Page 27 of Moonlight & Matrimony (Oak Ridge #2)

The restaurant is bathed in the soft glow of candlelight, creating a warm, intimate atmosphere.

I can hardly contain my nerves as I fidget with the velvet box in my pocket.

Everything has been meticulously planned out — from the bouquet of her favorite lilies to the classic princess cut diamond in my pocket.

Sienna’s smile is as radiant as ever when she walks in, her satin dress flowing over her curves like liquid gold.

Her bronze skin glowing in the candlelight.

When she reaches the table, I place a soft kiss on her cheek, as I inhale her familiar citrus scent — I know how she feels about me messing up her lipstick.

She slips into the chair opposite me, her eyes sparkling with a familiar affection.

Having been together for four years, the evening is effortless — like slipping on your favorite sweater. But beneath the surface, my heart is thundering in my chest. I’ve rehearsed this moment a hundred times in my head, and now it’s finally here.

After the main course, I decide it’s time. I signal the approaching server to give us a moment while I slip the box from my pocket. As I open it, revealing the ring, her eyes widen.

“Sienna,” I begin, my voice trembling slightly despite my attempts to steady it, “I’ve loved you for four years. You are the other half of my heart, and I can’t imagine my life without you. You’re my best friend, and I would love nothing more than to call you my wife. Will you marry me?”

For a split second, I catch a flicker of something in her eyes — something I didn’t anticipate — fear. But it doesn’t make sense. She inhales a shaky breath, her face contorting into a look of apprehension that sends my thoughts spiraling.

“Luca, I’m sorry,” she says, her voice barely more than a whisper as she places her palm on the ring box, closing it with a snap.

“I didn’t know how to tell you. I’ve been offered a job in Calgary.

It’s given me a lot of time to think things over.

I know we talked about what our future would look like, and I realized that it’s changed for me.

I don’t want marriage or kids. I care about you, Luca.

Truly. But this isn’t what I see for my future. Not anymore.”

The words hit me like a sudden downpour, washing away everything I thought I knew. “I thought we were on the same page. We talked about this.”

Her eyes fill with a mix of regret and resignation. “Things change. People change.”

We sit in silence for a while, the reality of her words sinking in; the celebratory mood replaced by a sudden suffocating emptiness.

“I should go,” she says. “My flight leaves in a week. I’ll stay at a hotel tonight, but I need to come by in a few days to pack up the apartment.”

I don’t speak — I’m not even sure I can. Sienna takes my silence for what it is — goodbye — leaving me and the shattered pieces of our future in her rearview.

Ivy

I almost slipped up, letting temporary insanity lead me to believe that I could have something more than friendship with my fake husband.

Lunch had been pleasant — more than, if I’m being honest — but the moment I saw the way he looked at my daughter, I knew I couldn’t let myself get tangled up in my growing feelings for this man.

What we did last night was — fuck — it was the best sex of my life, but that’s all it can ever be.

Luca follows me to my SUV, carefully buckling a sleeping Rylin into her car seat.

I watch as he smooths her favorite blanket over her lap, anticipating my need to blast the AC in the summertime.

His thoughtfulness fills me with longing, but I tamp it back down.

I can’t afford to fall for this man. “Thanks. I’ll see you at home.

” He nods, retreating back onto the sidewalk without a second glance. It would be so easy to fall.

I drive around for thirty minutes, giving Ry just enough of a nap to get her second wind.

She’s been talking about the Beans and Brews adoption day at Chapters all week.

I pull up to the curb outside of the cozy bookshop on main street.

The windows are painted with the signature book quotes they change up for every season; at present it’s adorned with popular beach-read quotes.

I walk into my happy place, breathing in the familiar scent of coffee and books.

This place has been a safe haven for me for as long as I can remember.

“Hey Ivy,” Morgan calls from behind the register.

Their chin length hair is split dyed, though the usual blue is replaced with pink today, contrasting perfectly with the stark black on the opposite side.

Morgan owns Chapters and Brews. When they found out I was an artist, they offered me a showcase in the empty loft space upstairs.

I was so proud that day. I remember racing home to tell Austin about it, but instead of being happy for me, he tried to convince me to cancel, insisting nobody would come to an art showcase for an artist they’d never heard of.

