"Miles, I got this. We all got this. You know that we know how to handle the kids. We got it," Bradlee tells me, putting his hands on my shoulders as I nod while letting out a nervous breath. He chuckles before ruffling my hair. "I've been here longer than you, you know? Just trust me. We got this."

I chuckle, nodding my head since he was completely right. "I know, I trust you. Just call me if something happens and I'll be on the first flight back here, okay?"

Bradlee chuckles, shaking his head. "Nope, I'll tell you everything when you get back. Just have some fun, man. You and Julian have been so stressed lately, so let loose. Have some fun."

"You're right," I tell him before swinging my backpack over my shoulder. I give him a smile before walking out of the conference room that we were discussing everything in. As soon as I walk out, I'm bombarded by tons of hugs since I had told all the kids that I would be gone for a few days in confidence since I trusted they wouldn't tell Julian.

With everything that had been going on with us, Nina had suggested that I surprise Julian with a trip. She made it clear that I was definitely going on a trip that she planned, so I didn't even have to do anything. Since she literally created a travel agency and was still running it, I already know that the next few days were going to be fantastic. She knew all the best spots and exactly what we could do to have tons of fun.

Julian had absolutely no idea about any of it because I'm actually pretty good at keeping secrets. I had talked to Jonah and he secretly rescheduled all of Julian's appointments and meetings for the next few days and he even agreed to do some extra work while we were gone to make sure that everything was running smoothly. I knew that Julian would definitely check in a lot because his businesses meant a lot to him, but I would make sure that he was still having fun at the same time.

"We'll miss you," Derek said as he tightened his hold on me. Ever since he had his breakdown in the alley with me, I've made sure to pay attention to all of the kids as much as I could. I know that they've noticed the change and they couldn't be happier with it. I made sure to visit the two houses in the city as much as I possibly could and I even spent tons of time with them here at the center. I also made sure to keep checking in with all the other homes every single day through email, just to make sure everything was okay.

"I'll miss you all too, but you all have my number. If you need anything, just text me and I'll figure stuff out, alright?" I tell all the kids, which they respond with nods. I say bye to all of them, especially Derek since I was definitely the closest with him. I made sure that none of the kids felt like I was picking favorites and they all felt loved, but Derek definitely had a very special place in my heart. He was the first kid that I ever helped at Home Our Community and he kinda paved the way for me here. I was so nervous for him to go off to college next year, but he was going to be with his best friend, Boyd, so I couldn't be happier for him.

After saying bye to all the kids and the volunteers, I left the center. I gave special instructions to Hannah, our receptionist, that if Nora showed up again, she was supposed to call me and I would figure things out. I knew that Julian still had contact with her, but as long as she wasn't around the kids, then I was fine. He could do as he pleased, within reason of course. I push all the thoughts of Home Our Community out of my head as I drive home in silence, just thinking about all the fun that Julian and I would have within the next few days.

When I get home, I decide to start packing for the trip since we're leaving bright and early in the morning. I was definitely stressing the whole time that I was picking out clothes and whatnot because I had no idea how Julian was going to react. Would he want to go? I mean, I feel like everyone needs some time to relax and this would be a perfect way. But at the same time, I never know when things are going to go bad.

At about eight, I hear the two beeps that tell me that Julian was home, so I drop everything in my hands onto the bed before rushing out of the room. I practically run down the stairs to see him taking off his jacket to hang it up on the rack. When he sees me, he looks a bit confused, but he also had a cute smile on his face.

"Hey, beautiful," he says to me when I rush into his arms. He rocks me back-and-forth for a few seconds before putting his finger under my chin and tilting my head up. I wrap my arms around his neck as he presses his lips onto mine. I take a step back to try to get away from him, but he just follows me, keeping his lips pressed against mine as he tries to gain entrance to my mouth.

"Wait," I whisper against his lips, making him pull away. I see that lust-filled look in his eyes and I desperately wanted to continue this, but I was shaking with excitement at this point. I've barely ever traveled in my life, so actually going somewhere with my soon-to-be husband was going to be so much fun. "I have to tell you something."

He pulled away immediately, that desperate look turning into one of worry. "What's going on? Are you okay?"

I notice that he looks over my body for any indication that I was hurt and that pained me to see. He was still so worried that his dad would somehow get out of jail and find me to hurt me. But at this point, that definitely wasn't going to happen. Mr. Caldwell had loads of charges against him at this point and would definitely be going to prison after his trial which is scheduled in the next few weeks. "I'm perfectly fine, everything's okay."

