Ethan got up from his desk and practically ran over to Anna. "Move in?" he asked excitedly."Yes," she said, then gave him a kiss. "I'm moving forward with my life, and it's all about the animal shelter and my work here… and you, of course.""I couldn't be happier. I love you, Anna," he said, gazing into her emerald eyes."I love you, too," she said, wrapping her arms around him. Time stood still as they embraced tightly, their hearts beating in simultaneous rhythm as they basked in a feeling of contentment."We have a lot to do," he said after a while."Yes," she agreed. "I don't want to leave my house empty, so I think I'll ask if any of the new teachers need a place to stay.""That's a great idea," he said."I need to plan!" she said excitedly. "So I'll see you tonight.""No lunch?" he asked."Oh, I forgot to tell you. I'm having lunch with my parents. I need to talk to them about not teaching anymore. Do you want to come?""No, Anna. I know how much your mom loves that you're a tea

Ethan called David early that next morning. He wanted to get the problem taken care of right away so that Anna didn't have to keep worrying. She had a lot on her mind planning the construction and opening for the animal shelter, and she was still working on the team's educational projects. All that was a lot on her plate, and she didn't need to have some drunk old business partner to worry about on top of it all."We need to talk," he told David on the phone."Yes, we do," said David."Let's meet in Bluewater. Name the place," said Ethan."Delany's Café. It's over on Melvin Street," he said."Alright," said Ethan. "I'll be there at noon."***Delany's was a rustic place. It was clear the owner wasn't too worried about decorating, but the food was good. Ethan and Rick had gone there many times when planning the mansion's construction.Ethan walked in the door and saw David already sitting in a booth. He slid into the seat on the other side."So why don't you tell me why you were screami

Ethan and Anna's Parisian hotel room was stunning, decorated in shades of blue with grand curtains draped behind the bed and over the windows. A huge set of French doors opened to a large, splendid veranda with a view of the lit-up Eiffel Tower."I can't believe we're here!" exclaimed Anna, running toward the terrace to get a look of the city. Ethan tipped the baggage handlers and walked up behind her, wrapping his arm around her waist. She gazed up at him. "I love you so much! Thank you for this trip. This is amazing!" she told him.He faced her and caressed her cheek. "I would do anything for you," he said. "It's late, but we can probably order room service if you're hungry.""I am a little, yes," she said. "Maybe just a light snack, not a full dinner."Ethan called the concierge and arranged for a meal while Anna started to unpack. They would be in the city for two weeks, and she wanted to wear all of her new outfits. It wasn't long before there was a knock on the door.Room service

The flowers, the cake, and catering--everything was falling into place sooner than Anna expected. Ethan had suggested hiring a wedding planner, but Anna wanted herself and Ethan to do most of the planning for their special day."I want our ceremony to be a part of us, to reflect our tastes completely," she had said."Wedding planners can do that," Ethan had said. "They make all the arrangements and do all the legwork, but they give you choices on all the colors and details.""I know, but I want to do that all myself. I've dreamed of my wedding--our wedding--my entire life. It's only one day, but I can drag out the experience by doing all that legwork myself," she said. "Well, with some help from you," she added, grinning."Well, when you put it that way, I'm in!" he said with a smile.Anna's father had made the grand sacrifice - as he described it - of being the official taster of the Ethan and Anna wedding. That included sampling all the different cake flavor options as well as all th

The music was playing as Anna and her father started walking out of the room. She knew that Kelly and Rick, arm-in-arm as maid of honor and best man, had already walked almost all the way to the front of the church, and that her cousin's little children, the flower girl and ring bearer, were headed down the aisle now, the little girl dropping rose petals from her basket as she walked slowly forward.Anna rounded the corner, and the wedding march began to play, and all her friends and family, and Ethan's friends and his family, stood to watch her take slow and careful steps over the carpet of petals.She saw the smiles on their faces as she passed, but mostly she was looking straight ahead at Ethan, smiling at her from the altar, the pastor just behind him.Ethan was more handsome than she'd ever seen him, although she didn't know how that was possible. Perhaps it was the glow that radiated from true happiness. He wore a dark grey tuxedo, perfectly tailored. The fine material laid again