to my sudden reappearance. The thought of Alison wanting nothing to do with me as everyone else in my life had rejected me was unbearable.

I stumbled out thirty minutes later, wrapping myself securely in a towel. After running a brush through my tangled hair and brushing my teeth, I dressed for bed and then climbed underneath the quilt, curling into a ball on my side to keep warm.

I drifted off to sleep within minutes and the pain in my back slowly subsided. The room was still freezing even though I'd locked all the windows, but it was warm underneath the heavy blankets.

Despite all my fears I found myself smiling. I really did it. I'd escaped Jonny and he was hundreds of miles away. And even if he found out where I was, there was no way he'd figure out that I'd come here.

My mind continued to swirl dizzily with images of Jason, ones I fought to repress. I couldn't understand any of it. But as I eventually fell into unconsciousness, a strange image floated through my mind. I could see the two of us standing on the beach that day in Baltimore, whispering in quiet voices that only we could understand. I could see the sun shining in Jason's hair, making it look extra buttery and gold, and my face was tilted up to his. Jason smiled down at me, and then suddenly I felt the same way I did that day, like an invisible cord was pushing us together.

Something was happening. As I eventually fell into unconsciousness, a voice deep inside of me spoke. It came to me as a whisper and sounded strangely familiar, awaking me to all my senses. And a small part of me knew I'd heard it somewhere before.

You are connected by an invisible silver cord, one that can never be broken. Your lives are forever entwined, linked by fate.

Jess

The next morning, I woke up feeling groggy and unsettled. All night, I'd been tossing and turning in bed, paranoid that someone was watching me. Every time I closed my eyes and tried to fall asleep, all I could see was Jonny from the night he'd found me in Colorado to kill me, lashing out at me with that sharp-edged knife, his eyes flashing in fury. His brown eyes looked so dark and dangerous staring into them. Then he gutted me with the knife, spilling my blood onto the forest floor. I woke up screaming, my skin covered in sweat. If I continued to replay this memory over and over in my head, I was going to have my frontal lobe removed.

I sat up in bed, rubbing my eyes. I shot out of bed when the smell of organic coffee filled my nose. Fear rose along the hairs at the back of my neck.

A second later, I heard a banging noise coming from the kitchen downstairs. I took a deep breath and slowly approached the stairway, prepared to fight whoever had broken in. I stopped midway on the stairs to look out the small front window, hoping maybe I could find the perpetrator's car hidden outside somewhere, but the wide pathway of gravel was empty.

My pulse raced as I walked closer to the kitchen, wishing there was an alarm system installed inside this house. The banging sound continued, growing louder with each step I took.

I grabbed a steel wrench nestled in the toolbox by the bathroom hallway–left after one of the last repairs my uncle had made to the toilet–and gripped it in my hand, pointing the blunt end. I continued down the hall when I heard the banging sound again, followed by a loud crash, like metal clanging against the floor.

My heart hammered fleetingly hard and fast. I stepped through the kitchen doorway, my mouth gaping open in shock and relief when I saw who it was. I felt the wrench slip out of my hands, clattering to the floor.

Kneeling by the lower kitchen cabinet was a girl with wavy blonde hair that fell to the top of her shoulders, porcelain skin, and a heart-shaped face. Alison was rummaging underneath the cabinet sink for something, some paper towels possibly. I noticed the bottle of window cleaner lying on the floor next to her, and everything suddenly made more sense.

I stared at her as if I was seeing her for the very first time. Ali looked up when she heard me come in, her deep blue eyes locking on mine. She didn't move at first, but continued to hold my gaze, a slight smile whispering on her lips. My whole body trembled as I was filled with the strongest urge to run to her.

Ali was even more beautiful than I remembered. Her eyes were as blue as sapphires, as if you were swimming in the ocean. Her cheeks were naturally flushed with a faint rose. She was a few inches shorter than I was, with hair that shimmered like moonlight. She wore white skinny jeans, strappy blue wedge sandals, a dusty lavender cami tank top, and a light-blue zippered side leather jacket. With her cupid's bow lips and golden hair, Ali looked like an angel.

"Ali?" I cried.

Ali's lower lip trembled. "Jess."

Almost immediately, she pushed herself up off the floor and ran towards me. I threw my arms around her into a hug, holding on as tight as I could. Tears filled my eyes, and my throat ached. A feeling of comfort and safety washed over me when I realized she was really here; I wasn't imagining it.

Ali clung onto me in turn and sobbed into my neck. "I've missed you so much."

"I missed you, too." My eyes brimmed over with more tears.

Ali's voice wobbled. "When I saw your note, I knew it was you. I knew it."

"What are you doing here?" I asked her.

Ali pulled away to look at me, her forehead crinkled with worry. "I could ask you the same thing."

I swallowed a lump that had lodged itself in my throat. "You have no idea how hard it's been these last several months."

"Are you in trouble? We can help you, all of us. Me, Aria, Emily, Hanna, and Spencer."

I looked away, blinking back the tears. "You can't. He'll find me. He always finds me."

"Then we'll go to the police," she tried. "Gabriel Holbrook–"

"You don't get it, Ali," I said. "I can't go to the police. I don't know who I can trust."

"Do you trust me?" Her eyes bore into mine, intense.

I met her eyes, and I felt that sense of connection, of kinship. If there was one thing I was sure of, it was Ali. I always knew I could trust her, even after everything we've been through.

"You know I do," I answered sincerely.

"Then tell me who you're hiding from," Ali pleaded. "Who's after you?"

"It's Jonny. It's why I need your help, Ali. You need to find him so I can go back home. You're the only one that can."

She looked at me gently. "How about I get you a change of clothes first?"

I hesitated, but then nodded. A leaden, aching feeling had settled deep within my stomach.

Ali reached for my hand and gave it a gentle, comforting squeeze. "Welcome back."

Alison and I slid in her sleek, black Porsche–an early graduation gift from her dad she'd explained–and she turned the engine. The matching black leather seats felt luxurious, and the car smelled like lavender and fabric softener, just like Ali. She drove quickly, weaving in and out easily through the lanes. Ali always drove fifteen miles over the speed limit, something that terrified me and was comforting all at once–a feeling I knew too well from spending hours in Jonny's Volkswagen van evading cops. I didn't realize just how much the Porsche fit her until that moment.

In the car, we didn't speak for a while. Ali and I had lived separately and closely all our lives. For us, the silence was comfortable. As Ali turned onto the picturesque road by the acres of farms, she talked about her friends, the boys she hung out with, and her what her life in Rosewood was like now.

I had been hoping I could finally get away from the drama of A, but as soon as Ali started spilling everything that had been happening with her and the girls, I knew that would never be possible. This spring, Alison and her friends had each received elusive messages from someone none other than A, threatening to hurt the people they loved if they didn't listen to his rules. It took a much darker turn when A kidnapped Mona Vanderwaal, a girl from their grade, prying them deeper and deeper into danger. In ninth grade, Mona had been labeled as a loser who desperately wanted to join Ali and her circle of friends, but once Alison disappeared, that all changed when Mona transformed herself into a queen bee and became Hanna's best friend. Then two months later, A abducted the other girls, too, and tormented them in a Doll-sized house that he'd created. They found out he was actually Charles DiLaurentis, Alison and Jason's brother. Charles had spied on Ali, Hanna, Emily, Aria, and Spencer for months, revealed their darkest secrets, and set out to destroy their lives just as he believed they had ruined his.

I listened with increasing worry as Ali continued on with the story, my head spinning dizzily. She had gone with Jason and the girls last night to her great aunt Carol's house in search of proof that her other older brother, Charles, was in fact dead. Carol Ward had passed away three years ago, but Jessica kept the house for reasons she wouldn't explain. Later that night, they found a headstone in the backyard with Charles' name on it.

Ali's blue eyes had turned glassy with tears while talking about her dead brother. I wanted to reach for her hand, to comfort her somehow. The mystery surrounding Charles was new to Alison, as her parents had been keeping it a secret from her for years since he was dangerous and unpredictable.

"…and then she just started digging up Charles' grave like it was no big deal," she went on angrily. "I just don't get Hanna sometimes. It's like she doesn't think."

I gave Ali a skeptical sideways glance, but didn't say anything. Despite the overwhelming information of Charles' death pounding against my skull, I still couldn't ignore the nagging suspicion that something wasn't right. Aside from finding his grave in Carol's backyard, there was little evidence that coincided with Alison's theory that Charles was dead. Immediately, my mind sorted through the variable possibilities. The DiLaurentis family wasn't exactly known for their honesty; secrets and lies were what tore them apart. And Alison's father, Kenneth, went to a lot of trouble to keep Charles' existence quiet. Who knew what else he was hiding? There was no rational explanation for how Emily, Aria, Hanna, and Spencer could have been tortured in that Dollhouse if Charles had truly been dead this whole time.

And there was another problem–Mona had faked her own death, and Ali disappeared from Rosewood when A started hunting her. Charles could just have easily done the same. In Rosewood, no one was ever really gone.

"What?" Ali said, meeting my eyes.

"Nothing." But Ali wasn't buying it; she knew me too well.

She raised a perfectly arched eyebrow. "You have that look."

I frowned at her. "What look?"

"The look that you have when you want to tell me something, but won't."

I sighed. "It's just given our track record of missing people, I think it's safe to assume Charles could still be alive."

"Are you saying my dad's lying?"

"I'm saying, don't jump to conclusions until you get all the facts first."

"Jess, I saw his grave," Ali replied stubbornly. "Why would my aunt put a tombstone in her backyard if he was alive?"

"Did you see a body?" I asked.

"No."

I shrugged. "No body, no death."

Ali glowered through the windshield. "You sound just like Hanna."

"Well, count yourself lucky that you found a tombstone and not a serial killer map," I muttered.

Seeming to sense my discomfort, Ali gave me a small smile. "Don't worry, I'll take care of Jonny. But first, we need to get you cleaned up."

The dark atmosphere of our conversation suddenly fell away. With my whole heart, I believed her. If Ali said she would take care of it, it would be. But then I recalled the text A had sent me just hours before I stepped over Rosewood's town lines.

I know your secret.

The memory of it made me shiver. I pulled my knees up to my chest and looked out the window, consumed by my own thoughts. I couldn't seem to escape Rosewood fast enough. And the shock of seeing Jason last night didn't help. I realized how stupid it was, and I kicked myself mentally for it. What were the chances that he'd even remember me after all these years, or that he'd want to? I was just a small orbit in his world. His sphere and mine wasn't close enough to even touch.

I stared stormily at the trees as they flew past us, angry at myself for feeling this way. I still felt tied to him in some way, drawn by his contagious presence. And I still got tongue-tied every time I pictured his perfect face. I was so wrapped up in Jason that I barely noticed we'd arrived at the beautiful Victorian house.

I gawked at the massive four-story home. It was painted an exuberant charcoal-grey, and had elaborate brackets and bargeboards under the eaves. And a tower loomed above an upstairs balcony, with several bay windows and turrets, adorned by gingerbread stone. A small green picket fence stood at the front, and hedges of bushes and a rock-lined wall encroached the sides of the yard that separated the DiLaurentis house from the Hastings. I wondered if that had been done on purpose.

I could see the sun glinting off the red paint of the roof as Ali turned into the gravel driveway. It was the second house from the corner on the sunny tree-lined road where Spencer and the other girls lived. The Cavanaugh's house across the street was built in the same impressive Victorian style, but none of the neighboring homes were as big as Ali's. I glanced at the group of houses anxiously, thinking the girls had to be inside somewhere.

Alison had to park her Porsche at the back of the house so we wouldn't be seen. "Come on," she said, hopping out.

As we came around the back, I could see that the house was much bigger at first glance. It had V-shaped sloping roofs and small, irregular placed windows made of sparkling panes of glass. The nicely aged chimney looked like it could have been made in the nineteenth century, and the front porch stood in turned white posts and spindles. I had never seen anything more gorgeous in my life.

Ali unlocked the back door and slipped inside. I followed behind, quickly glancing over my shoulder to make sure we weren't being followed. She led me upstairs to the old-fashioned bathroom on the second floor, her full hair flying behind her.

"Jason won't be home for hours," Ali said. "I can run you a bath upstairs."

Bath? But before I could ask, Ali started bustling around the mosaic-tiled room, running hot water into a claw-footed bathtub and poured in lavender-scented bath salts. Next, she set out a towel, soap, and shampoo for me.

"I'll lend you some of my clothes while you take your bath," she added. "In the meantime, just wear this." She hung her cotton pink bathrobe on a hook on the door and shut the door behind her.

I was left to stare at my own reflection in the slightly steamy mirror. A tall, thin girl with remarkable brown hair and plain brown eyes looked back. Just an ordinary teenager from Ohio. My tangled dark locks hung in a tangled mess in my face, and there was a red cut across my cheek. I was surprised to find it stung when I reached out to touch it with my fingers.

A cold achiness trembled through me and my muscles tingled with tension. Not knowing what to do with myself, I peeled off my grey sweater and jeans, tossing them aside as I climbed into the steaming water. My pink, sheer La Perla bra and panties sat in a small heap at the foot of the tub as well.

The sweet lavender scent swirled around me and I let out an involuntary sigh. I rested my head back, letting the heat soak my skin and the lovely, flowery smell fill my nose. For a while, I didn't think about Jonny or the new threat that was residing in Rosewood.

I scrubbed the shampoo furiously into my hair, trying to erase the events of the last few months. When I was done, I wrapped myself in the soft pink robe and padded downstairs, feeling more relaxed than I could remember.

The robe was shorter than I'd thought and it fell at my thighs, showing off my long legs. I assured myself that no one was home, and Jason wouldn't be back for hours.

But as I reached the bottom of the stairs, I heard movement coming from the kitchen. Frowning, I moved towards the foyer. I froze in my tracks, nearly gaping with shock.

Standing at the kitchen island table was Jason DiLaurentis, looking at a file of documents. He had the same look on his face that he always did when he was taking something seriously, with his eyebrows furrowed and his mouth stretched into a tense line. Immediately, I recognized his buttery blonde hair, high cheekbones, and his bow-shaped mouth.

Jason looked up and froze when he heard me come in, staring directly at me like he was stuck in a trance. My heart instantly hammered in my chest, my cheeks flushing with color. His full, sensitive lips parted as if he was going to say something, but he didn't speak. Jason kept fidgeting and I bit my bottom lip nervously, unsure of what to say.

Those eyes. That face.

He looked even more gorgeous than I remembered, in dark jeans and a denim button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his hard and toned arms. Jason was identical to Ali, with tousled golden blonde hair and stunning blue eyes, highlighted by adorable dimples. He had grown a few inches since the last time I saw him and I could see the muscles in his back flexing with tension against the press of his shirt. There was stubble on his face, making him look even sexier.

His navy-blue eyes lingered on me for a long time–it was as if he could see straight into my soul–and when I met his gaze, Jason's lips parted. In that instant, I felt something click for the very first time, like two puzzle pieces fitting together. It was as if we were sharing a secret joke that only the two of us could understand. I felt the guarded mask I'd been wearing fall away, unable to stop it.

Finally, one corner of Jason's mouth curled up into a smile of recognition. "Jess? Is that really you?" Jason had the kind of magnetic, irresistible smile that made girls swoon without even trying.

"Y-yes," I stammered, and my insides fluttered. It had been so long since I'd seen Jason, but he still had the ability to make my heart race and my knees go weak.

"I thought I saw you last night." He held my gaze.

My heart jumped. "What?"

"In the cabin. I was heading over to my aunt Carol's when I saw you."

Flickers of the memory from last night flashed across my mind as I recalled hiding by the window from Jason and the others. I had been sure they hadn't seen me. But I should've known better than to think I could slip past Jason, I thought grimly.

"So what are you doing here?" I blurted, grappling to change the subject. As I crossed my arms over my chest, Jason's eyes moved to my slightly exposed bare chest, down to my thighs and legs. I blushed, feeling self-conscious in the short robe I was wearing.

Jason quickly tore his eyes away, settling back onto my face. I noticed patches of red had crept up his ears and neck.

"I don't know if you've heard," he replied, answering my question. "My father is suing the judge for wrongfully accusing Ali of Mona's murder from the trial. He wants me to send over the rest of the forms to the lawyer this afternoon."

My forehead creased. "Can he do that? I mean, Mona's death was confirmed to be faked."

"Does it matter?" Jason gave me a disgruntled look.

I could see the anguish and strain in his eyes, no doubt feeling trapped by his father. The responsibility Jason felt at his role in protecting his sister was so genuine that it made me that much more attracted to him.

I softened at him. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," he said sincerely. "It wasn't your fault."

My heart constricted in sympathy for him. I couldn't imagine how Jason was dealing with Ali's release from jail–not only had his sister been wrongfully accused of killing Mona, but his mother had then vanished. I was filled with the temptation to reach out and comfort Jason, not because I felt sorry for him, but to let him know that I was there for him. But I held back, keeping myself in check.

"What about you?" Jason asked. "Last time I saw you was in Philadelphia. So what are you doing down here?"

"There were some things I had to deal with," I answered carefully, lowering my eyes.

"Care to elaborate?" he teased.

I said nothing. Jason watched as I looked out the kitchen's four-paneled glass window, noting how the early sunlight sparkled onto the floor. They slid across the walls, dancing on the marble tabletop. I saw the sun shining through Jason's hair and I lifted my face up to his, as if a magnetic force was pulling me towards him. It turned the golden strands from red to burgundy wine, some extra buttery. It was as if I was staring through a kaleidoscope.

"You don't have to tell me," Jason said softly after a few moments. "I know you didn't come to Rosewood for Ali."

A fire of anger swept though me. "What makes you think you know me?"

"Because I know you only run for two reasons: when you're scared, or when you're hiding something."

I felt the anger slowly melt away. "You shouldn't be talking to me," I whispered.

"What if I want to?" He looked down at me, and our eyes met.

"You don't know me as well as you think you do," I said, but that intrigued look didn't leave his eyes.

"Maybe that's the point."

I didn't speak again for a moment, considering his words. "What if they're still happening? The things from my past?"

"It doesn't matter," he said simply. "All that matters is that you're here."

My lips twitched into a fleeting smile. "You make it sound so simple."

"It can be. If you let it."

"I don't even know if that's possible for me anymore," I muttered, more to myself than to him.

"So…how does it feel being back?" Jason asked suddenly, seeming to sense I didn't want to talk about it anymore. The realization comforted me.

"It feels like I never left." I smiled. "I like it here. It's safe."

Jason raised an eyebrow. "Compared to what?"

"Somewhere I really don't want to go back to." I grimaced.

Jason's expression suddenly softened. "I can relate."

I couldn't seem to keep my eyes off of him. As he continued to stare at me, something sparkled in those blue eyes. Compelling, drawing me closer to him. Mesmerized, I sparkled back at him, lighting me up.

"I moved into the Edgewood Motel when the trial started," Jason added. "I think my father blamed me for Ali getting arrested." His mouth turned grim.

"That is not your fault," I said sternly. "Don't ever think that."

Jason sighed. "That's so easy for you to say."

I frowned. "What do you mean?"

"You always believed in Ali. You never once gave up on her, even when everyone thought she did it." He shook his head. "I wish I had that kind of unwavering faith."

Jason took a couple steps towards me, closing the distance between us. He was so close that I could smell his spicy, clean scent. It was intoxicating. "I wanted to thank you for what you did for Ali."

I felt my cheeks heat up. "She would've done the same for me."

His eyes fell at the cut on my cheek, and they flashed an angry steel-blue. "It meant something to me. And believe me, whoever has got you so afraid, he'll pay for it. I promise."

He leveled his eyes with mine, and I couldn't breathe. His chest rose with mine, and I could feel his breath on my face and the warmth of his body radiating against mine. His heart was beating much faster than mine.

A sweet, hot electricity, jostled through my veins. It made me feel alive in a way that I had never felt before. My body buzzed with life and my heart pounded. He seemed to know what I was thinking. Now, it felt almost as if he were a part of me. An invisible silver cord that hummed and sang seemed to be connecting us, drawing us closer still. It felt so undeniably real that I could almost reach out and touch it. It bound us heart to heart, our souls entwined.

He reached out to touch the red mark on my cheek and brushed it gently with his thumb. And then Jason did something that stole my breath. He leaned in and pressed his lips to my wounded cheek, kissing it. But it wasn't just any ordinary kiss. His lips lingered there longer than he should have, and the sensation burned through me as hot as fire.

When Jason pulled away, I could only stare at him dazed and speechless. I was too startled from the feeling of his lips against my skin to move. He bent his head down towards mine, getting closer…

Suddenly, Ali's voice rang out in the hall. "Jess? Are you in here?"

We jumped apart and the mood altered. The moment was over. Abruptly, Jason's tone lightened. "I'll see you soon then."

I nodded, unable to speak. And then he was gone, leaving me to gaze after him. What the hell just happened?

But Ali strode through the room then, carrying a set of clothes in her hands. I fought to compose myself.

Ali frowned in concern. "Are you okay?"

I nodded. "Yeah, fine."

She raised a perfectly arched eyebrow at me. "Jess, it's me. I know when you're lying."

"Really, I'm fine," I assured her. "It's just strange to be back."

"Well, this are for you," she said, handing me the pair of clothes. "You can change in my bedroom. And these are for the cabin." Alison handed me her brown leather Louis Vuitton bag filled with several articles of clothing of silk, satin, soft cotton, and lace. I saw a couple of shoes and knee-high leather boots had been thrown in there, too.

I looked down at the clothes Ali just handed me. The sheer, shell-pink blouse was classy and exquisite, as were the black skinny Seven jeans. And a dark navy-blue cashmere cardigan was nestled underneath. I felt my eyes moisten with tears.

Ali paused, turning her bright blue eyes on me. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing…I…" I trailed off, and then shook my head. "It's just…I'm not used to someone taking care of me."

Ali stared at me. "Jess, you're like my sister."

"Am I?" I felt a stab of guilt. Just minutes before, I had almost kissed her brother and now she was giving me clothes and making sure I was safe.

"Yes," she answered certainly. "In spite of everything going on right now." Then Ali smiled at me with her eyes. "When you've changed, there's someone I want you to meet."

