The next morning, Tucker woke up to the sound of soft humming coming from the kitchen. The scent of coffee lingered in the air, mixing with the faint sweetness of whatever Melina was making. He blinked against the morning light streaming through the cabin windows, stretching lazily before rolling onto his side.

She was there, standing by the counter in one of his t-shirts, her hair still a little messy from sleep. The sight of her, completely at ease, completely his, made something warm settle in his chest.

He let himself watch her for a moment before finally pushing himself up, padding across the wooden floor. As he wrapped his arms around her from behind, Melina let out a small yelp, laughing when he buried his face in her neck.

"You're warm," he mumbled against her skin, voice still thick with sleep.

"You're clingy," she teased, but she leaned into him anyway.

Tucker hummed. "That's nothing new."

She turned in his arms, resting her hands against his bare chest. "I made pancakes."

He smirked. "Are they good pancakes, though?"

Melina gasped, pressing a hand to her heart dramatically. "You doubt my pancake-making skills?"

"I just remember a certain incident involving burnt batter and an almost-fire alarm."

"That was one time."

Tucker laughed, kissing the top of her head before pulling away to grab a plate. "I trust you. Mostly."

Melina rolled her eyes but served him a plate anyway, taking the seat beside him at the small dining table. For a while, they just ate in comfortable silence, the kind that didn't need to be filled.

But then, Melina nudged his foot under the table. "You've been acting kinda weird."

Tucker froze mid-bite. "What?"

She raised an eyebrow. "You just seem distracted. Even last night, when we were out running around in the sprinklers, you kept checking your phone."

Crap. He had been texting his mom a lot.

He forced a casual shrug, stabbing a piece of pancake with his fork. "Just stuff with the guys. Mikey's been annoying."

Melina squinted at him, like she was trying to decide if she believed him. "Uh-huh."

He shoved a bite of pancake into his mouth. "You're just suspicious by nature."

"I am," she admitted, still watching him closely. Then, her expression softened, and she rested her chin in her hand. "It's just... we're here. Just us. No work, no distractions. Feels kinda nice."

Tucker felt something in his chest tighten.

She had no idea.

She had no idea that in just a few days, he was going to get down on one knee and ask her to be his forever.

He reached across the table, brushing his fingers over hers. "Yeah," he murmured. "It does."











Later that afternoon, they were sprawled out on the back deck of the cabin, the sun warming their skin as the lake stretched out before them. Tucker lay back on a lounge chair, sunglasses perched on his nose, one arm lazily draped behind his head. Melina sat beside him, legs curled under her, flipping through a book she had brought but barely read.

Because she was suspicious.

Tucker had been acting off, and now that she had pointed it out, she couldn't stop noticing it. The glances at his phone, the far-off looks when he thought she wasn't paying attention, the way he'd been a little too affectionate, like he was trying to soften her up for something.

She rested her chin on her knee, eyes drifting to him. "You're definitely hiding something."

Tucker didn't even open his eyes. "You gotta let this go, babe."

"I won't let this go. I can't let this go."

He smirked. "Sounds like a you problem."

Melina huffed, setting her book down and crawling onto his lounge chair, settling on top of him. Tucker let out an exaggerated oof, though his arms immediately wrapped around her waist.

She tapped a finger against his chest. "I can feel it. You're being weird."

He peeked one eye open, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Maybe you're being weird."

Melina groaned dramatically, flopping onto his chest. "I don't like being left out of things."

Tucker rubbed soothing circles into her back, fighting back a grin. She had no idea how much she wasn't being left out of—how in just a few days, she'd be at the center of something he had been planning for months.

"I promise you," he said, voice gentle, "it's nothing bad."

She lifted her head, eyeing him skeptically. "Nothing bad?"

He shook his head. "Nothing bad."

Melina narrowed her eyes before resting her head back against him, letting out a little sigh. "Fine. But if it is bad, you owe me, like... a million slushies."

Tucker laughed, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "Deal."

As the sun started to dip lower, painting the sky in soft oranges and pinks, Tucker's phone buzzed on the table beside them. Melina made a move to grab it, but he was quicker, snatching it up and holding it out of her reach.

Her eyes narrowed. "Suspicious."

Tucker just kissed her cheek, grinning. "Just a few more days, babe."