By the time Friday rolled around, I had prepared both Jeremiah's birthday celebration and myself for meeting his parents. Today was a triple threat—Jeremiah's birthday, Valentine's Day, and the first time I was meeting his parents. And, because of so much going on all at once, the whole day had to be perfect.

I fussed over myself in the mirror, my lips pursed to the side as my eyes darted over myself with uncertainty. The button-front trousers on my bottom half felt pointless. The asymmetrical bottom hemline of my red shirt hid the shiny golden buttons on my pants. I was even questioning the choice of a red top! Maybe it was too aggressive...

"This is ridiculous." I threw my arms down, the floppy collar tickling my neck. "I know how to dress myself." I stared myself down in the mirror, a sense of confidence trickling through me. "You planned the perfect date, and parents love you! You've been charming the pants off of adults since you could talk."

A chime from my phone pulled me from my pep talk. I crossed my room to my bed where my phone lay, but not before giving myself one last resolute nod. Once I read the text letting me know my ride was here, I snatched a beige trench coat from my closet and tied the belt snugly around my waist.

I grabbed the picnic basket I assembled before leaving my place. I turned my key in the lock before I turned to face the cool Seattle breeze. Water splayed out from the heel of my black suede boot as I hurried towards the four-door Mercedes Coupe idling at the curb for me.

"Ooh, hurry up and close that door," Sienna instructed as I pulled the car door open. I looked at her, my gaze unblinking before she continued, "I shoulda never said nothing."

I watched her palm meet her forehead as I took my time. One leg agonizingly followed the other into the passenger cabin, my descent into the seat happening in slow motion.

"Kiara! Close the door before I drive off with half of you in my car!"

"Geez, alright!" I dropped into the seat and shut the door.

"And be gentler next time. I didn't spend hours building the perfect vehicle for you to go around slamming the doors."

I buckled my seatbelt as I responded, "I was right there with you as you built her, so I feel like I should be able to slam as I please." My nose stuck in the air, the position of my head preventing me from seeing the fist that landed on my thigh. "Um, ow?"

"Giselle and I are doing you a favor by bringing you to Jere's. Don't make us drop you on the curb."

"You know I love you, Si." A smile stretched my lips, her eyes rolling at me in response. "But forreal, thank you for dropping me at Jeremiah's. I know you probably have plans with King."

"It's no issue," she shrugged. "Besides, the jet's not gonna be ready for another hour, so I've got the time."

"Oh, the jet?" I side-eyed Sienna, a suggestive smirk pulling my lips. "And where is the Jones jet taking you and King today?"

"Sienna Airlines," she pointedly corrected, "Is taking me to go see King. He's in Hawaii overseeing the casino that's being built, so I thought I'd pop by and see him right quick."

An exasperated sigh parted my lips as I threw my head back, the back of my hand finding my forehead. "I'm Sienna, and I have a private jet to go and take me to Hawaii so I can 'pop in' on my boyfriend." My shoulders shook with laughter, and I noticed Sienna fighting back a smile.

"First of all, I said pop by." I could hear the smile fighting to break through in her voice. "And when did I make it sound like that was an inconvenience? I love Hawaii!"

"Does that have anything to do with our trip to Hawaii sophomore year of high school?" Sienna's eyes didn't pull from the road in front of her, but the tiny tick in her jaw told me everything I needed to know. "Thought so."

"We don't need to talk about that." She paused as she took a turn. "You're just jealous 'cause you don't have a jet anymore."

I scoffed and crossed my arms over my chest. "Please, Si."

"Scoff all you want, Ara. You know you can't fool me."

The look on my boyfriend's face was priceless when he opened the door, only to find me standing in his doorway. "Happy Valentine's Day, old man." I placed a kiss on his cheek before he let me past the threshold.

Mock offense crossed Jeremiah's face as he responded, "Old man?"

"Yes, old man," I confirmed with a nod. "You're twenty-seven going on what? Seventy?" A playful smile graced my lips as I pivoted to face Jeremiah. I winked as I took a few steps backward before turning again, my foot moving to take the first step upstairs.

