There are moments in life that feel made entirely of magic. Every single aspect of them are so utterly perfect that they leave you breathless, charged full of light.

Those moments of magic sharpen everything, the details coming into focus like a high-definition movie. It's like seeing a shooting star in the dark when you have forgotten how to wish, or seeing a symphony of fireflies dancing across the grass while you sit on a porch on a warm summer night after a day of back-breaking work, or when you realize that you are suddenly standing before a man that you are so desperately in love with, snow at his feet, determination in his eyes after so many years of wanting, you can't help but hope that maybe this time... the timing is right.

"Laurence? What are you doing here?" I breathed out, shocked.

He held an umbrella above his head, dusted with flakes, a duffel bag dropping to the ground next to him, sending up a swirl of snow as he took me in.

"I'm here for you."

He stared up at me, the twinkle lights on the deck giving him a soft glow.

I swallowed but didn't respond, still too shocked to see him standing before me. I hadn't mentally prepared to see him yet.

"How are you?" I finally managed, barely able to look at him as he continued to look up at me like he had all the time in the world and the only thing he wanted was to soak me in.

I began to back peddle, suddenly so nervous that I couldn't stop talking. "Sorry, stupid question."

He took a step toward me, umbrella cutting off my ability to see his face for a moment. "My house is ash. My family name is tarnished beyond repair and I am currently staying with Dashielle."

I bit back a laugh, mitten fingers covering my mouth. "Dash?" The picture of them living together left me fighting another wave of laughter. "That's... awful."

"I have nowhere to live, my brother is in prison for the rest of his life, and despite all of that..." he tilted back his umbrella as he reached the bottom step to get a better look at me from where I stood on the top step several feet away. "I can't bring myself to mind those misfortunes."

I held my breath, blood roaring in my ears, the world suddenly silent.

"Because there's something I have to do." He paused, watching my expression. "I've come to break a promise I made you and keep a different one."

I crossed my arms to keep myself from shivering. "And what is the answer to this strange riddle, Laurence?"

"I once promised to never kiss you again and I've come to break that promise. And to keep another one by finishing that kiss in my house two weeks ago."

I couldn't feel the cold anymore. I couldn't see the deck, the stars, the snow. Nothing else existed but Laurence Royal and that single statement. Laurence Royal standing before my childhood home, having hunted me down.

He searched my face, "That is... if you'll have me."

I was frozen, shocked, unable to process his words. Is this real life?

He continued, taking a small step forward, his shoes brushing the bottom step. As close as he dared to approach without an invitation.

"I..." he ran his fingers through his hair. "I don't mean it like a kiss goodbye, or a passing affair." He let out a breath, the air steaming as it left his lips, showcasing the first hint of his uncertainty. "I've never been good at grand gestures, or gifts, or words. So... Let me make myself clear."

There was no air. My body seemed incapable of breathing.

His eyes grew dark, open and wanting. "I want you. Deeply. No games. I want you, Lily Autumns. I've wanted you for a long time. So much, that it hurts to breathe when you look at me. It burns when you smile at me, it makes it impossible to think when you touch me. And if you'll let me, I'd be willing to be utterly breathless and burned for the rest of my days if you'll give me a chance."

I was lost in his words, stunned, burned, branded by them in a way that would permanently destroy me if I let them.

He swallowed. "I love you."

"Two weeks..." I replied, trying to form coherent thoughts at the sound of those words and coming up short. "You... vanished. For two weeks." I couldn't just pretend that he hadn't ghosted me. It wasn't fair to myself.

He dropped the umbrella on the ground next to him. "You left."

"I called you," I said by way of argument.

"My phone melted along with everything I own." He searched my face, seeming to realize something in my expression. "You thought I was avoiding you..."

Laurence fought a smile, shaking his head. "I spent the first week stuck at the police station answering questions about my brother, dealing with theories that I asked him to burning down my house for insurance money. By the time they released me, Royal Winters was closed and when I went by your house, you were gone."

He had been stuck at the police station?

"But... you were emailing from your work account..." I trailed off.

"That was Dash. I had given him a list of things to respond to on my email. The fact that he kept the emails short and curt is a miracle." Laurence blinked, looking utterly shocked. "He didn't tell you where I was?"

"No..." I said, trailing off, running out of words.

It's official, I'm firing Dash the moment I get back to the office.

It took me far too long to realize that Laurence was waiting for a response. That he was expecting a fight— an uphill battle to convince me of his affections, hoping that I felt the same— as he looked up into my face, expecting to be cast aside, to be deemed unworthy.

He thinks I'll turn him away.

The reality of it was jarring.

Laurence Royal was afraid that I couldn't love him after everything that had happened, and I had been afraid that he wouldn't want me anymore. I had been worried in the very same way.

