“I think so… Actually, I’m certain you did,” Chance said.
“Okay, then,” I nodded. “Maybe I did. What do you say to that?”
“This apartment is too small for the both of us.”
“We can manage,” I reminded him.
“Once you’ve moved all your things here, there’s not going to be any room left to move,” Chance said. “We’ll need a bigger place.”
“Can we afford a bigger place?”
“Being made a permanent member of the faculty comes with a pay raise,” he told me. “We’ll be fine.”
I raised my eyebrows. “You’re going to take the job?”
“Yes, I am.” Chance nodded decisively. “It’s a good job, I enjoy teaching, and I’ll get summers off. Which means we can travel.”
I hugged him hard and kissed his chest. “So, we’re moving in together?”
“We’re moving in together,” he confirmed.
“Oh wow.”
“I think in celebration, we should plan our next trip,” Chance suggested.
“Germany?”
“South Africa.”
“Switzerland.”
“Croatia.”
“Zimbabwe.”
“Anywhere you want, my love,” Chance said, kissing my neck tenderly. “Anywhere you want to go, I’ll take you. The world is your oyster.”
I didn’t answer right away. I was too busy dreaming of all the places we would go and all the adventures we would share together.
Epilogue
Chance
Five Years Later
“Nat?” I called, from the balcony. “If we don’t leave soon, we’ll be late. The dinner cruise leaves the port at seven o’clock.”
“I know,” I heard her muffled voice call back to me. “Give me five more minutes.”
I smiled and turned back to the view. It was an idyllic summer day, and Paris had never looked more tranquil or more colorful. Natalie still loved the Parisian winters, but for me, nothing compared to the warmth and brightness of summer. It was the third year in a row that we found ourselves back in the city of love.
After our first trip to Paris, back when I was still Natalie’s teacher, we hadn’t revisited the country for three years. When we finally did return, it was on our honeymoon. After that, we had made it a tradition and come back for our first and second anniversaries.
“Natalie,” I called again.
“I’m ready, I’m ready,” she said, as she emerged from the bathroom.
“Wow,” I whistled. “You look beautiful.”