A New Beginning

Chapter 30

A New Beginning

The morning sun peeked over the horizon, casting long golden beams through the trees. Marissa stirred first, blinking into the soft light, feeling the comforting weight of Mason's arm draped protectively over her waist. For a few precious moments, she simply lay there, listening to his slow, steady breathing and feeling the peaceful rhythm of the world waking up around them.

A soft smile played on her lips.

This was real.

This was theirs.

Carefully, she shifted to face him, propping herself up on one elbow. Mason's lashes fluttered against his cheeks before he opened his eyes and smiled sleepily at her.

"Good morning," he rasped, his voice low and rough from sleep.

"Good morning," she whispered back.

Without thinking, she leaned down and kissed him a soft, lingering kiss that tasted of new beginnings and quiet promises.

Mason groaned softly and pulled her fully into his arms, deepening the kiss until they were both breathless and laughing against each other's lips.

"You're dangerous first thing in the morning," he teased, brushing a strand of hair from her face.

"I'll take that as a compliment," she said, grinning.

He rolled onto his back and stared up at the sky, pulling her along to rest against his chest.

"So," he said, his voice thoughtful, "what do you want to do today, Miss Future-Garden-Owner?"

Marissa laughed. "First, we find a place to build a house. Then, we start that garden."

Mason's fingers traced slow, lazy circles along her back. "And after that?"

"Maybe... build a little porch. Somewhere we can sit in the evenings and watch the stars," she said dreamily. "Maybe a swing."

"I like the sound of that," Mason murmured. "Especially if I get to kiss you on that porch every night."

Marissa flushed, feeling her heart race in that delicious, giddy way only he could cause. "It's a deal."

They packed up their few belongings and set off hand-in-hand, following the river upstream until they found a clearing a beautiful, wide meadow bordered by ancient trees and colorful wildflowers. The river curved gently around one side, the ground was rich and fertile, and the sunlight bathed the entire area in warm, dappled light.

Marissa gasped in delight. "Mason... this is perfect!"

He smiled, watching her twirl through the wildflowers, her laughter filling the air like music. "Yeah," he said softly. "It really is."

They spent the day marking out where their little house would stand, using sticks and stones to outline walls and windows. Every few minutes, they'd stop to kiss or laugh or plan some new addition a small shed for tools, a fence for a vegetable patch, a hammock between two sturdy trees.

At one point, Marissa stood in the center of their future living room, arms stretched wide. "This is where the couch will go!" she declared.

Mason chuckled, stepping into her imaginary space and pulling her into a warm hug. "And right here," he said, kissing the tip of her nose, "is where we'll have our first dance."

"Our first dance?" she asked, laughing.

"Absolutely," Mason said. "No wedding needed. Just you, me, and the stars."

Her heart melted.

Only Mason could turn a bare patch of earth into the most magical place she had ever known.

As the sun dipped low again, they sat together near the river, their feet dangling in the cool water. Mason reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, polished stone smooth and heart-shaped.

He placed it in her palm. "A promise stone," he said, a little shyly. "Until I can give you something better."

Marissa blinked down at it, tears springing to her eyes. She closed her fingers around the stone, holding it tight against her heart.

"It's perfect," she whispered.

Mason smiled and leaned in, kissing her gently. "So are you."

And right there, in the wild, unbroken beauty of the world they were building together, Marissa realized that happiness wasn't something waiting on the horizon. It was here in stolen kisses, in whispered dreams, in the simple act of choosing each other again and again.

Home wasn't a place.

Home was Mason.

And it was only just the beginning.