I grabbed the blouse and jeans, and turned for the stairs. After locking Ali's bedroom door behind me, I let out a deep breath, pushing out my guilty feelings of Jason.

Toby

When I silently slipped out of bed early Friday morning, something was different.

I felt a jumble of excitement bubbling up to the surface, and it wasn't because of the bustling work environment from the police station. It was because this weekend I was going to ask Spencer to marry me. I was planning to take her away to her parents cabin for a romantic getaway, just her and me. My lips pulled up into a giddy smile at the thought.

I quickly got dressed, grabbed my leather jacket and keys, and made a beeline for the door. Realizing I'd forgotten the ring, I headed back upstairs and dug through the top shelf of my closet, hidden by a bulk of clothes. The west side of the room consisted of tightly taped boxes full of Spencer's stuff, the rest of which was still being packed away at her parents house. Spencer wanted to move out conspicuously, before telling her parents about the baby and that we'd be living here together to raise her.

I picked up the black velvet box that sat in the very back of the closet shelf and opened the lid. Inside was a two-and-a-half carat round diamond ring that was set on a simple and petite, sterling-silver eternity band. It sparkled and shimmered with every movement. It had been my mother's wedding ring before she died and now I wanted to give it to Spencer, hoping to propose to her with it.

Spencer rolled over in bed and moaned, startling me. I quickly shoved the velvet box into my jacket pocket and whirled around, worried she'd woken up and had seen the ring. But Spencer continued to lie soundlessly in my–now our–bed, her fingers clutching my vacant pillow to her chest. My heart throbbed at the sight.

I slowly sat down on the side of the bed, deliberately making sure not to make any sudden movements to wake her. I leaned down to pull the covers up to her chin and then gave her a soft, gentle kiss on her forehead, watching as the muscles around her face loosened and relaxed. Even with no trace of makeup on, long hair tangled around her face, she still looked so beautiful.

"I love you," I whispered, and walked out the door.

I quietly went down the stairs and out the front door, locking it behind me. The grey light of the thick fog clouded the road, veiling my truck window as I moved along the highway to Philadelphia.

I switched onto the busy street and drove through the fog-shrouded sea of traffic, following the line of cars. After about twenty minutes, traffic on the highway began to thin and the road cleared. Then I turned onto Walnut Street, parked the truck on the side of the street by Tiffany's jewelry store, and hopped out.

When I walked in, I paused for a moment to glance around the store. It was filled with glass, platinum chrome, and white lights that lit up the beautiful collection of diamond rings and other jewels. Tiffany & Co. was one of the best jewelry stores in town from Pennsylvania, so I couldn't imagine having the ring being shined anywhere else.

I wandered over to one of the cases, where a salesman in a fitting black Armani suit stood.

The man looked up when he saw me approach. "Are you interested in buying a ring, sir?" he asked.

"No, I was actually hoping you could polish this ring for me." I reached into my pocket and pulled out my mother's old ring.

When he took the ring out of the black velvet box, his eyes widened as he inspected the diamond. Then he handed the ring back to me and walked over to an older elegant-looking woman in a slim black business suit, who I assumed had to be the store manger, and within seconds, they walked back over to me.

The woman gave me a brilliant smile. "May I see the ring?"

"Yes." I handed her the diamond ring.

The woman examined the diamond carefully, then flickered her eyes back to mine. "This ring is in very good condition, so the cleaning should take about an hour. Would you like to wait around until then?"

"Sure," I said, smiling politely.

As the salesman went to the back of the store to have the ring cleaned and shined, the woman in the black suit led me over to a well-decorated seating area in the northwest side of the store, pushed back in the far corner by a large window. I took a seat in one of the comfortable plush chairs. A fireplace concealed by glass doors roared in front of me, speckled with gorgeous stone paneling on the sides. The woman reappeared a few minutes later with a glass of sparkling water before turning to another customer who was beckoning her about a silver necklace, leaving me to process my thoughts.

I sipped my bubbly water as the fire before me warmed my skin, thinking about what Spencer and I were going to do Friday night. First, I'd give her a beautiful lavender dress later tonight that I was going to buy for her afterwards. Then, I was going to take her out to an Italian restaurant for a romantic dinner, which was nearby her parents' lake house; and then–my favorite part–we'd go back to the cabin and I'd take Spencer upstairs to the master bedroom, where I'd propose to her with my mother's ring.

My body buzzed with happiness. I was watching the shoppers streaming in and out through Tiffany's glass doors, when I saw Hanna Marin enter the store. My head immediately snapped up.

Hanna stood out in a black sweater dress, black tights, and tall brown boots. I looked around frantically, desperately trying to find somewhere to hide. Hanna couldn't see me here, or she'd figure out what I was doing and tell Spencer. But I didn't know where I could hide–the Tiffany's register counter stood against the back wall of the store and it didn't have any aisles to sneak down, just some shelves and walls of diamonds and jewelry.

Before I had a chance to make a run for it, Hanna spotted me. Her navy-blue eyes lit up with recognition, and she smiled at me, flashing a set of pearly white teeth. My limbs locked in place. I smiled meekly as I met her eyes, and waved.

"Hey, Toby," Hanna said brightly, making her way over to me. Her short, light blonde hair shimmered beneath the white lights.

"Hi," I said back nervously. I stared at a wall of diamond charm bracelets on one of the shelves.

A long, awkward beat passed. I fidgeted with the hem of my jacket. Hanna stared at the sparkling white marble floor.

"What are you doing at Tiffany's?" she finally asked.

"I, um, I was getting Spencer a charm bracelet as a graduation gift," I stammered, glancing at the charm bracelets.

Hanna seemed skeptical. "Really?"

I sucked in a deep breath. "Yeah."

My eyes darted over to one of Tiffany's promo posters by the glass case island that held all of the engagement rings. It was of a couple kissing passionately in the rain. Next to it was a photo of a dazzling diamond engagement ring with the words, Celebrating the World's Greatest Love Stories Since 1837, written underneath it and the Tiffany & Co's logo. The man was dark-haired, the other a beautiful brunette–just like Spencer and I. The vision made my heart swell, and I had to swallow back the lump that had formed in my throat to stop myself from tearing up.

"From Tiffany's," Hanna said, breaking me out of my thoughts. She narrowed her eyes at me suspiciously.

"She doesn't know I'm getting it for her," I answered. "It's a surprise. I just wanted to do something special for her after everything that's happened." A half-truth.

Her expression softened. "I'm sorry, it just looked like you were…" She shook her head. "Never mind. I hope you find what you're looking for."

Hanna smiled at me before strolling out of the store. I smiled back as convincingly as I could, and breathed a sigh of relief once I was sure she was gone.

A few minutes later, the salesman called me over to the counter. I glanced down at my watch, frowning. Had it been an hour already? It had seemed less than that.

I walked back to the counter, where the manager informed me that they had shined and polished my ring to its best quality. She placed the box on the glass case. I opened it to find a now dazzling diamond ring, and the silver band gleamed against the crystal chandelier above the ceiling. It had been shined to perfection, every surface scrubbed and polished off with a sparkling finish.

I could feel a grin stretching across my face. It was absolutely breathtaking. I knew my mother's ring had cost a lot when my father bought it for her, but I had no idea how truly exquisite it was until just now. Not that it mattered. I would have given it to Spencer even if it was just a plastic candy ring.

I paid for the expense of the ring shining and walked out of the jewelry store, with the velvet box tucked securely in the pocket of my jacket, feeling happier and more alive than I'd ever been. I felt so good that I thought my insides would burst.

I lingered on the sidewalk, expecting someone to come out and tell me something had gone wrong with the ring, that this was all a joke. That Spencer would never marry someone like me. But nobody ever did.

I didn't know if Spencer was going to say yes. All I knew for sure was that she was the person I was meant to spend eternity with. My love for Spencer grew more intense every day and I wanted to continue to share that love with her for the rest of our lives. I didn't want to marry her because she was pregnant; I wanted to marry her because I couldn't imagine living my life without her. Every second, every moment that I was with her was precious and shouldn't be wasted. Life was too short. That became evidently more clear when she told me she was pregnant. And I recalled the courage Spencer had shown, from the very first moment she told me to all the months she'd dealt with this, showing an unrelenting strength that still amazed me even now every time I saw her.

I smiled as I got in my truck, struck with the realization that my forever was now starting with Spencer. She was exactly where I was meant to be.

When I returned home, I found Spencer still bundled up in the covers, sleeping peacefully. I glanced over at the digital alarm clock on the bedside table. The neon green glowing numbers in the dim light said it was 6:45 A.M. I'd requested time off from work today to get all the preparations ready for my weekend with Spencer. Now all I had to do was convince her to go.

I kicked off my shoes and crawled underneath the covers, snuggling up next to her, loving the way her warm body felt against mine. Spencer sighed and nuzzled into my neck.

I brushed my lips against her forehead and then started to pepper her face with kisses, brushing my lips along her eyelids, across her cheeks. I felt Spencer's pulse race, and she let out a gasp. I smiled at her reaction.

I leaned back slightly and combed my fingers through her soft hair gently.

"I was thinking," I began, and moved my lips down to the point of her chin. "We should go away for the weekend."

"I don't know," she gasped again. "Weekend getaways. That sounds a little too normal for us."

"We need to spend some time together," I murmured against her jaw. Spencer moaned.

"I got some time off for Friday through the weekend," I pushed. "We could leave right after you're finished seeing your friends." I nibbled on her bottom lip.

"Mmm, sounds tempting," she murmured.

I was getting closer. I kissed slowly down her neck, trying to persuade her. I knew what she liked.

Spencer began to moan again, louder now. I smiled in triumph. I had her.

"Okay," she breathed, surrendering. "I'll go away with you."

I grinned and eased myself on top of her, placing my hands on either side of her head. Spencer gasped. I touched the tip of my nose to hers as I trapped her against the mattress. She had no room to escape.

Then I cupped the back of her neck and slid my tongue down her throat. Spencer kissed me back in earnest, pressing herself to me. I moved my lips eagerly against hers.

Spencer lifted her legs to my hips and squeezed them tightly against me. I moaned and pressed myself closer to her in response, and she sighed.

After spending half an hour kissing, Spencer got dressed for school in a white floral blouse, rose-pink jeans, and some black ballet flats paired with a skinny black headband that pushed her luscious, full hair out of her face. It was unfair how tempting she looked.

I waited until Spencer left so I could make the rest of the preparations for our weekend getaway. With her vacation bag ready and teeth brushed, I pressed a kiss to her forehead and she rushed out the door.

Spencer

"So are you going to tell me where we're going?" I asked.

Toby was driving along the long, wide country road and he still wouldn't give up the details of our weekend getaway. Our bags were packed and sitting securely in the bed of the truck, along with the blankets and food we'd brought with us. We were outside the borders of Rosewood now, rushing past the town's limits and into the countryside. The successful company buildings and shops that were flashing past us grew smaller until I could no longer see them anymore. And the houses and their wooden-fenced yards were soon replaced by trees lining the road. I had no idea where we were going. I hated surprises, and Toby knew this.

"Have I mentioned how beautiful you look today?" Toby said, avoiding my question. He threw a beautiful smile towards me, and just like that all my irritation melted away.

"I don't want to guess," I said, pouting. "I want to know."

Toby chuckled, and reached over to take my small, delicate hand in his much bigger one. I couldn't help but gaze at his gloriously handsome face as he drove. It stole my breath and stopped my heart.

Toby continued down the quiet road until he turned onto an unpaved one, lined by several trees and shrubs. The entrance of the drive was isolated and obscured by tall trees, with no sign to tell us where we were. The forest encroached on both sides, leaving the road ahead clear and spacious as it twisted around the pine trees.

After a few miles, the woods began to thin. I smiled as Toby pulled up to the end of the dirt pathway, realizing where we were. Cedars rose up nearby the walls of the lake house, protected by its low branches. The yard out front was large and rounded, filled with blooming lilies and wildflowers. And the sun overhead had cast a golden light across the sky.

The two-story craftsman-style lake house had been in my family for generations, but it was timeless and beautiful. It had four bedrooms, three bathrooms, its own private lake and dock, a massive master bedroom with a soaking bathtub, a restored 1800s kitchen, and Amish furniture throughout. It had been painted a warm brown and was long and rectangular. There were two square windows on either side of the second story, including the oversize bay windows below it.

I slowly stepped out of the truck, amazed that Toby would do this for me. He followed me to the back of the cabin, where I could hear the whooshing of water from the lake nearby. He stood behind me as I took it all in.

The smell of honeysuckle and pine hung in the air. The ground was covered with green shrubbery and brush, and there were moss-covered stones that encircled the entire acre of the lake that stretched before me. The lake reflected the wooden columns of the back porch with its mirror-like surface. In the distance, I could see my family's old rowboat sitting in the water at the end of the fifty-foot long dock, tied up to one of the pillars by the pier.

I turned around to face Toby. "Why did you take me here?"

He stepped closer to me, encircling my waist. "It's secluded and quiet here, and I wanted to be alone with you. I've missed you."

I smiled. "I missed you, too." I wrapped my arms around his neck to pull him closer, pressing my lips to his.

Toby kissed me a couple more times on the lips before taking my hand and we walked up to the porch. He pulled open the heavy wooden door, leading me into the grand living room. Inside, a tan leather couch stood in front of the roaring fireplace against the south wall of the spacious living room, and a carpeted staircase rose up to the second floor on the north side of the cabin. The high-beamed ceilings were a cream-colored white in contrast to the dark hardwood floors and walls.

I walked across the thick carpeted floor and noticed a large silver box sitting on the leather couch.

I looked at Toby curiously. "What is that?"

He grinned. "Open it."

I lifted open the lid of the box and pulled away a few sheets of tissue paper to reveal a gorgeous lavender-colored halter slip gown folded neatly inside at the bottom. I picked it up with my fingers, noting the way the silky fabric slid enticingly over my fingers.

I gasped, feeling a slow grin spreading across my face. "Toby…it's beautiful."

"You like it?" Toby smiled.

"I love it." I kissed his check and then threw my arms around him. "Thank you."

Toby pulled out of the hug and ran his hands up and down my arms. "I thought you might like to wear it for dinner tonight. I made reservations for seven."

I brightened at him. "Really?"

He nodded. "Yeah. Go get dressed."

I started for the stairs, but Toby caught my arm, stopping me. "Not up there. Change in the guest room."

I frowned in confusion. "Why?"

There was a wary look in his eyes that I couldn't understand. "Just change in there for tonight, please?"

"Okay," I said slowly.

I bounded down the hallway to one of the guest rooms in the corner of the west wing. Inside stood a lace canopy sleigh bed, a tan leather chaise in the corner, and an oversize bay window facing out to the woods. Just to the left of the room was a guest-sized bathroom, oranated with seashells and starfish that had been renovated two years ago by my parents' interior designer. The bedroom was cold and smelled slightly of cedar and pine. My skin tingled as I imagined how Toby would keep me warm later tonight.

I carefully set down the dress on the bed and wandered over to my late grandpa Hastings's mahogany bureau, where conch shells lined the top in an organized row. As I touched the edge of one of the shells, a breeze from the overhead fan spun from the peaked ceiling and I shivered.

I stripped down to my undies, since the dress would show my bra straps otherwise, and slipped into the gown. It moved like water over my curves and naked chest. The satin felt soft and luxurious against my skin, and a little bit of my skin peeked out from the slits that fell open halfway up the sides of my dress. I slid my feet into a pair of black Chanel sling-backs next and curled my hair with a curling iron in the bathroom until it cascaded down my shoulders in a tumble of loose waves.

I glanced in the bathroom mirror, wondering how I could be so lucky to have a boyfriend who would plan a romantic getaway and buy me a gorgeous silky gown.

Satisfied, I walked back out into the living room where Toby was waiting for me. My breath caught in my throat when I saw him. He had changed into a black suit and a light-blue button down shirt; he looked so devastatingly handsome that I wanted to lick him. Toby seemed to have the same reaction, because he stood and blinked at me a few times when he saw me, as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing. His eyes assessed me slowly, filling with a deep lust.

After collecting himself, Toby gave me a small, sweet smile. "You look beautiful."

"Thank you." I smiled back and made my way over to him, pressing myself to him. He bent his head down to mine, meeting my lips with his sweetly. I kissed him back slowly and clutched his shoulders, feeling my head grow fuzzy from the intoxicating taste of his lips.

After a few, long seconds passed, Toby pulled away slightly, his lips only inches from my own. "We should go if we want to make it to dinner," he whispered.

I nodded and kissed him once more fully on the mouth before heading out to the truck, my hand finding his. In this cabin with Toby, alone in the middle of the woods, I felt like he was my husband and we were living in our own house together. It was perfect.

Toby drove the truck towards a small town nearby, passing by several cars on the streets with ease. He took a left and then turned into the parking lot of an Italian restaurant by the water. I looked out my window, marveling at the glowing lights of the restaurant, how magical and fairytale-like it looked.

Toby slid into an empty space and got out. He opened the passenger door for me, helping me step out. As soon as my feet touched the ground, he immediately took my hand again. My heart warmed at all the attention. Toby was ravishing me with affection tonight, more than usual.

When we reached the front entrance of the restaurant, Toby held open the door for me and I eagerly walked inside. The restaurant was filled with romantic candles and vanilla-scented incense wafted throughout the place. We were greeted by our hostess, a gorgeous blonde who assessed Toby appreciatively. She was tall and slender, with long locks of white-blonde hair that spilled down her shoulders. The woman welcomed him a little more warmly than she needed to. Irritation rippled through me as I felt the familiar burn of jealousy.

"A table for two?" she guessed in an attractive voice. I peeked a glance at Toby, but couldn't tell whether he noticed or not.

"We have reservations for Cavanaugh," he responded.

"Of course." She flashed him a smile.

I saw her eyes flicker to me and then cut away, unsatisfied by the close way Toby held me to him. His expression was unreadable as she led us to a small round booth for two of a very private section in the back of the room.

Toby helped me into the booth and slid in next to me. The lights were dimmed and romantic, and the two candles on the table framed his face.

"Your server will be right with you," the hostess said before walking away gracefully.

When Toby turned back to me, I glowered at him.

He blinked. "What?"

"Am I supposed to pretend that you're not aware of the way she was looking at you just now?" My skin boiled hotly as the anger filled me.

"Spence…" Toby tried reaching for me, but I yanked my hand away. His lips pulled up into a slight smirk. "You're jealous."

"No, I'm not," I said quickly, but I felt my cheeks grow hot. I looked away from his face, embarrassed. I was so mad that I was tingling with the desire to hit something.

Toby cupped my cheek in his hand and turned my face towards him, forcing me to look up at him. He stared into my eyes for a long time before stroking my cheek, rubbing his thumb softly across my skin. "Spencer, I love you. There isn't anyone else I want to be with. Ever."

My anger dissolved when I saw the tenderness in his eyes. I sighed, leaning my cheek into his palm. "I'm sorry, I just–" His lips stopped me mid-sentence. I grabbed his face and kissed him back eagerly.

His tongue flicked over mine and I twisted my arms around his neck, molding myself to him. Toby roamed his hands around my back, pulling me closer. I released a soft moan as his soft, kissable lips parted mine.

"I love you," I sighed.

"I love you, too," Toby whispered, and touched his lips to mine once more.

And then our server arrived, interrupting our kiss. The new girl l smiled a little too warmly. She looked more like a Vogue model than anything with long, auburn-brown hair, and green cat-like eyes.

"Hello, my name is Rachel and I'll be your server tonight. Can I get you anything to drink?" Toby kept his arm around my waist as she spoke to him. I felt my insides turn to mush.

"Just water," Toby told her. He looked at me.

"I'll have a chamomile tea," I said.

"I'll be back with your drinks," she assured Toby with a smile. But he didn't notice. He hadn't even taken his eyes off me.

"What are you looking at?" I asked curiously when she left.

"You," Toby responded.

I blushed a deep shade of pink and averted my eyes down at the table.

"Hey…" He grabbed my chin with his fingers and stared intently into my eyes. "Don't hide away from me. I love looking into those beautiful eyes. I love making you blush."

I smiled at him shyly, biting my bottom lip. "I know, but it's embarrassing."

"Spencer, you're gorgeous. Especially when your nose wrinkles up and you bite your lip like that…it drives me crazy." He took my hand resting on top of the table and started rubbing small circles into the back of it with his thumb.

I smiled again, staring adoringly at him.

"God, I love that smile," Toby breathed. He took my hand that he was holding and brought it to his chest, where I could feel his heart thumping hard.

My pulse raced from the contact, feeling the warmth radiating from him. He caressed my hand, bringing it up to his lips and kissing it. Just then, the waitress appeared with our drinks and a basket of bread rolls.

"Are you ready to order?" she asked Toby.

"Spencer?" he asked. She turned to me unwillingly.

I stared at my menu and picked the first thing I saw. "Um…I'll have the spaghetti with meatballs. And can you replace the steamed vegetables with the tomato soup for the side dish?"

"Actually, give her the big dish of spaghetti," Toby said, handing her our menus. "I'll share it with her."

The waitress took the menus and left dissatisfied.

I picked up a roll and took a hearty bite out of it, feeling my appetite coming back. "Mmm…this is perfect."

"Well you are eating for two." Toby threaded his fingers through mine, gazing at me warmly.

I played with his fingers absentmindedly. "What do you think our baby will look like?"

"She'll have brown hair and beautiful brown eyes, and your smile." He reached underneath the table and squeezed my knee. I put my hand over his, feeling a warm sensation radiate deep within my chest.

"She's going to have your eyes," I murmured.

He smiled bashfully, and then his expression became more serious. "How do you feel?"

I rubbed the center of my stomach. "I'm okay. I feel tired, but I'm happy. I just can't wait to meet her."

"I can't wait, either." He leaned in to kiss the top of my shoulder. "You're going to be a wonderful mother."

I stroked his cheek. "You're going to be an amazing father."

"You're amazing, you know that? You do beyond what anyone else could ever do and still manage to balance everything else out, and I'm so proud of you. Not just for what you do for our baby, but for everything else you accomplish every day."

