I see the wheels churning as she envisions what that would be like.
“I think I could sell photographs of my favorite places in the city,” she whispers as if she’s testing out the validity of the idea. “If I do that, I’ll have the debt cleared well before I thought I would.”
I still want to pay it off myself, but I won’t do that. I can’t. I respect her too much to go against what she wants.
“I’ll help with that,” I offer. “I’ll be your photography assistant.”
“You’d be my assistant?” She laughs. “How would that work exactly?”
“I’ll ride the subway with you to all your shoots.” I skim my lips over her cheek in search of the soft flesh of her neck. “I’ll help you frame the photographs, and I’ve got some serious skill when it comes to a hammer and nails, so I’m the ideal guy to help with setting up the exhibit.”
She lets out a little moan when my lips reach the base of her neck.
“I’ll spread the word about your work,” I murmur. “Everyone in this city will know that my future fiancée has an upcoming exhibit.”
“The leap from girlfriend to future fiancée happened fast,” she says.
“It’s never too fast when you know you’ve met the one for you,” I tell her as I circle the tip of my tongue on her collarbone. “You’re the one for me, Champ.”
“You’re the one for me.” The words come out wrapped in a purr. “You’re my forever, Saint.”
“You are my forever,” I say clearly and passionately, as I continue my path down her body. “My always and forever.”
Epilogue
3 Months Later
Sean
I don’t know if fate or luck’s light is shining on me tonight, but everything is lined up as straight as an arrow.
I’ve been planning this night for weeks.
Not only is it opening night for Calliope’s photography exhibition, but it’s also the night I pop the question to the love of my life.
I’ve been holding off on doing that because I promised myself I’d give her time to work on the exhibit without my romantic dreams getting in the way of that.
Champ took her time creating an exhibit that featured photographs that held a special significance to the two of us.
I didn’t realize that until I walked into the gallery three hours ago and spotted an image taken from the roof of our building. It showcased the grandeur of Manhattan at night with endless lights in the distance.
Judging from the angle that the photograph was taken, Calliope got closer to the edge than she ever has before.
Next to that photograph was one of the exterior of this gallery, along with another of the taco truck that Barney owns. When my gaze landed on a shot of the outside of our building with Lester standing guard by the door, I almost lost it.
I had my wallet out, ready to buy the entire lot of pictures, but Champ whispered in my ear that there would be prints of all of them hanging in our home by the end of the night.
Her brother, Grady, is seeing to that.
The day before he returned to Manhattan, I helped Calliope carry her things over to my place. I didn’t have to ask her to move in. We both knew it would happen. It was understood. That’s how our connection works.
It was the same way during her last shift at Tin Anchor. That happened two nights ago. Even though she didn’t ask me to be there, I arrived before her and sat at my regular seat at the end of the bar. The smile I received when she spotted me said it all. She was thrilled I was there to see her through to the end of that chapter of her life.
She was just as tickled pink when I went with her to the hospital the day her newest nephew was born. We arrived with a large stuffed blue elephant for Naomi and Harlan’s son, Bowie.
I approach where Calliope is standing next to Graham and Trina. Little Sela is bundled in a blanket in Graham’s arms. She was passed around to Kavan, his wife, and Harrison earlier. I took a turn holding the little pink-clothed bundle of joy too.
I swear to fuck, she smiled at me, but Graham told me that it was gas.
I highly doubt that. I know I’m the kids’ favorite uncle even though she was the star guest of honor at Kavan and Juliet’s wedding. There are dozens of pictures documenting that baby girl’s adventures so far.
Calliope and I plan on having a couple of kids one day, although that’s not in our near future. We ditched the condoms, but she’s still on birth control. Loving each other is all that we have planned for now.
“Your talent knows no bounds, Callie,” Trina Locke says. “I’m so thrilled that we were able to grab one of the photographs before you sold out.”