We are both idiots.

I found my voice, the sound of it strange in my own ears. "Mr. Royal, I'm afraid HR may not approve of your declaration."

"Damn HR," he said, voice guttural.

Shaking my head, I  turned away and walked toward the door of the house.

"Lily," he called, uncertain, unaware of what I was doing.

A moment later I turned, using the extra room to get a running start, before throwing myself over the steps and into his arms.

He stumbled backward as I fell into him, his arms wrapping around me instinctively, the movement sending up a flurry of snowflakes around us.

I let out a laugh as he found his balance, arms around my waist, eyes wide in surprise. "What took you so long?" I murmured, moving my hands up to the nape of his neck, before yanking off my mittens so my fingers could greedily tug through his hair as I placed my forehead to his.

He gave me a slow smile that set his eyes ablaze, his fingers giving my waist a hard squeeze, his lashes brushing against my temple. "You are a hard woman to track down and I wanted to talk to you in person. My attempt at a romantic gesture... Although I now realize that my silence may have caused some panic. As a side note, are you aware that Bex doesn't know your exact address? Yours is the fifth house I've come to, this evening—"

I pushed up onto my tiptoes, brushing my nose against his jaw, enjoying the fast heartbeat I found along his throat, causing him to fall silent. "In case it wasn't obvious..." I leaned back and looked deep into his dark eyes, waiting to see his reaction. "I love you too, Laurence Royal."

And there it was. That rare smile. The one that could only be earned through spontaneous joy. He looked down at me, eyes bright, a single dimple in his cheek. A smile just for me.

With his hands traveling up to my face, fingers brushing against my cheeks, he kissed me, slow and soft, like he was taking me in for the first time with this new declaration, tasting the truth on my lips.

Then to my utter surprise he let me go, glanced down at his watch and smiled, looking utterly pleased with himself. "It's midnight."

It took me a second to understand, and when I did, let out a laugh, remembering Allie's list of goals for me. That I find a man to kiss at midnight on New Year's Eve.

"Never let anyone tell you are terrible at romantic gestures ever again," I murmured, smiling against his lips.

"Happy New Year, Miss Autumns," he said before trailing a slow set of kissing along my jaw.

"Happy New Year, Mr. Royal," I replied, utterly breathless.

Then I pulled his face up to mine, kissing him again, my fingers trailing into his hair, and again, his hands falling to my hips, and again, everything becoming electric fire as he took his time mapping, exploring with his lips and hands.

The moment stretched taught, the cold world gone to flame and want and need and hunger and elation. A moment that wasn't stolen in a storm, or said against flames, but a slow perfect promise that vowed to become endless.

Each brush of lips, and skin a vow of so many more to come.

Finally, Laurence leaned back, looking breathless, face pink from the cold. "Thank you for waiting for me."

I cupped his cheek, soaking in his dazed expression, the flush along his skin, the fact that I had put them there. "Thank you for choosing me back."

"Oh good! You came up for air. Come inside! It's cold, Jack set the oven on fire, and Henry wants to teach Laurence how to play Smash Bros!" Will shouted, hand covering his eyes to avoid any PDA from where he stood in the doorway to the house.

"Make out later. Family bonding and putting out fires now. Come on!" he added when we both stared at him, startled.

I rolled my eyes and looked at Laurence. "You willing to brave them or should we just run away?"

He laughed and kissed me tenderly on the forehead before placing his forehead to mine. "For you? I'll take on all of them."

Then he followed me inside, my brothers greeting him like family.

...

THREE MONTHS LATER

The afternoon sun yawned across the dark floors, stretching through the glass walls and giving everything a warm glow that was in sharp contrast to to the humming energy as everyone at Royal Winters prepped for the next shoot.

My office, now smack in the middle of Allie's and Laurence's, was a barrier between their opposing personalities, a glass room filled with retro designs from the 1940's. An emerald green velvet sofa with button-tuffed backrest, a wood frame and tight pleated rolled arms, art deco leather arm chairs, deep blue patterned rug and a distressed solid wood executive desk with claw legs all filled the space, making it look like I had plucked my office out of a 1940's decor magazine or as Dash had put it, a day spent in a antique shop buying everything from the 'ooooold days.'

I sat at my desk, eyes on my computer, going through items that still needed approval for our shoot, when Dash knocked on the door. He poked his head in with a smile. "You ready?"

I blinked, confused. "For?"

Dash gestured to his phone where a calendar notification sat. "Boss Friend organized a meeting, remember?"

"Right." I had nearly forgotten.

Dash settled down into one of the two art deco leather arm chairs and glanced through my office walls toward Laurence, who was just standing up to come join us. "I don't like the title of this meeting. 'Dash Meeting,'" he said skeptically. "It makes me feel like I'm getting fired."

