Milkshake Hearts

Chapter 157: 1:45pm

They have one shoot after lunch on the Friday, but it flows smoothly and quickly and soon they find themselves home, relaxed, with absolutely no responsibilities until Monday morning. Shayne celebrates it by dramatically faceplanting onto their sofa, Courtney laughing loudly when Nutmeg takes it upon himself to immediately jump off the other sofa and relocate to sit on Shayne's back.

"Comfortable, there?" she asks, with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah," Shayne answers, muffled against the couch.

"I was talking to Nutmeg," she deadpans, in response, as she sets her things down on the dining table and wanders over to the living room to nudge Shayne in the side.

"Well, I can't move now, there's a cat on me," he tells her, matter-of-fact, Courtney merely sighing and reaching down to pick up Nutmeg and cuddle him up against her chest, nudging Shayne again with her hip until he reluctantly and messily shifts himself around to sit up on the couch. She sits down beside him, head leaning onto his shoulder as his arm wraps around her and Nutmeg squirms out of her grasp only to lie himself across both of their laps.

"This is what I missed," Shayne muses, softly, head twisting to press a kiss against her hair before he settles into quiet and comfort, Courtney cuddled against him with their pet (at least, one of their pets. They choose not to think about where on earth Mocha is) lazing across them both.

They spend most of the afternoon in the same position, talking softly about all manner of nothing and both feeling everything in their hearts and minds slowly settled back into calm and home. It's only when Courtney's stomach grumbles for the third time in half an hour that they reluctantly move off the sofa, Courtney going to grab her phone from the dining table as Shayne leans down to pet Mocha, who had also turned up in the living room and laid down on the floor near them, before standing up and stretching as he glances over for a moment and watches Courtney's face screwed up in indecision as she scrolls through DoorDash, before brightening when she evidently finds what she was looking for.

It's such a simple, nothing action, but it makes his heart burst with affection and his mind spin with excitement. She's just so adorable and perfect and interesting and she chose to marry him and he couldn't ever be happier about anything.

"Hey Alexa, play Shayne's wedding present playlist," he says, out loud, not entirely sure where Courtney's Alexa speaker actually is but knowing it will be somewhere in the room.

It works, the playlist starting – from the speaker over near the TV – and Courtney glances over at him with a questioning raised eyebrow.

"I love you so much and you're so adorable and I'm the luckiest person ever that you wanted to marry me," he tells her, simply, watching Courtney's cheeks flush slightly as she purses her lips to try and hold off the soft smile threatening to spill over her face.

"Could you hold off being such a sweetheart for long enough for me to order dinner?" she asks, trying to sound annoyed, although her tone drips with affection and Shayne's heart skips a beat in response. He doesn't answer, miming zipping his lips as he wanders to stand just beside the dining table, waiting for her to finish ordering.

"There, done, now be as sappy as you want," she instructs him, when she sets her phone to the side and turns back to face him. Shayne laughs, reaching out a hand towards her and beckoning her over to him.

She moves to him, of course, hand taking his as she moves to stand in front of him. Shayne has other ideas, however, dropping her hand and instead gently holding her shoulder as his other hand loops around her waist to tug her closer until there is barely any space between them. Courtney's own arms wrap around him, returning the embrace, although she quickly descends into light laughter as he turns and begins spinning her slowly around their kitchen in a dance barely in time with the music playing softly in the background.