A year later

Ellie and I dropped our paint rollers and wiped the sweat off our foreheads almost simultaneously.

"I think it looks good," Ellie said, putting a finger under her chin and looking at the freshly painted wall of one of the dance halls. "It's comforting to know the knowledge my degree in Arts gives me is worth something."

"You're such a dork, Elizabeth." I laughed, nudging my best friend's shoulder with mine. "I'm grateful for your help. Thanks to you and Aiden, we saved tons of money on renovations. And you're right - you do paint like a pro, but please don't give up on your landscapes and portraits."

"And fashion illustrations."

"That, too. I've been to tons of fashion events thanks to that magazine of yours. I'm proud of you."

Ellie blushed slightly and then shrugged. "Look who's talking - the co-owner of one of the dance studios in Paris."

"Together with Liam."

Laughing, Ellie began to pick up the painting supplies we'd used. "Of course, how could I forget about your almost-husband. Thank God you are going to reopen the school after your honeymoon. This last year has been insane, and we need a break before the big events."

Ellie wasn't wrong. The four of us had never been busier. Liam and Aiden had their hands full with their online degrees and the job at Fauber Construction, where new projects appeared almost weekly. On top of that, Liam and I continued to teach dancing. Now, the dance school was never empty. We were the only two teachers, but after Brigitte offered us to co-own the studio, Liam and I had been thinking about hiring someone else to be able to accept more students.

I forced myself to stop thinking about work and focus on the trip we were going on.

Liam and Aiden did a project in the South of Portugal, and after visiting Algarve once, they fell in love with the place. We decided to go there together— the four of us, enjoying some weeks on the coast before our wedding in September. Our flight was later today, and just like Ellie and I feared, the guys were late from work, which was why we finished painting the walls without them.

"I can't wait to wash the sweat off me," complained Ellie when we strolled to the reception to say goodbye to Brigitte before going on vacation.

"Same. The guys will be all clean and handsome while we're like two Cinderellas before the epic makeover."

Ellie giggled. "Yeah, with paint stains as a bonus. Don't worry; I'm sure they will be just as drained. Aiden barely slept preparing the budget for his latest project."

"Whoever said being an adult was fun lied shamelessly."

"Poor us. Look, Brigitte isn't alone."

Ellie nodded toward the reception, and I saw Brigitte chatting with Faith.

"How are my beautiful girls?" Faith asked, hugging me, and then Ellie when we approached her.

"Ready to go on that vacation," I said, smiling. "Thank you for agreeing to take a look at our apartments while we're away."

Faith rolled her eyes. "Please. I live five minutes away. It's the least I can do. You have to glow at your wedding, Sky baby, so have some rest and lots of fun."

I hugged Faith and kissed her cheek. "I will; I promise."

"And you too, Ellie," Faith said to my friend, who was prone to stressing herself out over deadlines and studies.

Ellie grinned. "Of course. I wouldn't want to faint at my best friend's wedding due to exhaustion."

"That's what I love hearing," said Liam's grandma. "Now, come on, go, or you'll be late."

We said goodbye to Faith and Brigitte and headed home.

Faith showered Liam and me with affection and had a soft spot for Tim. After she'd visited us in September, Liam and I offered her to move to Paris. Liam wasn't comfortable with the idea of his only grandmother living so far from him and being alone. Faith put her house up for rent. That, and some savings she had, were enough for her to buy a small apartment in downtown Paris.

At first, Faith was overwhelmed— new culture, city, and language would do that to anyone, especially to the woman who hardly ever left the town where she lived.

Liam and I took her to Liam's hometown and visited Liam's parents' graves. Liam showed his grandmother where he used to live and told Faith stories about his parents and him.

Faith would have found it way harder to get used to the chaos of Paris hadn't it been for Brigitte. The two women hit it off right away on the same day we introduced them to each other. They had many things in common — both were alone and loved reading; both were caring and thoughtful. They went shopping and walking together, not to speak of all the cultural events the two women didn't miss a chance to attend.

It was heartwarming to see Liam's grandma finally happy after the hell she'd been through. Having his grandma near was also good for Tim, who took to Faith and began to call her granny Faith within the first week of meeting her.

Liam and I benefited from having someone who could babysit his brother once in a while, as well. We could go on dates knowing Tim was in good hands.

After all the heartache, all of us finally started to figure things out, one day at a time.

Aiden and I sat next to each other on the sand, watching our girls walk by the water, engrossed in an amusing conversation judging by their laughter.

"It still feels surreal," I said, looking at Sky in a bikini that didn't cover much.

Aiden laughed. "Getting married?"

"All of it. This last year has been intense."

"But it was a good kind of intense. I think we'd had enough crap prior to it. It's time to finally be happy, don't you think so?"

I nodded, fixing my eyes on my finally relaxed friend. I wasn't the lazy one, but the way Aiden pushed himself to the limit was something else. He and Ellie had that in common.

Aiden's phone buzzed by his side. He picked it up and unlocked the screen. A huge grin appeared on his face, and he turned the phone around for me to see it.

I chuckled. "Fuck. Darren's twins? So damn cute."

Aiden nodded. "Makes me want to have one of my own, but then I remember the guy falling asleep at his desk, and I..."

"Falling asleep at his desk and the meeting. Ollie won't let Dar forget that."

Laughing, Aiden looked at the image of two chubby babies once again. "It must be so damn hard. I'm definitely not ready yet, and neither is Ellie. We talked about it. You?"

"I have more experience because of Tim, but let me get married first. I want a couple of carefree years before we think about kids unless Sky wants to have one soon, which is unlikely."