"We're barely even four years apart!" He called up after me. I heard his footsteps clinking up the stairs after me as he asked, "Where you going, Ki? What are you doing here?"

"Not happy to see me?" I yelled back over my shoulder, making no moves to stop my trek to his bedroom.

"I didn't say that." Jeremiah's voice sounded closer as I crossed into his bedroom. "I wasn't expecting to see you until dinner tonight, is all."

I ignored him as I made a beeline for his bedside table, his keychain glinting against the light as it turned on. I snuck a glance over to where the light switch sat on the wall, unsurprised to find Jeremiah's massive hand hovering over it.

"What are you doing with my keys, Ki?" One of Jeremiah's brows raised at me as I turned to face him.

"We, my love, are going on an adventure."

I smiled, my sculpted brows bouncing. I crossed the room to Jeremiah and snaked my arms around his waist, the white tank top he was clad in rising and exposing a hint of skin.

"I thought I said—"

"No, I know you said you wanted to keep it lowkey and just do dinner with your parents." I craned my neck to look at him, my chin resting atop his chest. "But," I dragged, "It's our first birthday and Valentine's Day together, so I wanted to do something."

Jeremiah's eyes were hooded as he gazed down at me. His expression remained impassive long enough for doubt to trickle through my mind.

This was not how I pictured this 'perfect' day starting.

The smile that appeared on his face washed away all negative feelings, my chest warming as he placed a sweet kiss upon my forehead. "Can I change before our adventure? I don't think a wifebeater and sweats make the cut, right?" He gently pushed me away from him as he took my hands in his and gestured towards me. "Your outfit's upwards of three thousand?"

"You're picking up my skills," I noted as I dropped my hands from his.

"You price-drop anything expensive I wear. I hope I would've picked up a skill or two." Another kiss was placed on my temple. "Give me a second to match your fly, and then we can go."

"Oh, you could never match my fly." A pointed look fell on me as I wandered to the bed and fell back. "But I do urge you to try."

A chuckle sounded from Jeremiah before he spoke a quiet, "Never change, Kiara."

I grabbed the picnic basket I left in the front seat of Sienna's idling car before I ushered Jeremiah into the passenger seat of his own vehicle. "Ki, are you really making me sit passenger in the car that I own?" His voice found me over the center console, my head peeking in from the back driver's side door.

"Hey, at least you get to ride shotgun." I shot him a smile which was greeted with a grumble. I chuckled before hopping in the driver's seat and taking off on our short drive.

We pulled into the parking lot, the Japanese-style gates open and welcoming us to the garden. A few other cars were scattered about the lot, and I was glad to know that it wasn't going to be too crowded. Who would really take their partner on a date to a Japanese garden on Valentine's Day anyway?

"We're here?" Jeremiah asked as his head swiveled, it taking in our modest surroundings. "I thought you would've rented out the top of the Space Needle or something." He unbuckled his seatbelt and made his way out of the car.

I followed suit before responding, "Trust and believe, I considered it." I plucked the picnic basket from the backseat before continuing. "But you said you wanted something lowkey, so I wanted to respect that."

"...You couldn't rent the Space Needle out on such short notice, huh?"

"Ok, that was definitely a factor," I admitted. A chuckle escaped Jeremiah as we met at the hood of the car, our fingers intertwining before we made our way past the gates. "But also," I stressed, "Because I knew the lowkey part was important to you. You wouldn't have made it a point to let me know that if it wasn't."

"Thank you." Jeremiah nodded affectionately in my direction before he brought the back of my hand to his lips. "I know how much you wanted to make this spectacular and special."

"But I told you I was gonna keep it lowkey!" My voice rose an octave as my hands gestured in front of us, me unintentionally jerking him forward with me.

Jeremiah shook his head as a laugh escaped his lips. "You aren't a lowkey woman, Babe."

We followed a turn in the path, the stroll garden falling into view. "I can't even argue that one," I conceded with a giggle. I pressed up onto the tips of my toes to place a kiss on Jeremiah's cheek before racing off to a park bench up ahead.

