The evening air was cool as Christian and Elizabeth walked side by side down the sidewalk. The sky had turned shades of orange and pink while the sun slowly disappeared behind the buildings. People were beginning to head home from work, couples walked hand in hand, children laughed as they chased one another through the park, and a few dogs happily pulled their owners toward the grassy fields.
Elizabeth took a deep breath.
"I forgot how nice evenings are."
Christian glanced over at her.
"You don't go out much?"
She shook her head.
"Not unless I have a reason."
"I think that's about to change."
Elizabeth smiled.
"Maybe."
The two continued walking in comfortable silence until they reached a small pond near the center of the park. Ducks lazily floated across the water while a light breeze caused gentle ripples to spread across the surface.
"It's pretty." Elizabeth quietly said.
Christian nodded.
"I used to come here sometimes after work."
"When you were bartending?"
"Yeah."
She looked at him.
"What would you do?"
"Think."
"About what?"
He laughed softly.
"Everything."
Elizabeth leaned against the wooden railing overlooking the pond.
"That sounds exhausting."
"It was."
Christian rested his elbows beside hers.
"I kept wondering if I made the right choice."
"Leaving your family?"
He nodded.
"There were days I thought about going back."
Elizabeth looked surprised.
"You did?"
"I'd be lying if I said I didn't."
He stared out at the water.
"I gave up everything I'd ever known."
"Money."
"My career."
"My family."
He smiled bitterly.
"Even my last name, technically."
Elizabeth frowned.
"That must've been lonely."
"It was."
Christian looked over at her.
"But then I met you."
Elizabeth felt her cheeks grow warm.
"You always know what to say."
"I don't."
"You really do."
Christian laughed.
"I usually just say whatever I'm thinking."
"That's dangerous."
"It probably is."
They continued walking farther into the park until they found an empty bench beneath a large oak tree.
Elizabeth sat down first while Christian stretched his legs out in front of him.
For a few moments neither of them spoke.
Elizabeth broke the silence.
"Can I ask you something?"
"Of course."
"Were you scared?"
Christian looked at her.
"About marrying me?"
She nodded.
"I know we didn't really have a choice."
Christian thought for a moment before answering.
"Honestly?"
"Yeah."
"I wasn't scared of marrying you."
Elizabeth blinked.
"You weren't?"
"I was scared that you wouldn't be happy."
She looked down at her hands.
"I remember thinking..."
He rubbed the back of his neck.
"...what if she hates me?"
Elizabeth couldn't help laughing.
"You thought I'd hate you?"
"I had no idea what kind of person you were."
She smiled.
"I was wondering the exact same thing."
"You were?"
Elizabeth nodded.
"My friends kept telling me horror stories."
Christian raised an eyebrow.
"What kind of horror stories?"
"That rich men expect their wives to quit working."
Christian immediately shook his head.
"No."
"Or that they'd never help around the house."
"I like doing dishes."
"I've noticed."
"They also said rich husbands never listen."
Christian pretended to look offended.
"I listen."
Elizabeth smiled.
"You do."
"They were wrong."
She looked over at him.
"They were."
As the sun dipped lower into the horizon, small lights around the park slowly flickered on.
Christian noticed Elizabeth staring at a little girl chasing bubbles across the grass.
"What are you thinking about?"
Elizabeth smiled as she watched the child laugh.
"I want that someday."
Christian followed her gaze.
"A bubble machine?"
She laughed.
"No."
"A dog?"
She nudged him with her shoulder.
"I'm serious."
Christian's smile softened.
"You mean..."
"A family."
The words lingered between them.
Christian looked back toward the little girl before quietly answering.
"I'd like that too."
Elizabeth turned to him.
"Really?"
He nodded.
"But not yet."
She tilted her head.
"Why?"
"I want us to have time."
"Time?"
"To know each other."
He smiled.
"I don't want us to wake up one day and realize we spent all our time being parents before we got to become best friends."
Elizabeth stared at him for a moment.
No one had ever described marriage like that before.
Best friends.
She liked the sound of it.
"I think I'd like that too."
Christian smiled.
"Good."
On their walk back through the park they passed a small ice cream cart.
Christian stopped walking.
Elizabeth noticed.
"What?"
He looked toward the cart.
"I have an idea."
"You always have ideas."
"This one's important."
Elizabeth laughed.
"Is it?"
Christian nodded dramatically.
"Very."
"What is it?"
"Ice cream."
She looked at the cart.
"You're buying ice cream?"
"It's part of the date."
"I thought the walk was the date."
"The walk comes with complimentary dessert."
Elizabeth couldn't stop smiling.
"I don't think that's how dates work."
"It does now."
A few minutes later Christian returned carrying two waffle cones.
He handed one to Elizabeth.
"Chocolate?"
"My favorite."
"I remembered."
She looked at him.
"You remembered?"
"You mentioned it when we stopped by that bakery yesterday."
Elizabeth smiled to herself.
He had been paying attention.
They continued walking while eating their ice cream.
Halfway home, Elizabeth noticed Christian's cone leaning dangerously to one side.
"It's melting."
"I know."
"It's about to fall."
"I know."
"You should probably eat faster."
Christian looked down just in time for the scoop to slide completely off the cone and land on the sidewalk with a soft splat.
Elizabeth stared at it for exactly one second before bursting into uncontrollable laughter.
Christian looked at the lonely cone still in his hand.
"I think it escaped."
Elizabeth laughed so hard she had to hold onto his arm to steady herself.
"I'm sorry."
She tried catching her breath.
"I'm really trying not to laugh."
"No you're not."
"I'm really not."
Christian couldn't help laughing with her.
A little boy walking past looked at the fallen scoop before looking up at Christian.
"My dad drops his ice cream too."
Christian smiled.
"Thanks, buddy."
The little boy nodded seriously before running after his parents.
Elizabeth wiped a tear from laughing so hard.
"I'll buy you another one."
Christian shook his head.
"No."
"Why not?"
He pointed toward the chocolate ice cream in her hand.
"You still have yours."
She looked at her cone.
Then back at him.
Without saying a word, she held it toward him.
"One bite."
Christian smiled.
"Are you sure?"
"I'm sharing."
He leaned down and took a small bite before smiling.
"Tastes better when it's stolen."
Elizabeth rolled her eyes.
"I literally offered it to you."
"Details."
The two of them laughed all the way home, their fingers intertwined as they walked beneath the evening streetlights.
Neither of them noticed how naturally they had begun matching each other's pace.
It wasn't something either of them thought about.
It just happened.