"Knowing the two of you, you're gonna be stubborn about that as well."

I rolled my eyes at Aiden, who shrugged and got up, brushing the sand off his shorts.

"Let's get the girls before one of the vultures decides they are single."

I joined my buddy, and we strolled toward Sky and Ellie. "Jim is the biggest vulture of all, and look at the three of us being besties," I said.

"Blame his girl. Jim is no threat, has never been. He talks a lot, but the guy is a closet romantic."

"When he wants to be."

Aiden chuckled. "That, too. Listen, I'm gonna take Ellie out on a date tonight. Do you guys have plans?"

"Sky wanted to explore the area a bit, and I thought about dinner on the beach later in one of those cafes facing the water."

"Good. Have fun, and don't get lost."

Aiden drew his arms around Ellie as soon as we approached the girls, and I took Sky's hand in mine.

We said goodbye to our friends and headed in the opposite direction.

"Did you have fun walking?" I asked Sky.

"Yes. And see? No sunburns. I'm being careful."

I kissed Sky's lips. "Good. Do you still want to see the cliffs?"

"Yes. It's over there." Sky pointed the finger at something ahead of us.

"I think it was in the opposite direction, sweetheart."

"I checked on the Internet."

"So did I."

"We're not going to argue about that," Sky said, scrunching up her nose. "And give me my shorts. They are in the bag."

"So bossy." I laughed, rummaging in the monstrosity Sky packed for our afternoon on the beach. I was positive she didn't need half of the things in it, but telling her that was pointless.

"Here you go." I handed my girl the piece of denim and smiled, watching her pull it up her tanned legs.

"I have to eat less, or else my wedding dress won't fit," Sky complained.

"Just when I wanted to take you out for dinner."

Sky stopped walking and looked at me. "You did? Tonight?"

"Yeah." I smiled, nuzzling her cheek with my nose. "And see? The cliff is in the opposite direction; the sign says so."

Crossing her arms in front of her chest, Sky turned around and walked away from me. I knew what she was doing, and it took me next to nothing to reach her and gather her in my arms despite her squeals of protest. "You know just what clothes to pack, right, sweetheart?"

"I have three pairs of those for when you decide to be annoying."

"You're asking for it," I said, throwing Sky over my shoulder. "I'm not putting you down until we've found the cliff. I don't trust you."

"You do."

"Not with directions."

"Too bad because I love you."

Sky started to tickle me, and the two of us nearly fell into the grass on the side of the path leading to the impressive limestone rock formation emerging from the purest waters.

We stopped by the stairs leading to a small beach, and I hugged Sky to me from behind.

We stood looking at the sun slowly sinking into the ocean. Sky smiled, resting her head against my shoulder, and I didn't waste a moment to kiss her lips once and then again. No matter how many times I did it, it was never enough. It wasn't when we met, and it sure wasn't a year later.

"I love you," I whispered, tightening my hold on the girl who brought me happiness every single day.

"I love you," Sky echoed my words, making the warmth spread through my entire being.

***

We decided to have dinner and enjoy a glass of wine in one of the small restaurants by the beach.

Sky and I had stopped by our hotel before going out to dinner. She changed into a long dress thin enough for me to guess the contours of her body underneath the delicate fabric. That and the looks she was giving me made it difficult to pay attention to anything other than my future wife.

"I am looking forward to our wedding," Sky said, smiling at me over the rim of her wine glass.

"And our honeymoon."

"That, too, but I can't wait to be yours. You make me so happy I struggle to believe it's real."

"Wasn't a year enough to see it's very much real?" I teased.

Sky jumped off her chair and walked up to me. I pulled her onto my lap and kissed her shoulder when her arms enclosed me in a tight embrace.

"How about a night swim?" she whispered.

"Sounds good. Let me pay the bill, and let's go."

I walked to the bar, leaving Sky at our table. Glancing over my shoulder, I saw her smile at me, biting her lip.

Later, as we walked to one of the small, secluded beaches surrounded by the rocks, Sky giggled, pointing at a couple walking toward us.

"We haven't seen each other," said Aiden, smiling as he drew an arm around Ellie's shoulders.

"Have fun, guys," said Ellie, winking at me. "The water is warm, and there are no people around."

Aiden grinned at his wife. "None. If later you're in the mood to join us for a drink, we'll be by the pool."

As soon as the two of them disappeared in the distance, Sky giggled. "I was going to get naughty with you, but someone already had the same idea."

"Sounds amazing, sweetheart. You and I, in the water sheltered by the rocks. Come on."

I quickened my step, and as soon as we were at our destination, I kissed Sky and pulled her dress over her head.

A glance around told me we were alone. "Come on, take everything off," I said to Sky.

She hesitated for a moment. "After you."

I got rid of my shorts and underwear and got into the water, smiling at Sky's shyness before she joined me.

"Is it deep?" she asked, taking a few tentative steps in my direction.

"I'll hold you. Come here."

I couldn't wait to hold her in my arms. Sky's soft body nestled into mine under the water, and I made her circle my hips with her legs.

"The water's warm," Sky whispered when a gentle wave made us sway slightly with our bodies pressed together.

The warmth was what I felt whenever we were together. Gone was the guy who was scared to live and feel. Sky gave me a million reasons to look forward to the future, and I couldn't imagine it without her by my side and in my arms.

My lips sought hers, and I kissed her just when another, bigger wave rolled over us, making us laugh and then kiss, again and again, looking into each other's eyes, unable to get enough of the August night and the love we both found when none of us expected it.

Sky always said that what happened before me didn't hold any significance because I was her true first. I would make sure she knew and never forgot she was mine, too.