I took the picnic blanket I packed out of the basket and draped it over the table, the food I packed following afterward. "I've never done a picnic before, so I asked for Ri's help. But, we have Smartfood, 'cause it's your favorite snack." I pulled a glass Tupperware out, it filled to the brim with the popcorn. "I also got Chex Mix because Smartfood is nasty." I grimaced.

"Put some respect on Smartfood." Jeremiah snatched the container from my hands and started munching as he waited for me to present the rest of our meal.

"Anyways, I also packed some chicken caesar salad sandwiches." I pulled two plastic-wrapped sandwiches from the wicker basket. "I also made some potato salad because what's a picnic without this classic?"

"I thought you didn't know anything about picnics?"

"I don't. But I know potato salad is important for any function," I stated matter-of-factly, my index finger raising to emphasize my point.

The rest of the food I pulled out was presented the same way, the fried chicken sliders and oatmeal cream pies joining the rest of the feast. I made a plate for both Jeremiah and myself before we dug in. Or rather, he dug in. I let my chest rest on the table as I watched for Jeremiah's first bite in anticipation.

Jeremiah took his bite, but not before he eyed me, his brows furrowed and eyes narrowed to suspicious slits. He chewed and swallowed before asking, "Did you poison the food?"

"What, no!" I combatted. "How is it? I don't really cook, so I had Ri walk me through the whole process. Is it good?"

Jeremiah asked, "How do you not cook?" before he took another bite of his slider.

I placed an elbow on the table and let my wrist hang limp. "I had a personal chef," I offered. "Now, do you like it?" I questioned.

Jeremiah chewed slowly, making sure to make a show out of it. His expression became pensive as he swallowed down his bite. He took another, his tongue sweeping the crumbs that clung to his lip. More slow chewing ensued.

"This is cruel," I deadpanned.

He laughed a muffled laugh, his mouth still packed with food. "It's great, Kiara." The ghost of a smile pulled my lip corners. "Really," he emphasized.

My shoulders relaxed as I breathed a sharp sigh of relief. "Good." I picked up my Cesar salad sandwich and took my first bite. "After a lifetime of having someone else cook my meals, I was worried anything I made would be awful."

"You really don't know how to cook?" Jeremiah questioned, a piece of popcorn flying into his mouth. "You live alone. How do you feed yourself?"

I swallowed my Chex Mix before responding, "Frozen pizza and takeout." I picked up my slider but neglected to take a bite as Jeremiah looked at me. His eyebrows were raised, his eyes wide, mouth open a hair. "What?"

"I'm teaching you how to cook." It was more of a statement than a suggestion, really. "You're too old to not know how to cook."

"I'm alive, aren't I?"

"Not if you keep eating like that," he countered. "Every Saturday night, you're coming over to mine, and we're gonna cook together."

"That's not—"

"It's happening, Ki." He took the final bite of his slider, letting me know that this was non-negotiable.

We finished our food and packed up our things. Jeremiah grabbed the basket with one hand and took my hand with his other, him leading us on a stroll through the garden. We passed under Japanese maple trees, the sun peeking through the gaps where the leaves failed to converge. We stopped on the Heart Bridge for a moment to overlook the water, our bodies resting against the red railings. Turtles glided by as ducks swam by, their beaks dipping under the water every so often.

We moved at a comfortable pace, a peaceful silence settling between us as we continued on the path. Distant voices could be heard through the trees, as could the ripple of the water as the koi fish darted around in their ponds.

Jeremiah guided us off the main path, the rushing of water meeting my ears and growing louder as we continued forward. A few steps ahead was a gorgeous waterfall. Water splashed down the mountainside, it trickling down into a shallow pond that continued down a stream. The water weaved between the rocks and stones in its path with no effort. It's as if it knows its whole purpose for being was to follow this path.

I watched the water flow, a child-like sense of wonder warming my chest and causing a sparkle in my eye. "It's beautiful," I breathed.

