Hopeless Devotion ~ A Jasper Hale Story

Part 7 - Hiking Bliss

I woke to the soft tapping of rain against the window.

The rain was just like Forks—but different. Gentler. Calmer. That was part of why I loved this mountain range so much; it felt like the best kind of surprise. The room was dim and warm, everything softened for the moment, as if the world itself had decided to slow down.

Jasper lay beside me.

He looked asleep, but I knew better. He looked peaceful—happy in a way I hadn't seen in weeks. Without the stress of planning and hosting and expectations, he seemed younger somehow. Lighter.

Oh.
Wait.

We're married.

I'm married to Jasper Whitlock Hale.

Mrs. Tiffany Whitlock Hale.

The thought settled differently than I'd expected. Not heavy. Not overwhelming. Just... light. Airy. Like something that fit exactly where it belonged.

I shifted slightly, careful not to disturb him, just enough to get a better look at my exceedingly handsome husband. That's when I noticed it—the ring on my hand, now paired with a second band, catching the muted morning light.

"Are you staring, Mrs. Whitlock?"

His voice was low, still rough with sleep, and it made me jump despite myself.

"Maybe!" I giggled.

He rolled onto his side, pulling me easily into his embrace, murmuring a quiet good morning before leaning down to kiss me—slow and unhurried, like we had nowhere else to be.

"Morning," I managed between kisses. "Happy day two of forever. Bored of me yet?" I tried not to laugh. "I mean, you could still run for the hills at this point."

Jasper shifted quickly—yet gently—pulling me beneath him, his voice a whisper against my ear.

"I made a vow I intend on keeping for the rest of my eternity, my love."

"Hot."

He laughed and collapsed back onto the mattress, and I joined him, both of us laughing until the moment softened again.

We stayed like that for a while, listening to the rain and the quiet, neither of us rushing to fill the space. For the first time in weeks, there was nothing we had to do.

Eventually, Jasper sighed contentedly. "So... what's the plan today?"

I shrugged, curling closer to him. "No plan. Maybe explore later. Maybe stay right here until we forget what time it is."

He hummed in approval. "I like your priorities."

We didn't make it out of the room until late morning.

By then, the rain had thinned into a mist—the kind that clung to everything and made the world feel hushed. We drove down to a small café attached to a nearby lodge, Jasper's hand resting at the small of my back the entire time.

Married.

The word echoed quietly every time he reached for me. Everything felt simpler now. Easier.

I was a wife.

We sat by the window, mugs warming our hands, watching fog drift lazily through the trees.

Jasper studied me over the rim of his cup. "You okay?"

I smiled. "Yeah. Just... absorbing."

He nodded. "Me too."

"You think we should go on a hike?" I asked suddenly, staring out at the falling mist.