49

Before You - Benson Boone

Forever After All - Luke Combs

A s I stand in the bustling gallery, surrounded by the vibrant art scene of Sydney, I can't help but feel overwhelmed by the possibilities this city offers. The crowd is larger than I expected, and the energy here is electrifying. Despite the allure of this new environment, my heart remains tethered to Wattle Creek.

It's my comfort zone, where familiar faces and a close-knit community await me. The drive into town, the sense of closeness and distance all at once—it's home.

Yet, inevitably, my thoughts circle back to Bradley. I know I handled this all so poorly, but what's done is done. I keep telling myself that things happen for a reason. I'm a firm believer in this.

If Brad and I were truly meant to be together, then things would have worked out differently. I've tried to remain positive, but that doesn't stop the ache in my chest, the desperate prayer inside me that things might still change.

Yet, deep down, I'm not sure anymore.

What surprised me the most were the texts from Olivia. She'd questioned my feelings for him, and I'd confessed everything —telling her it was too late.

Her response, "We'll see," still lingers in my mind, cryptic and unsettling.

Shaking off those thoughts, I focus on the task at hand: greeting people and mingling. Two tasks I'm familiar with. This can't be too hard, right? But as I survey the room, insecurity creeps in. Everyone is dressed in trendy, expensive clothing, while I'm wearing a borrowed dress from my mum—a figure-hugging black midi dress paired with a distressed denim jacket and worn-out ankle boots. Kat did my hair in loose curls and applied light makeup, but still, I feel out of place. Taking a deep breath to steady myself, I catch the eye of the gallery owner, Valerie, as she makes her way over to me.

"Nerves kicking in?" she asks, her words smooth yet thick with an accent I can't quite place.

"You bet," I reply nervously, with a forced laugh.

"Don't be," she reassures me. "Your works are phenomenal."

I glance around the room, taking in the packed gallery. It's surreal.

"Grab a drink and mingle. I'll catch up with you later."

I nod at her, and my phone vibrates.

I smile and quickly type back.

I had told her not to come initially, wanting to handle this on my own, but as time ticks on, I realise I want them here.

Of course they are. Wait…

Huh? But she drove it this morning.

I pay no mind to her words. Just knowing they'll be here is enough for me. I smile at someone passing by, and they smile back. My phone vibrates again, and this time my heart skyrockets when I see a text from Bradley.

Despite everything that has happened, just seeing his name on the screen sends a rush through me. Butterflies erupt in my chest, and I can't help the way my pulse quickens. He still has this effect on me, no matter what.

He's still so caring, so attentive to my feelings. I should have told him to come. I'm such an idiot.

My breathing quickens. Heart racing. How could he know that? He's not here to see how incredibly nervous I am. Is he just saying that? Trying to make me feel better? His words are just... They mean so much to me. But they also twist the knife of longing in my chest, reminding me of what could have been.

My heart drops. I look around quickly, eyes wide. How does he know what I'm wearing?

He can't be here. Is he here? No.

I spin around, and there he stands, right in front of me. My breath catches in my throat, and I struggle to breathe.

All the restraint I've maintained seems to shatter, and I battle the urge to cry and rush into his arms. Speechless, I watch as he strides over, towering above me. He's impeccably dressed in a black shirt, my favourite plaid jacket of his, black jeans, and his steel-capped boots. Despite the crowd in suits and fancy attire around him, he's all I see, rugged and handsome as ever.

"Hi, sunshine."

Don't cry. Please, don't cry.

"Brad…" is all I can manage to say. My voice wavers as I stutter, frowning. "Wh-what are you doing here?"

"I caught a flight this morning," he explains. "Kat gave me the keys to her car, and I came here as soon as I could." So that explains Kat' s car situation.

I shake my head, trying to process everything. "You… you came all this way?"

He nods, a small smile playing on his lips. "Of course, I did. I needed to see you, Amelia."

I blink back tears, my heart pounding in my chest. "But…"

Bradley steps closer, silencing my words. "I couldn't stand being apart from you any longer. I've been a fool. I let you go when I should have held on tighter. For us," he says, his voice earnest.

I swallow hard, my throat tight with emotion. "I'm so sorry for how I handled things. I—"

But he shakes his head, his words cutting through my apology. "Don't be sorry. I should be the one apologising."

"But what about your work?" I manage to utter.

"Forget work. You wanted me here, so I'm here . That's all that matters." He gently lifts my chin, his touch sending shivers down my spine.

"I love you, Amelia."

His words hit me like a ton of bricks, stirring up a wild mix of emotions inside me. Relief, longing, it all comes rushing in at once, swirling through me.

