Matthew captured her hand and pressed a kiss to the palm. "When I was lucky enough to meet you," he replied softly. "You realize that today is almost two years exactly since Tessa and Ian's wedding? The day you scolded me for drinking too much booze, coerced me into dancing with you, and then begged me to take better care of myself?"
Sasha thought for a moment. "You're right. Their anniversary is in two more days. I'll have to send Tessa an email congratulating them. Though I expect she's preoccupied with her little Gilly these days."
Sasha's instincts had been proven right yet again when she had predicted Tessa and Ian's baby would be a girl. Gillian, named after Tessa's late mother, was about six weeks old, and the prettiest baby Sasha had ever seen. Cuddling her best friend's daughter had stirred up maternal instincts that Sasha hadn't believed she possessed. But she'd been pleasantly surprised when broaching the subject with Matthew to discover that he was more than open to the idea of having a baby.
"Not quite yet, though," he'd cautioned. "I'd like to have some time to just enjoy ourselves, enjoy this sense of freedom. But maybe within the next year we can revisit the subject. I wasn't around nearly as much as I would have liked to be when Hayley and Casey were small, so the thought that it would be completely different with a new baby is awfully appealing. And I know you'd be a wonderful mother, Sasha – kind and patient and devoted. Because that's the way you are with everyone you love."
His sweet, lovely words had made her choke up just a little, and she had given him a heartfelt kiss in response. "That's because most everyone in my life is so easy to love," she'd replied teasingly. "Especially you. And I love the idea of having a child together. Maybe next year, like you suggested. After all, there's really no rush, is there? You and I have all the time in the world now."
It began to rain just then, a light, fleeting summer rain that would be over almost as soon as it had begun. And though they were protected by the roof of the veranda, Matthew still urged his wife inside.
"Come on. We should start getting breakfast together. Casey will be up before too long, and you know how hungry he is first thing in the morning."
Sasha followed him across the wide veranda, pausing at the entrance to the house. Like many homeowners in Hawaii, they had followed with tradition and chosen a name for their house. Matthew had even commissioned a local artist to hand paint the small wooden sign that had been hung just to the right of the front door.
Sasha traced a finger over the sage green lettering that spelled out the name she and Matthew had chosen, a name that represented not just this beautiful house but the beautiful life they were making together – it was called Serenity.
The End