Chapter 19 - The Winter Retreat
To celebrate the conclusion of a massive, successful quarter at the agency, Julian surprised me with a weekend getaway to a secluded luxury cabin nestled deep in the snowy mountains of Vermont. The cabin featured massive floor-to-ceiling glass windows overlooking a snow-covered pine forest, a crackling stone fireplace, and a private outdoor hot tub steaming under a star-studded winter night sky.
We spent Saturday skiing down powdery mountain trails, laughing as I wiped out into a snowbank while Julian tried—and failed—to execute a professional parallel turn. By evening, wrapped in thick wool blankets by the roaring fireplace, we sipped hot spiced wine while watching the snow drift gently down outside.
"You know," Julian murmured, resting his arm along the back of the sofa as I leaned my head against his shoulder, "when I first met you in that gallery, I thought you were just another ambitious professional trying to climb the ladder."
"And what do you think now?" I teased, turning my head to look up at him.
Julian smiled, his blue eyes softening with deep affection. "I think you are the most resilient, brilliant, and authentic soul I've ever encountered. You took the worst moment of your life—a moment that would have broken most people—and you used it to forge your own path. I fall more in love with you every single day, Sandy."
My heart swelled with an emotion so pure and profound it felt almost overwhelming. I reached up, tracing my fingers along his jawline, and pulled him down into a tender, passionate kiss that made the winter chill outside completely vanish.
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Later that night, as we sat in the steaming outdoor hot tub with snowflakes gently melting against our hair while looking up at the brilliant canopy of winter stars, Julian reached into the pocket of his robe, pulled out a small, dark velvet box, and held it out.
My breath caught in my throat. The world seemed to stop spinning.
