The late afternoon sun cast golden streaks across the porch, warming Melina's skin as she sat cross-legged on the wooden steps, her journal balanced on her lap. A soft breeze rustled the trees, sending little shivers through the leaves, but it wasn't enough to break her focus. She twirled a pen between her fingers, staring down at the half-finished lyrics she had written the night before.

I didn't know that I was capable of being happy right now... but you showed me how.

She sighed, smiling to herself. It was all so true.

Tucker had been the one constant, the one person who had never made her feel like too much or too little. Before him, she hadn't even realized how much she was holding in—how much she had convinced herself she didn't deserve to be happy. But then he came along, with that easy smile, those warm eyes, and suddenly, everything just felt lighter.

And tomorrow was his birthday.

Melina bit her lip, glancing back toward the cabin. Tucker had been acting suspicious for the past couple of days. More little phone calls, more quick glances when he thought she wasn't looking, more of that barely-contained energy—the kind that always gave him away when he was excited about something.

She smirked. He thinks I don't know.

She heard the screen door creak open behind her.

"Whatcha doin' out here?"

Melina turned her head, looking up at him. Tucker stood in the doorway, barefoot, hair messy from where he had clearly just run a hand through it. He was shirtless, the golden light catching against the ink on his chest, stretching down over his toned stomach.

For a second, she just looked.

God, he was beautiful.

Then she caught his smirk, the way he knew she was staring, and rolled her eyes. "Thinking."

Tucker walked over, sinking down onto the step beside her. "About what?"

Melina hesitated for half a second before looking at him and saying honestly, "You."

His smile softened, and he nudged her knee with his. "Good things, I hope."

She reached for his hand, intertwining their fingers. "Always."

The silence between them was warm, comfortable. Tucker exhaled, tilting his head toward the sky, and Melina rested her head against his shoulder, feeling the steady rhythm of his breathing. His thumb brushed lazy circles against the back of her hand, grounding, familiar.

Then, softly, without thinking, she started singing.

"Halley's Comet comes around more than I do..."

She felt Tucker tense for half a second, then relax.

"But you're all it takes for me to break a promise... silly me to fall in love with you."

His grip on her hand tightened just slightly.

She kept singing, her voice a little breathy but full of something real.

"I haven't slept since Sunday... Midnight for me is 3 a.m. for you."

Tucker turned his head, resting his chin on top of hers, breathing her in.

"I love when you sing," he murmured.

Melina smiled against his skin. "I know."

Tucker chuckled, shifting so he could press a soft kiss to her temple. "You got plans for tomorrow?"

She knew what he was really asking.

Melina bit back a knowing smile. "Just celebrating my favorite person."

His ears turned pink. "Yeah?"

"Yeah." She tilted her chin up, meeting his gaze. "You know, I think tomorrow's gonna be a really good day."

Tucker searched her face like he was trying to figure out just how much she knew, but whatever he saw there just made him shake his head with a small, amused grin.

He tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, then kissed her softly, whispering against her lips—

"Yeah, I think so too."

Melina closed her eyes, leaning into him, and let herself believe it.