We ended up at the beach house anyway. Nathan had practically insisted we take a day to ourselves for a change. He even offered to spot up a few bucks so we could do something special, which was so unlike Nathan, it wasn't even funny. Nathan was normally the one warning me to stay out of trouble. Probably because he'd gotten into a lot of trouble when he was in high school.
We were laid out on the beach, watching the sunset late that evening, our bodies pressed against each other, the cool spring breeze reminding us of everything that was good in life. We'd spent the majority of the day just window shopping and spending time at some of our favorite places.
I curled into Blake's lap, resting my head on his shoulder as the sun painted the sky in a crimson rainbow of colors.
"You want to know something?" he said, his husky voice as sweet as ever.
"What?" I asked, turning so I could look into his hazel eyes.
"These last few months really got me thinking," he said carefully. "They made me realize that I can't imagine my life without you and your family."
"I know," I smiled. "It's had me thinking a lot too."
"Oh?" he asked, arching an eyebrow.
"But I don't want to be the next Naley," I said quickly. "I want to wait and get married when the time is perfect and start a family when we're both old enough and mature enough to handle the responsibility."
"You get that from your mom," he chuckled.
"What?"
"The need to be responsible and make the right decisions," he sighed. "C'mon, I want to show you something," he said, pulling me to my feet. We slowly made our way inside. Blake put his hands over my eyes, gently leading me through the house that I almost knew like the back of my hand. When we came to a stop, he turned me, so I was facing him, his hazel eyes glowing in the dim light.
"You're everything I've ever hoped for and so much more," he whispered, his voice like velvet. "You're beautiful and funny and strong. You're fierce and kind and intelligent. You overcome great obstacles and never stop fighting. I love you, Lillian Roe Scott," he whispered. Then he did the one thing I never expected. He turned me, facing me towards the smaller of the bedrooms, where candles lit the room. The floor was littered with rose petals. The sweet smell of lavender and vanilla, my two favorite scents, filled the air. He slowly made his way in front of me, his eyes piercing into my own. Then he got on one knee, a smile playing on his lips he pulled a little black box out of his pocket.
"Lily Scott, marry me," he said softly. I felt my heart drop. I hadn't expected it. Not after the conversation we'd just had.
"Oh Blake," I whispered, tears of joy filling my eyes. I nodded, unable to speak. He slid the beautiful ring onto my finger, before kissing the back of my hand.
"I love you, Lily," he said sweetly. "We'll wait till after graduation to get married," he promised. "We'll enjoy all the simple pleasures of a long engagement."
"This ring looks familiar," I mused. I tried to figure out from where.
"Luke helped me pick it," he shrugged. "Do you like it?"
"I love it even more knowing that my brother was in on it," I laughed. "I love you Blake."
"Always and forever?" he chided.
"Till hell freezes over and pigs learn to fly," I laughed. He pulled me towards him before pulling us both down on the bed. I smiled and snuggled into his arms, wholeheartedly feeling whole for the first time since Luke's heart attack.
"Happy Anniversary," we said in unison. Blake blew out the candles before we came together in perfect harmony. Just like before, it was sweet and meaningful. It was a moment I would never forget. That entire night, that entire day, had been magical.
Summer quickly came and freshman year came to an end with no drama, for a change. I was eager to get the summer fun underway. Plus, I was now sixteen and legally old enough to work at what was once my mother's café, something I'd been longing to do ever since I was a little girl.
Despite everything, and despite Lucas's gentle warnings about responsibility and being mature, Blake and I kicked off the summer by going on a cross country road trip with nothing but one small bag each and Raven. We enjoyed the warm summer air, the scenery and all the fun of getting lost in every state we happened to venture into. It was a lovely start to what would ultimately be the first summer since my mother's death that I didn't spend loathing everyone and everything.
Or so I'd hoped.
a/n-major writers block guyyyyys! Sorry! Merry Christmas!
