Professor Astor (Off-Limits)

“Leia,” Dad says. “Come to the store with me.”

I nod and jump up from the sofa. I’ve been meaning to find the right time to talk to Dad. Maybe now would be good. Now that I’ve officially finished my education and we’ve obliged all of his requests, I want to ask him about Thor again.

Just the thought of bringing up the subject has chills running down my spine. I don’t mind confrontation, but it’s different when it comes to my parents. I’m anxious as I follow Dad to the car, trying to think of what to say and how to bring this up.

“Leia,” he says, a few minutes into our drive. “Does that man make you happy?”

I look up in surprise and nod. I didn’t expect Dad to bring Thor up himself. “He does, Dad. I’ve been happier than I’ve ever been before. I didn’t think this kind of happiness was meant for me. After I went into remission, I thought… I just thought I was so lucky to even be alive that I shouldn’t dare hope for more, until I met him. He’s a really good man, and he treats me well.”

Dad nods, his eyes on the road. “He’d better. I’ll make him regret ever asking for your hand if he breaks your heart.”

My eyes widen at his words. “Does that mean… are you saying you’ll let me marry him?”

He smiles at me and parks the car, and it isn’t until that moment that I realize we’re nowhere near the stores. We’re parked in the same spot Thor takes me to see the stars. I can see bright lights in the distance, and my eyes widen.

“Dad? What’s going on?”

He grins then and tips his head toward the fields in front of us. “Let’s go find out.”

I’m shaking as I step out of the car, and Dad walks around to meet me. He offers me his arm, a sweet smile on his face. “Come on, sweetheart.”

I nod as I follow him, a gasp escaping my lips when my eyes adjust to the darkness. Tears start to gather in my eyes when I see a gazebo that wasn’t there before, Thor standing underneath it, surrounded by countless fairy lights.

“Go,” Dad says, his smile bittersweet. I look up at him, and he nods. “I just want you to be happy, Leia. He isn’t who I would have chosen for you, but he makes you happier than I’ve ever seen you before. That’s enough for me.”

He wipes away a tear I didn’t even realize had fallen and sighs. “Go, before I change my mind.”

I rise to my tiptoes and press a kiss to his cheek, startling him. I’ve never seen my father looking as emotional as he does today. This must be hard for him, and I want him to know I appreciate what he’s doing.

My heart races as I walk toward Thor. He’s wearing a suit that looks impossibly sexy on him, and the look in his eyes mirrors how I feel. Hopeful, excited, scared.

He grabs my hand the moment I’m within reach and lifts it to his lips, kissing the back of my hand. “Leia,” he says, his voice soft. “My Princess Leia.”

“Thor,” I murmur, trying my hardest not to burst into tears. Is this really happening? Is this what I think it is?

“I think I knew you were the one from the moment I walked into that bar and saw you sitting there. Something about you called to me, and my heart and soul both responded. Taking a seat next to you is one of the best things I ever did, but asking you to come watch Mercury with me was an even better decision. Every aspect of you has been seared into my mind from that moment onward, so much so, that I couldn’t forget you even as I walked away in an attempt to do the right thing for my family. For two years, you were the one I saw when I closed my eyes.”

He grins at me and takes a step closer, cupping my cheek as his thumb brushes over my lower lip. “You’re the one that featured in every single fantasy I had, the one I never got over, the one I compared everyone else to. When I saw you at Amara’s wedding, I couldn’t believe it. There you were, the one who got away, standing right in front of me, looking even more beautiful than you did in my dreams. I didn’t see it then, but I believe it now. You and I were inevitable. No matter how we fight this, no matter what life throws at us, we will always find our way back to each other, and we’ll always make it out on top, always.”

He drops to one knee and takes a ring box out of his suit pocket, and I burst into tears. “Leia Sital, you’re the woman of my dreams. I love how you occupy my every dream, but I want to start every day with you too. I want you to gang up against me with the kids, and I want to be the one that makes you smile. I want to buy you ridiculous looking heels for the rest of our lives, and I want to watch the stars with you on days that feel hard. For the rest of our lives, I want to be the one who gets to love you, gets to grow old with you. I want it all with you.” He pauses and looks at me, a hint of nervousness in his expression. “Leia, will you marry me?”

I nod and swallow down my tears. “Yes, Thor. Yes.”

He slides an engagement ring onto my fingers, and I stare at it in shock. “It’s beautiful,” I whisper. It’s beautiful, and it’s huge. I have no doubt this ring cost him a fortune.

“It’s perfect for the future Mrs. Astor.”

He rises to his feet and wraps his arms around me, turning us around so I’m hidden behind him. “Your father terrifies me, but there’s absolutely no way I’m not kissing you right now.”

I giggle and rise to my tiptoes, my lips finding his. He kisses me underneath the stars, in the same spot our story started.

I can’t wait to find out what else life has in store for us. This is only just the beginning.