Athena’s POV
A
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We drove back to Orion’s place in a bubble of pure happiness, Tristan holding my hand the entire way, occasionally lifting it to his
lips to kiss my knuckles like he couldn’t quite believe this was real.
“I still can’t believe you did that,” he kept saying, shaking his head in wonder. “I can’t believe you actually pulled this off.”
Each time he said it, I’d just smile and squeeze his hand, feeling my own heart swell with joy at seeing him so happy, so overwhelmed, so completely in love.
“I told you I was all in,” I reminded him softly.
“I know, but this…” He lifted our joined hands again, kissing my ring finger where my engagement ring sat. “This is everything, Athena. Everything.”
The drive felt too short and too long at the same time. I wanted to get back and share our news properly with Orion and Sarah, but I
also wanted to stay in this private bubble with Tristan, just the two of us and this monumental thing we’d done.
My phone had been buzzing periodically throughout dinner with texts from Sarah asking how it went, if I’d given it to him yet, what his reaction was. I’d ignored them all, wanting to stay present in the moment with Tristan, but now I pulled out my phone and quickly typed a response.
He signed it. We’re on our way back.
Her response was immediate: a string of heart emojis and crying faces that made me laugh.
Can’t wait to see you both! Orion’s been pacing for the last hour.
That made my heart warm. My brother had been such a huge part of making this happen, keeping my secret, helping me figure out the logistics, being there for me when I’d been nervous about whether this was the right move.
I thought he would disagree when I shared my idea to him, but to my surprise, he smiled and said he would support whatever
decision I made.
Words can’t describe how much love I’d felt when I heard his words.
When we finally pulled up to his house, I could see him waiting on the porch like he’d been watching for our headlights.
He had the biggest grin on his face, and I knew immediately that he’d been just as anxious about how tonight would go as I had been.
The moment we got out of the car, Tristan practically ran to him, his emotions clearly overwhelming him.
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18:34 Thu, Jan 29
Chapter 359
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“Thank you,” Tristan said, his voice thick as he pulled Orion into a tight hug. “Thank you for helping her pull this off. Thank you for keeping the secret, for helping with the license, for everything. For all your support and love and trust.”
Orion hugged him back just as tightly, and I could see his own eyes looking a bit misty in the porch light. “It’s nothing, man. Congratulations. You deserve this, both of you deserve this.”
“It’s not nothing,” Tristan insisted, pulling back to look at him but keeping his hands on Orion’s shoulders. “You helped make the most important moment of my life happen. I’ll never forget that, never.”
I felt my own eyes filling with tears watching them. The bond between was so strong, but nearly cracked few days ago.
Seeing them like this, seeing how much they still mean to each other, made my heart feel full to bursting.
“You’re my brother,” Tristan continued, his voice breaking slightly. “Not by blood, but by choice. And you came through for me in the biggest way possible. You’ve always been there, even during my toughest days. I appreciate man.”
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
