Page 67 of Time After Time (Golden Sands #1)

Geneviève

T he sky was one of the most striking sights I’d ever seen.

It was a deep, fiery orange, so intense it almost bled into brown in some spots.

Below, the sea stretched out, calm and mirroring every shade of the sky like glass.

The sun, a molten orb, dipped slowly toward the horizon.

As it sank, the light softened, fading into a gentler glow.

Once the warmth slipped away, a cool breeze brushed against my skin, making me shiver slightly and tug at the buttons of my white shirt, pulling it tighter around my body. I felt reluctant to let go of the last of the day’s heat.

My left hand dropped to my side, fingers curling around the coffee cup and bringing it closer to my face. I closed my eyes for a moment, the heat from the ceramic leaching into my skin, creeping up my arms. It lasted just long enough to make me pause before a shiver ran down my spine.

I brought the cup to my lips, the steam rising in a swirl. The sweet scent of caramel coffee pulled me in, and I took a quick sip, not thinking, which I regretted as the heat shocked my tongue. I winced, eyes shutting tight.

When I opened them again, the sting was gone, and arms wrapped around my waist from behind. A smile tugged at my lips as I leaned back, sinking even further into him .

His embrace anchored me, and for a moment, I almost forgot how to stand. The solid press of his body against mine had a way of quieting everything—settling my mind, and soothing the noise that had been there just moments before. Without him holding me, I might’ve just melted into nothing.

“Did you sleep well?” I asked, my voice still a little rough from sleep.

In my defence, I’d been up late last night—drowning in work, making sure every detail of the wedding was perfect.

Of course, I would have loved to linger in bed a little longer, wrapped in the soft sheets, even knowing I’d be wide awake with nerves.

But I could have stayed there, with the heat of his shirtless body beside me, pulling me in as the morning light crept through the window.

“I don’t think I’ll ever get used to this,” he whispered, his fingers sliding the fabric of my shirt aside as his arms wrapped around my waist again, pulling me in, skin against skin.

“Waking up with you, falling asleep beside you, coming home to you.” His voice trailed off, and I felt the heat of his breath against my neck.

His lips brushed against my skin in a way that left me acutely aware of every brush of his lips, every press of his teeth. “This view… the view of you.”

After seven years of being together, and with Sebastian always reminding me that we’d known since childhood we were meant to be, I still couldn’t quite believe it.

And I could tell he felt the same way. Sometimes, I’d catch him looking at me, as if he was trying to capture every little detail—afraid that if he blinked, it would all disappear.

I felt that way too. How could something so real, so perfect, ever be anything but exactly what it seemed?

I set my coffee down on the small white wooden table beside the vase of pink flowers we’d placed on the balcony of our apartment. Turning in his arms, I allowed my arms to trail up until they wrapped around his neck, letting the evening breeze swirl around us.

I nearly laughed as I took in the sight of his face, still marked by the imprints of our lazy afternoon nap.

His hair was a wild mess of golden curls, each one pointing in a different direction, with a single eyelash resting on his left cheek.

I tiptoed closer, gently blowing it away, and his lips lifted.

It started at the edges of his mouth, barely noticeable at first, then deepened as his eyes fluttered closed for a moment.

My hands traced the familiar path from the back of his neck to his shoulders, my eyes drifting to his arms. It was a habit now—reminding myself how far he’d come, how strong he was.

The challenges he faced after the accident were part of who he was, but they didn’t hold him back.

Physical therapy had been an important part of his journey, and while it still played a role in managing the aftereffects, he had learned to adapt, finding a balance between pushing his limits and listening to his body.

“I hope you aren’t thinking of work right now.”

After I got my event planning certification, I knew I wanted to build something of my own.

An online business seemed like the right move, but I also understood the importance of face-to-face connections.

Trust was everything, especially when it came to planning a wedding.

Clients needed to feel like I wasn’t just capable of executing their ideas, but that I genuinely cared about making their day as perfect as they imagined.

The first two years had been tough. I’d only managed to book one wedding and had to take on other types of events just to make ends meet.

There were moments when I thought about giving up, even though I knew deep down I wouldn’t.

What set me apart from those with years of experience?

Sebastian spent countless days and nights reassuring me, reminding me that no one could create what I could—and that, sooner or later, it would lead me to the right people.

One afternoon, just when I had nearly given up on things turning around, a couple walked into Robert’s diner.

They were vacationing in Golden Sands, and as they chatted about their trip, the bride mentioned how perfect it would be to get married here.

Robert overheard them, and, without missing a beat, recommended me.

To my surprise, the bride was a social media influencer. She loved every detail of her wedding, from the ceremony to the reception, and shared it all with her followers. The post went viral, and before I knew it, our inbox was flooded with inquiries.

That day was unforgettable.

I had laughed and cried as Sebastian spun me around our tiny apartment, both of us dizzy with excitement.

We had poured everything into this business—and I say we because Sebastian was just as much a part of it as I was.

He had become the official baker, though calling it ‘baking’ barely covered what he did.

He spent hours in the kitchen, testing recipes and decorating cakes so stunning they didn’t even look real.

Sebastian always took the time to sit with the couples, listening to how they met, the highs and lows they’d shared, and everything in between.

And somehow, he managed to turn all of that into a cake.

