The morning sun streamed through Anna's bedroom window, warming the room with a golden glow. She stretched lazily, feeling the soft fabric of her gown still hanging nearby from the pre-wedding fitting yesterday.
Her phone buzzed. It was Oliver.
Oliver: Coffee in 30? I have a surprise.
Anna smiled, her heart fluttering. A surprise? He's been too confident lately… this has to be mischievous.
Thirty minutes later, she met him at a quiet café tucked away from the busy city streets.
"You're late," Oliver teased with a smirk, though his eyes sparkled.
"I'm not late," Anna shot back, smiling. "I'm fashionably on time. Unlike you, who apparently has a 'surprise' up his sleeve."
He laughed softly, taking her hand across the table. "I promised something special. But first…" His thumb brushed gently over her hand, sending a shiver of warmth up her arm. "I just want to see you smile like this, uninterrupted."
Anna's cheeks warmed. "You really do know how to flatter a girl, Oliver Walker."
After coffee, he led her on a slow walk through the city. The streets were surprisingly quiet for a Saturday morning.
"Do you remember our first stolen walk together after exams?" Oliver asked softly.
Anna laughed, recalling the memory. "I remember almost tripping because I was so nervous to talk to you."
"You?" he feigned offense. "I was equally terrified."
"Terrified of what?" she teased.
"Of… you," he admitted honestly, his voice dropping a little. "I didn't know how to tell you what I felt."
Her eyes softened. "And now?"
"Now," he said, stopping her gently, "I don't need words for every feeling. You feel it anyway, don't you?"
She laughed quietly, hiding her slight blush. "Maybe I do."
Later that evening, Anna returned home to find her mother fussing over a seating chart.
"Anna, I think we need to switch some guest tables. Your father's colleagues…" her mother began, but Anna's mind was elsewhere.
She peeked at her phone and saw a new message from Oliver:
Oliver: Meet me on the balcony. I have another surprise.
Heart skipping, she slipped quietly onto the balcony. There he was, standing under the soft glow of fairy lights, holding a small bouquet of her favorite wildflowers.
"For you," he said softly, handing her the flowers.
Anna's breath caught. "Oliver… they're beautiful."
"They're nothing compared to you," he whispered, stepping closer.
The city lights twinkled below them, the world fading around their little corner.
Without thinking, Anna reached up and touched his cheek. He leaned in gently, their foreheads touching.
"You really know how to make a girl feel spoiled," she said softly.
"I'll keep doing it," he promised, his voice low and steady. "Every day. Forever."
And in that quiet, playful moment, Anna felt something she hadn't felt in years — complete certainty.
No misunderstandings. No distance. Just them, teasing, loving, and slowly building the life they had both dreamed of.