First There Was You

Chapter 56: Elle

August 17

Mainland, Lake Joseph, Muskoka

I find myself looking at my friends from my vantage point in the kitchen of Liam's cottage again. This time, they're sitting around the campfire. I feel these moments sliding through my fingertips and only wish I could hold on to them forever.

Shaking my sad thoughts away, I take the massive tray I'd built with Jacqueline out. We're having gourmet s'mores, and I have to admit, Jacqueline and I had gone totally overboard.

I tried to convince Liam's parents to join us, but they assured me they're happy drinking their wine and watching us from the porch.

Loud, boisterous cheers greet me as I set the tray down on the large table and hand out skewers for toasting the marshmallows.

"Pay attention, people, this is a s'mores buffet that's not to be missed. We've got different flavors of marshmallows, vanilla, strawberry, coconut, coffee, cookies, and cream. Then we've got your white, dark and milk chocolate and an assortment of cookies, from your classic graham to your decadent chocolate chip and everything in between."

Theo digs in immediately, making an elaborate show of selecting his flavors. Sam whispers to Liam who nods, and she slides off his lap to build s'mores for both of them. Sitting on the ledge of the large brick fire pit, I pass out ingredients as requested.

As I watch my friends, I can't help but smile.

Liam craves the outdoors and my boys are bringing it to him in excess. They paddle him around for hours and Liam sits there quietly, closing his eyes, shaded by the large brimmed fishing hat that Greyson makes him wear. He trails his fingers through the water contentedly, dictating the direction he wants to go, where he wants to explore.

We've toasted more marshmallows in the past twelve days since Liam got here than I've eaten in my entire life, but Liam loves them, loves sitting around the fire, and under the stars.

Tonight is no different. My fingers are already sticky, covered in melted marshmallow sugar coating and chocolate.

Hudson reaches over, offering me a bite of his creation, every single flavour of marshmallow and all three chocolates crammed between two chocolate chip cookies.

Grinning at him, I take a big bite; the chocolate smearing over my lips and melted marshmallow sticking to my lips as I try not to laugh too hard.

Hudson takes his treat away, claiming I'm too greedy, popping the rest into his mouth, smiling over at me. Greyson also laughs and pulls me from the bricks onto his lap. I love the new side to our relationship he's only just begun to show me.

All my awkwardness with him has faded and I gladly take any opportunity to stay in his arms. I've never felt so relaxed as I do with him after we explore one another. He's adamant there is absolutely no rush, that we can enjoy one another exactly as we have been for as long as we like. I even love it when he asks me to tell him how I feel about him, which he does nearly every night.

There's a part of me that longs to hear him say the words, but most of the time, I can put that part of me to the side, watching as he shows me he loves me with every touch, every kiss, every action. He's never been one for words, he might never be, I guess, so I take what I can, trying to remain happy with that.

When I finish the s'more I'd just constructed, my fingers are covered in gooey marshmallow and chocolate and I'm trying to see if I have any chocolate spread across my lips, as gracefully as possible, without touching my face and making it worse. I pucker up at Greyson who laughs then grabs me.

He holds me down across his lap with one arm, and, using his other hand, he takes my wrist, sucking on each of my sticky, sugary fingers one by one. I shriek with embarrassment and scramble to wiggle down, but he only laughs, holding me tighter.