I hesitated. "Well..."

"What?!?" he asked alarmed.

Just then, Laurence walked into my office and Dash turned to stare up at him shocked. "YOU'RE FIRING ME?!?"

He paused in the doorway, taking in Dash's expression. "I can see Miss Autumns started this meeting without me."

"WHAT?!? IT'S TRUE! Boss Friend! I've been so good! I haven't made anyone coffee in months and I keep everything organized. I gave you a place to live!"

Laurence fought a smile, his mouth twitching as he sat down in the other art deco leather chair. "And I am forever grateful for that."

Dash and Laurence had been living together for three and a half months, ever since Laurence's house burned down. And hearing about their daily roommate drama had become one of my favorite things. Dash had a pet iguana that he kept trying to put tiny top hats on, who Laurence always found sleeping in his bed come morning.

"I won't let Smaug sleep in your room anymore," Dash insisted, his tone growing more concerned. "I'll be a better roommate Laurence. I'm sorry."

Laurence shook his head. "You are a great roommate, which is surprising, but you are. That isn't it."

"Then why—"

"I lined up a new job for you," Laurence said, allowing a hint of a smile to touch his lips.

Dash froze, surprised. "Oh." He looked between us. "As like the president of Royal Winters or something?"

I snorted. "Um... no Dash. Allie has that job and she'd kill you if you tried to take it."

Dash glanced through the other glass wall towards Allie's office, where she was currently snatching up a sketch and tearing it to shreds, eyes angry at a mistake she had made on the page.

Dash swallowed. "I decline the job of being your boss."

"The job is at Medieval Times," Laurence said.

When Dash just stared at him, utterly silent, slack jawed, Laurence continued. "Lily told me you've always wanted to work there, and I know the costume designer—"

"You're serious?" Dash breathed. He looked over at me. "Is he serious, I can't tell when Boss Friend is serious."

I nodded, growing excited. "You get to be a knight Dash. Like you always wanted."

Dash shook his head, fighting the reality we were placing at his feet. "But... But... I failed the audition... I was black listed. I nearly cut off the manager's toe..."

Laurence laughed. "They remember you. But they owe me a favor and are willing to give you a shot... if you want it."

Dash looked down at his hands, his face turning red. "Who? Who remembers me?"

Laurence raised a brow at me as if to say, 'old flame?' I shrugged, unsure. I had guessed that there was a girl in his past that had led him to give up on the idea of serious relationships, but I hadn't dug too deep with Dash on it. He had made it clear that talking about his feelings was off limits.

Did this girl work at Medieval Times?

"The manager remembers you," Laurence said carefully.

"What about his daughter?" Dash asked, eyes still on his hands.

Laurence paused, thinking. "He didn't say." Dash nodded, silent, his shoulders slumping slightly.

Laurence and I looked at each other, concerned. This conversation hadn't gone the way we had expected. I knew Dash loved Medieval Times, had wanted to be a knight for a long time, so the idea that he seemed uncertain left me speechless. I had expected happy Dash. Screaming with excitement Dash. Not, quiet Dash.

"You will always have a job here Dash," I said softly. "And if you decide not to take it—"

Dash's head shot up. "No. I want it." He rubbed the back of his head, flustered, face still red. "This is... wow... thank you." He cleared this throat, looking touched. "I don't know what to say..."

"That's a first," Laurence said dryly.

I stood up from my chair and pulled Dash up and into a hug. "You are going to do great. I can't wait to watch you be a knight."

He squeezed me back. "Thank you Platonic Non Work Wife," he said, shooting Laurence a wink at the updated nickname. Dash had changed it once we started back at Royal Winters and it was clear that Laurence and I were dating.

"You start at the end of the week," Laurence said with a pat on Dash's back. "Just long enough to walk the new assistants through their assignments."

Dash had been juggling assisting me, Allie and Laurence for the last month, and it was time to bring in a few more people to help. Dash had done enough.

He smiled widely, looking excited. "I'm going to be a knight," he whispered, trying the title out. A laugh fell out of him as he walked toward the door. "OH MY GOSH! A KNIGHT! LOOK OUT KING ARTHUR! I'M COMING FOR YOUR ROUND TABLE!"

As the glass door shut behind him, I turned to Laurence laughing. "Now that was the reaction I was expecting."

"A KNIGHT!" we heard Dash shout through the door as he bounced over to his desk, pumping a fist into the air.

Laurence smiled, watching his new friend and roommate pick up a pencil and use it as a pretend sword before settling down at his desk. "I'm going to miss him here." Then Laurence seemed to catch himself. "Never tell him that."

"I wouldn't dream of it," I replied with a smile.