I cried myself to sleep that night, and many nights after.

A pang of sadness washes over me at the memory.

“Hey Mo. How’s it going?”

“Same old, same old.” They round the counter, holding out a hand for Rylin to take. “I suppose you’re here to see some kitties?”

“YES!” Rylin shouts, the look of utter joy on her face reminding me why I choose to push through all the terrible things that come my way. It’s all for her.

The adoption event is set up in its usual spot towards the back of the main reading space, just across from the cafe, leaving enough distance so that there’s no concern of contaminating the baked goods.

The cats are contained in an enclosure filled with toys, tunnels, and various comfortable places for them to curl up.

There’s a new litter ready to find homes today, and Rylin seems to have noticed, too.

“Mommy look! Babies!”

“I see that, love. Come here so I can clean your hands before we go in.”

I retrieve a pack of wet wipes from my purse, carefully wiping off whatever foreign substance has glued itself to my kid this time.

Rylin is practically bouncing up and down with excitement, just itching to get in there and see the kittens.

“Just remember, we have to be very gentle, right? Those babies have very sharp claws and they might try to swat at you, but they don't mean it. They just don’t know any better.” I recap the same lesson we go through every time we volunteer for these events.

Rylin is basically a professional now. She’ll inevitably go home with a couple of little scratches here and there, the result of trying to love a little too hard, but it doesn’t faze her.

“Can I go now? Pleeeeease?” I laugh, taking in her pleading expression as her entire body vibrates with excitement.

“Ok. You can go.” She starts to rush forward, but I cut her off, “Slowly, Ry Ry.”

“It might be time to take home a kitten, Ivy,” Morgan says.

“Ha.” I snort. “I’m not sure my husband would approve.”

“Husband?” Mo eyes me curiously before a look of horror washes over her face. “Please tell me you didn’t take him back!”

“Oh, hell no! It’s not Austin. I honestly thought you would’ve heard through the grapevine by now. I married Paige’s brother, Luca.”

“How the fuck did that happen? I didn’t even know you were seeing anyone.”

“It’s a long story,” I sigh.

They give me an assessing stare for a moment until they seem to reach some sort of favorable conclusion. “Is he good to you?”

The question gives me pause, unsure how to answer, but ultimately I decide to go with the truth. “The best.”

“Good. I expect nothing less. After everything that piece of shit put you through, don’t you dare settle for anything else, you hear me?”

“Yep.”

“Good. I’ll leave you to get set up. The event starts in ten.”

“Thanks, Mo.”

“That’s our 8th adoption!” I squeal in delight. “There’s only 1 cat left.”

Mo snickers. “Yeah, and it looks like he’s already been claimed.”

“Nope. Not happening.” I shake my head, determined to fend off the rising urge to take that little ball of sweetness home with me. I don’t know how Luca would feel about it, and it’s just another responsibility to add to the shit show that is my life.

“But look at them! Rylin is smitten, and that little tripod needs a family to love him.” I glance towards my daughter, watching the insanely adorable sight unfolding before me.

My sweet girl is laying on her belly, almost nose to nose with a three-legged tabby.

He’s roughly five months old. The shelter worker said he’d been through something traumatic, and left severely wounded to the point where they had to amputate his leg.

He's several weeks out from his surgery now, and he’s starting to get his bearings.

I can’t help but feel an overwhelming kinship with the wounded creature — I know what it’s like to feel broken beyond repair.

This little kitten looks at Rylin like she’s his best friend, and I’ve never related to anything more than that.

Rylin, for all intents and purposes, is my best friend.

She’s my favorite person in the whole world.

“Fuck it. I’ll text Luca.”

Ivy: Can we?

I attach a picture of Rylin and the kitten, intentionally playing what I‘m certain is going to be the winning hand. Luca can’t say no to his ‘little bug’.

Luca: Does that cat have 3 legs?

Ivy: Yes. ??

Luca: Has Rylin given him a name yet?

Ivy: Obviously.

Luca: OK. Bring him home.

“Eeeeee!” Mo squeals over my shoulder. “I’ll get the paperwork!”