Melina woke up to the sound of birds outside the cabin window, the early morning sun casting golden streaks across the sheets. Tucker was still asleep beside her, his face relaxed, lips slightly parted, his arm draped over her waist like he couldn't stand to let go even in his sleep.

She smiled, shifting just enough to press a soft kiss to his shoulder. "Happy birthday," she whispered against his skin.

He stirred, making a soft, sleepy noise before his eyes barely fluttered open. His voice was thick with sleep. "Mmm. Say it again."

She laughed. "Happy birthday, old man."

Tucker groaned dramatically, burying his face in her neck. "Rude."

She ran her fingers through his messy hair, pressing another kiss to his forehead. "I made coffee. And breakfast. And—"

His head snapped up, eyes slightly more awake now. "Did you say coffee?"

Melina grinned. "I knew that would work."

With an exaggerated groan, he finally rolled out of bed, stretching as he sat up. The sheet pooled around his waist, exposing the tattoos on his torso, and Melina let herself stare, biting her lip. Tucker caught her.

"Like what you see?" he teased, voice still rough with sleep.

She rolled her eyes but didn't deny it. "Maybe."

He smirked and leaned down to kiss her, slow and lazy. "Flirt," he muttered against her lips.

They made their way to the kitchen, where Melina had set up a small but sweet birthday breakfast—pancakes, fruit, and of course, coffee. Tucker's face lit up when he saw it.

"You really went all out," he said, pulling her into a hug from behind as she poured syrup over his plate.

"Only the best for the birthday boy."

They ate together, laughing over old inside jokes, reminiscing about the last year, stealing bites from each other's plates.

Then, as the morning stretched on, Melina grabbed her guitar from the corner of the room.

"I, uh... I wrote you something."

Tucker immediately straightened, his eyes softening. "You did?"

She nodded, feeling a little shy now. "I finished it last night."

He sat back, giving her his full attention, and Melina took a deep breath before strumming the first chord.

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

Tucker's expression shifted almost instantly, his lips parting as he listened, his gaze never leaving her.

"You make me wanna cry in a good way..."

By the time she finished, there were tears in his eyes. He swallowed hard, shaking his head with a breathless laugh. "Melina..."

She set the guitar down, heart pounding. "Do you like it?"

He didn't answer with words. He pulled her into his lap, kissing her with so much love it made her dizzy.

"You're unreal," he murmured against her lips. "I don't even know what to say."

She smiled. "Just say you love me."

Tucker pulled back just enough to look her in the eyes. "I love you. I love you so much."

Melina sighed happily, resting her forehead against his. "Good. Because I love you, too."

The rest of the day passed in a blur of warmth and happiness—swimming in the lake, teasing each other, stealing kisses, completely wrapped up in each other. But in the back of her mind, she knew something bigger was coming.

Because Tucker had been fidgety all day. Checking his pocket when he thought she wasn't looking. Running a hand through his hair more than usual.

And as the sun dipped lower in the sky, she knew.

Tonight wasn't just his birthday.

Tonight, everything was going to change.



---



The sun had long since set, leaving the cabin bathed in soft golden light from the lanterns strung up outside. The air smelled like summer—pine, the lingering scent of the firepit, the sweetness of melted marshmallows from earlier. The lake stretched out in front of them, still and peaceful, reflecting the sky full of stars.

Tucker and Melina sat together on the wooden deck, wrapped in a single oversized blanket. Her legs were draped over his lap, his arm secured around her waist, holding her close like he never wanted to let go. The world was quiet except for the chirping of crickets and the occasional crackle from the firepit.

The day had been perfect. Melina had done everything she could to make sure of it—starting with breakfast in bed, a playlist of all of Tucker's favorite songs playing softly in the background. They spent the afternoon at the lake, floating lazily on the water, splashing each other until their laughter echoed through the trees. She had made his favorite dinner, even though the kitchen had turned into complete chaos halfway through. And now, as the night settled in, it was just the two of them, soaking in the moment.

But something about Tucker felt different.

He wasn't distant, not exactly. If anything, he had been too present, looking at her like he was memorizing every detail, touching her like he was grounding himself.

And she knew.

She wasn't supposed to, but she did.

So she let him take his time.

"Did you have a good birthday?" Melina asked softly, shifting so she could look at him.

Tucker turned to her, his lips curling into the softest smile. "The best," he said, his voice sincere, but there was something else underneath it. A nervous energy.

She smiled back, reaching up to brush a piece of hair from his face. "Good."

He exhaled slowly, his knee bouncing a little. "You know... every year on my birthday, I always make a wish. It's kinda stupid, but I do it anyway."

Melina tilted her head, her fingers drawing absent patterns against his arm. "Like what?"

"When I was a kid, I wished for dumb stuff. A guitar, a new video game. Then I got older and started wishing for things that felt impossible—getting signed, finding something real." He paused, licking his lips. "For a long time, I just wished I'd figure things out."

Melina listened, her heart swelling as she watched him work through his thoughts.

"But this year..." Tucker swallowed, his fingers brushing against his pocket before he hesitated. "I don't need to make a wish."

Melina's heart pounded.

"Because everything I could ever want is sitting right in front of me."

Her breath caught in her throat.

Tucker moved then, shifting so he was kneeling in front of her, pulling a small velvet box from his pocket. He exhaled, flipping it open.

And there it was.

A delicate, breathtaking ring that caught the light in all the right ways.

But she barely saw it—because all she could look at was him.

The way his hands shook. The way his eyes shone with so much love it nearly knocked the breath out of her. The way he was looking at her like she was the only thing that had ever mattered.

Tucker took a deep breath, his voice raw with emotion. "Melina... I've loved you for so long. And every single day, I wake up and I still can't believe I get to love you. I don't want this to be a wish, or a dream, or something I hope for. I just want you. Forever. Will you marry me?"

Melina's breath hitched, a choked laugh escaping her lips as tears blurred her vision.

"Tucker—" Her voice broke, and she launched forward, wrapping her arms around his neck as she nodded against his shoulder. "Yes. Yes."

His arms came around her instantly, squeezing her tight as he let out a shaky laugh of relief into her neck.

When they finally pulled back, Tucker took her hand, sliding the ring onto her finger with trembling hands. It fit perfectly, like it had been made just for her.

Melina stared at it for a moment before looking back up at him, her heart so full it felt like it might burst.

"I knew you were gonna do this today," she admitted with a watery laugh.

Tucker's eyes widened. "Wait—what?"

She giggled, wiping her tears. "You were so obvious."

He groaned, dropping his forehead against hers. "I was trying to be sneaky."

Melina cupped his face, tilting his chin up to meet her gaze. "You're lucky you're cute."

Tucker smiled, the kind that made her stomach flip, and kissed her softly. It was slow, lingering—like he was trying to make this moment last forever.

She melted into him, feeling everything. The warmth of his hands on her waist, the way his heart was racing against her palm, the overwhelming right of it all.

And for a long time, they just stayed there, wrapped up in each other under the stars.

Tucker was hers.

And now, she was his. Forever.





laurelcanyonlovinpeace69 posted...













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lauralcanyonlovingpeace69 Happy Birthday Tucker I love you more than anything in this world and I'm so excited I get to spend the rest of my life with you.