Forever After All(62)

He looks at me, a questioning look in his eyes, and I shake my head. I rise to my tiptoes and kiss him with all I’ve got, cheers erupting around us.

I’ve never been happier than I am today, yet this happiness feels fleeting, and I’m terrified I won’t be able to hold on to it.





Chapter 43





A lexander



Elena can’t stop staring at her engagement ring, and I can’t stop staring at her. The wind rustles her hair beautifully, and I’m glad we opted to have dinner on our terrace today. I can’t remember any woman ever cooking for me—it’s always a chef. Yet Elena, a woman that grew up in the same environment I did, cooks for me all the time. She takes the time to find out what my favorite dishes are and buys exotic ingredients to surprise me with. I’m not used to being taken care of this way.

“It’s stunning,” she says, her eyes twinkling. “I wish I could show my mom.”

Elena never ceases to amaze me. She refuses to give up on her mother, no matter how slim the odds are.

“Do you think she’d like it?” I ask.

Elena nods. “Yeah, it’s simple but so luxurious at the same time. Mom would definitely love this.”

I smile at her. She lights up when she speaks of her mother, of her memories with her. “Tell me about your happiest childhood memory,” I say, my voice soft.

Elena looks at me and takes a minute to think about it. “I guess my happiest childhood memory would be from when things were still simple. When you were still part of my everyday life. I remember once my parents were so busy arguing with each other that they forgot about my birthday, but Luce and you didn’t. I came over to your house, and the two of you had baked me a cake, which was barely edible by the way, and you’d put up all those fairy lights for me. To date, that’s still my best birthday ever.”

I smile. “Hmm, I remember that. It was the last birthday you spent with us. Lucian called me in a panic when he realized everyone forgot about your birthday, and he made me come home from college to prepare you a little party.” Throughout the years, most of my memories of my childhood got lost, forgotten. I have more memories with Elena than I realized.

Elena laughs, lost in the memory. “The two of you made my childhood bearable. My home wasn’t a place I liked to be at, no matter how hard my mother tried, and you allowed me to escape from it. I always felt loved at the Kennedys.”

“You are loved, Buttercup. All of us adore you. I wouldn’t have married you otherwise.”

“Tell me about your favorite childhood memory,” she says.

I sigh. “My childhood wasn’t very good. I was forced to grow up quickly, but I had to watch my brother enjoy his childhood with you. The two of you always had so much fun with each other, and it made me feel a little lonely. It sounds really dumb, considering I’m so much older than you two, but that’s what it was like. My most precious memories are with Lucian and you, and I wasn’t really a child anymore then.”

Elena presses a quick kiss to my lips. “You’ve also always had me, you just never realized it,” she says.

“Hmm, I’m not sure. Even now that you’re my wife, it’s still Lucian you’re closer to.” I sound petty and I know it, but I can’t help myself. I empty my glass to take my mind of the sudden loneliness I feel.

Elena holds out her fork for me, feeding me a bite of her fish. “Soon enough we’ll be besties too,” she says, winking at me.

I laugh, and I suddenly realize that I want nothing more than that. “I’d like that, Buttercup,” I say, my voice soft.

Elena feeds me a few more bites and I shuffle my seat closer to hers, so our legs are touching.

“Tell me three good things that happened to you today?” she says, placing her fork down.

I smile at the question. “I should have recognized you the second you asked that question, back at Inferno. It’s what you always used to ask me when you were younger. It took me a while to remember why that question sounded so familiar.”

Her cheeks redden, and she smiles at me.

“Three things, huh? You made me an amazing dinner, the world now knows that you’re mine, and I’m going to fuck you really hard later.”

She bursts out laughing. “Alec,” she says, her voice teasing. “One of them didn’t even happen today, and one is yet to happen.”

She shakes her head and takes another bite of her food. “Hey, what do you like best about me?” she asks.

I pause to take her in for a moment. “Your beauty. You’re truly beautiful inside and out. I’ve never known someone who’d sacrifice themselves for their parent on the off chance that it might make a difference. I’m proud to call you my wife. You’re good to my mother. I know you hang out with her whenever I’m working late, and she’s been happier than I’ve seen her in years.” She blushes and looks away. “What about you?” I ask, half fearing her answer. I haven’t given her much to like.

Elena puts her elbow on the table and rests her head against her fist, her face turned toward me. “I like your heart. You didn’t hesitate to pull me out of a bad situation, despite us having grown apart. You saved me, in every sense of the word. I like that you’re always trying to do the right thing. I like your mind. Seeing you working is such a huge turn on. You’re so incredibly driven and smart, it’s inspiring to watch you do your thing, even when at times I wish you’d just come to bed instead of working late. I look at you while you work and I cannot believe you’re my husband. I’m so proud of you.”