Then Laurence turned to me, his fingers lightly brushing my knuckles. "We have a budget meeting."

I pulled my hand back, clucking my tongue. "Flirting with me won't give you a better budget deal Mr. Royal, play fair."

He tipped his head down, bringing it close to my ear, his next word sending a shiver down my spine. "No."

"The walls are glass," I replied, tilting my head up to look him in the eye, our faces far too close to be appropriate in a work place. He smiled, refusing to take a step back.

"Let them watch."

I cleared my throat, taking a step back myself. "We need to focus," I said gesturing to the large pile of papers on my desk filled with Allie's budget requests. "It's a lot of..."

"Demands?" he said with a laugh.

"Requests," I countered.

Laurence brushed my waist, his fingers hot against his favorite polka dot dress as he reach past me and plucked up the papers. "These are not requests. These are ridiculous. Every time we have a budget meeting, the list is longer, the demands are more outlandish."

I smiled at the familiar words. The ones he said at our very first budget meeting. But this time, our power dynamic was different, we were different. And I had to keep reminding myself that people could see us through the walls— the only reason why I hadn't pulled him into a kiss by his suit jacket and left lipstick all over his face.

"I can get you to approve every single thing on this list," I said, plucking the list of numbers out of his hand and giving him a slow, flirtatious smile.

He took a step toward me, until we were toe to toe, his dark eyes pinning me in place, our bodies a breath apart. "It's literally my job to stop things like this from happening, Ms. Autumns."

"It's my job to make sure you don't slash the budget more than necessary, Mr. Royal." My use of his last name, his old title left his eyes flashing with an unguarded deep and hungry want.

"It seems we are at an impasse," he replied, staring down at my mouth.

"So what do you suggest we do?" I asked, face growing hot, chin raised in defiance, enjoying our budget game far too much.

He trailed his fingers slowly down my bare arm. "I am having a hard time thinking."

"Then just agree to my proposed changes," I replied somewhat breathless. "The faster you give in, the faster we can move on to other things."

A muscle worked in his jaw, his fingers brushing up against my collar bone. "As much as I would love nothing more than to spend the rest of the afternoon in your office... negotiating, I think it would be best if we try to keep this brief and civil."

"We could discuss things in the private room at the speakeasy," I suggested.

He slowly forced himself to lower his hands away from me. "I don't trust myself to be in a room with you without the glass walls serving as supervision when we are trying to be reproductive—" Laurence caught himself, blushing. "Productive with work," he clarified when my brows went up.

He took several steps back. "If you keep this up, I won't be able to do my job," he said with a laugh, fingers raking through his hair. "We promised not to play games with each other when we are negotiating."

I forced myself to take a step back and moved behind my desk with a sigh. "Fair point."

He settled down in one of the deco art leather chairs looking through the budget pages, trying to concentrate.

I took a moment to drink him in. Laurence Royal. CFO. My boyfriend.

The idea that I got to work with him every single day. To catch him looking at me before breaking into a smile that showcased that rare dimple. To fight with him over budgets before falling into kisses the moment we left work behind. It all left me breathless, overwhelmed with joy.

I still had a long way to go on my journey of self esteem and personal growth but I was loving the woman I was becoming. My life had changed so much since I had gotten that notebook as a gift from Laurence, where he wrote about wanting our lives to stay the same. Life wasn't meant stay the same. It was constantly changing, forcing you to grow and adapt.

As Laurence continued to analyze the budget numbers, brow furrowed, head tilted to the side, taking on that focused expression, I had to admit that change wasn't as scary as I once thought it would be. If I hadn't taken a change, decided to grow, I'd still be sitting at the front desk, watching Laurence through the glass, having never met Dash, Prism, Lavender, or Em.

I would still be replaying the lies that Liam told me, holding on to the memory of being dumped in that KFC parking lot as living proof that I wasn't worthy of love.

Laurence looked up and caught me watching him, his frown vanishing into a knowing smile. We stared at each other for a long moment before he sighed and looked back down at the numbers. "Utterly distracting," he murmured, a hint of a smile on his lips.

After another selfish moment of openly staring at him, I forced myself to get back to work, eyes down on my set of papers, growing determined to give this job my all.

"I am going to have to push you on several items from your suggested budget changes. These ideas are terrible and I'm not going to let the CFO walk all over me."

I heard the smile in his deep voice as he replied. "Okay, Miss Autumns. Show me what you got."

---

Thank you for reading chapter thirty seven! Go read the next chapter! It's the final one and it's from Laurence's perspective! YAY! Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoy the final chapter!

UPDATE DAYS - THE FINAL CHAPTER IS OUT NOW, GO READ IT!

CHAPTER QUESTION - What is your all time favorite Rom-Com movie?