The Woman He Married

26. Love

"My mother wanted a more calm, relaxed, artistic, and sophisticated child. She wished she had a daughter, too, although she wasn't disappointed to find out that I'm a boy. She loved me unconditionally." Zane told her, "So she kept trying to manifest a calm and sophisticated son out of me by making me listen to classic songs and doing fine arts... This is the music she would have playing during my bed time as a child. I admit she was mad committed to manifest the dream - just for me to inherit her commitment and my father's workaholism."

"Oh, that's funny but also sad," Mae sighed, thinking about Isla's long gone dream. She looked at him dearly and asked, "But aren't you stressed by work? I don't think it's a problem if you love your job."

"I used to be stressed out," Zane nodded, "Then Kate came along. I feel relaxed when I spent my time with her. I feel like I can get away with murder even if she knows about it. She took care of me well."

Mae hummed, "Do you like her?"

"Yes."

"Well... Do you like me?"

"Eh. I'll think about it," Zane said jokingly, laughing when she rolled her eyes at him. He embraced her as they danced to the music, "This feels great. I feel bad that we didn't get to have our first dance at the right time."

"Yeah," Mae hummed, then she chuckled, "But remember how our actual first dance went?"

"Oh, pure chaos! Thank god that was just practice," Zane rolled his eyes, recalling the time they spent at the treehouse a couple of days ago. "I feel like this is going to be our song now."

"Our song?"

"Yes," he hummed, "Our love song."

"Love," Mae pursed her lips for a second, "That's such a big word."

"Can I love you, Mae Kaitlyn Westbrook?"

Mae gaped at him. If she had foreseen that future in the past, she wouldn't have believed that she would secure a man like him. Being with Zane felt like everything in her life was finally falling into place.

"It feels like a dream that you're asking me that," Mae told him, "And I honestly don't know what to say."

"Well, you can say yes?" He suggested, "It comes with a prize."

"What prize?"

"My last name and all my heart."

Mae pondered, staring at him. Love? With this man?

"Listen, you don't have to love me back--"

"Yes," Mae interjected. "Yes... Is the answer."

"Yes...?" Zane gaped at her, then he smiled as he hugged her tightly and spun her around. "Thank you," he exhaled in relief, putting her down and gave her a kiss.

They broke the kiss as fireworks suddenly started painting the night sky with gold and red. Mae looked at Zane and he looked equally surprised. "Was that not a part of your surprise?" Mae asked, chuckling at his reaction.

"Look," he pulled her close and showed her a couple getting engaged in a distance and people cheering them. "Ah, I could have tried being that extravagant. It would have been cute."

"No, this is cute," Mae hugged him, "I just got married again, who would've thought that?"

"It's such a messy situation," Zane muttered, "But I'll make sure that it'll get better from now on."

"We'll see."

After dinner, they decided to stroll at the beach and Mae almost forgot how it felt to hold somebody's hand until Zane held hers. He allowed her some time to think and unwind, not saying much, just being there without it getting awkward or uncomfortable. It was the time that Mae thought about the call from Cade earlier.