I grab his hand and pull him into the living room where I decide to sit us down on the couch. He was clutching my hand a bit tighter than necessary, but it was understandable. He was worried. "So what's up?"

"Well, I know that both of us, especially you, have been super stressed the past few weeks and Nina thought it would be a great idea that we got away for a bit, so tomorrow morning, we're going to Maui," I blurt out, too stressed but also too excited to tiptoe around the announcement.

His eyes widen, looking absolutely shocked at what I just told him. "Wait, what?"

I chuckle, tightening my grip on his hand. "We're going to Hawaii."

He freezes like he has no idea what to say. I knew that he has had no indication of this happening because he hadn't mentioned anything to anyone at this point, so this was definitely a surprise. I chuckle, shaking him a bit to encourage him to speak. "Are you serious?"

"I'm totally serious, so we gotta hurry up and pack," I tell him, practically vibrating with excitement in my seat. He lets out a chuckle before pulling me into his arms, shaking his head like he couldn't believe what was happening. I think he didn't believe me, but once we went upstairs and he saw all the clothes and suitcases, he definitely realized that it was a real thing that was happening.

We spent the night packing for the trip and at some point, Julian left to go pick up some food for us. He took a bit longer than I expected and when he came back, he was holding a bag behind him that he wouldn't show me, but he did wink at me. I just pushed it aside because it obviously wasn't bad. That night, we go to sleep with so much excitement in our bodies for the next day ahead of us.

The next morning, Julian held my hand as we walk onto the runway that shows the white plane that looked clean and in pristine condition. I tighten my grip on his hand as my nerves shoot up, but he didn't even notice because he was talking with the man that walked next to us. When the man rushes forward towards the plane, Julian looks down at me with a huge smile. "You ready?"

I nod my head before looking at all the people that stood next to the steps that we would take to enter the aircraft. They all looked a bit intimidated by Julian but didn't show it too much that it was obvious. "Uh, so this is yours?"

Julian chuckles, shaking his head before standing in front of me to stop me from walking. I give him a confused look when he runs his hand through my hair with an amused look. "Ours."

My cheeks blush a bright red at that word because yeah, I was about to marry this man, but does that mean I was ready to take on all that that is? I mean, not only was I becoming his husband, but I was about to become a billionaire. I was about to be the owner of multiple high-class things that I've never even seen before. I knew that he had at least one plane that was his and also multiple cars in multiple states, but I don't know the full list of what would also become mine when we finally tied the knot. And now that I think of it, I should probably figure all that out. "Right."

He chuckles again before grabbing my hand and pulling me towards the people. They greet us with huge smiles and handshakes before we're ushered onto the plane. The inside was absolutely beautiful. There was a black carpet that held a nice white pattern and went nicely with the leather, white seats. There were side tables to each seat that looked like they had never been touched with how clean they were. In front of the seats that Julian had decided to sit at was a good-sized TV that held a bunch of flight plans that I couldn't quite understand.

The windows were a medium-sized square that was covered by a white cover. I could see the sunrise from my seat, showing the orange and pinkish sky that put a serene feeling in my body. Julian immediately grabs my hand as we get comfortable in the seats, which made my nerves get even higher.

"Sir," one of the men that I assumed was a flight attendant came up to us with a huge smile. "the flight will be 11 hours, 51 minutes. We will arrive at Kahului Airport at 12:06 AM, Hawaii Standard Time."

Julian nods his head with a smile. "Perfect, thank you."

The flight attendant nods his head before walking away to the quarters at the back of the plane where he and some woman sat in their outfits that resembled a casual style of a suit. I turn to Julian to see him typing something on his phone before he sets it on the little table next to him. His eyes falter when he sees my lip trapped between my teeth and he rubs his thumb against the back of my hand.

"You alright?" He whispers.

I let out a troubled sigh, wondering if this was a good idea or not. I know that I probably should've warned him earlier or even told Nina to plan something that wasn't too far away because of my fear. I guess I was just hopeful that I could control it, but now, in the moment, I didn't know if it was possible. "I don't really like planes."

Julian nods his head before wrapping his arm around my shoulder to hold me closer to his body. He places a firm kiss to the top of my head before pressing his forehead against mine. "Everything will be alright. I'll be right here the whole time, alright?"

"Okay," I whisper, feeling a bit better. My knee still shook a bit, but it was helping me get my nerves out a bit. Julian pulls away from me to search for something in my seat before he pulls out a seatbelt and fastens it before tightening it until I was securely strapped in. That definitely made me feel better and I watched as he puts his own on before he wraps his arm around my shoulder again.

