Page 61 of Our Big White Lie

She took it and thumbed open the flap. In it was the funniest anniversary card I could find—one with a cartoon litter box on the front and“congratulations on another year of putting up with my crap.”She started giggling again, but then a folded-up paper slipped out of the card.

Brow furrowed, she picked it up and unfolded it. “What is—” Then her eyes went huge and her lips parted. She snapped her gaze to me. “Is this… Are these plane tickets?”

I grinned. “Well, they will be. When we figure out where we want to go and when we can both take time off.”

She blinked. “To where?”

“Anywhere you want. Hawaii. London. The North Pole.” I shrugged. “Wherever you want to go.”

She stared at me, and I took her hand and drew her closer.

“You were my rock through the worst years of my life,” I said. “And I know it took a lot out of you.”

“I’d do it all over again,” she said softly. “You’re my best friend.”

“I know. And I appreciate it. I couldn’t have made it through without you. Plus we only managed a short honeymoon because I’d burned through so much of my PTO, so… now I want us to go somewhere and just enjoy ourselves for a while.” I nodded toward the tickets. “Anywhere you want.”

“Anywhere?”

“I mean, anywhere we can afford, but…”

“Oh my God!” she squealed, and she threw her arms around me. “You’re the best!”

I laughed, but then she was kissing me, and everything else just disappeared, same as it always did when I was in this amazing woman’s arms.

When she touched her forehead to mine, we were both out of breath. “Thank you,” she said. “That is the coolest giftever.”

“Anything for you.” I ran my fingers through her hair. “Happy anniversary.”

Her smile melted my heart all over again, and as she pulled me back in, she murmured, “Happy anniversary.”

And then we were off and kissing again. I had no doubt this would end with us moving into the bedroom, but for the moment, we stayed right here on the couch. Right here in each other’s arms. Sitting in the same place we’d figured out our whole plot to pretend to get married in the first place.

Somehow, the stars had aligned, and that fake engagement had segued into the most amazing marriage I could have ever imagined. All those years I hadn’t realized the perfect woman for me was right in front of my face, and now… this.

After two of the best and worst years of my life, I was happy. I was in love. I was with the woman of my dreams.

Just like I had on our wedding day, I again vowed to spend the rest of my life loving Tori like she was sent from heaven to be my wife.

Because I was pretty sure she was.