Tears began to fill my eyes, feeling touched by his words. "Oh, Toby. I love you so much."

He tucked some of my hair behind my ear, letting his hand brush softly against my cheek. "I fall more in love with you every day, every hour, of every second."

I pressed my lips softly to his. He held onto my lips until I snuggled into his chest, slowly breaking the kiss. Toby held me as he started to tell me about how his mother had raised him, her kindness, how she always knew what to say, when to say it and how to deliver it. Toby had inherited his mother's compassion that much was clear, but his inability of dealing with conflicts had somehow not gotten through to him.

While I sipped my tea, he talked about the many hours Marion had spent with him watching all the different types of birds and playing lullabies for him on the piano. I watched his mouth move as he spoke, mesmerized by him, and listened to his beautiful, deep voice. It was obvious in the way Toby spoke of her and the gleam in his eyes that he loved his mother. And when I begged him to tell me more, he delved into his family history, explaining that a few of his relatives even had twins down the line.

A few minutes later, a new waiter in a white button-down uniform strode up to the table with our food. He was tall and had toned arms, with a slight olive tone to his skin, wavy-black hair, and bright green eyes. His face was open and friendly as he set down the large dish of spaghetti in between Toby and I.

"Hello, my name is Carlos and I'll be your server tonight." I heard a slight Latino accent in his voice.

I frowned. "What happened to our other server?"

"Rachel is working at another table tonight, but I'll be happy to help with anything you need," he assured us.

I suppressed a smile, relieved with the new change of a server for tonight's dinner. It seemed like the other waitress had been asked to wait another table because of her inappropriate flirting with my boyfriend. As if sensing my thoughts, Toby squeezed my hand.

"Thank you," Toby told him. "But we're fine."

"Well let me know if there is anything I can get you."

He nodded and the waiter walked away.

Toby glanced down at the full plate of spaghetti, and then looked at me. "Go on," he said. "Eat!"

I unrolled my silverware from its napkin, shoveled a forkful of spaghetti into my mouth obediently, surprised by how hungry I was. Toby scooped up a meatball with his fork and put it into his mouth as well. The spaghetti was divine. I swallowed and took another sip of my tea.

I felt Toby's lips brush against the corner of my lip as I took another bite, and I smiled playfully at him in response. I leaned in to kiss him full on the mouth, licking the tomato sauce from his lip.

We shared the spaghetti without our forks as we ate, Lady and the Tramp style. Toby had exceeded my expectations of dinner tonight, showering me with gifts and affection like a princess, and I was enjoying every minute of it. We spent the rest of the evening gazing into each other's eyes longingly and holding hands underneath the table. I was so happy I didn't think it was possible for my bubble to burst.

After the waiter took away our empty plate, Toby ordered my favorite dessert, chocolate truffle cake.

I looked to Toby. "What's the occasion?"

"Us. I thought we should celebrate having a baby together." His mouth turned hard. "You've been through so much since escaping that Dollhouse."

I grabbed his hand. "Let's make a promise each other to not talk about the dollhouse tonight, okay?"

Toby grinned. "Deal."

Suddenly, the waiter came back with our dessert, a chocolate-truffle frosted cake with chocolate chips on the side. He placed the two pieces of cake on the table and left, leaving us to our dessert.

I could already feel my mouth watering. It looked so good. I stabbed a big chunk out of it with my fork and took a bite. I closed my eyes and sighed in content.

"How is it?" Toby asked.

"It's wonderful," I said, smiling. "Just like everything else tonight."

He beamed in delight and kissed my cheek. "I was hoping you would say that."

I smiled hugely, loving all the affection Toby was giving me. I rolled the chocolate over my tongue, savoring every bite. I wondered if it was the cake that tasted so heavenly, or the boy who had given it to me.

Toby speared some cake with his fork and popped it into his mouth, chewing slowly.

When we were both finished, he kissed my hair. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yes," I said, even though I wasn't ready to leave his arms just yet. But I was grateful for the weekend that we'd be spending alone time together.

Suddenly, Toby slid his hand up my thigh, moving the dress up to my waist. A little bit of my underwear peeked through the silk of my dress, but I didn't care who was watching.

I moaned as I crushed my body to his and tugged at his hair, kissing him aggressively. My mouth had a mind of its own, biting and sucking on Toby's lips like I would lose air without his oxygen. I wanted to make love to him so badly it was making my body ache.

Toby gently squeezed my thigh and brought it up to his lap, stroking and rubbing it sexually. The movement made me sigh against his lips. He captured my mouth again, taking mouthfuls of my lips. Toby rolled his tongue languidly across mine, twisting it with a hungry passion that made me grab at his clothes wildly.

Toby moved his hand further up my thigh and squeezed my butt, tracing the lace of my panties as if he was going to take them of. In a moment of passion, he pinned me against the booth and kissed my neck nice and slowly. I tilted my head back and moaned softly, parting my mouth wide in pleasure. I submitted to him, sinking against the padded booth as he kissed my body. Until we both came to our senses and stopped.

We broke away, breathing hard. The corners of Toby's lips turned up into a teasing smile. "Still think I'm into her?"

"No," I gasped, and smashed my mouth back onto his. Toby sucked on my tongue for a long time, then slipped beneath my jaw, kissing me. He moved down to my chest, and I gasped.

I didn't want to stop, not for a minute. Toby reluctantly pulled away from me and stared longingly into my eyes, seeming to feel the same way I did.

Without taking his eyes off mine, he flagged down the waiter for the check. Toby paid with cash, not bothering to take the change. He tucked the bills inside the small black leather folder the waiter had given us and handed it back to him.

"Thanks. Keep the change." Toby smiled at him politely and then stood up, holding out his hand for me.

I took Toby's outstretched hand and let him slowly pull me down from the table, my body still vibrating from our steamy exchange just now.

The waiter smiled at us. "Have a nice evening."

Toby slid his arm around my waist as we walked back to the truck, keeping me close to him. I beamed up at him happily.

When we got to the truck, he opened the passenger door for me, shutting it behind me. I gently rubbed my belly bump, sighing as Toby stepped inside. There were many other ways I could have handled my decision about the baby. The first option was to 'take care of it,' but just the thought of my baby–Toby's baby–disappearing, gripped me in despair. And so the second option, which was to give her up for adoption, was out of the question. I couldn't imagine a world where she didn't exist, because giving her up would be like living without Toby. The truth was, if I could go back to the day when I first found out that I was pregnant, I wouldn't have done it any differently. This baby was just as much a part of me as it was of Toby, and it was something we would face together–no matter the impenetrable forces that were trying to come in between us.

I never really had a choice anyway; fate had chosen me for this path I was now taking. And Toby had been so wonderful through all of it–taking me to the doctor for checkups, baby-proofing the apartment before I had to move in, massaging my feet and shoulders, getting me saltine crackers for my nausea, and holding back my hair when I threw up late at night.

My lower back ached as the truck lurched forward. Toby kept an arm around me while he drove north, rubbing his thumb slowly against my shoulder in the quiet of the truck. The roads were nearly empty of traffic since an hour ago, and it only took us fifteen minutes to make it back to the lake house.

When he pulled into the driveway, the sky had fallen into darkness, with the sun beyond the horizon now. I could feel Toby watching me. When I turned to him, he was staring into my eyes intensely, lingering on my face. But they were gentle, making my insides turn soft. I returned his gaze with a warm smile.

He glanced toward the windshield. "Would you like to go for a walk?"

My heart fluttered at the prospect of spending time alone with him, and I knew with absolute certainty that he was asking because he wanted to be alone with me, too.

I gazed up into his liquid blue eyes. "I'd love to."

The lake stretched for miles from across the shore, the moonlight reflecting its light off the dark water. We stepped onto the path that led down to the lake, and I took Toby's hand as we walked. The moon cast its luminous glow from within the pines in the clear night sky, big and full among sparkling stars that shimmered like jewels.

He led me out of the trees and along the gravelly sand. The place was deserted like always, as Toby and I strolled barefoot along the edge of the water in silence.

Toby looked out at the waves, looking thoughtful.

"What are you thinking about?" I asked him suddenly. A light breeze ruffled through my hair, and Toby tucked back the strands behind my ear. I gave him a small smile, turning to gaze dreamily at the stars.

"I was thinking about the first time we kissed."

I lifted an eyebrow. "You mean when we stayed in that cheap motel to spy on Jenna? The Scrabble game was more entertaining."

"I kicked your ass in Scrabble."

"I did not lose," I protested stubbornly. "You cheated. I don't know how, but you did."

He smirked at the determination in my voice. "Why can't you just admit that I beat you?"

"I don't do defeat."

Toby smiled. "I know. That's one of the things I love about you. Your tenacity, your…"

"Abrasiveness," I quipped.

"You never give up."

I squeezed his hand. It felt so warm and secure holding mine. I never wanted to let go of it; our fingers fit together perfectly–effortlessly entwined, like two puzzle pieces fitting together. Toby made me feel safe.

"That's when I knew I was falling for you," he continued. "The moment I kissed you outside our motel room, I just knew I was already completely and hopelessly in love with you."

In the darkness, my skin prickled with electricity. It was hard to resist the temptation of kissing him right then and there. I could hear the soft crashing of the waves nearby as they rolled up the shore.

I turned away and bit my lip, hoping to distract myself from him. I couldn't let myself lose control with Toby tonight. "It's so beautiful out here at night. It looks so different in the daytime."

"It is." He met my eyes, as if he were having the same thoughts about me.

Toby stopped to pick up a seashell from the sand. On one side, it was pearl-white, curving smoothly along the edges. Then he turned it over, and the other side revealed a bright blue swirling with pale pink and shimmering oranges, sparkling in the moonlight. It was beautiful.

After examining it for a moment, Toby pressed it into my palm, closing my fingers around it. As he placed it into my hand, I felt a satisfying jolt quiver through my hand. "I want you to keep this. That way I'll always be with you, even when I'm far away from you. If you're ever scared or whenever you feel alone, hold on to it and think of me."

I stared up at him, extremely aware of his hand covering mine, hardly breathing. His eyes reflected the color of the shell and I could feel his breath on my skin, the warmth of his body lighting me up. I ached to touch him. He gazed back at me, seeming to intuit my thoughts and feelings. He was so close that I could feel him.

"Do I make a wish?" I teased, but my voice was barely above a whisper, giving me away.

"Maybe." Toby laced his fingers back through mine and we began to stroll again. Abruptly, his mouth turned grim, his thoughts seeming to have drifted off someplace else.

I looked to where he was staring at intently and noticed the small, weeping willow tree that stood northwest inside the garden just by the woods. I watched him carefully, puzzling over what was bothering him as he looked at the tree, seeing the sadness in his eyes for the first time tonight. No one else knew Toby the way I did. No one saw him like I did, so I always knew when something was wrong.

"Do you remember when you were asking about my mother earlier?" he finally asked after a beat.

I nodded, waiting for him to continue.

"My mom was the most amazing person. She was kind and genuine…the kind of person who made you feel happier just by being in the same room with her. She had this real bright spirit that you couldn't help but smile along with her." Toby paused, glancing over at the water. "Before she died, I came to see her. It had been raining and it was dark. On my way to my mother's room, I felt like someone had been following me. I should have been paying more attention. At the time I thought I was just being paranoid, but now…"

He shook his head and drew in a deep breath, struggling with his words.

I studied him, frowning. "You think that Bethany was following you?"

Bethany Young was a teenage patient at Radley before her dead body had been found in the half-dug hole of the DiLaurentis' backyard, the same night that Alison disappeared, and also the last person who saw Marion Cavanaugh alive. But before Ali had been discovered alive and in hiding for the last three and a half years, Mrs. DiLaurentis covered up Marion's death as a suicide, claiming that a disturbed patient had seen her jump from the two-story window and supposedly killed herself. Toby and I were convinced that someone had murdered her, and so we started looking into Radley Sanitarium to uncover the disturbing truth about what really happened to his mom to prove that she didn't kill herself. But when Toby had gone to see her old doctor, Dr. Palmer, at a medical clinic in Saratoga, he reminded him to tell his mother to stay away from a blonde that had visited her at Radley. There was something wrong with the air around her, he'd warned.

The problem was, Toby never got to find out what Dr. Palmer knew about Marion; he'd been suffering from dementia and therefore wasn't a reliable source. As Toby combed through clues that A had been sending him about his mother's death, I realized there was only one person who could have done it–CeCe Drake, Alison's old friend and mentor. But had CeCe really killed Toby's mother at Radley? Or had it been someone else? What could CeCe have against Toby's mom?

I'd made a promise to Toby that I would help him find out the truth about what really happened to his mother, and it was one I intended to keep no matter what. Then it would finally be over, and Toby and I could have the life together that we've always wanted.

"I don't know," Toby responded, pulling me out of my thoughts. "But when I talked to my mom, she seemed…scared. She kept talking about not feeling well. At first I thought she was talking about being sick. But then a week later, Radley called my dad and…" Toby swallowed, choking on his words. "And they told us that my mother had committed suicide. She had jumped from the second-story window from her room that night. My mom died instantly. I would have done anything for her. But she wouldn't even tell me the truth. She didn't even say goodbye."

I touched his cheek. "You know your mom didn't kill herself. She wouldn't just leave you like that. We're going to find out what really happened to her."

"I know," he said quietly. Tears trickled down his cheeks. "It was so hard to be in the church that day. It was the first time I ever saw my father cry. And after that, I never wanted to be at another funeral again. When my mother died, my dad was…different. He became cold and distant, and lost any connection to me."

Seeing the pain and anguish in his twisted expression made my heart constrict. "I'm so sorry." I leaned forward and kissed his lips, lingering them there for a second longer. "I wish that you hadn't gone through all that alone."

Toby squeezed my hand. "I wish I had met you a year earlier."

I held onto his hand tightly, loving how soft they felt against mine. "Me, too."

"Your childhood was probably a lot more normal than mine was," he commented.

I stifled a laugh. "Don't count on it. Most of my childhood consisted of fighting with Melissa and my parents favoriting her over me."

"At least you didn't have to spend most of it in and out of hospitals, worrying about whether your mother was going to be okay again."

I felt a surge of remorse. "That doesn't sound fun. I'm sorry, that doesn't even compare to what you went through."

"Don't be. I want to hear about your life as a kid."

"I don't think it would be very interesting."

His eyes turned very gentle. "On the first day of seventh grade, you were wearing a red dress with stockings up to your knees. And you had buttercups in your hair, twisted in its half-braids. You looked so pretty."

I stopped in my tracks and slowly turned to him, caught off guard. "You remember that? But that was way back when we were kids."

He dropped his face to level his eyes with mine. "I saw you. You were walking to school with Emily and Alison when you ran into me."

"You saw me?" Heat flooded my face, but I couldn't help but feel flattered.

Toby nodded and gave me an amused smirk. "You didn't even notice me. Your eyes were always glued to your books."

"I think you were mistaken," I said quietly. "Alison was the prettier one."

"No, you were prettier," he disagreed. "I've always thought so. I used to watch you from across the playground at lunch, trying to come up with the courage to finally talk to you, but every time I saw you my heart raced and I couldn't move."

"You did?"

"Of course. I liked you from the very first moment I saw you."

I touched my hands to his face, astonished that I could love Toby any more than I already did. "I love you."

"I know. I love you, too." On instinct, he pulled me gently against his chest.

"So tell me," he whispered in my ear teasingly. "Did Spencer Hastings ever have any other hobbies besides reading books?"

I smiled sheepishly, shifting slightly in his arms. "Well, I did play the piano. I used to play all the time, but I don't as much anymore. Melissa and I used to play four-handed pieces."

"Why'd you stop?"

I sighed. "I don't know. When Melissa and I were younger, we used to play the piano for hours. And when it was time for bed, I always sobbed and begged my parents to let me play for a little bit longer."

"I'd like to hear you play."

I looked up, noticing the moonlight shining in his eyes.

Toby inclined his head toward the weeping willow tree, sensing I didn't want to talk about it anymore. "My mom loved the outdoors. She used to take me to this meadow where the weeping willow trees would grow during the spring, and we'd spend hours watching all the birds together."

I listened as he went on to talk about his mother, smiling at the stories of how he spent his weekends with her. Eventually, we neared the cabin, and as we moved towards the dock, we settled onto the edge by the water. Toby wrapped his arms around me as I leaned into him and rested my head against his chest, feeling a surge of pleasure. He drew me closer, brushing his fingers over my stomach. Our feet dangled over the edge of the dock; the feeling of him holding me so close and the smell of his scent instantly brought me at ease.

We lay there for a while, just simply holding each other. We were completely alone. The full moon shone brightly above us among the cloak of darkness.

Toby pulled me into his lap, his lips at my ear. "You're so pretty," he whispered softly.

Then he did the most incredible thing. He reached out and gently squeezed my belly, rubbing the bump. I smiled up at him, my heart feeling full. Abruptly, a shooting star raced overhead, and we both looked up into the sky to watch as it passed.

I turned to Toby. "What did you wish for?"

"It already came true," he whispered back. His eyes were intense as they locked onto mine.

I couldn't move, transfixed. For once, I was at a loss for words.

Toby raised my hand to his chest as he held me in his lap, where his heart beat fast and strong. I stared back at him, wondering how on earth I had gotten so lucky to fall in love with a person like him. Toby tightened his arm from around my back and I sunk into him, kissing me beneath the full moon.

After a few long moments, we headed back toward the lake house. We made our way over to the soft apple-green grass, then followed the pathway of brush to the front of the house.

Toby pulled open the wooden door and nodded towards the stairs inside. "C'mon, I have something to show you."

I stared at him. "What is it?"

He smiled with a knowing glint in his eye. "Come in and I'll show you."

In one swift motion, Toby swept me up into his arms and carried me upstairs. He walked down the hallway paved in pink rose pedals that led to the master bedroom. Toby set me down, and I gasped.

The room smelled like vanilla and roses, and the King-size bed was sprinkled with romantic red rose pedals. Right above it, a lavender-colored canopy flowed over the pillows in a wave of sparkles, and sheer white soft curtains billowed by the sliding glass door on the west wing.

Several candles were lit everywhere in the dim room. The floor was covered with a thick, crisp white soft carpet, and the walls were painted in a rich, dark red. The soft light reflected by the Candlelabra candle-style lamps looked inviting against the seductive black satin comforter of the bed. On the southern side of the room was a fireplace wall, where real logs crackled inside. The bedroom oozed with seduction and privacy.

Then I looked to the dozen of enormous luscious, fiery-red fluffy pillows that were assorted on the master bed and saw a familiar raised, mahogany-wooden Scrabble deluxe game board sitting in the center. It was the same Scrabble board that I'd gotten Toby for our anniversary six months ago.

I stepped closer to the bed and looked at the front of the Scrabble cabinet, where a stamped gold plate read: For T – My safe place to land. Always your girl, S. I brushed my fingers over it, smiling at the memory. I'd personalized the Scrabble board on the day of our anniversary in November, hoping to give it to Toby to remind him of the first day we'd kissed. Of when we first fell in love. But then a glittering light caught my eye. I looked at the top of the board and froze. Several light-wooden letter tiles were put into three separate rows across the Scrabble board. The gold letters spelled out WILL YOU MARRY ME, with a beautiful, simple diamond ring used as the O.

I turned, and Toby was kneeling down on one knee in front of me, holding out the ring in between his fingers. My heart skipped several beats.

Oh my god. I stared at him, dazed and disbelieving, utterly speechless. I couldn't move, couldn't even breathe. All I could do was stand there in shock.

"Toby," I breathed.

He looked up at me, his blue eyes soft. "Spencer, for most of my life, I've felt alone and disconnected from people. But then I met you. You showed me what it truly felt like to be loved and helped me feel happy for the first time since my mother passed. I love you and I can't live without you. And if you let me, I promise I will always be your safe place to land for every single moment of forever till the end of time. Spencer Hastings, will you marry me?"

I felt my eyes well up with tears, filled with several emotions all at once. Toby was my heart and soul; he was everything to me.

I smiled as the tears ran down my cheeks. Finally, I managed to whisper, "Yes. A million times yes."

Toby grinned. My heart lifted when he took my left hand in his to slide the ring on my third finger. It sparkled in the dim light. The glittering diamond had to be at least nine-in-a-half carat, set with a flawless sterling-silver band–petite and narrow. I'd never seen anything so beautiful.

I immediately jumped into his arms and he caught me. I threw my arms around Toby's neck as he spun me around the room in small circles, feeling happier than I've ever been. I giggled in response. Before Toby could react, I crushed my mouth to his and I was kissing him, my lips hard and passionate. And when he moved his unyielding lips against mine, more powerful than ever, the universe finally felt aligned.

Once Toby set me down, I stroked the side of the engagement band. "It's so pretty."

"It was my mother's," Toby explained, "And I want you to have it."

Surprise shocked me into place. I could hear the strong emotion in his voice.

I stared into his eyes and noticed he was tearing up with joy too. I was so high with happiness that I felt like I was floating over clouds. Toby looked lovingly back at me, glowing with the same joy.

Then he brought my left hand to his lips to kiss each of my knuckles before kissing the finger with my ring. "I'm yours."

I fixed my gaze on his. He was so close to me, sending my heart pounding. I was acutely aware that I wasn't wearing a bra, and the thought made me tremble with desire. A hot current ran through me like fire, of wildness and longing. His lips parted, seeming to read my thoughts.

Slowly, I brushed my fingers over the straps of my dress, sliding it down past my thighs until it fell to the floor, leaving me in only my barely-there black lace panties. I held his gaze, hoping I was getting the message across to him.

Toby stared deeply into my eyes and cupped my face, his breathing ragged. But he spoke in the softest, most sincere voice. "I love you."

"I love you, too," I whispered.

"Do you want to…" he trailed off.

I swallowed deeply. "Yes. I just need to change into something a little more comfortable first."

Toby kissed my forehead before I moved to the other side of the room. I discreetly grabbed my lingerie slip set from my bag and went to the bathroom. I had gone to one of the lingerie stores in town before setting out with Toby for our weekend getaway, in preparation for our special night together.

