Tangled Hearts.

~Chapter 22~

~Raelyn~

~February 21st, 2023~

It was February, and Colby and I were celebrating our one-year anniversary. A year since I'd started this whirlwind journey with him, a year of laughter, surprises, and learning to love the chaos of his world. I'd gotten closer with all of his roommates, who'd become my second family, each one uniquely adding their own flavor to the dynamic. I loved them all with every ounce of my heart. And now, Colby had outdone himself with an anniversary surprise I could never have predicted.

We were on a sailboat in downtown Long Beach, and the entire harbor sparkled under the night sky. Colby had been mysteriously quiet all day, and when he insisted I wear a blindfold for the ride, I thought he'd gone off the deep end—but there was no turning back now.

When the blindfold finally came off, I gasped, my heart skipping a beat. The city lights shimmered on the water like a sea of diamonds, and the gentle hum of the boat's engine was the only sound as we glided through the calm waves. I turned to Colby, who was practically glowing with excitement, his grin stretching from ear to ear.

"Happy anniversary, Rae," he whispered, his voice a little choked up as he handed me a bouquet of purple and white gardenias. The scent was intoxicating, mixing with the salty sea breeze.

"I can't believe you did all this for us," I said, my voice trembling with emotion. He chuckled, glancing at Blake, who was practically vibrating with excitement at the bow of the boat, his little hands gripping his toy lightsaber.

"Well, I wanted today to be special for all of us. You've brought so much light into my life, Rae... and Blake," he said, ruffling Blake's messy hair. "You're the coolest little Jedi I've ever met."

Blake beamed, his eyes wide with joy. "This is the best boat ride ever!"

I couldn't help it—I laughed through my tears, leaning into Colby's embrace. "I love you," I whispered, my voice barely audible over the sound of the water.

"I love you too," Colby replied, pulling me into a tight embrace before dipping me dramatically and kissing me, the world around us fading away as we shared that moment.

It was perfect. In every possible way.

~

As the boat docked, the night air had turned cool, but the warmth of the evening stayed with us. We made our way back to my cozy house, the excitement of the night still buzzing in the air. Settling on the couch with a soft blanket thrown over our laps, Colby, ever the romantic, clicked the remote and dimmed the lights.

"Nothing beats ending the night with a good movie and my two favorite people," he said, wrapping his arm around me. I snuggled closer, my head resting comfortably on his shoulder.

"This has been the best anniversary ever. Thank you for making it so special," I whispered.

Blake, already half-asleep between us, mumbled with the enthusiasm only a child could muster, "Can we do boat rides for every anniversary?"

Colby and I exchanged a warm, amused look. "We just might have to consider that," Colby said, pressing a gentle kiss to the top of Blake's head.

~

The movie began—of course, The Corpse Bride—and we settled in. The room was filled with our soft laughter and the low hum of the film, the simple joy of being together. Blake, in a sleepy daze, clung to us as he tried to stay awake.

As the film played on, I felt my body relax into Colby, the steady rise and fall of his chest beneath my head, and I couldn't help but reflect on how far we'd come. A year ago, I never would have imagined this: us, here, together. It was like something out of a fairy tale, except, you know, with a werewolf and a half-vampire thrown in for good measure.