He starts to ask me questions about what we were going to do to distract me, even though we already discussed what we were going to do once we get there. About 20 minutes later, we were told that we were about to take off and my heart jumped in my chest. Julian tightened his grip on my shoulders, taking my hand with his free one. "Hey, it's alright. I'm right here."

"I'm scared," I whisper to him, the panic evident in my voice.

He gives me a cute smile with a nod of the head. "I know, baby, but trust me, everything will be okay. Squeeze my hand as much as you need."

He keeps talking to me, taking my mind off of all of the feelings going through my body, but when the plane starts moving, a small whimper leaves my mouth. Julian leans over, pressing his lips against mine to distract me as best as he could. I tried not to think about the movements and just focus on the man in front of me, but that didn't work. When the aircraft lurches forward at a fast rate, I separate from his lips and squeeze his hand with both of mine.

He puts his lips next to my ear, whispering supportive things to me as I'm pressed back against the seat. My eyes squeeze closed, just waiting for the movement to die down when we get into the air. My grip on Julian's hand was so tight that it was hurting me, but I didn't care because I was terrified at the moment. I could lightly hear him talking to me, but none of his words were actually making an impact with me. Just the hum of his voice was helping me calm down, but it wasn't enough to start the panic from rising.

After a few more moments of the terrifying movements, it finally settles down. I let out a relieved sigh, looking over at Julian to see him giving me a cute smile. "Wasn't too bad, huh?"

"Oh, yeah, wasn't bad whatsoever," I say sarcastically with a chuckle. He nods his head with a laugh before giving me another soft kiss. When we pull away, he settles his head against mine, letting out a sigh.

"Movie?" He asks with a hopeful voice.

"Sure, whatever you want," I tell him with a nod, not really caring what we did right now. I was just hoping that there was no turbulence or anything because I would definitely have a panic attack if there was. Julian places a kiss to my head before grabbing the remote to flip through the movies that the TV had on it.

After a long, nervous flight, Julian and I finally drive into view of the hotel that we were staying at. I hated planes and today just confirmed that. We watched tons of movies and took a long nap together in the medium sized bed that the plane held. I didn't even notice it when we first got on because it was disguised as a double seat but then folded down into a bed. It was actually pretty comfortable and we had a pretty good cuddle session.

Now, we were getting out of the rental car in front of a beautiful hotel. There was a fountain in the middle of the valet service, which made the whole building look much more luxurious. The exterior was all white with huge windows from all the rooms that probably showed a good view of the ocean that was behind the hotel. The building was tall with many floors that probably held tons of rooms.

"Hello, Mr. Caldwell. How was your flight?" A man in a black suit says to my fiance while he handed the keys to the woman at the valet service. I could tell this man was nervous to see Julian for some reason, but he seemed happy when he looked at me.

"It was good. How's the hotel been doing?" Julian asks as he grabs my hand and we're escorted inside by the man in the suit. I don't listen to what he says because I'm too busy with looking at the interior. The floors were a shiny white marble and looked like they were never walked on with how clean they were. Apparently, when it came to rich people things, it also came with extreme cleanliness. There was a huge desk to the right of the huge doors that you walk through and my eyes widen when I see all the people that gathered there. In front of the receptionist desk was a bunch of employees standing there, waiting for us to go over.

I look up at Julian in surprise and when he looks down at me, he just gives me a smile and a wink before focusing back up at the man, who was still talking to him. When he stopped talking, he motioned to all the employees in front of us. "These are all of our staff members. They have been expecting your arrival ever since Mr. Brigg booked with us a week ago."

I was surprised when the man addressed me, but I hide that quickly as Julian says something to the employees before we're escorted towards the elevators. There was a huge moving art installation in the middle of the room that looked like raindrops falling onto a body of water. It was very beautiful and a lot of people stood around it, taking pictures or just watching it as it moved. I noticed that a few people were watching Julian and me, probably curious as to why we were getting special treatment.

I ignore everyone as we step into the fancy elevator. Julian now held a booklet along with a key card that probably accessed our room. I realize that the man in the suit was walking away from the elevator now, his hands shaking like he was nervous. When the doors slide closed, I look up at Julian with an even more confused look. "What was all that about?"

"Well, Nina probably should've mentioned to you that this is my hotel," he says with a chuckle. My eyes widen because not only had I flown in his plane today, but I was now staying in his hotel. I turn towards him in surprise, feeling very weird for some reason. I was partly overwhelmed but also proud of my soon-to-be husband.

"This is yours?" I ask, the shock clear in my voice.