I undressed, slipping into my sheer, lacy pink baby doll slip and matching thong. The slip was fastened at the top with a small pink bow that flowed down to my stomach, showing off my belly button. My breasts peeked out slightly from the front seductively, and thin sleeveless straps hung below my shoulders. Meanwhile, my thong rested dangerously low at my hips, where the tiny straps crossed to my rear.

The prospect of what Toby and I were going to do tonight sent an excited, hot erotic sensation through my lower navel. Being with him felt natural, right. And I trusted Toby. He made me feel loved and desired when I was with him. He had never once pressured me to do something I wasn't ready for. And when I was sure I was ready to have sex for the very first time, he had been nothing but gentle and loving with me. Toby was the sexiest guy I'd ever known, and he deserved the best for tonight.

I pumped a vanilla body spray perfume over my skin, imagining what Toby was going to do to me once we were in bed. My cheeks blazed at the thought. Next, I ran a brush a few times through my already loose waves, nervously trying to perfect the strands to make them fuller and sexier. Then I shaved my legs with my razor, being careful not to cut myself. When I was done, I took one last look in the mirror and let out a deep breath.

I stepped into the bedroom, sticking my leg out first to tease him. Toby stood in the bedroom, waiting for me. The darkened room felt more intimate with the candles flickering.

I watched his reaction as I slowly stepped closer to him. Toby stared up at me for a long moment, drinking in the sight of me, his lips parting in desire. My body trembled at the realization that he felt the same way I did.

"Spencer," he whispered.

"Toby," I gasped, and fumbled for the buttons on his shirt, hastily pulling it off.

My breath caught in my throat when I took off his pants next. Toby stood in a pair of black, tight boxer briefs, tempting me with the way they rested just below his waist. He was so sexy.

Unable to control myself, I jumped into his arms and swiftly threw my legs around his waist, pressing them tightly against him. Toby moaned as his lips instantly descended on mine, our tongues dancing. I gasped and threw myself into the kiss, sucking on his bottom lip. I wanted to be with him now and forever.

Then Toby eased me down onto the soft comforter and crawled in between my bare legs. Flames of heat licked just below my navel. I ran my hands over the muscles in his back, groaning feverishly.

He slid onto my hips, straddling me. We were so close that there was barely any space between us, with his abdomen and chest pressed hard against me. I could feel all of him as he leaned his body closer on top of mine, pinning me to his frame. He captured my mouth again, tangling his fingers through my hair.

Toby rolled his tongue over mine seductively and deepened the kiss. I could feel his desperate need, ravaging with hunger. I parted my lips and sighed.

I reached underneath the fabric of his boxer briefs to slide them off. My hand moved to cup the back of his head as I continued to inch them down. Toby moaned at my touch and kicked off his underwear I could feel him grow harder against me, and I jerked my hips forward in response.

He pressed his lips firmly to mine, sipping on me. I hardened my mouth against his, soaking up the ecstasy of his lips on mine. Toby moved his hands all over my body, touching me in places that were forbidden, binding me to him. The air, thick with our desire, crackled between us, engulfing my skin with blazing heat.

I pressed myself harder to him, the intoxicating taste of his lips making it hard to think straight. Toby's lips turned more urgent, traveling down to my neck. He took his time, licking along the side of my neck slowly, savoring the taste of my skin beneath his tongue. I moaned with pleasure when he folded his lips over my neck, nibbling gently.

Toby ran his hand along the thin, pink lace of my thong, playing with the fabric. I felt his lips all over my hips and then lowered to my legs, sucking on my thighs and making me quiver. My underwear grew moist with need; he was making my panties wet.

I gasped when Toby pressed his lips against my inner thigh, sucking fiercely. I spread out my legs for him in anticipation, feeling the tension building. I wanted to make love to him so badly it hurt. I was suddenly filled with an intense and fierce need to have him join this part of me, to make me whole again.

My breathing quickened as he took hold of my panties with his teeth and dragged them down. His fingers traced the thin fabric of my lingerie slip, kissing up my body until he reached my chest. Growling, Toby buried his head in between my breasts, sucking ferociously. I gasped as he yanked the slip off over my head, tossing it across the room. Then he cupped my breasts with both hands and continued to suck on them. I tilted my head to the side and moaned.

Toby reached back up suddenly to brush his knuckles gently across my cheek, making me forget for a moment that we were both completely naked. I closed my eyes at his soft touch, suddenly feeling dizzy.

We slipped underneath the thick covers and pressed our bodies as close to each other as possible. I lavished at the softness of the sheets folding around us as Toby settled on top of me, reveling in the heat of his body. It made me turn to jelly.

Caught up in our passion, I rolled over on top of him and clawed my hands into his hard, muscular chest, straddling him with my hips. Desire flickered in his deep blue eyes. I ran my tongue over my lips slowly, luring him. In that instant, he reached up and wrapped his arms around me, flipping us over again.

I wrapped my legs around Toby's waist as he took me, and then he was inside me, spreading me. I panted and moaned profusely as I felt the full length of him in me. He felt so good.

Toby inched himself in further, exploring every ounce inside me, touching every surface, every spot. I dug my fingers into his shoulders and yelped.

The silky black sheets covering us felt smooth and sexy against my skin, which rested dangerously low at Toby's waist. He heaved on top of me slowly, rubbing up against my body. This was different from the other times we've had sex; the way he was moving into me felt different. It was sensual and deep, but erotic and rough, enflaming every inch of my skin.

Toby snaked an arm around my waist as he continued to move against me, loving me in the most beautiful way–holding me close to his body as his hand stroked along my back, tracing the length of my spine. I shivered from his addictive touch, my heart pounding.

I clutched a fistful of sheets in my hand as he moved into me deep and firmly. Gasping, I moved my thigh from underneath the covers to press it hard against his hip, feeling him pleasuring me. Our breathing grew heavy, our hunger for each other carnal.

I dug my nails hard into his back and screamed in pleasure. We rubbed our bodies against each other joyfully, moaning and groaning with every thrust. It was so pleasuring and sinful and naughty interwoven into one.

We rolled around in bed, our bodies hot and naked and sweating. The sheets clung to our skin, the silky softness ravishing us with our every movements. I felt Toby thread his fingers through mine against the pillows, eventually trailing his lips along the length of my arm.

Toby brushed his lips over my chin next as he thrusted against me, and I let out another gasp. Desire pooled far below my navel, swimming in a darker place that I could have ever imagined. Grunting, Toby bent my knees back and grinded into me, moving swiftly and firmly, but careful as not to hurt me.

I leaned my head back against the soft pillows and let out a long, deep guttural moan. It only spurred him on, and he pressed his hips against mine. Toby rubbed us into the mattress slowly and sensually, making me ache. The deeper I dug my nails into him, the harder he moved against me.

"Harder!" I begged, and Toby obliged.

I pleaded for him to go rougher, to give me everything, feeling beyond pleasured by him. Obeying my pleas, Toby slid his hands sexually down to my buttcheeks and gently pushed me further into him, hardening inside me.

I moaned and bit his shoulder, and Toby yelped with pleasure. I hooked my legs around him, locking them into place as he moved on top of me rapidly, like an enthusiastic rabbit mating with his lover.

He was so excited; it was just so sexy and erotic. I slid my arms up to his muscular back, holding on tightly as I moved with him.

Toby pressed his lips along the shape of my bare breasts, moving lower until he reached my belly. My skin turned to fire as shivers raced down my spine, glistening in sweat. I moaned, but then he did something even more amazing.

Toby bent down lower and kissed my navel, sucking deeply. I spread apart my knees for him, panting hard. He was making me sweat for it. Seconds later, I felt his tongue in there, sucking and licking. My lips parted in a series of long, deep groans. After spending a few long, glorious minutes of him tasting me, I wrapped my legs around his back and squeezed, finally giving in to him.

Still wrapped in the sheets, Toby kneeled on the bed and sat back on his heels, pulling me into him in the lotus position–our favorite. The sudden movement caught me off guard, making me gasp against his lips. Toby used the momentum to capture my lower lip gently in between his teeth, sucking slowly.

I twisted my arms around his neck and straddled his knees, melting into him. Then Toby pressed his hands firmly against my shoulder blades as he pushed into me fiercely. I could hear the bed springs from the mattress squeaking as we made love.

I pressed my forehead to his, both of us gasping and panting hard. My body shook with pleasure as I took in Toby's hard, muscular body dripping with sweat and twitching furiously with restraint. I bit my lip with satisfaction. My breaths became heavier with each gasp. As I screamed his name, I could feel him getting excited.

I didn't try to fight off the hot orgasm that rippled through me. Instead, I threw myself into it. I lifted up my hips and placed my hands on top of his shoulders, thrusting myself into Toby in swift, languid movements. I jerked into him, rubbing my sweaty body against his as he moved in deeply. Toby groaned, digging his fingers into my back.

He penetrated me until he was rocking into me rhythmically. My heels dug into the mattress with each movement, moaning heavily. Toby went slow and deep–giving me all kinds of pleasure. His arms held me up as I used the strength in my legs to thrust myself up and down against him; I could feel his muscles tense with every thrust.

I buried my face into his neck and closed my eyes, losing myself to Toby. Every time he pushed into me, I pushed back into him simultaneously.

I was floating in my own world of pleasure. Toby had never loved me like this before, and I was absolutely certain that I didn't want him to ever stop. It was intense and raw and beautiful all at once.

I licked the underside of Spencer's jaw and held her body close to mine as I continued to move against her gently underneath the sexy thick, fluffy black down-comforter in the master bedroom, our limbs entwined. Spencer let out a gasp of pleasure against my cheek and then smashed her lips back onto mine. The sensation of her bare skin against mine was enough to drive me insane.

We'd been rolling around underneath the covers for hours, making love. I wished I could make this night last forever. Being naked with Spencer felt like heaven, and the rest of the world faded away and it was just me and her. It was what we did when they were completely devoted to one another, and loved each other deeply and wanted to convey those feelings in the most beautiful way. We were connecting in the most intimate way possible. It was emotional, physical, spiritual. Special.

I paused over Spencer beneath me and caught her gaze locked onto mine, only inches away from her face. Her deep, chocolate brown eyes mesmerized me. I stared at her in awe, still in disbelief that this beautiful, perfect being had agreed to marry me. I only had to inhale her delicious and sweet scent just once and I was lost in her. Instinctively, I grazed my thumb across her lower lip and pressed my mouth to hers. Spencer dug her fingers into my shoulders, whimpering with longing against my lips.

I slowly traced my lips down her neck and shoulders. We were moaning and panting hard now, grinding against each other's bodies in perfect sync. I rubbed my feet up and down her legs as we continued to make love, groaning slightly.

Spencer roamed her hands all over my back and shoulders greedily, exploring. I was so close to her that our bodies were molded together, and I couldn't remember where she began and I ended. I heaved on top of Spencer, pushing my body into her.

"Oh, Toby," she sighed.

"Oh, Spencer," I moaned, and pressed my body closer to hers.

I began to give her deeper, more steady thrusts. I could feel what I was doing to her and it felt incredible. Spencer entwined her legs around me in response. We rolled over again and now she was on top of me, breathing hard. She touched my body, and I kissed every inch of her skin from head to toe. Afterwards, I pulled her close into my arms. She nestled deep within my chest while I stroked her hair and whispered how special she was to me and how much I loved her, both of us content to stay in our little bubble.

I caught the glint coming off of the beautiful diamond ring that now rested on Spencer's finger and my heart swelled to twice its size, feeling as though my chest was about to burst. I couldn't understand how I deserved such happiness. I was engaged to the most amazing, beautiful, perfect goddess. Spencer and I would soon be getting married. Two lives joining together, two hearts beating as one.

I reached out to take her hand, tracing my thumb across her engagement band. I never wanted to let her go. I kissed the finger with the ring, then lifted her hand, kissing the sensitive underside of her palm. I didn't think it was possible to love Spencer more than I already did, but I loved her so much more every day.

Spencer lifted up her face to mine. "Toby, are you happy?"

"You make me happier than I could ever express." I kissed her forehead. "Why do you ask?"

She sighed. "I was just wondering."

I rubbed her back. "Are you happy?"

She buried her face into my chest and sighed in content. "I am happy. I'm really happy. I just keep waiting for something to ruin it. Every time we're alone, something always gets in the way."

"Shhh, I love you. It's never going to happen." I pressed a long, lingering kiss against her hair.

Spencer looked up at me, her eyes shining with happiness. "I love you, too. So much." She grabbed my hand to kiss my knuckles and then nuzzled her head underneath my chin.

I leaned in closer and touched her lips, lovingly kissing the tip of her nose, her cheeks, her forehead, then finally her eyelids.

Spencer entangled her feet with mine and nestled herself even deeper into my chest. I wrapped my arms around her, holding her as close to me as possible. For a long time we just lay there, listening to the steady thrum of our heartbeats. I began to run my fingers through her hair absentmindedly, feeling my body buzzing with warmth.

Spencer pressed her nose into my neck and breathed in deeply. "Mmm, you smell so good. I love your smell."

I kissed her ear. "There's nowhere else I'd rather be than here with you."

She took my hand again suddenly, pressing my palm to her face. "There's nowhere else I would rather be than in your arms while you play with my hair and whisper in my ear how much you love me. It's my favorite place. You have no idea how happy it makes me."

"You changed my world, Spencer," I professed. "Ever since the moment when you first became my girl."

Spencer gazed at me as her eyes danced into mine, watering with tears. "And you changed mine. I'll always be your girl." She moved my hand on top of her naked belly, holding it gently there. "Look at this. Our baby was made from our love. You gave me something so precious, and I don't know what I would do without you. You're my hero."

I shivered, rubbing her bump affectionately. A few more stray tears trickled down Spencer's cheeks.

"Shhh…don't cry," I whispered. I pressed my forehead against hers and caressed the side of her face, touching my nose to hers.

Spencer placed her hand on top of mine over her cheek. "No, they're good tears. I just love you so much."

"I love you more than anything. Your happiness means the world to me. And if you do cry, just know that I'll kiss away all your tears." I pressed my lips to hers tenderly, wiping away the tears from her cheeks with my thumbs as I kissed her.

Spencer reciprocated the kiss, sliding her hands up my neck to my face. My heart pounded in my ears. We kissed deeply for several minutes, prolonging the moment for as long as possible.

Then I rested back against the pillows and drew Spencer on top of me. She squealed in delight as I threw the covers over us and kissed her beneath the blankets, our lips colliding amidst a series of giggles. More laughter rumbled from my chest, soaking her up like sunlight. Spencer's happiness was contagious, and I wanted to eat her up.

I was madly in love with Spencer and I knew within the deep depths of my heart that I would never love anyone else for the rest of my life.

8. The Getaway

Jess

I arrived in Rosewood in the late afternoon. It was warm, but not blistering. I hung back when the passengers got off, waiting for all of them to leave. As I stepped off the train at the platform, I looked around me and took it all in. The massive Victorian homes, pristine green lawns on the quiet streets, an enormous, triangular-shaped chapel, the coffee shops and boutique stores that lined the streets. I was definitely in Rosewood.

Everything about Rosewood was beautiful. Even its smells were pretty, like honeysuckle and lilacs. It felt right, like the small town had been waiting for me, but with a twist of disturbance in the air.

I slung my duffel bag over my shoulder, packed with the few things I planned to take with me. I wasn't bringing much, just enough clothes to last me a week at the very least between washing and the basic hygiene. There was no sense in developing a fondness to personal belongings. If I was going to survive, I had to detach myself from my old life. I had no intention to settle here. I'd be long gone before anyone could figure out who I was. Rosewood was just a stop on the way before my next destination, though I sometimes found my thoughts drifting back to my house and bedroom, and all the things and people I'd left behind.

There was a cabin nestled deep within the woods just outside of Rosewood's town limits, far from any trail or path in the middle of nowhere. It was a small place, but it was out of the way. The cabin was built with two floors and wooden-plank walls, concealed by oak and pine trees that stretched to the mountain summit. The bathroom was small and the bedroom upstairs didn't have a closet, but it was furnished and the living room and kitchen was spacious enough to feel like home. The place was dusty and covered with sheets from years of neglect. The cabin belonged to my aunt and she'd stopped using it years ago, so there was a good chance of no one finding me there. It was isolated from any civilization, which was why I liked it.

I breathed in the honeysuckle air and noticed a coffee shop across the street. A big neon red sign hung above the window, proclaiming it as The Brew. I hadn't noticed it before the last time I was here and assumed it must have been built over the last couple of years.

The sudden twist of my empty stomach reminded me of my hunger. I glanced at the sky overhead, which was just starting to darken. Maybe if I hurried, I could grab a cup of coffee before heading out to the cabin.

I pushed through The Brew's glass-paneled front door and stood in line to order a cup of coffee to go. As I waited, I looked around the shop. Long, oak-wooden tables by the rear window were filled by kids from Rosewood High, while others lounged along on the couches and comfy chairs that were half-concealed by long, velvet curtains. The floral, fabric counter stools were all vacant, the marble-topped table cluttered with half-eaten plates of bagels and cupcakes. On the other side of the room were countless selves of books to buy ranging from literature to fictional drama, and an espresso machine behind the counter brewed two ceramic cups of steaming coffee. The place was nice, I had to admit, and it wasn't like the other coffee shops here in Rosewood that felt cramped and smelled faintly of old cheese. Whoever had remodeled The Brew must have had unique taste.

When it was finally my turn at the cash register, I came face-to-face with a guy who had dark, curly hair, deep brown eyes, and was tall and lean, but not lanky. I searched for a name tag, but he wasn't wearing one. Taking by his navy-blue button down shirt and dark jeans, I could only guess he had to be the store owner. Up close, the guy smelled slightly of Lacoste cologne and dusty old books. He looked like he could be in college, exactly the type of guy Ali would go for.

His pink, full lips spread up into a genuine smile. It was the kind of smile that made girls melt. "What can I get for you?"

"An Americano." I set my bag down on the counter to pull out a few dollar bills from my wallet.

"Just the coffee for you then?"

I glanced up at the guy from underneath my lashes. "Yeah."

"That'll be two-fifty," he said.

I handed over the money as the guy set a white paper cup in front of me. But then he looked straight into my eyes, unnerving me. As crazy as it sounded, it felt like he was staring at me as though he recognized me. But I'd never seen him before in my life.

"Hey, have we met before?" The guy continued to stare at me, looking perplexed.

"No." I kept my eyes down, trying to appear casual.

Whoever this guy was, I couldn't risk him finding out who I was, even if he thought we'd known each other at one time. I was thankful for the hood of my sweater that hid my face.

The guy frowned. "Sorry, you just…seem really familiar."

My heart hammered in my chest. Ali.

I lifted my cup of coffee. "Well, thanks."

"Don't mention it." He waved farewell as I pushed out the door, fighting against the impulse to sprint down the street.

Outside, the wind played with the strands of my hair and the town was illuminated only by the street lamps glowing on the sidewalk corners. I would have to walk the rest of the way there to the cabin. I couldn't be seen.

I was on the rough, woodsy countryside within twenty minutes, making sure to stay close to the wooden roadside fence with my duffel bag in tow. Cars swished by on the bumpy road and I kept my face down, hoping none of the drivers could see me.

I found the unpaved road easily, just a flat terrain of dirt and grass. The sloping path turned sharply north, then twisted abruptly southward that stretched out for another two miles into the deep tundra of the forest. It went north and then south, the way I'd always seen the lines in my memories. Just like a mountain peak.

The lines that would lead to Ali. She would find me.

Alison would have figured it out with or without my help. She was smarter than me, and she had pictures of the cabin.

It was a five-hour walk from here on foot, something I was used to after having spent a year on the run from Jonny. I felt the desire bubbling beneath the surface: freedom. To be able to go where I wanted without having to fear someone following me. The prison of that life was unbearable, to be left scared and vulnerable with no real choices. To be trapped.

I walked over a grassy hump and felt myself relax as the rambling farmhouses disappeared behind me, and I was soon surrounded by the sparse shrubbery of overgrown trees. The distance to the cabin seemed to loom miles away, but I kept my feet moving. The faster, the better.

My steps began to falter as I moved further through the forest. The muscles in my body ached, screaming for mercy, but I was tougher than that. I moved my arms and legs forward, no matter how useless they felt. I kept fighting towards an impossible goal. But if it seemed impossible, that was exactly the kind of fight you had to take on.

I lengthened my stride and focused on the trail ahead of me. I was careful to step only on the small, flat rocks nestled in the prickly pine needles covering the forest floor so as not to leave any tracks behind. I had to stay off the dirt path, make sure that I wasn't being followed. Still, I continued to watch for him.

The miles passed quickly as the sky fell into nightfall. I could just make out the dark silhouettes of trees and the shrubs, making my way over the moss-covered fallen trees and rock boulders that bordered west.

I shivered in my jacket, straining my eyes to catch a glimmer of light from the moon glowing behind the thick, bristly trees. The only sounds in the deafening woods were coming from the owls hooting from the treetops. The loneliness soothed me.

I let my mind drift to the cabin as I climbed over the dark rocks, dreaming of that place. I counted nineteen steps before reaching the end. I pushed my legs forward without a second thought.

The path lay ahead of me now, of my careful trek across the wooded preserve outside of Rosewood. The cold forest felt safer to me in some ways, mostly because the branches were thick and concealing from the rest of the world.

The dirt road continued to wind upward, until it was interrupted by another pathway leading downhill into a valley of green grass and massive willow tress. I gazed upon the sight in pure astonishment. The small, cottage cabin hadn't changed since the last time I'd seen it. It stood a few feet away, on the other side of a streaming river flowing through the trees. In the ground, a cedar-wooden picket fence bordered the yard, between the short curved gate door and the rock-stone pathway to the cabin. And then, beyond the stone steps, was the familiar arched, wooden-plank cottage door.

I imagined Jonny right now, of his reaction when he couldn't find me in town, and shuddered. I considered turning around immediately. How long would it take for him to figure out where I really was? And what would he do once he knew I had wandered all the way to an isolated cabin deep in the woods as a ploy to escape him? Jonny would find me, I was sure of it. He always did. He would know where I was. But I refused to let him know that I was weak. For the time being, all I could do was look over my shoulder and watch for him.

