"What is this?" Elizabeth said, holding up what was very obviously a pair of socks. Clean but very used socks.

"Those are socks, babe."

"No kidding. Why are you keeping them? There are holes in them and they maybe used to be white? I can't tell."

"Those are my lucky socks from when I played basketball."

"Lucky socks, huh? Do you wear them now?"

"No."

"Then we can toss them."

"Um no," he said, grabbing them out of the air where she had tossed them. "Those are my memories you are getting rid of."

"No, sweetheart. Those are old used socks that you don't need."

He leaned down and kissed her, grinning. "I'm keeping them."

She resisted rolling her eyes and put them in his dresser drawer.

"I saw that. By the way, I love it when you called me sweetheart."

"More than honey?"

"Mmhm."

"Noted." She giggled when she pulled out a Backstreet Boys t-shirt. "Um, sweetheart, please tell me this is not your Backstreet Boys shirt."

He grabbed it and draped it over his shoulder, going back to unpacking his shoes.

"Is it yours?" she teased.

"Technically yes."

"Did you lose a bet?" she asked, giggling hard.

"Look, Gran loves them. I took her to a concert for her birthday… she bought it for me."

"Your 85-year-old grandmother likes boy bands? Ha! I don't believe it."

"She does!"

"Let me guess. Its your old girlfriend's t-shirt?"

"I will call Gran right now and she can tell you. She even knows all the words to I Want it That Way. She'd sing it for you."

"Oh my gosh," she laughed. "That is adorable. I'll ask her the next time I see her."

They succeeded in unpacking most of his things and then, before they knew it, she had to head back to school.

About two and a half weeks later, Lucas made his way back to Paisley Island where Lee and Rosie's wedding would be. He needed to meet Lee at the tux rental place and head to the barber to get a haircut and his beard trimmed. However, his mind and heart propelled him to drive to Raleigh to Elizabeth's apartment she currently shared with Rosie. He needed to see her and hold her. Badly.

"Babe?" he said as he knocked on her door and walked in.

"Hey! In the living room."

She smiled up at him and his heart sped up.

"Hi, beautiful."

He grabbed her hands which held a tablet and a stylus. He gently took them and put them on the couch before pulling her up and into the circle of his arms.

"I missed you."

"I missed you too."

He covered her mouth with his, slipping his one hand up into her hair.

"Oh! Sorry, not sorry!" Rosemary said loudly. "Beth we need to get going."

Lucas groaned and didn't let go. "Can we just get five minutes, Rosie?"

"Yes," Elizabeth said at the same time Rosemary said, "No."

"Luke, can I ride with you to Paisley?"

"Absolutely."

"Great. Rosie, we will meet you there."

"But we need to get our nails done and pick up our dresses."

"Both of which we have appointments for and not until later."

Rosie looked close to tears, mixed with anger but she nodded. "Fine."

"Rosie, I'm sorry.."

"Nope. It's fine. Excuse me for wanting one last road trip with my best friend before I leave and move to San Diego." She hurried down the hall and slammed the door.

Lucas sighed and kissed Elizabeth.

"Babe, you go with Rosie. We can have dinner tonight, you and me."

"Thank you, honey. I'm going to go make sure Rosie is not too mad. Love you."

"Love you more."

"Rosie? Can I come in?"

"Sure," she said, sniffling.

"Lucas left. I'm going to ride with you."

"I'm so sorry, Beth!" she said in her dramatic way. "Please have him come back. You can ride with him. I'm just hormonal and I have so much to do and I feel fat."

Elizabeth hugged her friend and let her cry. "Rosie, he doesn't mind meeting me later, even though I would have liked to be with him."

"I didn't realize how much I was going to miss you until I finished packing up all this stuff last night. I'm so sorry I acted selfish and crazy."

"That's alright." Elizabeth grabbed the lone suitcase that remained in the room and smiled. "Let's go get you married."

"Two more days," Rosie said, wiping her eyes and blowing her nose.

"Yep and you'll be Rosie Coulter."

"I can't wait."

Elizabeth and Rosie enjoyed their "last road trip" together and after getting their nails done and picking up their dresses, they headed back to the condo they had rented for the weekend.

…..

Down the street, Lee, Lucas and a few other guys that were in the wedding party were enjoying a beer.

"You ready, friend?" Lucas asked, clinking his beer to Lee's.

"I am. I'm ready for all of it."

"Well, you are taking on a lot all at once. I'm proud of you, man."

"Thanks, bro."

"Food's almost done," Carson, one of Lee's friends said from his perch by the grill.