"Yeah, remember when I had to take half a week to travel to all the new hotels when I decided to buy the company?" He asks, sounding amused as he looked down at me. He swipes the key card quickly before pressing a button on the elevator, but I ignored it. I nod my head, remembering those dreadful few days where I was home alone in the house just after I had moved on. "Well, you know I went to California, Florida, Arizona, Virginia, and Michigan, but I was scheduled to come to Hawaii too, but I just didn't have time. So I've never actually been here before."

"Whoa, really?" I ask, making him chuckle before nodding his head. I go to say something else, but I'm interrupted again by the elevator doors sliding open to reveal the beautiful room that we would be staying in. The room is separated by a wall that holds a TV on either side of it. On the left of the room is a living room area with a huge black sectional that holds many throw pillows that were different shades of gray and white. The carpet was a light gray and would probably feel really great without your shoes on.

On the right of the room was a huge poster bed that was a bit smaller than the one that we had back at home. It was covered with a white comforter along with a black blanket that looked super comfortable and was practically calling my name at this point. Next to the bed was another room that was separated by a frosted glass wall. You would be able to see outlines whenever someone was inside, but it wouldn't reveal too much. Inside of that was a huge shower that had no doors, just transitioned into the normal bathroom stuff.

The wall across from us was just glass to reveal the ocean. You couldn't see much since it was late, but the balcony was lit up to reveal outdoor couches along with a dining table that was covered in flowers and dishes. It was very pretty with the dim lights and would probably give a very beautiful view of the water and sandy beaches outside.

I look up when Julian sets his hand on my waist, placing a kiss to the back of my head. He was also checking out the room to see if it was to his liking and when he looks satisfied, he looks back down at me again. "You like it?"

"I love it," I whisper before he grips my waist before turning me around and wrapping my arms around his neck. He leans his head down to connect our lips in a passionate kiss. As soon as we make contact, I can feel the hunger that was already present in his body. His hand roughly grips my ass through my jeans as my back lightly arches, pressing our chests flush against one another.

I pull away from his lips, making him groan before trying to kiss me again. When I won't let him touch my mouth, he gives me a small glare. "What're you doing?"

"I think we have better things that we could be doing," I whisper with a smirk since I didn't want to get too hot and heavy when we just got to Hawaii.

He chuckles, nodding his head before pulling away from my body. He straightens out his clothes before reaching out to grab my hand. "Wanna take a walk on the beach?"

"Of course," I whisper before following him back over to the elevator. We make the small trip through the hotel, him pointing out a few things before taking me through a door. As soon as we walk outside, there are two huge pools that were still being used by a few people. There was a bar in the middle of one of the pools that we would probably get drinks from tomorrow. The pools looked absolutely amazing and I was excited to get into them tomorrow and just have fun.

We walk between the two pools and onto a path that went on for a bit until our feet hit the sand. We take off our shoes before continuing our walk through the beach. The cold sand felt amazing on my feet and the air was a bit chilly, so Julian's arm around my shoulder was helping me from not shivering. The sounds of waves crashing hits our ears, slightly blocked by people partying at a restaurant that was at the back of one of the other hotels.

When we get close to the water, Julian sinks to his feet before pulling me down as well. He settles me between his legs so I was leaning back against his chest, staring out at the water. The reflection of the moon on the ocean was very therapeutic and brought a relaxing feeling through my whole body. His hands come up to run through my hair as he sighs, sounding happy to be where he was.

"This was a good idea, thank you," he whispers into my ear, lightly kissing the shell of it before settling his chin onto the top of my head. His hand wraps around my waist to hold me against him, making me feel even calmer than I already did. Throughout the long day, I kinda forgot that I was the one to plan this, obviously with Nina doing most of the work. All day, I've been experiencing new things while Julian was probably familiar with everything. I didn't mind because as long as I was with him, I was happy. I didn't care about anything else.

"We'll have fun, right? We'll come back here tomorrow and maybe go to the pool and just relax," I whisper to him, feeling like if I talked too loud, it would destroy the peace we were experiencing.

"Well, I might've actually planned something for tomorrow," he whispers into my ear, sending a shiver down my spine at his husky voice. "but you won't know about that until it happens."

I let out a groan, looking up at him with a small glare. My mood brightens up when I see his beautiful face that was being lit up by the moonlight. His eyes were practically sparkling as he glances down at me and my heart suddenly flutters while I look at him. My glare turns into a soft look while my lips turn up into a smile. "You won't tell me?"

"Nope," he whispers before looking back up at the ocean. I decide to just ignore that and just enjoy everything that was in front of me. It was a bit of a stressful travel day, but with Julian, I felt like I could do anything and I would do absolutely anything to keep seeing that smile that's been on his face ever since we left this morning.