It was like Cinderella, but without the handsome and charming prince to sweep me off my feet. I rolled my eyes at the ridiculous thought. I didn't need a hero. I didn't then, and I didn't now.

I shut the door firmly behind me, bolting the locks securely. Hopefully no one would notice that I was here. I grimaced. This was not the first time I'd run from Jonny.

The first time was about a few months ago after I'd discovered who he really was, when he'd left me and fled after the police came to arrest me for helping him steal a famous Van Gough painting at an art museum in Colorado. I hadn't realized then that it had all been a set up. Later that night, I broke into his house and found several pictures he'd taken of Ali and me, and a crime map of all the horrible things that had happened in Rosewood. Jonny knew everything. He wanted revenge for all the terrible things Ali did. And he'd been spying on Alison since he joined the N.A.T. Club that was created to watch teenage girls and record them on video. When Ali found Jonny's tapes, she threatened to go to the police with them if he told anyone about what he knew about her binding Jenna Marshall, a girl in her neighborhood who had lost her sight during a fire that Alison had accidently started. She also learned that he was wanted back in Italy for numerous petty theft, possession of stolen paintings, and sexual assault. Jonny agreed to leave silently. But shortly after she'd blackmailed him, the police scoured the entire city for Jonny in in Italy when an anonymous source turned over evidence of all the felonies he'd committed. Jonny blamed Ali for the cops discovering his true identity and made a plan to get revenge against her, which unfortunately involved getting close to me in order to reach his goal. Without thinking, I quickly grabbed the photos, his journals that documented my whereabouts, and the crime map proving that Jonny had been planning to hurt me as a twisted plan to extract revenge against Alison. An hour later, he'd found me and nearly stabbed me to death, disappearing into the night with the only evidence I had that guaranteed my safety and Ali's.

The next time I'd gotten as far as New York before Jonny found me again, possibly to permanently shut me up about what I knew about his illicit N.A.T. Club activities. I'd taken money that Ali had left for me at our secret drop off location and bought a ticket for the bus, but he'd found me within an hour of arriving in the city. He'd chased me into a back alley where no one would see me and beat me. Then he pulled out a knife at my throat. Luckily, I knew how to fight, so I kneed him in the groin and took off.

After that, it became much harder to hide from him. Jonny started tracking me obsessively and went to extraordinary lengths to find me. He was dangerous and persistent, and his instincts were usually right. Every time I ran, I made up a fake name to conceal my identity so he wouldn't be able to track me down, relying only on the money Ali gave me whenever I had to move to a new place. We always met in secret, at night where no one would think to look for us. But one day, she left me a message in our secret code, telling me I had to pick up the money at a UPS store. When I opened the package, I found a note attached to the wad of bills inside that read, Stay safe. An ache welled up deep inside of me. I never missed Ali more than I had in that moment.

I ran to the bus station that same night and stepped onto the first bus heading to Arizona. When I got on, I hid in the backseat. It took several hours before the bus finally arrived in the Tuscan city. The baking heat irritated my skin and my clothes stuck to my body from the sweat, but it was far away from Jonny. I found a room to rent on the far side of town, and although it was more expensive, it provided privacy and my own shower and bathroom. I stayed there for two weeks, a longer period of time than I'd ever spent in one place, and eventually moved on to Minnesota. I picked up a job as a waitress at a small diner, accumulating tip money to help pay for the run-down motel I rented by the week. I was able to save a few hundred dollars, but not enough to start over. Again, I packed up my stuff and left without bothering to quit my job. I could never stay in one place for very long. I frantically searched the bus schedule at the station and boarded the one that would take me as far as Charleston, Maine.

I was there by the evening. The constant moving around and job changing was never ending, but it was worth it as long as I could stay somewhere safe, if only for a little while.

There were times when Jason and I used to dream of running away together–of all the places we'd go. Italy was always our favorite. Jason said we'd assume different identities and sip wine at the Tuscany sunset. When I hesitated, saying we could never do that without our families noticing, Jason said we'd come up with a decoy plan. He thought it was romantic and exciting. Wherever we chose to go, Jason promised me we'd spend every waking moment together, and I had secretly hoped that meant he loved me as much as I loved him. But instead of telling him that, I just said he had no reason to run away, his life was perfect in Rosewood. And Jason would grimace, saying I was wrong. Then he told me everything about his family, how they always ignored him and gave all the attention to Ali instead, of all the lies and the secrets that tore their family apart. How Jason's father mistreated him because Jason wasn't really his son. I felt his pain and opened up to him about my absent mother and the father who never treated me like his own, only as his property. That was the first time I realized that Jason and I weren't that different.

In the upstairs bedroom of the second floor, I unpacked my duffel bag and pulled out the supplies I'd used earlier to slip Ali the decoded note on top of her car tire, alerting her to my whereabouts. Thick parchment paper, my black Chinagraph pencil, and an initial letter A wax seal stamp. I'd written the message with grammatical errors so that only she would know what I meant and then sealed it with candle wax from the stamp.

Next, I started unpacking my clothes from the duffel bag and put them away into the mahogany wooden dresser. The room was spacious and cozy, but it was freezing from having turned off the thermostat for the hot summer months and there was no electricity, so there was no light anywhere in the house. And you'd have to go down the creaky stairs at night to use the bathroom at the end of the hall. The bed was shoved into the corner by the small four-paneled window, where it opened up into the encroaching forest. I had enough money to last me four days, plus the little food I'd brought from home, but that could only last for so long.

I touched the ruffle-lined white comforter with the matching oversize pillows on top. It was still neatly made, almost as if no one had slept in it. My grandmother's floral-printed quilt lay folded in half at the end of the bed. In the corner, the rickety old rocking chair from my baby days sat on the hardwood floor, accompanied by a yellow cotton blanket. The wood-paneled ceiling was peaked, with stark-white walls and a heating furnace built into the wall that was always breaking, especially in the winter months.

I sat on the edge of the bed, trembling, afraid of what was going to happen, my mind whirling. I tried to tell myself that Ali would find me soon and everything would be okay.

Outside, the sky had fallen into a dark blue, but the moonlight shone in through the window. I heard voices murmuring quietly below and looked out. Walking through the wide and twisting path of trees and thorny briar bushes at the bend was Aria, Hanna, Ali, and…Jason.

My heart thumped. I could just barely make out the dark outline of his silhouette. He'd grown taller since that last time I'd seen him, and his shoulders and arms were hard and muscular underneath his olive-green jean jacket. A soft wind rustled through the trees then, blowing a few stray golden hairs off his forehead. He pushed further into the woods, beaming a flashlight across the grassy area, checking over his shoulder to make sure Alison and her friends were still following behind. All of the girls teetered haphazardly in their knee-high and ankle boots, dodging braches along the way. Ali looked like she was shaking and her teeth were chattering, the way she always did whenever she was afraid. Hanna's cropped, pale blonde hair shone in the moonlight's bathing glow and she was holding her phone in her hand, as if she might need to call for help in case something went wrong.

About a hundred feet away was Alison's great aunt's house, before she had passed away two years ago. Jason's flashlight moved along the left of the cabin and I quickly ducked away from the window, praying no one had seen me. As soon as they disappeared into the trees, I yanked the curtains shut, my heart hammering. I couldn't keep living this way, I thought to myself. I wasn't strong enough. By morning, Ali would find my note, but then what? How would I explain everything to her?

I grabbed my bathroom bag and walked down the stairs slowly, not fully registering anything. I left the lights off and slipped through the door. I stood in the shower, too tired to move, my body aching all over. The hot water of the shower unknotted the tense muscles in my back and legs, warming my cold skin. I lifted my face into the steaming spray, letting the familiar scent of my shampoo calm my anxiety about tonight. I tried not to think of Ali coming home late at night, waiting to see how she'd react to my sudden reappearance. The thought of Alison wanting nothing to do with me as everyone else in my life had rejected me was unbearable.

I stumbled out thirty minutes later, wrapping myself securely in a towel. After running a brush through my tangled hair and brushing my teeth, I dressed for bed and then climbed underneath the quilt, curling into a ball on my side to keep warm.

I drifted off to sleep within minutes and the pain in my back slowly subsided. The room was still freezing even though I'd locked all the windows, but it was warm underneath the heavy blankets.

Despite all my fears I found myself smiling. I really did it. I'd escaped Jonny and he was hundreds of miles away. And even if he found out where I was, there was no way he'd figure out that I'd come here.

My mind continued to swirl dizzily with images of Jason, ones I fought to repress. I couldn't understand any of it. But as I eventually fell into unconsciousness, a strange image floated through my mind. I could see the two of us standing on the beach that day in Baltimore, whispering in quiet voices that only we could understand. I could see the sun shining in Jason's hair, making it look extra buttery and gold, and my face was tilted up to his. Jason smiled down at me, and then suddenly I felt the same way I did that day, like an invisible cord was pushing us together.

Something was happening. As I eventually fell into unconsciousness, a voice deep inside of me spoke. It came to me as a whisper and sounded strangely familiar, awaking me to all my senses. And a small part of me knew I'd heard it somewhere before.

You are connected by an invisible silver cord, one that can never be broken. Your lives are forever entwined, linked by fate.

Jess

The next morning, I woke up feeling groggy and unsettled. All night, I'd been tossing and turning in bed, paranoid that someone was watching me. Every time I closed my eyes and tried to fall asleep, all I could see was Jonny from the night he'd found me in Colorado to kill me, lashing out at me with that sharp-edged knife, his eyes flashing in fury. His brown eyes looked so dark and dangerous staring into them. Then he gutted me with the knife, spilling my blood onto the forest floor. I woke up screaming, my skin covered in sweat. If I continued to replay this memory over and over in my head, I was going to have my frontal lobe removed.

I sat up in bed, rubbing my eyes. I shot out of bed when the smell of organic coffee filled my nose. Fear rose along the hairs at the back of my neck.

A second later, I heard a banging noise coming from the kitchen downstairs. I took a deep breath and slowly approached the stairway, prepared to fight whoever had broken in. I stopped midway on the stairs to look out the small front window, hoping maybe I could find the perpetrator's car hidden outside somewhere, but the wide pathway of gravel was empty.

My pulse raced as I walked closer to the kitchen, wishing there was an alarm system installed inside this house. The banging sound continued, growing louder with each step I took.

I grabbed a steel wrench nestled in the toolbox by the bathroom hallway–left after one of the last repairs my uncle had made to the toilet–and gripped it in my hand, pointing the blunt end. I continued down the hall when I heard the banging sound again, followed by a loud crash, like metal clanging against the floor.

My heart hammered fleetingly hard and fast. I stepped through the kitchen doorway, my mouth gaping open in shock and relief when I saw who it was. I felt the wrench slip out of my hands, clattering to the floor.

Kneeling by the lower kitchen cabinet was a girl with wavy blonde hair that fell to the top of her shoulders, porcelain skin, and a heart-shaped face. Alison was rummaging underneath the cabinet sink for something, some paper towels possibly. I noticed the bottle of window cleaner lying on the floor next to her, and everything suddenly made more sense.

I stared at her as if I was seeing her for the very first time. Ali looked up when she heard me come in, her deep blue eyes locking on mine. She didn't move at first, but continued to hold my gaze, a slight smile whispering on her lips. My whole body trembled as I was filled with the strongest urge to run to her.

Ali was even more beautiful than I remembered. Her eyes were as blue as sapphires, as if you were swimming in the ocean. Her cheeks were naturally flushed with a faint rose. She was a few inches shorter than I was, with hair that shimmered like moonlight. She wore white skinny jeans, strappy blue wedge sandals, a dusty lavender cami tank top, and a light-blue zippered side leather jacket. With her cupid's bow lips and golden hair, Ali looked like an angel.

"Ali?" I cried.

Ali's lower lip trembled. "Jess."

Almost immediately, she pushed herself up off the floor and ran towards me. I threw my arms around her into a hug, holding on as tight as I could. Tears filled my eyes, and my throat ached. A feeling of comfort and safety washed over me when I realized she was really here; I wasn't imagining it.

Ali clung onto me in turn and sobbed into my neck. "I've missed you so much."

"I missed you, too." My eyes brimmed over with more tears.

Ali's voice wobbled. "When I saw your note, I knew it was you. I knew it."

"What are you doing here?" I asked her.

Ali pulled away to look at me, her forehead crinkled with worry. "I could ask you the same thing."

I swallowed a lump that had lodged itself in my throat. "You have no idea how hard it's been these last several months."

"Are you in trouble? We can help you, all of us. Me, Aria, Emily, Hanna, and Spencer."

I looked away, blinking back the tears. "You can't. He'll find me. He always finds me."

"Then we'll go to the police," she tried. "Gabriel Holbrook–"

"You don't get it, Ali," I said. "I can't go to the police. I don't know who I can trust."

"Do you trust me?" Her eyes bore into mine, intense.

I met her eyes, and I felt that sense of connection, of kinship. If there was one thing I was sure of, it was Ali. I always knew I could trust her, even after everything we've been through.

"You know I do," I answered sincerely.

"Then tell me who you're hiding from," Ali pleaded. "Who's after you?"

"It's Jonny. It's why I need your help, Ali. You need to find him so I can go back home. You're the only one that can."

She looked at me gently. "How about I get you a change of clothes first?"

I hesitated, but then nodded. A leaden, aching feeling had settled deep within my stomach.

Ali reached for my hand and gave it a gentle, comforting squeeze. "Welcome back."

Alison and I slid in her sleek, black Porsche–an early graduation gift from her dad she'd explained–and she turned the engine. The matching black leather seats felt luxurious, and the car smelled like lavender and fabric softener, just like Ali. She drove quickly, weaving in and out easily through the lanes. Ali always drove fifteen miles over the speed limit, something that terrified me and was comforting all at once–a feeling I knew too well from spending hours in Jonny's Volkswagen van evading cops. I didn't realize just how much the Porsche fit her until that moment.

In the car, we didn't speak for a while. Ali and I had lived separately and closely all our lives. For us, the silence was comfortable. As Ali turned onto the picturesque road by the acres of farms, she talked about her friends, the boys she hung out with, and her what her life in Rosewood was like now.

I had been hoping I could finally get away from the drama of A, but as soon as Ali started spilling everything that had been happening with her and the girls, I knew that would never be possible. This spring, Alison and her friends had each received elusive messages from someone none other than A, threatening to hurt the people they loved if they didn't listen to his rules. It took a much darker turn when A kidnapped Mona Vanderwaal, a girl from their grade, prying them deeper and deeper into danger. In ninth grade, Mona had been labeled as a loser who desperately wanted to join Ali and her circle of friends, but once Alison disappeared, that all changed when Mona transformed herself into a queen bee and became Hanna's best friend. Then two months later, A abducted the other girls, too, and tormented them in a Doll-sized house that he'd created. They found out he was actually Charles DiLaurentis, Alison and Jason's brother. Charles had spied on Ali, Hanna, Emily, Aria, and Spencer for months, revealed their darkest secrets, and set out to destroy their lives just as he believed they had ruined his.

I listened with increasing worry as Ali continued on with the story, my head spinning dizzily. She had gone with Jason and the girls last night to her great aunt Carol's house in search of proof that her other older brother, Charles, was in fact dead. Carol Ward had passed away three years ago, but Jessica kept the house for reasons she wouldn't explain. Later that night, they found a headstone in the backyard with Charles' name on it.

Ali's blue eyes had turned glassy with tears while talking about her dead brother. I wanted to reach for her hand, to comfort her somehow. The mystery surrounding Charles was new to Alison, as her parents had been keeping it a secret from her for years since he was dangerous and unpredictable.

"…and then she just started digging up Charles' grave like it was no big deal," she went on angrily. "I just don't get Hanna sometimes. It's like she doesn't think."

I gave Ali a skeptical sideways glance, but didn't say anything. Despite the overwhelming information of Charles' death pounding against my skull, I still couldn't ignore the nagging suspicion that something wasn't right. Aside from finding his grave in Carol's backyard, there was little evidence that coincided with Alison's theory that Charles was dead. Immediately, my mind sorted through the variable possibilities. The DiLaurentis family wasn't exactly known for their honesty; secrets and lies were what tore them apart. And Alison's father, Kenneth, went to a lot of trouble to keep Charles' existence quiet. Who knew what else he was hiding? There was no rational explanation for how Emily, Aria, Hanna, and Spencer could have been tortured in that Dollhouse if Charles had truly been dead this whole time.

And there was another problem–Mona had faked her own death, and Ali disappeared from Rosewood when A started hunting her. Charles could just have easily done the same. In Rosewood, no one was ever really gone.

"What?" Ali said, meeting my eyes.

"Nothing." But Ali wasn't buying it; she knew me too well.

She raised a perfectly arched eyebrow. "You have that look."

I frowned at her. "What look?"

"The look that you have when you want to tell me something, but won't."

I sighed. "It's just given our track record of missing people, I think it's safe to assume Charles could still be alive."

"Are you saying my dad's lying?"

"I'm saying, don't jump to conclusions until you get all the facts first."

"Jess, I saw his grave," Ali replied stubbornly. "Why would my aunt put a tombstone in her backyard if he was alive?"

"Did you see a body?" I asked.

"No."

I shrugged. "No body, no death."

Ali glowered through the windshield. "You sound just like Hanna."

"Well, count yourself lucky that you found a tombstone and not a serial killer map," I muttered.

Seeming to sense my discomfort, Ali gave me a small smile. "Don't worry, I'll take care of Jonny. But first, we need to get you cleaned up."

The dark atmosphere of our conversation suddenly fell away. With my whole heart, I believed her. If Ali said she would take care of it, it would be. But then I recalled the text A had sent me just hours before I stepped over Rosewood's town lines.

I know your secret.

The memory of it made me shiver. I pulled my knees up to my chest and looked out the window, consumed by my own thoughts. I couldn't seem to escape Rosewood fast enough. And the shock of seeing Jason last night didn't help. I realized how stupid it was, and I kicked myself mentally for it. What were the chances that he'd even remember me after all these years, or that he'd want to? I was just a small orbit in his world. His sphere and mine wasn't close enough to even touch.

I stared stormily at the trees as they flew past us, angry at myself for feeling this way. I still felt tied to him in some way, drawn by his contagious presence. And I still got tongue-tied every time I pictured his perfect face. I was so wrapped up in Jason that I barely noticed we'd arrived at the beautiful Victorian house.

I gawked at the massive four-story home. It was painted an exuberant charcoal-grey, and had elaborate brackets and bargeboards under the eaves. And a tower loomed above an upstairs balcony, with several bay windows and turrets, adorned by gingerbread stone. A small green picket fence stood at the front, and hedges of bushes and a rock-lined wall encroached the sides of the yard that separated the DiLaurentis house from the Hastings. I wondered if that had been done on purpose.

I could see the sun glinting off the red paint of the roof as Ali turned into the gravel driveway. It was the second house from the corner on the sunny tree-lined road where Spencer and the other girls lived. The Cavanaugh's house across the street was built in the same impressive Victorian style, but none of the neighboring homes were as big as Ali's. I glanced at the group of houses anxiously, thinking the girls had to be inside somewhere.

Alison had to park her Porsche at the back of the house so we wouldn't be seen. "Come on," she said, hopping out.

As we came around the back, I could see that the house was much bigger at first glance. It had V-shaped sloping roofs and small, irregular placed windows made of sparkling panes of glass. The nicely aged chimney looked like it could have been made in the nineteenth century, and the front porch stood in turned white posts and spindles. I had never seen anything more gorgeous in my life.

Ali unlocked the back door and slipped inside. I followed behind, quickly glancing over my shoulder to make sure we weren't being followed. She led me upstairs to the old-fashioned bathroom on the second floor, her full hair flying behind her.

"Jason won't be home for hours," Ali said. "I can run you a bath upstairs."

Bath? But before I could ask, Ali started bustling around the mosaic-tiled room, running hot water into a claw-footed bathtub and poured in lavender-scented bath salts. Next, she set out a towel, soap, and shampoo for me.

"I'll lend you some of my clothes while you take your bath," she added. "In the meantime, just wear this." She hung her cotton pink bathrobe on a hook on the door and shut the door behind her.

I was left to stare at my own reflection in the slightly steamy mirror. A tall, thin girl with remarkable brown hair and plain brown eyes looked back. Just an ordinary teenager from Ohio. My tangled dark locks hung in a tangled mess in my face, and there was a red cut across my cheek. I was surprised to find it stung when I reached out to touch it with my fingers.

A cold achiness trembled through me and my muscles tingled with tension. Not knowing what to do with myself, I peeled off my grey sweater and jeans, tossing them aside as I climbed into the steaming water. My pink, sheer La Perla bra and panties sat in a small heap at the foot of the tub as well.

The sweet lavender scent swirled around me and I let out an involuntary sigh. I rested my head back, letting the heat soak my skin and the lovely, flowery smell fill my nose. For a while, I didn't think about Jonny or the new threat that was residing in Rosewood.

I scrubbed the shampoo furiously into my hair, trying to erase the events of the last few months. When I was done, I wrapped myself in the soft pink robe and padded downstairs, feeling more relaxed than I could remember.

The robe was shorter than I'd thought and it fell at my thighs, showing off my long legs. I assured myself that no one was home, and Jason wouldn't be back for hours.

But as I reached the bottom of the stairs, I heard movement coming from the kitchen. Frowning, I moved towards the foyer. I froze in my tracks, nearly gaping with shock.

Standing at the kitchen island table was Jason DiLaurentis, looking at a file of documents. He had the same look on his face that he always did when he was taking something seriously, with his eyebrows furrowed and his mouth stretched into a tense line. Immediately, I recognized his buttery blonde hair, high cheekbones, and his bow-shaped mouth.

Jason looked up and froze when he heard me come in, staring directly at me like he was stuck in a trance. My heart instantly hammered in my chest, my cheeks flushing with color. His full, sensitive lips parted as if he was going to say something, but he didn't speak. Jason kept fidgeting and I bit my bottom lip nervously, unsure of what to say.

Those eyes. That face.

He looked even more gorgeous than I remembered, in dark jeans and a denim button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his hard and toned arms. Jason was identical to Ali, with tousled golden blonde hair and stunning blue eyes, highlighted by adorable dimples. He had grown a few inches since the last time I saw him and I could see the muscles in his back flexing with tension against the press of his shirt. There was stubble on his face, making him look even sexier.