"None for me. I'm going to dinner with Elizabeth," Lucas said. He looked at his watch. "Speaking of, I need to get going." He put his half-drunk beer down and shook Lee's hand. "See you tomorrow morning."

"See you."

Lucas drove the short distance to the girl's condo. Elizabeth was sitting on the porch in an adorable sundress and sandals that showed her legs nicely.

"Hey," she said, a grin on her face. She walked to him and gave him a big hug. "Where are you taking me?"

"Does Italian sound good?"

"It sounds heavenly. Let's go."

"Is Rosie alright?"

"She's sleeping. She has had an emotional day and she's exhausted."

"I guess, being pregnant, getting married and moving across the country can be exhausting, especially all at once," he mentioned.

"Exactly."

"So you ladies got your dresses and nails done?"

She showed him her hands. The nail tech had done a wonderful French manicure and they looked classic and perfect for a wedding.

"Nice!"

He kissed her knuckles and then opened the passenger door for her, taking a moment to appreciate her long legs and how the dress moved up a few inches as she moved in the seat.

"What are you looking at, sweetheart?" she asked, blushing and pulling her skirt down a bit.

"My stunning girlfriend."

"Come here," she said, wiggling her finger and pulling his hand so he was leaning over her inside her door of the truck.

Her lips found his and his hand found that leg he had been admiring.

"Too bad we can't stay in," he mumbled as he kissed her neck. She shivered at his affection.

"Well, you could see if Lee was going to stay with Rosie tonight and then maybe I can stay with you."

"Are you saying what I think you are?"

She shrugged and smiled. "Maybe."

"I um…I think we should wait, babe."

"Oh. Okay," she agreed, nodding.

"I need you to know that I love you so much, but I don't think it's the time for us yet."

"Why's that?" she asked, pulling her skirt down more and buckling up, the moment broken.

"Because as hard as it is for me when we're away from each other now, I cannot imagine if we were to take that step."

He went around the truck and got in. "Are you mad?"

"Of course not. You're completely right. I hadn't thought about it like that."

The next nine months of her being in Raleigh and him in Charlotte were going to take forever. It felt overwhelming and yet, he was just starting his career and she needed to graduate. They couldn't make a huge change any sooner.

"Hon?" she asked, touching his arm.

"I'm starved. Let's go get dinner."

…..

Two days later, the beach at sunset

Lucas felt like the luckiest man on earth to have Elizabeth on his arm. She was beyond sexy in her navy, strapless maid-of-honor dress. His hands itched to touch her bare shoulders and kiss her neck which was tempting him beyond words.

She felt Lucas tense a bit as they strolled down to the archway that was covered in flowers. He smelled spicy and delicious and his tux made it hard to think of anything but spending time alone with him after the reception. She felt her cheeks turn hot and he turned his head and grinned. She smiled back and they separated as they arrived at their places.

"I Rosemary, take you, Lee, to be my husband," she said quietly, her eyes threatening to spill over. "To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness or in health, to love and to cherish…."

Elizabeth looked at Lucas standing next to Lee. Lucas held her gaze. It made him wish he was the one saying vows, not Lee. Whoa! That thought was a bit overwhelming but not entirely unwelcome.

"I love you," she mouthed, winking.

"I love you."

The reception was at a nearby hotel where Lee and Rosie would spend the night before flying out to San Diego the next morning.

Once the photos were taken and the dinner was served, Lucas whispered into Elizabeth's ear, "Meet me outside?"

She nodded, shivering as goosebumps appeared all over her skin as she watched him walk off.

"I won't take offense if you follow him," Rosie told her with a wink and a knowing smile.

"We'll be back."

She found him leaning against a brick pillar outside the hotel entrance. Good heavens…how could one man stir something so deep inside of her?

"Hey, want to take a walk?" he asked, trying to keep himself in check and go far away from the hotel.

"Sure."

They strolled along the cobblestone path leading away from the building and closer to the water.

"Penny for your thoughts?" she asked.

"Well…in that dress, babe, you have me totally rethinking the waiting aspect of our relationship. I mean…wow."

"Lucas…" He turned, pulled her into his space and kissed her long and deep. He tensed as she slipped her arms underneath his tux jacket and around his waist. "I don't know if I can wait nine months," she admitted.

His mind immediately went to whisking her off to Vegas right that minute.

"Maybe we should go back to the reception," he suggested.

He was having an extremely difficult time resisting her. He really didn't want to. Not at all.

She smiled and took his hand, pulling him closer to the dark beach and weakening his self-control a bit more.

"Let's just watch the stars."