"Looks like you have something in common," Jeremiah sounded from behind me, his chest rumbling against my back. His arms were draped over my shoulders, them dangling just in my vision.

I grabbed his hands in mine and pulled them to my chest. "You know, I think you're the cheesiest man I've ever dated," I regarded with a smile.

"You always gotta call out my cheesiness like it's a problem or something," he chuckled.

I turned in his arms, my foot accidentally knocking over the picnic basket at our feet. "No, not a problem at all." I rested the tip of my chin on his chest. "I just never thought I'd have a corny man for myself, is all."

I watched his face pull into a frown as he asked, "Why not?"

A deep sigh wracked my body as I pulled away from him, my gaze pulling back to the rushing water for a moment. I bent down and said, "Because that's what my dad is for my mom." When I stood tall, the picnic basket was in my grasp. "And I never thought I'd have what my parents do."

I began walking toward the main path, Jeremiah in step beside me. I watched my feet take one step after the other, knowing that he was awaiting my answer. And I carried on that way until Jeremiah urged me to continue.

"My parents met in high school, were each other's first everything, all that cliche nonsense." I took a breath as I looked up at the man beside me. "The representation of love I had in my life growing up was unrealistic, but kid me didn't know that. So, I went around thinking the first boy who showed interest in me was going to be my one, you know?"

Jeremiah didn't respond. He just looked at me attentively, waiting for whatever came next.

"Because of that, I held on to my first boyfriend way harder and way longer than I needed to. Three years too long, to be exact." I let out a lame chuckle and shook my head. "I was trying to have what my parents have because I thought that's what the perfect love looked like. I tried so hard I damn near forced that boy to love me for three years too long. I wanted the inside jokes; I wanted the attraction, the undivided attention and undying love, the extreme corniness. Little did thirteen-year-old Kiara know that love was not that easy."

I snuck another glance up at Jeremiah, who was still looking at me with that attentive look in his eye. "Not me leaving you speechless," I joked. "It's embarrassing, I know. That's why I'm glad I fell in love with working and having a career. Won't ever break my heart."

"And neither will I," Jeremiah spoke after a bout of thoughtful silence. "It's not embarrassing for a kid to think that what their parents have is how love works, by the way. What else were you supposed to model it after?"

"Well—"

"Baby, will you let me speak before you interject?"

I narrowed my eyes in response but stayed quiet.

"Nobody's going to have the exact same relationship with the exact same dynamics as someone else. But, I know you know that now so I don't have to tell you that." He smiled with that beautiful lopsided grin of his before continuing. "Besides, we don't have that cliche-ass relationship, but we still have all the inside jokes, the undivided attention and love, right?"

"Don't forget the extreme corniness," I added, the smile on my face seeping into my voice.

"Oh, of course not," he agreed with a curt nod. "But forreal, we're good with our relationship being the way it is because that's what works for us. I can't give you your parents' relationship, but I can give you one that our kids are gonna want someday."

My steps faltered for a moment, butterflies awakening in my stomach. My smile fell momentarily before it grew three times larger than it was before. Jeremiah and I haven't had a conversation about marriage and kids yet. Still, the fact that it was running through his mind was all I needed to hear to let me know this relationship? This was relationship was the last one I needed.

"Our kids?"

Jeremiah sucked his teeth, his mouth ticking to the side as he grimaced. "Yeah," he dragged, "That slipped out. We can save that conversation for later. Right now, we should focus on this dinner in a couple hours."

I nodded energetically, my lips pursing in agreement. "You right." I directed the woven basket I was holding into his hand before wrapping myself around his arm. "But, our kids will want our love one day. Who wouldn't want to be knocked to the ground the first time they meet someone?"

"Oh, you got jokes, huh?" Jeremiah attempted to tug his arm from my grasp.

"What, you think I'm gonna let you be the funnier one in this relationship? Ain't no way."

"You wish you could be as funny as me, beloved. Wish on. I think we passed a wishing well on our way out."

"Shut the hell up." I unwrapped myself from him and shoved him to the side. He responded with a hearty laugh before he pulled me into him by the waist.