His navy-blue eyes lingered on me for a long time–it was as if he could see straight into my soul–and when I met his gaze, Jason's lips parted. In that instant, I felt something click for the very first time, like two puzzle pieces fitting together. It was as if we were sharing a secret joke that only the two of us could understand. I felt the guarded mask I'd been wearing fall away, unable to stop it.

Finally, one corner of Jason's mouth curled up into a smile of recognition. "Jess? Is that really you?" Jason had the kind of magnetic, irresistible smile that made girls swoon without even trying.

"Y-yes," I stammered, and my insides fluttered. It had been so long since I'd seen Jason, but he still had the ability to make my heart race and my knees go weak.

"I thought I saw you last night." He held my gaze.

My heart jumped. "What?"

"In the cabin. I was heading over to my aunt Carol's when I saw you."

Flickers of the memory from last night flashed across my mind as I recalled hiding by the window from Jason and the others. I had been sure they hadn't seen me. But I should've known better than to think I could slip past Jason, I thought grimly.

"So what are you doing here?" I blurted, grappling to change the subject. As I crossed my arms over my chest, Jason's eyes moved to my slightly exposed bare chest, down to my thighs and legs. I blushed, feeling self-conscious in the short robe I was wearing.

Jason quickly tore his eyes away, settling back onto my face. I noticed patches of red had crept up his ears and neck.

"I don't know if you've heard," he replied, answering my question. "My father is suing the judge for wrongfully accusing Ali of Mona's murder from the trial. He wants me to send over the rest of the forms to the lawyer this afternoon."

My forehead creased. "Can he do that? I mean, Mona's death was confirmed to be faked."

"Does it matter?" Jason gave me a disgruntled look.

I could see the anguish and strain in his eyes, no doubt feeling trapped by his father. The responsibility Jason felt at his role in protecting his sister was so genuine that it made me that much more attracted to him.

I softened at him. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," he said sincerely. "It wasn't your fault."

My heart constricted in sympathy for him. I couldn't imagine how Jason was dealing with Ali's release from jail–not only had his sister been wrongfully accused of killing Mona, but his mother had then vanished. I was filled with the temptation to reach out and comfort Jason, not because I felt sorry for him, but to let him know that I was there for him. But I held back, keeping myself in check.

"What about you?" Jason asked. "Last time I saw you was in Philadelphia. So what are you doing down here?"

"There were some things I had to deal with," I answered carefully, lowering my eyes.

"Care to elaborate?" he teased.

I said nothing. Jason watched as I looked out the kitchen's four-paneled glass window, noting how the early sunlight sparkled onto the floor. They slid across the walls, dancing on the marble tabletop. I saw the sun shining through Jason's hair and I lifted my face up to his, as if a magnetic force was pulling me towards him. It turned the golden strands from red to burgundy wine, some extra buttery. It was as if I was staring through a kaleidoscope.

"You don't have to tell me," Jason said softly after a few moments. "I know you didn't come to Rosewood for Ali."

A fire of anger swept though me. "What makes you think you know me?"

"Because I know you only run for two reasons: when you're scared, or when you're hiding something."

I felt the anger slowly melt away. "You shouldn't be talking to me," I whispered.

"What if I want to?" He looked down at me, and our eyes met.

"You don't know me as well as you think you do," I said, but that intrigued look didn't leave his eyes.

"Maybe that's the point."

I didn't speak again for a moment, considering his words. "What if they're still happening? The things from my past?"

"It doesn't matter," he said simply. "All that matters is that you're here."

My lips twitched into a fleeting smile. "You make it sound so simple."

"It can be. If you let it."

"I don't even know if that's possible for me anymore," I muttered, more to myself than to him.

"So…how does it feel being back?" Jason asked suddenly, seeming to sense I didn't want to talk about it anymore. The realization comforted me.

"It feels like I never left." I smiled. "I like it here. It's safe."

Jason raised an eyebrow. "Compared to what?"

"Somewhere I really don't want to go back to." I grimaced.

Jason's expression suddenly softened. "I can relate."

I couldn't seem to keep my eyes off of him. As he continued to stare at me, something sparkled in those blue eyes. Compelling, drawing me closer to him. Mesmerized, I sparkled back at him, lighting me up.

"I moved into the Edgewood Motel when the trial started," Jason added. "I think my father blamed me for Ali getting arrested." His mouth turned grim.

"That is not your fault," I said sternly. "Don't ever think that."

Jason sighed. "That's so easy for you to say."

I frowned. "What do you mean?"

"You always believed in Ali. You never once gave up on her, even when everyone thought she did it." He shook his head. "I wish I had that kind of unwavering faith."

Jason took a couple steps towards me, closing the distance between us. He was so close that I could smell his spicy, clean scent. It was intoxicating. "I wanted to thank you for what you did for Ali."

I felt my cheeks heat up. "She would've done the same for me."

His eyes fell at the cut on my cheek, and they flashed an angry steel-blue. "It meant something to me. And believe me, whoever has got you so afraid, he'll pay for it. I promise."

He leveled his eyes with mine, and I couldn't breathe. His chest rose with mine, and I could feel his breath on my face and the warmth of his body radiating against mine. His heart was beating much faster than mine.

A sweet, hot electricity, jostled through my veins. It made me feel alive in a way that I had never felt before. My body buzzed with life and my heart pounded. He seemed to know what I was thinking. Now, it felt almost as if he were a part of me. An invisible silver cord that hummed and sang seemed to be connecting us, drawing us closer still. It felt so undeniably real that I could almost reach out and touch it. It bound us heart to heart, our souls entwined.

He reached out to touch the red mark on my cheek and brushed it gently with his thumb. And then Jason did something that stole my breath. He leaned in and pressed his lips to my wounded cheek, kissing it. But it wasn't just any ordinary kiss. His lips lingered there longer than he should have, and the sensation burned through me as hot as fire.

When Jason pulled away, I could only stare at him dazed and speechless. I was too startled from the feeling of his lips against my skin to move. He bent his head down towards mine, getting closer…

Suddenly, Ali's voice rang out in the hall. "Jess? Are you in here?"

We jumped apart and the mood altered. The moment was over. Abruptly, Jason's tone lightened. "I'll see you soon then."

I nodded, unable to speak. And then he was gone, leaving me to gaze after him. What the hell just happened?

But Ali strode through the room then, carrying a set of clothes in her hands. I fought to compose myself.

Ali frowned in concern. "Are you okay?"

I nodded. "Yeah, fine."

She raised a perfectly arched eyebrow at me. "Jess, it's me. I know when you're lying."

"Really, I'm fine," I assured her. "It's just strange to be back."

"Well, this are for you," she said, handing me the pair of clothes. "You can change in my bedroom. And these are for the cabin." Alison handed me her brown leather Louis Vuitton bag filled with several articles of clothing of silk, satin, soft cotton, and lace. I saw a couple of shoes and knee-high leather boots had been thrown in there, too.

I looked down at the clothes Ali just handed me. The sheer, shell-pink blouse was classy and exquisite, as were the black skinny Seven jeans. And a dark navy-blue cashmere cardigan was nestled underneath. I felt my eyes moisten with tears.

Ali paused, turning her bright blue eyes on me. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing…I…" I trailed off, and then shook my head. "It's just…I'm not used to someone taking care of me."

Ali stared at me. "Jess, you're like my sister."

"Am I?" I felt a stab of guilt. Just minutes before, I had almost kissed her brother and now she was giving me clothes and making sure I was safe.

"Yes," she answered certainly. "In spite of everything going on right now." Then Ali smiled at me with her eyes. "When you've changed, there's someone I want you to meet."

I grabbed the blouse and jeans, and turned for the stairs. After locking Ali's bedroom door behind me, I let out a deep breath, pushing out my guilty feelings of Jason.

Toby

When I silently slipped out of bed early Friday morning, something was different.

I felt a jumble of excitement bubbling up to the surface, and it wasn't because of the bustling work environment from the police station. It was because this weekend I was going to ask Spencer to marry me. I was planning to take her away to her parents cabin for a romantic getaway, just her and me. My lips pulled up into a giddy smile at the thought.

I quickly got dressed, grabbed my leather jacket and keys, and made a beeline for the door. Realizing I'd forgotten the ring, I headed back upstairs and dug through the top shelf of my closet, hidden by a bulk of clothes. The west side of the room consisted of tightly taped boxes full of Spencer's stuff, the rest of which was still being packed away at her parents house. Spencer wanted to move out conspicuously, before telling her parents about the baby and that we'd be living here together to raise her.

I picked up the black velvet box that sat in the very back of the closet shelf and opened the lid. Inside was a two-and-a-half carat round diamond ring that was set on a simple and petite, sterling-silver eternity band. It sparkled and shimmered with every movement. It had been my mother's wedding ring before she died and now I wanted to give it to Spencer, hoping to propose to her with it.

Spencer rolled over in bed and moaned, startling me. I quickly shoved the velvet box into my jacket pocket and whirled around, worried she'd woken up and had seen the ring. But Spencer continued to lie soundlessly in my–now our–bed, her fingers clutching my vacant pillow to her chest. My heart throbbed at the sight.

I slowly sat down on the side of the bed, deliberately making sure not to make any sudden movements to wake her. I leaned down to pull the covers up to her chin and then gave her a soft, gentle kiss on her forehead, watching as the muscles around her face loosened and relaxed. Even with no trace of makeup on, long hair tangled around her face, she still looked so beautiful.

"I love you," I whispered, and walked out the door.

I quietly went down the stairs and out the front door, locking it behind me. The grey light of the thick fog clouded the road, veiling my truck window as I moved along the highway to Philadelphia.

I switched onto the busy street and drove through the fog-shrouded sea of traffic, following the line of cars. After about twenty minutes, traffic on the highway began to thin and the road cleared. Then I turned onto Walnut Street, parked the truck on the side of the street by Tiffany's jewelry store, and hopped out.

When I walked in, I paused for a moment to glance around the store. It was filled with glass, platinum chrome, and white lights that lit up the beautiful collection of diamond rings and other jewels. Tiffany & Co. was one of the best jewelry stores in town from Pennsylvania, so I couldn't imagine having the ring being shined anywhere else.

I wandered over to one of the cases, where a salesman in a fitting black Armani suit stood.

The man looked up when he saw me approach. "Are you interested in buying a ring, sir?" he asked.

"No, I was actually hoping you could polish this ring for me." I reached into my pocket and pulled out my mother's old ring.

When he took the ring out of the black velvet box, his eyes widened as he inspected the diamond. Then he handed the ring back to me and walked over to an older elegant-looking woman in a slim black business suit, who I assumed had to be the store manger, and within seconds, they walked back over to me.

The woman gave me a brilliant smile. "May I see the ring?"

"Yes." I handed her the diamond ring.

The woman examined the diamond carefully, then flickered her eyes back to mine. "This ring is in very good condition, so the cleaning should take about an hour. Would you like to wait around until then?"

"Sure," I said, smiling politely.

As the salesman went to the back of the store to have the ring cleaned and shined, the woman in the black suit led me over to a well-decorated seating area in the northwest side of the store, pushed back in the far corner by a large window. I took a seat in one of the comfortable plush chairs. A fireplace concealed by glass doors roared in front of me, speckled with gorgeous stone paneling on the sides. The woman reappeared a few minutes later with a glass of sparkling water before turning to another customer who was beckoning her about a silver necklace, leaving me to process my thoughts.

I sipped my bubbly water as the fire before me warmed my skin, thinking about what Spencer and I were going to do Friday night. First, I'd give her a beautiful lavender dress later tonight that I was going to buy for her afterwards. Then, I was going to take her out to an Italian restaurant for a romantic dinner, which was nearby her parents' lake house; and then–my favorite part–we'd go back to the cabin and I'd take Spencer upstairs to the master bedroom, where I'd propose to her with my mother's ring.

My body buzzed with happiness. I was watching the shoppers streaming in and out through Tiffany's glass doors, when I saw Hanna Marin enter the store. My head immediately snapped up.

Hanna stood out in a black sweater dress, black tights, and tall brown boots. I looked around frantically, desperately trying to find somewhere to hide. Hanna couldn't see me here, or she'd figure out what I was doing and tell Spencer. But I didn't know where I could hide–the Tiffany's register counter stood against the back wall of the store and it didn't have any aisles to sneak down, just some shelves and walls of diamonds and jewelry.

Before I had a chance to make a run for it, Hanna spotted me. Her navy-blue eyes lit up with recognition, and she smiled at me, flashing a set of pearly white teeth. My limbs locked in place. I smiled meekly as I met her eyes, and waved.

"Hey, Toby," Hanna said brightly, making her way over to me. Her short, light blonde hair shimmered beneath the white lights.

"Hi," I said back nervously. I stared at a wall of diamond charm bracelets on one of the shelves.

A long, awkward beat passed. I fidgeted with the hem of my jacket. Hanna stared at the sparkling white marble floor.

"What are you doing at Tiffany's?" she finally asked.

"I, um, I was getting Spencer a charm bracelet as a graduation gift," I stammered, glancing at the charm bracelets.

Hanna seemed skeptical. "Really?"

I sucked in a deep breath. "Yeah."

My eyes darted over to one of Tiffany's promo posters by the glass case island that held all of the engagement rings. It was of a couple kissing passionately in the rain. Next to it was a photo of a dazzling diamond engagement ring with the words, Celebrating the World's Greatest Love Stories Since 1837, written underneath it and the Tiffany & Co's logo. The man was dark-haired, the other a beautiful brunette–just like Spencer and I. The vision made my heart swell, and I had to swallow back the lump that had formed in my throat to stop myself from tearing up.

"From Tiffany's," Hanna said, breaking me out of my thoughts. She narrowed her eyes at me suspiciously.

"She doesn't know I'm getting it for her," I answered. "It's a surprise. I just wanted to do something special for her after everything that's happened." A half-truth.

Her expression softened. "I'm sorry, it just looked like you were…" She shook her head. "Never mind. I hope you find what you're looking for."

Hanna smiled at me before strolling out of the store. I smiled back as convincingly as I could, and breathed a sigh of relief once I was sure she was gone.

A few minutes later, the salesman called me over to the counter. I glanced down at my watch, frowning. Had it been an hour already? It had seemed less than that.

I walked back to the counter, where the manager informed me that they had shined and polished my ring to its best quality. She placed the box on the glass case. I opened it to find a now dazzling diamond ring, and the silver band gleamed against the crystal chandelier above the ceiling. It had been shined to perfection, every surface scrubbed and polished off with a sparkling finish.

I could feel a grin stretching across my face. It was absolutely breathtaking. I knew my mother's ring had cost a lot when my father bought it for her, but I had no idea how truly exquisite it was until just now. Not that it mattered. I would have given it to Spencer even if it was just a plastic candy ring.

I paid for the expense of the ring shining and walked out of the jewelry store, with the velvet box tucked securely in the pocket of my jacket, feeling happier and more alive than I'd ever been. I felt so good that I thought my insides would burst.

I lingered on the sidewalk, expecting someone to come out and tell me something had gone wrong with the ring, that this was all a joke. That Spencer would never marry someone like me. But nobody ever did.

I didn't know if Spencer was going to say yes. All I knew for sure was that she was the person I was meant to spend eternity with. My love for Spencer grew more intense every day and I wanted to continue to share that love with her for the rest of our lives. I didn't want to marry her because she was pregnant; I wanted to marry her because I couldn't imagine living my life without her. Every second, every moment that I was with her was precious and shouldn't be wasted. Life was too short. That became evidently more clear when she told me she was pregnant. And I recalled the courage Spencer had shown, from the very first moment she told me to all the months she'd dealt with this, showing an unrelenting strength that still amazed me even now every time I saw her.

I smiled as I got in my truck, struck with the realization that my forever was now starting with Spencer. She was exactly where I was meant to be.

When I returned home, I found Spencer still bundled up in the covers, sleeping peacefully. I glanced over at the digital alarm clock on the bedside table. The neon green glowing numbers in the dim light said it was 6:45 A.M. I'd requested time off from work today to get all the preparations ready for my weekend with Spencer. Now all I had to do was convince her to go.

I kicked off my shoes and crawled underneath the covers, snuggling up next to her, loving the way her warm body felt against mine. Spencer sighed and nuzzled into my neck.

I brushed my lips against her forehead and then started to pepper her face with kisses, brushing my lips along her eyelids, across her cheeks. I felt Spencer's pulse race, and she let out a gasp. I smiled at her reaction.

I leaned back slightly and combed my fingers through her soft hair gently.

"I was thinking," I began, and moved my lips down to the point of her chin. "We should go away for the weekend."

"I don't know," she gasped again. "Weekend getaways. That sounds a little too normal for us."

"We need to spend some time together," I murmured against her jaw. Spencer moaned.

"I got some time off for Friday through the weekend," I pushed. "We could leave right after you're finished seeing your friends." I nibbled on her bottom lip.

"Mmm, sounds tempting," she murmured.

I was getting closer. I kissed slowly down her neck, trying to persuade her. I knew what she liked.

Spencer began to moan again, louder now. I smiled in triumph. I had her.

"Okay," she breathed, surrendering. "I'll go away with you."

I grinned and eased myself on top of her, placing my hands on either side of her head. Spencer gasped. I touched the tip of my nose to hers as I trapped her against the mattress. She had no room to escape.

Then I cupped the back of her neck and slid my tongue down her throat. Spencer kissed me back in earnest, pressing herself to me. I moved my lips eagerly against hers.

Spencer lifted her legs to my hips and squeezed them tightly against me. I moaned and pressed myself closer to her in response, and she sighed.

After spending half an hour kissing, Spencer got dressed for school in a white floral blouse, rose-pink jeans, and some black ballet flats paired with a skinny black headband that pushed her luscious, full hair out of her face. It was unfair how tempting she looked.

I waited until Spencer left so I could make the rest of the preparations for our weekend getaway. With her vacation bag ready and teeth brushed, I pressed a kiss to her forehead and she rushed out the door.

Spencer

"So are you going to tell me where we're going?" I asked.

Toby was driving along the long, wide country road and he still wouldn't give up the details of our weekend getaway. Our bags were packed and sitting securely in the bed of the truck, along with the blankets and food we'd brought with us. We were outside the borders of Rosewood now, rushing past the town's limits and into the countryside. The successful company buildings and shops that were flashing past us grew smaller until I could no longer see them anymore. And the houses and their wooden-fenced yards were soon replaced by trees lining the road. I had no idea where we were going. I hated surprises, and Toby knew this.

"Have I mentioned how beautiful you look today?" Toby said, avoiding my question. He threw a beautiful smile towards me, and just like that all my irritation melted away.

"I don't want to guess," I said, pouting. "I want to know."

Toby chuckled, and reached over to take my small, delicate hand in his much bigger one. I couldn't help but gaze at his gloriously handsome face as he drove. It stole my breath and stopped my heart.

Toby continued down the quiet road until he turned onto an unpaved one, lined by several trees and shrubs. The entrance of the drive was isolated and obscured by tall trees, with no sign to tell us where we were. The forest encroached on both sides, leaving the road ahead clear and spacious as it twisted around the pine trees.

After a few miles, the woods began to thin. I smiled as Toby pulled up to the end of the dirt pathway, realizing where we were. Cedars rose up nearby the walls of the lake house, protected by its low branches. The yard out front was large and rounded, filled with blooming lilies and wildflowers. And the sun overhead had cast a golden light across the sky.

The two-story craftsman-style lake house had been in my family for generations, but it was timeless and beautiful. It had four bedrooms, three bathrooms, its own private lake and dock, a massive master bedroom with a soaking bathtub, a restored 1800s kitchen, and Amish furniture throughout. It had been painted a warm brown and was long and rectangular. There were two square windows on either side of the second story, including the oversize bay windows below it.

I slowly stepped out of the truck, amazed that Toby would do this for me. He followed me to the back of the cabin, where I could hear the whooshing of water from the lake nearby. He stood behind me as I took it all in.

The smell of honeysuckle and pine hung in the air. The ground was covered with green shrubbery and brush, and there were moss-covered stones that encircled the entire acre of the lake that stretched before me. The lake reflected the wooden columns of the back porch with its mirror-like surface. In the distance, I could see my family's old rowboat sitting in the water at the end of the fifty-foot long dock, tied up to one of the pillars by the pier.

I turned around to face Toby. "Why did you take me here?"

He stepped closer to me, encircling my waist. "It's secluded and quiet here, and I wanted to be alone with you. I've missed you."

I smiled. "I missed you, too." I wrapped my arms around his neck to pull him closer, pressing my lips to his.

Toby kissed me a couple more times on the lips before taking my hand and we walked up to the porch. He pulled open the heavy wooden door, leading me into the grand living room. Inside, a tan leather couch stood in front of the roaring fireplace against the south wall of the spacious living room, and a carpeted staircase rose up to the second floor on the north side of the cabin. The high-beamed ceilings were a cream-colored white in contrast to the dark hardwood floors and walls.

I walked across the thick carpeted floor and noticed a large silver box sitting on the leather couch.

I looked at Toby curiously. "What is that?"

He grinned. "Open it."

I lifted open the lid of the box and pulled away a few sheets of tissue paper to reveal a gorgeous lavender-colored halter slip gown folded neatly inside at the bottom. I picked it up with my fingers, noting the way the silky fabric slid enticingly over my fingers.

I gasped, feeling a slow grin spreading across my face. "Toby…it's beautiful."

"You like it?" Toby smiled.

"I love it." I kissed his check and then threw my arms around him. "Thank you."

Toby pulled out of the hug and ran his hands up and down my arms. "I thought you might like to wear it for dinner tonight. I made reservations for seven."

I brightened at him. "Really?"

He nodded. "Yeah. Go get dressed."

I started for the stairs, but Toby caught my arm, stopping me. "Not up there. Change in the guest room."

I frowned in confusion. "Why?"

There was a wary look in his eyes that I couldn't understand. "Just change in there for tonight, please?"

"Okay," I said slowly.

