Wearing a red mini dress and tall boots, Anastasia walks into the bar, my mom next to her. Their heads are tilted close to each other as they laugh about something.

My heart stutters as I take them in. Damn. I’m a lucky man.

Mom’s clinical trial and new treatment put a pause on her cancer. She’s in remission, takes smaller doses of her medication, and gets regular checkups. Her last scans were clear. She’s still here, with us, experiencing my life with Anastasia.

Anastasia smiles, one of her soft ones, and I smile back even though she doesn’t see us yet.

She’s…

I sigh.

Gorgeous.

Breathtaking.

Kind.

Mine.

Anastasia moved in with us four years ago and the transition was seamless, as if she’d always been part of the family. She helped take care of Mom while I went to training camp after the draft. That fall she picked out an apartment for us in Brooklyn, one close to Brooklyn Law and the stadium. The way things worked out, she didn’t have to take a gap year, and I insisted on paying for her tuition. Yeah. That was some good angry sex. I smile to myself.

Mom refused to move with us. Thankfully, by then she was feeling better. We’re about five hours from her, and we see her as much as we can, or she comes to stay with us. Her favorite thing is to fly to the away games with Anastasia.

My girl brushes lavender hair out of her face, and I catch the gleam of the amethyst and diamond engagement ring I gave her six months after she moved in. It was summer, right before training camp, and that ring had been burning a hole in my pocket. I was nervous, wondering if she’d think it was too soon. I knew, oh, I knew I wanted her forever. A love like ours only comes around once. It’s soulful, consuming, and meant to last.

The plan for the proposal was to go for a walk under the stars at Mom’s then get down on one knee, but my ADHD kicked in, and I ended up blurting it out during dinner in front of Mom, Rae, Jagger, and Callie.

I know this is fast, okay, it is, but my mom and dad did it fast. When you know, you know, and I get that with us. You have a dream, you’re gonna be a kickass lawyer, and I’m gonna play pro, and it’s gonna be hard work, but we can do it. We’re gold, baby girl, and we’re gonna watch all the sunrises and sunsets. I love you and can’t go another day without knowing you’ll always be mine.

She set down her fork, smiled tremulously, and said yes. Mom cried, Rae giggled, and Callie jumped up and danced. Right there at the table, I got down on one knee and slipped the ring on her finger.

We got married at Mom’s a month later. Mom and Rae wanted to do a big shindig, but Anastasia just laughed. She doesn’t want fancy things. It was simple, just us and our families. Her parents flew in, and I paid for Carl to come. June wasn’t ready for an airplane.

She wore a simple white dress; I wore a suit. Callie was our flower girl. We honeymooned at a bed and breakfast a few hours away, then I left for summer camp.

“She’s coming…one, two, three…” Carl whispers as we huddle around the corner of the bar. “And…go!”

“Happy birthday!” we shout as we step into view.

Mom laughs at Anastasia’s shocked face. “Surprise, dear. The alien museum was a ruse—although I did enjoy it.”

Anastasia looks around, her eyes misting as she takes in the whole crew. Her chest rises, her lashes fluttering. Technically, we celebrated her birthday yesterday at Carl’s with Mom and June, so seeing Lila and Colette and Benji is a total surprise.

She runs for me and I catch her in my arms, burying my face in her hair.

“I love you, Rainbow,” I whisper in her ear.

She leans back, a huge smile on her face. “Thank you, thank you, for bringing me my favorite people.”

I kiss her as Benji hoots. “Keep it clean or I’ll have to cover Spike’s eyes.”

I huff out a laugh and let her go as Lila and Colette huddle around her and they all squeal.

Later, after we’ve settled at the table, Lila pushes a gift into her hands. “I insist you open mine first.”

Sitting next to me, Anastasia opens it, blinks, then laughs at the bound notebook she pulls out. She looks up at her. “Legally Lavender? You finished it?”

“Currently shopping it around LA.” Lila smirks. “It’s gonna be a movie someday.”

I drape an arm around my girl. “Is there a revenge pact in there?”

Lila shrugs. “Of course. It was my idea, after all. And yes, I’m in the script as myself. Some names have been changed to protect the innocent.” She giggles.

Anastasia hugs it to her chest and laughs.

And…

Damn.

I can’t keep my eyes off her, the way her eyebrows arch, the sound of her laugh…

The next day, we walk up the steps of the Wyler building, hand in hand.

“Thank you for humoring me,” she says as we breeze past students, ones we don’t know.

“I wish I’d thought of it.”

“You did think of the library. That was fun, posing for selfies at the table where we met. We got some looks.”

I chuckle. “If they only knew the story…”

We wait until the lobby is clear, then step inside the empty elevator. I stand on one side while she stands on the other. She slaps the button for the sixth floor. We pretend to ignore each other, then I turn to her and give her a once-over. She smirks.

I back her against the wall, shove my hands into her hair, and kiss her long and slow.

“You’re my air, baby girl,” I whisper. “I’m gonna love you forever.”

Her eyes hold mine. “Forever.”

When the doors open on the sixth floor, she’s still in my arms…