“Nothing to do with Whiskers of Sunlight Weddings,” he mumbled, his hands sliding up to settle on my ribs.

Whiskers of Sunlight Weddings . It was the name we’d chosen, and sometimes it still felt unbelievable that we had a physical shop now.

The doorway was arched, with white marble columns on either side, and I couldn’t help but love how white vines, tangled with ivy and small stones, spiralled up the columns.

The exterior was painted a faded baby blue, the kind of shade that made it impossible not to glance inside if you happened to walk by.

And once you did, you’d find the inside just as breathtaking, filled with flowers in every shade of pink imaginable.

“Just thinking about how handsome you are and how much I’m going to miss this view.

” I made a gesture with my head, referring to being able to see the sun rising and setting from such a close distance, all from the comfort of the small space we called home.

“I’m really going to miss it the day we move out. ”

He hummed quietly, his breath caressing my skin as he leaned in, brushing his lips against mine.

My body leaned into him without thinking, rising onto my tiptoes, trying to stay close as he pulled away.

But his lips lingered, just a heartbeat longer, and I felt the faintest chuckle vibrate against my mouth.

Then, with a shift in the air between us, he kissed me again—deeper this time, his touch more urgent, as if he couldn’t get enough.

“I’ll build you a house with my own hands, right by the beach if I have to.” The words made my heart swell, and a smile tugged at the corners of my lips. I marvelled, as I did every morning, amazed at how my love for him grew with each passing second. “Never doubt what I would do for?—”

“Us,” I interrupted, basking in those words every time they left his mouth.

“Or for me.” He nodded with pride. “We still have a couple of years left in this apartment, anyway.” He hummed thoughtfully, and I could see the wheels turning in his mind.

Though we had the money and resources, we chose to wait.

A house wasn’t something we needed just yet.

For now, it was just us—and Mr. Whiskers, who split his time between our place and my parents’ house every other week.

“But it feels like home…” I added. Change always seemed intimidating, even when we were ready for it.

“It’s not the furniture we bought,” he murmured, swaying us from side to side.

“And it’s not the location.” His gaze drifted to the floor, and I followed, noticing the scattered white hairs mixed in with Mr. Whiskers’ mostly black fur.

I remembered how, the first time I found those white hairs, I had broken down, overwhelmed by the thought of my baby getting older.

Sebastian had stayed up the whole night, holding me tight and kissing my anxieties away. “It’s because we’re together.”

Mr. Whiskers scrambled up Sebastian’s leg, using him like a trampoline to spring onto the table where my coffee sat.

He barely missed knocking over the mug, and my heart skipped a beat, but somehow, he righted it just in time.

With a satisfied little flick of his tail, he settled on the table, his eyes locked on the spoon inside my mug.

He batted at it with one paw, sending it clinking back and forth.

“I love you so much, Sebastian,” I whispered, my voice catching as tears stung my eyes.

My chest tightened, and I could feel the weight of everything I couldn’t quite put into words.

It was all there—every beat of my heart, every quiet, overwhelming rush of love that only he could make me feel.

“I’ve never felt my heart beat like this before. It beats for you.”

His right hand lightly rested on my cheek, his thumb tracing the curve of my skin. “It beats with mine.”

His words echoed in my chest, a rush of emotions flooding through me. I pulled him closer, tightening my arms around his shoulders, silently urging him to lean in. When he lowered his face to mine, I met him halfway, pressing my lips to his in a kiss that was desperate.

Sunscreen and apricots . His scent surrounded me, filling me with a warmth that reached deeper than the sun ever could.

A loud meow from Mr. Whiskers abruptly interrupted our kiss.

With a fluid leap, he landed on the balcony railing, walking along it with the proud stride of someone who knew they were being watched.

Once he reached a spot where he could perch comfortably, he settled in, fixing us with a look that was equal parts judgment and curiosity, as if he had every right to break up our moment.

Today was going to be another good day.

We had plans to meet up with family, take Mr. Marley to the stores, and catch up with Aria, who had become one of my closest friends.

Her boyfriend, too, had become friends with Sebastian, so we were in for a day of good company.

And in just two months, Sylvie would be coming for our wedding—I couldn’t wait to have my sister by my side again.

Sebastian took my hand, his fingers stroking the band he’d slipped onto my finger when he proposed last summer. He lifted our joined hands towards the last rays of sunlight, making them sparkle.

My aquamarine ring shimmered in the sun, the stones catching the light in a way that took my breath away.

It was perfect, more than I could have ever imagined.

My fiancé’s breath against my ear sent a shiver down my spine as he whispered, over and over, how much he loved me, as if he was carving those words into every corner of my mind.

For a moment, his hands left my body, and I almost whimpered, but the sound caught in my throat when his fingers slid to the hem of his t-shirt.

He lifted it off, letting it fall to the ground.

I felt a deep sense of calm settle over me.

I knew, without question, that no matter what came our way, we would be okay. Every day with him would always feel like this, like we were exactly where we were meant to be. Because we were .

With a grin, Sebastian began walking backwards, tugging me along with him.

As I took one last glance at the sun setting, the golden light fading from the sky, my gaze landed on a pair of green eyes, gleaming as if they were catching the last traces of sunlight.

This time I didn’t swear.

This time, I knew that Mr. Whiskers had winked at me.