I bounded down the hallway to one of the guest rooms in the corner of the west wing. Inside stood a lace canopy sleigh bed, a tan leather chaise in the corner, and an oversize bay window facing out to the woods. Just to the left of the room was a guest-sized bathroom, oranated with seashells and starfish that had been renovated two years ago by my parents' interior designer. The bedroom was cold and smelled slightly of cedar and pine. My skin tingled as I imagined how Toby would keep me warm later tonight.

I carefully set down the dress on the bed and wandered over to my late grandpa Hastings's mahogany bureau, where conch shells lined the top in an organized row. As I touched the edge of one of the shells, a breeze from the overhead fan spun from the peaked ceiling and I shivered.

I stripped down to my undies, since the dress would show my bra straps otherwise, and slipped into the gown. It moved like water over my curves and naked chest. The satin felt soft and luxurious against my skin, and a little bit of my skin peeked out from the slits that fell open halfway up the sides of my dress. I slid my feet into a pair of black Chanel sling-backs next and curled my hair with a curling iron in the bathroom until it cascaded down my shoulders in a tumble of loose waves.

I glanced in the bathroom mirror, wondering how I could be so lucky to have a boyfriend who would plan a romantic getaway and buy me a gorgeous silky gown.

Satisfied, I walked back out into the living room where Toby was waiting for me. My breath caught in my throat when I saw him. He had changed into a black suit and a light-blue button down shirt; he looked so devastatingly handsome that I wanted to lick him. Toby seemed to have the same reaction, because he stood and blinked at me a few times when he saw me, as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing. His eyes assessed me slowly, filling with a deep lust.

After collecting himself, Toby gave me a small, sweet smile. "You look beautiful."

"Thank you." I smiled back and made my way over to him, pressing myself to him. He bent his head down to mine, meeting my lips with his sweetly. I kissed him back slowly and clutched his shoulders, feeling my head grow fuzzy from the intoxicating taste of his lips.

After a few, long seconds passed, Toby pulled away slightly, his lips only inches from my own. "We should go if we want to make it to dinner," he whispered.

I nodded and kissed him once more fully on the mouth before heading out to the truck, my hand finding his. In this cabin with Toby, alone in the middle of the woods, I felt like he was my husband and we were living in our own house together. It was perfect.

Toby drove the truck towards a small town nearby, passing by several cars on the streets with ease. He took a left and then turned into the parking lot of an Italian restaurant by the water. I looked out my window, marveling at the glowing lights of the restaurant, how magical and fairytale-like it looked.

Toby slid into an empty space and got out. He opened the passenger door for me, helping me step out. As soon as my feet touched the ground, he immediately took my hand again. My heart warmed at all the attention. Toby was ravishing me with affection tonight, more than usual.

When we reached the front entrance of the restaurant, Toby held open the door for me and I eagerly walked inside. The restaurant was filled with romantic candles and vanilla-scented incense wafted throughout the place. We were greeted by our hostess, a gorgeous blonde who assessed Toby appreciatively. She was tall and slender, with long locks of white-blonde hair that spilled down her shoulders. The woman welcomed him a little more warmly than she needed to. Irritation rippled through me as I felt the familiar burn of jealousy.

"A table for two?" she guessed in an attractive voice. I peeked a glance at Toby, but couldn't tell whether he noticed or not.

"We have reservations for Cavanaugh," he responded.

"Of course." She flashed him a smile.

I saw her eyes flicker to me and then cut away, unsatisfied by the close way Toby held me to him. His expression was unreadable as she led us to a small round booth for two of a very private section in the back of the room.

Toby helped me into the booth and slid in next to me. The lights were dimmed and romantic, and the two candles on the table framed his face.

"Your server will be right with you," the hostess said before walking away gracefully.

When Toby turned back to me, I glowered at him.

He blinked. "What?"

"Am I supposed to pretend that you're not aware of the way she was looking at you just now?" My skin boiled hotly as the anger filled me.

"Spence…" Toby tried reaching for me, but I yanked my hand away. His lips pulled up into a slight smirk. "You're jealous."

"No, I'm not," I said quickly, but I felt my cheeks grow hot. I looked away from his face, embarrassed. I was so mad that I was tingling with the desire to hit something.

Toby cupped my cheek in his hand and turned my face towards him, forcing me to look up at him. He stared into my eyes for a long time before stroking my cheek, rubbing his thumb softly across my skin. "Spencer, I love you. There isn't anyone else I want to be with. Ever."

My anger dissolved when I saw the tenderness in his eyes. I sighed, leaning my cheek into his palm. "I'm sorry, I just–" His lips stopped me mid-sentence. I grabbed his face and kissed him back eagerly.

His tongue flicked over mine and I twisted my arms around his neck, molding myself to him. Toby roamed his hands around my back, pulling me closer. I released a soft moan as his soft, kissable lips parted mine.

"I love you," I sighed.

"I love you, too," Toby whispered, and touched his lips to mine once more.

And then our server arrived, interrupting our kiss. The new girl l smiled a little too warmly. She looked more like a Vogue model than anything with long, auburn-brown hair, and green cat-like eyes.

"Hello, my name is Rachel and I'll be your server tonight. Can I get you anything to drink?" Toby kept his arm around my waist as she spoke to him. I felt my insides turn to mush.

"Just water," Toby told her. He looked at me.

"I'll have a chamomile tea," I said.

"I'll be back with your drinks," she assured Toby with a smile. But he didn't notice. He hadn't even taken his eyes off me.

"What are you looking at?" I asked curiously when she left.

"You," Toby responded.

I blushed a deep shade of pink and averted my eyes down at the table.

"Hey…" He grabbed my chin with his fingers and stared intently into my eyes. "Don't hide away from me. I love looking into those beautiful eyes. I love making you blush."

I smiled at him shyly, biting my bottom lip. "I know, but it's embarrassing."

"Spencer, you're gorgeous. Especially when your nose wrinkles up and you bite your lip like that…it drives me crazy." He took my hand resting on top of the table and started rubbing small circles into the back of it with his thumb.

I smiled again, staring adoringly at him.

"God, I love that smile," Toby breathed. He took my hand that he was holding and brought it to his chest, where I could feel his heart thumping hard.

My pulse raced from the contact, feeling the warmth radiating from him. He caressed my hand, bringing it up to his lips and kissing it. Just then, the waitress appeared with our drinks and a basket of bread rolls.

"Are you ready to order?" she asked Toby.

"Spencer?" he asked. She turned to me unwillingly.

I stared at my menu and picked the first thing I saw. "Um…I'll have the spaghetti with meatballs. And can you replace the steamed vegetables with the tomato soup for the side dish?"

"Actually, give her the big dish of spaghetti," Toby said, handing her our menus. "I'll share it with her."

The waitress took the menus and left dissatisfied.

I picked up a roll and took a hearty bite out of it, feeling my appetite coming back. "Mmm…this is perfect."

"Well you are eating for two." Toby threaded his fingers through mine, gazing at me warmly.

I played with his fingers absentmindedly. "What do you think our baby will look like?"

"She'll have brown hair and beautiful brown eyes, and your smile." He reached underneath the table and squeezed my knee. I put my hand over his, feeling a warm sensation radiate deep within my chest.

"She's going to have your eyes," I murmured.

He smiled bashfully, and then his expression became more serious. "How do you feel?"

I rubbed the center of my stomach. "I'm okay. I feel tired, but I'm happy. I just can't wait to meet her."

"I can't wait, either." He leaned in to kiss the top of my shoulder. "You're going to be a wonderful mother."

I stroked his cheek. "You're going to be an amazing father."

"You're amazing, you know that? You do beyond what anyone else could ever do and still manage to balance everything else out, and I'm so proud of you. Not just for what you do for our baby, but for everything else you accomplish every day."

Tears began to fill my eyes, feeling touched by his words. "Oh, Toby. I love you so much."

He tucked some of my hair behind my ear, letting his hand brush softly against my cheek. "I fall more in love with you every day, every hour, of every second."

I pressed my lips softly to his. He held onto my lips until I snuggled into his chest, slowly breaking the kiss. Toby held me as he started to tell me about how his mother had raised him, her kindness, how she always knew what to say, when to say it and how to deliver it. Toby had inherited his mother's compassion that much was clear, but his inability of dealing with conflicts had somehow not gotten through to him.

While I sipped my tea, he talked about the many hours Marion had spent with him watching all the different types of birds and playing lullabies for him on the piano. I watched his mouth move as he spoke, mesmerized by him, and listened to his beautiful, deep voice. It was obvious in the way Toby spoke of her and the gleam in his eyes that he loved his mother. And when I begged him to tell me more, he delved into his family history, explaining that a few of his relatives even had twins down the line.

A few minutes later, a new waiter in a white button-down uniform strode up to the table with our food. He was tall and had toned arms, with a slight olive tone to his skin, wavy-black hair, and bright green eyes. His face was open and friendly as he set down the large dish of spaghetti in between Toby and I.

"Hello, my name is Carlos and I'll be your server tonight." I heard a slight Latino accent in his voice.

I frowned. "What happened to our other server?"

"Rachel is working at another table tonight, but I'll be happy to help with anything you need," he assured us.

I suppressed a smile, relieved with the new change of a server for tonight's dinner. It seemed like the other waitress had been asked to wait another table because of her inappropriate flirting with my boyfriend. As if sensing my thoughts, Toby squeezed my hand.

"Thank you," Toby told him. "But we're fine."

"Well let me know if there is anything I can get you."

He nodded and the waiter walked away.

Toby glanced down at the full plate of spaghetti, and then looked at me. "Go on," he said. "Eat!"

I unrolled my silverware from its napkin, shoveled a forkful of spaghetti into my mouth obediently, surprised by how hungry I was. Toby scooped up a meatball with his fork and put it into his mouth as well. The spaghetti was divine. I swallowed and took another sip of my tea.

I felt Toby's lips brush against the corner of my lip as I took another bite, and I smiled playfully at him in response. I leaned in to kiss him full on the mouth, licking the tomato sauce from his lip.

We shared the spaghetti without our forks as we ate, Lady and the Tramp style. Toby had exceeded my expectations of dinner tonight, showering me with gifts and affection like a princess, and I was enjoying every minute of it. We spent the rest of the evening gazing into each other's eyes longingly and holding hands underneath the table. I was so happy I didn't think it was possible for my bubble to burst.

After the waiter took away our empty plate, Toby ordered my favorite dessert, chocolate truffle cake.

I looked to Toby. "What's the occasion?"

"Us. I thought we should celebrate having a baby together." His mouth turned hard. "You've been through so much since escaping that Dollhouse."

I grabbed his hand. "Let's make a promise each other to not talk about the dollhouse tonight, okay?"

Toby grinned. "Deal."

Suddenly, the waiter came back with our dessert, a chocolate-truffle frosted cake with chocolate chips on the side. He placed the two pieces of cake on the table and left, leaving us to our dessert.

I could already feel my mouth watering. It looked so good. I stabbed a big chunk out of it with my fork and took a bite. I closed my eyes and sighed in content.

"How is it?" Toby asked.

"It's wonderful," I said, smiling. "Just like everything else tonight."

He beamed in delight and kissed my cheek. "I was hoping you would say that."

I smiled hugely, loving all the affection Toby was giving me. I rolled the chocolate over my tongue, savoring every bite. I wondered if it was the cake that tasted so heavenly, or the boy who had given it to me.

Toby speared some cake with his fork and popped it into his mouth, chewing slowly.

When we were both finished, he kissed my hair. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yes," I said, even though I wasn't ready to leave his arms just yet. But I was grateful for the weekend that we'd be spending alone time together.

Suddenly, Toby slid his hand up my thigh, moving the dress up to my waist. A little bit of my underwear peeked through the silk of my dress, but I didn't care who was watching.

I moaned as I crushed my body to his and tugged at his hair, kissing him aggressively. My mouth had a mind of its own, biting and sucking on Toby's lips like I would lose air without his oxygen. I wanted to make love to him so badly it was making my body ache.

Toby gently squeezed my thigh and brought it up to his lap, stroking and rubbing it sexually. The movement made me sigh against his lips. He captured my mouth again, taking mouthfuls of my lips. Toby rolled his tongue languidly across mine, twisting it with a hungry passion that made me grab at his clothes wildly.

Toby moved his hand further up my thigh and squeezed my butt, tracing the lace of my panties as if he was going to take them of. In a moment of passion, he pinned me against the booth and kissed my neck nice and slowly. I tilted my head back and moaned softly, parting my mouth wide in pleasure. I submitted to him, sinking against the padded booth as he kissed my body. Until we both came to our senses and stopped.

We broke away, breathing hard. The corners of Toby's lips turned up into a teasing smile. "Still think I'm into her?"

"No," I gasped, and smashed my mouth back onto his. Toby sucked on my tongue for a long time, then slipped beneath my jaw, kissing me. He moved down to my chest, and I gasped.

I didn't want to stop, not for a minute. Toby reluctantly pulled away from me and stared longingly into my eyes, seeming to feel the same way I did.

Without taking his eyes off mine, he flagged down the waiter for the check. Toby paid with cash, not bothering to take the change. He tucked the bills inside the small black leather folder the waiter had given us and handed it back to him.

"Thanks. Keep the change." Toby smiled at him politely and then stood up, holding out his hand for me.

I took Toby's outstretched hand and let him slowly pull me down from the table, my body still vibrating from our steamy exchange just now.

The waiter smiled at us. "Have a nice evening."

Toby slid his arm around my waist as we walked back to the truck, keeping me close to him. I beamed up at him happily.

When we got to the truck, he opened the passenger door for me, shutting it behind me. I gently rubbed my belly bump, sighing as Toby stepped inside. There were many other ways I could have handled my decision about the baby. The first option was to 'take care of it,' but just the thought of my baby–Toby's baby–disappearing, gripped me in despair. And so the second option, which was to give her up for adoption, was out of the question. I couldn't imagine a world where she didn't exist, because giving her up would be like living without Toby. The truth was, if I could go back to the day when I first found out that I was pregnant, I wouldn't have done it any differently. This baby was just as much a part of me as it was of Toby, and it was something we would face together–no matter the impenetrable forces that were trying to come in between us.

I never really had a choice anyway; fate had chosen me for this path I was now taking. And Toby had been so wonderful through all of it–taking me to the doctor for checkups, baby-proofing the apartment before I had to move in, massaging my feet and shoulders, getting me saltine crackers for my nausea, and holding back my hair when I threw up late at night.

My lower back ached as the truck lurched forward. Toby kept an arm around me while he drove north, rubbing his thumb slowly against my shoulder in the quiet of the truck. The roads were nearly empty of traffic since an hour ago, and it only took us fifteen minutes to make it back to the lake house.

When he pulled into the driveway, the sky had fallen into darkness, with the sun beyond the horizon now. I could feel Toby watching me. When I turned to him, he was staring into my eyes intensely, lingering on my face. But they were gentle, making my insides turn soft. I returned his gaze with a warm smile.

He glanced toward the windshield. "Would you like to go for a walk?"

My heart fluttered at the prospect of spending time alone with him, and I knew with absolute certainty that he was asking because he wanted to be alone with me, too.

I gazed up into his liquid blue eyes. "I'd love to."

The lake stretched for miles from across the shore, the moonlight reflecting its light off the dark water. We stepped onto the path that led down to the lake, and I took Toby's hand as we walked. The moon cast its luminous glow from within the pines in the clear night sky, big and full among sparkling stars that shimmered like jewels.

He led me out of the trees and along the gravelly sand. The place was deserted like always, as Toby and I strolled barefoot along the edge of the water in silence.

Toby looked out at the waves, looking thoughtful.

"What are you thinking about?" I asked him suddenly. A light breeze ruffled through my hair, and Toby tucked back the strands behind my ear. I gave him a small smile, turning to gaze dreamily at the stars.

"I was thinking about the first time we kissed."

I lifted an eyebrow. "You mean when we stayed in that cheap motel to spy on Jenna? The Scrabble game was more entertaining."

"I kicked your ass in Scrabble."

"I did not lose," I protested stubbornly. "You cheated. I don't know how, but you did."

He smirked at the determination in my voice. "Why can't you just admit that I beat you?"

"I don't do defeat."

Toby smiled. "I know. That's one of the things I love about you. Your tenacity, your…"

"Abrasiveness," I quipped.

"You never give up."

I squeezed his hand. It felt so warm and secure holding mine. I never wanted to let go of it; our fingers fit together perfectly–effortlessly entwined, like two puzzle pieces fitting together. Toby made me feel safe.

"That's when I knew I was falling for you," he continued. "The moment I kissed you outside our motel room, I just knew I was already completely and hopelessly in love with you."

In the darkness, my skin prickled with electricity. It was hard to resist the temptation of kissing him right then and there. I could hear the soft crashing of the waves nearby as they rolled up the shore.

I turned away and bit my lip, hoping to distract myself from him. I couldn't let myself lose control with Toby tonight. "It's so beautiful out here at night. It looks so different in the daytime."

"It is." He met my eyes, as if he were having the same thoughts about me.

Toby stopped to pick up a seashell from the sand. On one side, it was pearl-white, curving smoothly along the edges. Then he turned it over, and the other side revealed a bright blue swirling with pale pink and shimmering oranges, sparkling in the moonlight. It was beautiful.

After examining it for a moment, Toby pressed it into my palm, closing my fingers around it. As he placed it into my hand, I felt a satisfying jolt quiver through my hand. "I want you to keep this. That way I'll always be with you, even when I'm far away from you. If you're ever scared or whenever you feel alone, hold on to it and think of me."

I stared up at him, extremely aware of his hand covering mine, hardly breathing. His eyes reflected the color of the shell and I could feel his breath on my skin, the warmth of his body lighting me up. I ached to touch him. He gazed back at me, seeming to intuit my thoughts and feelings. He was so close that I could feel him.

"Do I make a wish?" I teased, but my voice was barely above a whisper, giving me away.

"Maybe." Toby laced his fingers back through mine and we began to stroll again. Abruptly, his mouth turned grim, his thoughts seeming to have drifted off someplace else.

I looked to where he was staring at intently and noticed the small, weeping willow tree that stood northwest inside the garden just by the woods. I watched him carefully, puzzling over what was bothering him as he looked at the tree, seeing the sadness in his eyes for the first time tonight. No one else knew Toby the way I did. No one saw him like I did, so I always knew when something was wrong.

"Do you remember when you were asking about my mother earlier?" he finally asked after a beat.

I nodded, waiting for him to continue.

"My mom was the most amazing person. She was kind and genuine…the kind of person who made you feel happier just by being in the same room with her. She had this real bright spirit that you couldn't help but smile along with her." Toby paused, glancing over at the water. "Before she died, I came to see her. It had been raining and it was dark. On my way to my mother's room, I felt like someone had been following me. I should have been paying more attention. At the time I thought I was just being paranoid, but now…"

He shook his head and drew in a deep breath, struggling with his words.

I studied him, frowning. "You think that Bethany was following you?"

Bethany Young was a teenage patient at Radley before her dead body had been found in the half-dug hole of the DiLaurentis' backyard, the same night that Alison disappeared, and also the last person who saw Marion Cavanaugh alive. But before Ali had been discovered alive and in hiding for the last three and a half years, Mrs. DiLaurentis covered up Marion's death as a suicide, claiming that a disturbed patient had seen her jump from the two-story window and supposedly killed herself. Toby and I were convinced that someone had murdered her, and so we started looking into Radley Sanitarium to uncover the disturbing truth about what really happened to his mom to prove that she didn't kill herself. But when Toby had gone to see her old doctor, Dr. Palmer, at a medical clinic in Saratoga, he reminded him to tell his mother to stay away from a blonde that had visited her at Radley. There was something wrong with the air around her, he'd warned.

The problem was, Toby never got to find out what Dr. Palmer knew about Marion; he'd been suffering from dementia and therefore wasn't a reliable source. As Toby combed through clues that A had been sending him about his mother's death, I realized there was only one person who could have done it–CeCe Drake, Alison's old friend and mentor. But had CeCe really killed Toby's mother at Radley? Or had it been someone else? What could CeCe have against Toby's mom?

I'd made a promise to Toby that I would help him find out the truth about what really happened to his mother, and it was one I intended to keep no matter what. Then it would finally be over, and Toby and I could have the life together that we've always wanted.

"I don't know," Toby responded, pulling me out of my thoughts. "But when I talked to my mom, she seemed…scared. She kept talking about not feeling well. At first I thought she was talking about being sick. But then a week later, Radley called my dad and…" Toby swallowed, choking on his words. "And they told us that my mother had committed suicide. She had jumped from the second-story window from her room that night. My mom died instantly. I would have done anything for her. But she wouldn't even tell me the truth. She didn't even say goodbye."

I touched his cheek. "You know your mom didn't kill herself. She wouldn't just leave you like that. We're going to find out what really happened to her."

"I know," he said quietly. Tears trickled down his cheeks. "It was so hard to be in the church that day. It was the first time I ever saw my father cry. And after that, I never wanted to be at another funeral again. When my mother died, my dad was…different. He became cold and distant, and lost any connection to me."

Seeing the pain and anguish in his twisted expression made my heart constrict. "I'm so sorry." I leaned forward and kissed his lips, lingering them there for a second longer. "I wish that you hadn't gone through all that alone."

Toby squeezed my hand. "I wish I had met you a year earlier."

I held onto his hand tightly, loving how soft they felt against mine. "Me, too."

"Your childhood was probably a lot more normal than mine was," he commented.

I stifled a laugh. "Don't count on it. Most of my childhood consisted of fighting with Melissa and my parents favoriting her over me."

"At least you didn't have to spend most of it in and out of hospitals, worrying about whether your mother was going to be okay again."

I felt a surge of remorse. "That doesn't sound fun. I'm sorry, that doesn't even compare to what you went through."

"Don't be. I want to hear about your life as a kid."

"I don't think it would be very interesting."

His eyes turned very gentle. "On the first day of seventh grade, you were wearing a red dress with stockings up to your knees. And you had buttercups in your hair, twisted in its half-braids. You looked so pretty."

I stopped in my tracks and slowly turned to him, caught off guard. "You remember that? But that was way back when we were kids."