"And I'm so fucking sorry it took me so long to say it back," he murmurs, his words piercing through the air. "You breathed life back into me when I thought I was doing fine. You made me realise how much I had been missing. My whole life, I had this nagging feeling that something was off. That there was an emptiness, something I couldn't place my finger on, until you came along." Cupping my face in his hands, his touch is a lifeline, grounding me in the moment as his words wash over me like a gentle tide. "I've been so stubborn, so blinded by fear, by my own rules and expectations, that I failed to see what was right in front of me," he murmurs, gently wiping away the tears streaming down my cheeks. I know my makeup is probably a mess by now, but I couldn't care less.

"Y-you love me?" I manage to ask, my voice wavering.

"With every fucking fibre of my being, Mills. I'm yours."

I let out a shaky breath, and my hands tremble as I reach up to touch his face. "I've waited so long to hear you say that," I whisper.

Before I can utter another word, he crashes his mouth to mine. I grip his back, pulling him closer, needing him as close as possible. The world around us fades away, and I don't care that we're in a crowded gallery. I hear a few whistles break out, but I ignore them, lost in the kiss.

Lost in him.

His hands slide down to cup me from behind, effortlessly lifting me up. I cling to him tightly, and he holds me there, his lips never leaving mine, the kiss deepening. I bury my hands in his hair, feeling the soft strands between my fingers, before moving them to the nape of his collar, pulling him even closer.

I'm breathless, overwhelmed by the intensity of the moment, but I never want it to end.

He breaks the kiss, holding me there, both of us breathing hard, our foreheads resting against each other. Slowly, he lowers me back to the ground, and the crowd erupts into a fit of whistles and applause. I bury my face in his chest, feeling it rumble with laughter.

"This is the second time you've kissed me in public," I mumble, feeling a blush creeping up my cheeks.

Bradley chuckles, his arms around me tightening slightly. "So? I just can't help myself around you."

"Since when are you into PDA ?" I tease, looking up at him.

"Since you," he says, leaning down to place a soft kiss on my forehead.

The laughter, whistles, and applause begin to fade, and I feel a light tug on my dress. Turning around, I see Millie standing beside me, her face beaming.

"Meli! Bwadey!" she exclaims with a big smile.

"Hi, princess," Bradley says, a huge grin breaking out onto his beautiful face. "Did you miss me?"

Millie nods enthusiastically.

"And she's not lying. She hasn't stopped calling your name ever since Meli came to stay with us." This comes from Kat, who appears by our sides with John.

"She likes you more than me now," I say, tilting my head and crossing my arms.

"Ah, is that so? Who could blame her?" His wink makes me flush with heat.

"Well, I missed you, too. And your aunty Meli. I'm here now, and I'm not going anywhere," he says to Millie before standing back up.

"What about Liv? Any news? Did you speak to her?" I ask, my voice tinged with worry.

"I did," he replies, his tone reassuring.

"And?"

"She's the one who booked my flight to come here. Well, her and Xavier."

"What?"

"Yep. She's okay. We're okay. Said she wants to speak to you when we get back," he replies, his gaze steady and reassuring.

I take a breath of relief, feeling tears start to prick at the corners of my eyes. "Oh, thank God. So, we're really okay?" I ask again, needing that extra reassurance.

"We're good, Mills," he says, his voice firm and comforting.

"And you're really not going anywhere? Don't make promises you can't keep," I tease, my smile mischievous.

He raises his brow, his expression challenging me back.

"I promise."

"So, does that mean you'll be around for morning kisses?" I ask, looking up at him with a playful grin.

"Every single morning," he promises, pressing a tender kiss to my lips.

"And goodnight kisses?"

"Yes, Amelia," he murmurs, pressing a kiss to my cheek. "And midday kisses, too," he adds, kissing my other cheek.

"Midday? But we both have work," I point out, amused.

"You think that'll stop me? I'll leave the station every day at noon if it means I get to kiss you," he vows, love shining in his eyes .

"Forever?" I ask, my eyes lighting up.

"Forever."

Ten years ago, I locked eyes with a boy whose blue eyes were like the summer sky—so far out of my league, yet I didn't care. His rare smile was infectious, and his laughter, though infrequent, was a melody I never wanted to stop hearing. All those years of wishing to be noticed, of longing for a man who felt like a breath away but seemed so unattainable, have led me to this moment. Now, here I am, loving that same man unconditionally. Every day with him feels like a gift, a beautiful blend of shared dreams and endless possibilities.

As I look into those familiar blue eyes now, I'm filled with a sense of peace and joy. I'm content knowing I'm going to spend the rest of my life with him, building our dreams together, and perhaps starting a family of our own one day. This is our forever, and I couldn't be happier. My heart is full, and my future looks brighter than ever.

It's not just a hope; it's a certainty—I want to spend the rest of my life with him because my heart has always been his, and I wouldn't have it any other way. I now know that some things, or some people, are destined to be together forever after all.