The late afternoon sun bathed everything in warm golden hues, making the cabin's yard feel like a scene straight out of a dream. Melina lay stretched out on a lounge chair in her bikini, her skin glowing from the sun, a glass of lemonade sweating beside her. The ice inside had mostly melted, but she was too comfortable to care.

They had spent the entire day in and out of the sprinklers, running through the freezing water like kids, laughing so hard their stomachs hurt. Tucker had tackled her at one point, sending them both crashing into the soaked grass, their laughter mixing with the sounds of summer. Now, she was simply soaking up the last bit of warmth before the sun dipped too low behind the trees.

But something felt off.

Not bad, just... different.

She lifted her sunglasses, glancing toward the cabin. And—there he was again.

Tucker stood in the doorway, arms crossed over his bare chest, watching her with an expression that was impossible to read. His tattoos were on full display, the ones on his stomach and ribs shifting slightly as he breathed. He'd ditched his shirt hours ago, leaving only his swim trunks and the faintest flush of sun-kissed skin.

Melina let her eyes linger for a second longer than necessary, then smirked. "You know, if you keep staring at me like that, I'm gonna start charging you."

Tucker blinked, like he'd just been caught in the act. "What?"

"You've come outside, like, six times in the last hour just to check on me," she teased, stretching her arms above her head.

"I—" He scoffed, shaking his head. "I have not."

Melina raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really? So, you didn't just stand there for a full minute looking all suspicious?"

Tucker groaned, rubbing a hand down his face. "Okay, maybe I have been checking on you."

She let out a soft laugh, propping herself up on her elbows. "Do you have something you wanna tell me?"

Tucker hesitated, then shoved his hands into the pockets of his swim trunks. "Nope."

"Mmm." Melina tilted her head, watching him carefully. He was acting weird, but not in a bad way. He wasn't nervous or distant—just... like he was carrying something big and trying way too hard not to give it away.

"So, if I were to check your phone right now," she continued, voice teasing, "I wouldn't see any frantic Google searches about 'how to act normal when hiding something from your girlfriend'?"

Tucker pointed at her. "That's slander."

"Oh, so you admit it?" she grinned.

"Nope." He popped the "p," looking entirely too pleased with himself. Then, as if to completely dodge her question, he threw his hands up and said, "Anyway, what's for dinner?"

Melina laughed. "You suck at deflecting."

He groaned dramatically and walked over, dropping onto the grass beside her. He stretched out, arms spread wide, staring up at the sky like he could will himself into normalcy. "Why are you so perceptive?"

"Why are you so obvious?" she countered, nudging him with her foot.

He groaned again, rubbing his hands down his face. "I am not obvious."

Melina simply stared at him.

Tucker sighed, defeated. "Fine. Maybe I'm a little obvious."

She smirked, lying down beside him, resting her head on his shoulder. The warmth of his skin pressed against hers, and she could feel the steady rise and fall of his breath. "You know you can't get away with anything, right?"

He let out a soft chuckle, tilting his head to press a kiss to her temple. "Yeah," he admitted. "I know."

They lay there for a while, the sun dipping lower, the air buzzing with something unspoken. Melina didn't know exactly what it was.

But whatever it was, it was happening soon.







---







Inside the Cabin...









While Melina stayed outside, basking in the sun, Tucker sat on the couch, his phone screen lighting up his slightly damp skin. His heart had been racing all day, and no amount of deep breaths or pacing around the cabin seemed to calm him down. He had been texting his mom back and forth, trying to decide on when. The ring had been burning a hole in his bag for weeks now, and he was starting to feel like if he didn't do it soon, he'd combust.

Tucker: Okay, so, do I do it at the cabin? Or wait until we're back home?

His mom's response came instantly.

Mom: You already know the answer to that.

Tucker: Do I?? Because I feel like I'm spiraling here.

Mom: Tuck. This place is special to you two. It's where you went when you wanted to get away from everything. Where you made up those silly fake names. Where you really started talking about forever.

He swallowed hard, running a hand through his wet hair. He knew that. He felt that.

Mom: But listen—

Tucker watched the three little dots bounce on the screen for a moment before the next message popped up.

Mom: Do it on your birthday.

His eyes widened.

Tucker: ...What?

Mom: Think about it. You'll already be celebrating. She won't suspect anything. And it makes the moment even bigger. Every year, you'll get to celebrate your birthday and the day you got engaged.

Mom: Plus, it gives you a few more days to breathe.

Tucker exhaled, rubbing a hand down his face. That... actually made sense. He had been thinking about doing it tomorrow, but his birthday was only a few days away. It did take the pressure off making up some grand excuse for why he suddenly wanted to go on a sunset walk or do something "spontaneous."

Tucker: You really think that's the move?

Mom: I think it's perfect.

His stomach flipped.

Tucker: Okay. Birthday it is.

He stared at the message for a long moment before locking his phone, pressing it against his forehead, and taking a deep breath.

In just a few days, he was going to ask Melina to be his wife.











@melinascott added to their story...