He dropped his face to level his eyes with mine. "I saw you. You were walking to school with Emily and Alison when you ran into me."

"You saw me?" Heat flooded my face, but I couldn't help but feel flattered.

Toby nodded and gave me an amused smirk. "You didn't even notice me. Your eyes were always glued to your books."

"I think you were mistaken," I said quietly. "Alison was the prettier one."

"No, you were prettier," he disagreed. "I've always thought so. I used to watch you from across the playground at lunch, trying to come up with the courage to finally talk to you, but every time I saw you my heart raced and I couldn't move."

"You did?"

"Of course. I liked you from the very first moment I saw you."

I touched my hands to his face, astonished that I could love Toby any more than I already did. "I love you."

"I know. I love you, too." On instinct, he pulled me gently against his chest.

"So tell me," he whispered in my ear teasingly. "Did Spencer Hastings ever have any other hobbies besides reading books?"

I smiled sheepishly, shifting slightly in his arms. "Well, I did play the piano. I used to play all the time, but I don't as much anymore. Melissa and I used to play four-handed pieces."

"Why'd you stop?"

I sighed. "I don't know. When Melissa and I were younger, we used to play the piano for hours. And when it was time for bed, I always sobbed and begged my parents to let me play for a little bit longer."

"I'd like to hear you play."

I looked up, noticing the moonlight shining in his eyes.

Toby inclined his head toward the weeping willow tree, sensing I didn't want to talk about it anymore. "My mom loved the outdoors. She used to take me to this meadow where the weeping willow trees would grow during the spring, and we'd spend hours watching all the birds together."

I listened as he went on to talk about his mother, smiling at the stories of how he spent his weekends with her. Eventually, we neared the cabin, and as we moved towards the dock, we settled onto the edge by the water. Toby wrapped his arms around me as I leaned into him and rested my head against his chest, feeling a surge of pleasure. He drew me closer, brushing his fingers over my stomach. Our feet dangled over the edge of the dock; the feeling of him holding me so close and the smell of his scent instantly brought me at ease.

We lay there for a while, just simply holding each other. We were completely alone. The full moon shone brightly above us among the cloak of darkness.

Toby pulled me into his lap, his lips at my ear. "You're so pretty," he whispered softly.

Then he did the most incredible thing. He reached out and gently squeezed my belly, rubbing the bump. I smiled up at him, my heart feeling full. Abruptly, a shooting star raced overhead, and we both looked up into the sky to watch as it passed.

I turned to Toby. "What did you wish for?"

"It already came true," he whispered back. His eyes were intense as they locked onto mine.

I couldn't move, transfixed. For once, I was at a loss for words.

Toby raised my hand to his chest as he held me in his lap, where his heart beat fast and strong. I stared back at him, wondering how on earth I had gotten so lucky to fall in love with a person like him. Toby tightened his arm from around my back and I sunk into him, kissing me beneath the full moon.

After a few long moments, we headed back toward the lake house. We made our way over to the soft apple-green grass, then followed the pathway of brush to the front of the house.

Toby pulled open the wooden door and nodded towards the stairs inside. "C'mon, I have something to show you."

I stared at him. "What is it?"

He smiled with a knowing glint in his eye. "Come in and I'll show you."

In one swift motion, Toby swept me up into his arms and carried me upstairs. He walked down the hallway paved in pink rose pedals that led to the master bedroom. Toby set me down, and I gasped.

The room smelled like vanilla and roses, and the King-size bed was sprinkled with romantic red rose pedals. Right above it, a lavender-colored canopy flowed over the pillows in a wave of sparkles, and sheer white soft curtains billowed by the sliding glass door on the west wing.

Several candles were lit everywhere in the dim room. The floor was covered with a thick, crisp white soft carpet, and the walls were painted in a rich, dark red. The soft light reflected by the Candlelabra candle-style lamps looked inviting against the seductive black satin comforter of the bed. On the southern side of the room was a fireplace wall, where real logs crackled inside. The bedroom oozed with seduction and privacy.

Then I looked to the dozen of enormous luscious, fiery-red fluffy pillows that were assorted on the master bed and saw a familiar raised, mahogany-wooden Scrabble deluxe game board sitting in the center. It was the same Scrabble board that I'd gotten Toby for our anniversary six months ago.

I stepped closer to the bed and looked at the front of the Scrabble cabinet, where a stamped gold plate read: For T – My safe place to land. Always your girl, S. I brushed my fingers over it, smiling at the memory. I'd personalized the Scrabble board on the day of our anniversary in November, hoping to give it to Toby to remind him of the first day we'd kissed. Of when we first fell in love. But then a glittering light caught my eye. I looked at the top of the board and froze. Several light-wooden letter tiles were put into three separate rows across the Scrabble board. The gold letters spelled out WILL YOU MARRY ME, with a beautiful, simple diamond ring used as the O.

I turned, and Toby was kneeling down on one knee in front of me, holding out the ring in between his fingers. My heart skipped several beats.

Oh my god. I stared at him, dazed and disbelieving, utterly speechless. I couldn't move, couldn't even breathe. All I could do was stand there in shock.

"Toby," I breathed.

He looked up at me, his blue eyes soft. "Spencer, for most of my life, I've felt alone and disconnected from people. But then I met you. You showed me what it truly felt like to be loved and helped me feel happy for the first time since my mother passed. I love you and I can't live without you. And if you let me, I promise I will always be your safe place to land for every single moment of forever till the end of time. Spencer Hastings, will you marry me?"

I felt my eyes well up with tears, filled with several emotions all at once. Toby was my heart and soul; he was everything to me.

I smiled as the tears ran down my cheeks. Finally, I managed to whisper, "Yes. A million times yes."

Toby grinned. My heart lifted when he took my left hand in his to slide the ring on my third finger. It sparkled in the dim light. The glittering diamond had to be at least nine-in-a-half carat, set with a flawless sterling-silver band–petite and narrow. I'd never seen anything so beautiful.

I immediately jumped into his arms and he caught me. I threw my arms around Toby's neck as he spun me around the room in small circles, feeling happier than I've ever been. I giggled in response. Before Toby could react, I crushed my mouth to his and I was kissing him, my lips hard and passionate. And when he moved his unyielding lips against mine, more powerful than ever, the universe finally felt aligned.

Once Toby set me down, I stroked the side of the engagement band. "It's so pretty."

"It was my mother's," Toby explained, "And I want you to have it."

Surprise shocked me into place. I could hear the strong emotion in his voice.

I stared into his eyes and noticed he was tearing up with joy too. I was so high with happiness that I felt like I was floating over clouds. Toby looked lovingly back at me, glowing with the same joy.

Then he brought my left hand to his lips to kiss each of my knuckles before kissing the finger with my ring. "I'm yours."

I fixed my gaze on his. He was so close to me, sending my heart pounding. I was acutely aware that I wasn't wearing a bra, and the thought made me tremble with desire. A hot current ran through me like fire, of wildness and longing. His lips parted, seeming to read my thoughts.

Slowly, I brushed my fingers over the straps of my dress, sliding it down past my thighs until it fell to the floor, leaving me in only my barely-there black lace panties. I held his gaze, hoping I was getting the message across to him.

Toby stared deeply into my eyes and cupped my face, his breathing ragged. But he spoke in the softest, most sincere voice. "I love you."

"I love you, too," I whispered.

"Do you want to…" he trailed off.

I swallowed deeply. "Yes. I just need to change into something a little more comfortable first."

Toby kissed my forehead before I moved to the other side of the room. I discreetly grabbed my lingerie slip set from my bag and went to the bathroom. I had gone to one of the lingerie stores in town before setting out with Toby for our weekend getaway, in preparation for our special night together.

I undressed, slipping into my sheer, lacy pink baby doll slip and matching thong. The slip was fastened at the top with a small pink bow that flowed down to my stomach, showing off my belly button. My breasts peeked out slightly from the front seductively, and thin sleeveless straps hung below my shoulders. Meanwhile, my thong rested dangerously low at my hips, where the tiny straps crossed to my rear.

The prospect of what Toby and I were going to do tonight sent an excited, hot erotic sensation through my lower navel. Being with him felt natural, right. And I trusted Toby. He made me feel loved and desired when I was with him. He had never once pressured me to do something I wasn't ready for. And when I was sure I was ready to have sex for the very first time, he had been nothing but gentle and loving with me. Toby was the sexiest guy I'd ever known, and he deserved the best for tonight.

I pumped a vanilla body spray perfume over my skin, imagining what Toby was going to do to me once we were in bed. My cheeks blazed at the thought. Next, I ran a brush a few times through my already loose waves, nervously trying to perfect the strands to make them fuller and sexier. Then I shaved my legs with my razor, being careful not to cut myself. When I was done, I took one last look in the mirror and let out a deep breath.

I stepped into the bedroom, sticking my leg out first to tease him. Toby stood in the bedroom, waiting for me. The darkened room felt more intimate with the candles flickering.

I watched his reaction as I slowly stepped closer to him. Toby stared up at me for a long moment, drinking in the sight of me, his lips parting in desire. My body trembled at the realization that he felt the same way I did.

"Spencer," he whispered.

"Toby," I gasped, and fumbled for the buttons on his shirt, hastily pulling it off.

My breath caught in my throat when I took off his pants next. Toby stood in a pair of black, tight boxer briefs, tempting me with the way they rested just below his waist. He was so sexy.

Unable to control myself, I jumped into his arms and swiftly threw my legs around his waist, pressing them tightly against him. Toby moaned as his lips instantly descended on mine, our tongues dancing. I gasped and threw myself into the kiss, sucking on his bottom lip. I wanted to be with him now and forever.

Then Toby eased me down onto the soft comforter and crawled in between my bare legs. Flames of heat licked just below my navel. I ran my hands over the muscles in his back, groaning feverishly.

He slid onto my hips, straddling me. We were so close that there was barely any space between us, with his abdomen and chest pressed hard against me. I could feel all of him as he leaned his body closer on top of mine, pinning me to his frame. He captured my mouth again, tangling his fingers through my hair.

Toby rolled his tongue over mine seductively and deepened the kiss. I could feel his desperate need, ravaging with hunger. I parted my lips and sighed.

I reached underneath the fabric of his boxer briefs to slide them off. My hand moved to cup the back of his head as I continued to inch them down. Toby moaned at my touch and kicked off his underwear I could feel him grow harder against me, and I jerked my hips forward in response.

He pressed his lips firmly to mine, sipping on me. I hardened my mouth against his, soaking up the ecstasy of his lips on mine. Toby moved his hands all over my body, touching me in places that were forbidden, binding me to him. The air, thick with our desire, crackled between us, engulfing my skin with blazing heat.

I pressed myself harder to him, the intoxicating taste of his lips making it hard to think straight. Toby's lips turned more urgent, traveling down to my neck. He took his time, licking along the side of my neck slowly, savoring the taste of my skin beneath his tongue. I moaned with pleasure when he folded his lips over my neck, nibbling gently.

Toby ran his hand along the thin, pink lace of my thong, playing with the fabric. I felt his lips all over my hips and then lowered to my legs, sucking on my thighs and making me quiver. My underwear grew moist with need; he was making my panties wet.

I gasped when Toby pressed his lips against my inner thigh, sucking fiercely. I spread out my legs for him in anticipation, feeling the tension building. I wanted to make love to him so badly it hurt. I was suddenly filled with an intense and fierce need to have him join this part of me, to make me whole again.

My breathing quickened as he took hold of my panties with his teeth and dragged them down. His fingers traced the thin fabric of my lingerie slip, kissing up my body until he reached my chest. Growling, Toby buried his head in between my breasts, sucking ferociously. I gasped as he yanked the slip off over my head, tossing it across the room. Then he cupped my breasts with both hands and continued to suck on them. I tilted my head to the side and moaned.

Toby reached back up suddenly to brush his knuckles gently across my cheek, making me forget for a moment that we were both completely naked. I closed my eyes at his soft touch, suddenly feeling dizzy.

We slipped underneath the thick covers and pressed our bodies as close to each other as possible. I lavished at the softness of the sheets folding around us as Toby settled on top of me, reveling in the heat of his body. It made me turn to jelly.

Caught up in our passion, I rolled over on top of him and clawed my hands into his hard, muscular chest, straddling him with my hips. Desire flickered in his deep blue eyes. I ran my tongue over my lips slowly, luring him. In that instant, he reached up and wrapped his arms around me, flipping us over again.

I wrapped my legs around Toby's waist as he took me, and then he was inside me, spreading me. I panted and moaned profusely as I felt the full length of him in me. He felt so good.

Toby inched himself in further, exploring every ounce inside me, touching every surface, every spot. I dug my fingers into his shoulders and yelped.

The silky black sheets covering us felt smooth and sexy against my skin, which rested dangerously low at Toby's waist. He heaved on top of me slowly, rubbing up against my body. This was different from the other times we've had sex; the way he was moving into me felt different. It was sensual and deep, but erotic and rough, enflaming every inch of my skin.

Toby snaked an arm around my waist as he continued to move against me, loving me in the most beautiful way–holding me close to his body as his hand stroked along my back, tracing the length of my spine. I shivered from his addictive touch, my heart pounding.

I clutched a fistful of sheets in my hand as he moved into me deep and firmly. Gasping, I moved my thigh from underneath the covers to press it hard against his hip, feeling him pleasuring me. Our breathing grew heavy, our hunger for each other carnal.

I dug my nails hard into his back and screamed in pleasure. We rubbed our bodies against each other joyfully, moaning and groaning with every thrust. It was so pleasuring and sinful and naughty interwoven into one.

We rolled around in bed, our bodies hot and naked and sweating. The sheets clung to our skin, the silky softness ravishing us with our every movements. I felt Toby thread his fingers through mine against the pillows, eventually trailing his lips along the length of my arm.

Toby brushed his lips over my chin next as he thrusted against me, and I let out another gasp. Desire pooled far below my navel, swimming in a darker place that I could have ever imagined. Grunting, Toby bent my knees back and grinded into me, moving swiftly and firmly, but careful as not to hurt me.

I leaned my head back against the soft pillows and let out a long, deep guttural moan. It only spurred him on, and he pressed his hips against mine. Toby rubbed us into the mattress slowly and sensually, making me ache. The deeper I dug my nails into him, the harder he moved against me.

"Harder!" I begged, and Toby obliged.

I pleaded for him to go rougher, to give me everything, feeling beyond pleasured by him. Obeying my pleas, Toby slid his hands sexually down to my buttcheeks and gently pushed me further into him, hardening inside me.

I moaned and bit his shoulder, and Toby yelped with pleasure. I hooked my legs around him, locking them into place as he moved on top of me rapidly, like an enthusiastic rabbit mating with his lover.

He was so excited; it was just so sexy and erotic. I slid my arms up to his muscular back, holding on tightly as I moved with him.

Toby pressed his lips along the shape of my bare breasts, moving lower until he reached my belly. My skin turned to fire as shivers raced down my spine, glistening in sweat. I moaned, but then he did something even more amazing.

Toby bent down lower and kissed my navel, sucking deeply. I spread apart my knees for him, panting hard. He was making me sweat for it. Seconds later, I felt his tongue in there, sucking and licking. My lips parted in a series of long, deep groans. After spending a few long, glorious minutes of him tasting me, I wrapped my legs around his back and squeezed, finally giving in to him.

Still wrapped in the sheets, Toby kneeled on the bed and sat back on his heels, pulling me into him in the lotus position–our favorite. The sudden movement caught me off guard, making me gasp against his lips. Toby used the momentum to capture my lower lip gently in between his teeth, sucking slowly.

I twisted my arms around his neck and straddled his knees, melting into him. Then Toby pressed his hands firmly against my shoulder blades as he pushed into me fiercely. I could hear the bed springs from the mattress squeaking as we made love.

I pressed my forehead to his, both of us gasping and panting hard. My body shook with pleasure as I took in Toby's hard, muscular body dripping with sweat and twitching furiously with restraint. I bit my lip with satisfaction. My breaths became heavier with each gasp. As I screamed his name, I could feel him getting excited.

I didn't try to fight off the hot orgasm that rippled through me. Instead, I threw myself into it. I lifted up my hips and placed my hands on top of his shoulders, thrusting myself into Toby in swift, languid movements. I jerked into him, rubbing my sweaty body against his as he moved in deeply. Toby groaned, digging his fingers into my back.

He penetrated me until he was rocking into me rhythmically. My heels dug into the mattress with each movement, moaning heavily. Toby went slow and deep–giving me all kinds of pleasure. His arms held me up as I used the strength in my legs to thrust myself up and down against him; I could feel his muscles tense with every thrust.

I buried my face into his neck and closed my eyes, losing myself to Toby. Every time he pushed into me, I pushed back into him simultaneously.

I was floating in my own world of pleasure. Toby had never loved me like this before, and I was absolutely certain that I didn't want him to ever stop. It was intense and raw and beautiful all at once.

I licked the underside of Spencer's jaw and held her body close to mine as I continued to move against her gently underneath the sexy thick, fluffy black down-comforter in the master bedroom, our limbs entwined. Spencer let out a gasp of pleasure against my cheek and then smashed her lips back onto mine. The sensation of her bare skin against mine was enough to drive me insane.

We'd been rolling around underneath the covers for hours, making love. I wished I could make this night last forever. Being naked with Spencer felt like heaven, and the rest of the world faded away and it was just me and her. It was what we did when they were completely devoted to one another, and loved each other deeply and wanted to convey those feelings in the most beautiful way. We were connecting in the most intimate way possible. It was emotional, physical, spiritual. Special.

I paused over Spencer beneath me and caught her gaze locked onto mine, only inches away from her face. Her deep, chocolate brown eyes mesmerized me. I stared at her in awe, still in disbelief that this beautiful, perfect being had agreed to marry me. I only had to inhale her delicious and sweet scent just once and I was lost in her. Instinctively, I grazed my thumb across her lower lip and pressed my mouth to hers. Spencer dug her fingers into my shoulders, whimpering with longing against my lips.

I slowly traced my lips down her neck and shoulders. We were moaning and panting hard now, grinding against each other's bodies in perfect sync. I rubbed my feet up and down her legs as we continued to make love, groaning slightly.

Spencer roamed her hands all over my back and shoulders greedily, exploring. I was so close to her that our bodies were molded together, and I couldn't remember where she began and I ended. I heaved on top of Spencer, pushing my body into her.

"Oh, Toby," she sighed.

"Oh, Spencer," I moaned, and pressed my body closer to hers.

I began to give her deeper, more steady thrusts. I could feel what I was doing to her and it felt incredible. Spencer entwined her legs around me in response. We rolled over again and now she was on top of me, breathing hard. She touched my body, and I kissed every inch of her skin from head to toe. Afterwards, I pulled her close into my arms. She nestled deep within my chest while I stroked her hair and whispered how special she was to me and how much I loved her, both of us content to stay in our little bubble.

I caught the glint coming off of the beautiful diamond ring that now rested on Spencer's finger and my heart swelled to twice its size, feeling as though my chest was about to burst. I couldn't understand how I deserved such happiness. I was engaged to the most amazing, beautiful, perfect goddess. Spencer and I would soon be getting married. Two lives joining together, two hearts beating as one.

I reached out to take her hand, tracing my thumb across her engagement band. I never wanted to let her go. I kissed the finger with the ring, then lifted her hand, kissing the sensitive underside of her palm. I didn't think it was possible to love Spencer more than I already did, but I loved her so much more every day.

Spencer lifted up her face to mine. "Toby, are you happy?"

"You make me happier than I could ever express." I kissed her forehead. "Why do you ask?"

She sighed. "I was just wondering."

I rubbed her back. "Are you happy?"

She buried her face into my chest and sighed in content. "I am happy. I'm really happy. I just keep waiting for something to ruin it. Every time we're alone, something always gets in the way."

"Shhh, I love you. It's never going to happen." I pressed a long, lingering kiss against her hair.

Spencer looked up at me, her eyes shining with happiness. "I love you, too. So much." She grabbed my hand to kiss my knuckles and then nuzzled her head underneath my chin.

I leaned in closer and touched her lips, lovingly kissing the tip of her nose, her cheeks, her forehead, then finally her eyelids.

Spencer entangled her feet with mine and nestled herself even deeper into my chest. I wrapped my arms around her, holding her as close to me as possible. For a long time we just lay there, listening to the steady thrum of our heartbeats. I began to run my fingers through her hair absentmindedly, feeling my body buzzing with warmth.

Spencer pressed her nose into my neck and breathed in deeply. "Mmm, you smell so good. I love your smell."

I kissed her ear. "There's nowhere else I'd rather be than here with you."

She took my hand again suddenly, pressing my palm to her face. "There's nowhere else I would rather be than in your arms while you play with my hair and whisper in my ear how much you love me. It's my favorite place. You have no idea how happy it makes me."

"You changed my world, Spencer," I professed. "Ever since the moment when you first became my girl."

Spencer gazed at me as her eyes danced into mine, watering with tears. "And you changed mine. I'll always be your girl." She moved my hand on top of her naked belly, holding it gently there. "Look at this. Our baby was made from our love. You gave me something so precious, and I don't know what I would do without you. You're my hero."

I shivered, rubbing her bump affectionately. A few more stray tears trickled down Spencer's cheeks.

"Shhh…don't cry," I whispered. I pressed my forehead against hers and caressed the side of her face, touching my nose to hers.

Spencer placed her hand on top of mine over her cheek. "No, they're good tears. I just love you so much."

"I love you more than anything. Your happiness means the world to me. And if you do cry, just know that I'll kiss away all your tears." I pressed my lips to hers tenderly, wiping away the tears from her cheeks with my thumbs as I kissed her.

Spencer reciprocated the kiss, sliding her hands up my neck to my face. My heart pounded in my ears. We kissed deeply for several minutes, prolonging the moment for as long as possible.

Then I rested back against the pillows and drew Spencer on top of me. She squealed in delight as I threw the covers over us and kissed her beneath the blankets, our lips colliding amidst a series of giggles. More laughter rumbled from my chest, soaking her up like sunlight. Spencer's happiness was contagious, and I wanted to eat her up.

I was madly in love with Spencer and I knew within the deep depths of my heart that I would never love anyone else for the rest of my life.