Professor Astor (Off-Limits)

I’m a little nervous as I walk through Thor’s front door. I haven’t seen the kids in a few weeks, and though Colt and I have started gaming together again, and Lucy and I have been texting a little, I’m still worried it’ll be awkward to see them.

“Leia!”

They both jump up from the sofa when they see me and run up to me, hugging me with such force that I stumble backward.

“I can’t believe you’re really here,” Lucy says, and Colt nods as he tightens his grip on me.

“I missed you,” I tell them.

“We missed you too!” Colton says.

Lucy pulls away and hesitates, looking guilty. “I’m sorry,” she says, and Colton nods in agreement.

I hug them again and shake my head. “It’s okay. It’s all okay.”

The relief I feel is unreal. I was so worried things wouldn’t be the same between us anymore, but we seem fine. It’s almost as though the divide Alice tried to create has vanished entirely, and I hope that’s true.

“Are you back for good now?” Colt asks excitedly.

I shake my head and grin as I pull them over to the sofa. “No. I heard you tried real hard to convince my dad yesterday, though? I’m really proud of you for speaking up and trying to win him over. You did really well.”

“He still said no.”

“It wasn’t really a no,” I explain. “More of a maybe? It’s like when I tell you that you can play games, but only after you finish your homework. So long as Daddy sorts some stuff out, we’ll be okay.”

They nod, but I can tell they’re having a hard time truly understanding the situation. I don’t blame them. Thor and I did create a bit of a mess.

I smile when Emily, their new nanny, walks in. I’ve worked with her before, and she’s always been really lovely.

“Good evening, Leia,” she tells me, nodding politely. Emily has over thirty years of experience working with VIP clients as a nanny, and she’s probably the best Asha’s firm has got.

“Hi, Emily! It’s so good to see you.”

She grins at me before tipping her head toward the stairs. “It’s about time you guys get ready for bed.”

They both groan, and I run a hand through Colt’s hair soothingly. “I’ll come tuck you in, okay? You have school tomorrow, so you’ll need to get an early night, but I’ll come back to see you tomorrow too.”

Now that my parents have essentially given Thor permission to court me, they should be okay with me going to see him every once in a while. I would hate to upset my parents, but I also won’t give up on Thor and the kids. I suspect my mother knows that.

I sit back on the sofa and let my eyes fall closed as I listen to sounds of the kids messing around in the bathroom. I missed this. It might sound crazy to some, but I genuinely missed this. I’ve always loved how lively this house is, and soon, I might actually become part of this all too.

I sit up when I hear the front door close, followed by footsteps. Thor pauses in the doorway when he sees me, his eyes widening.

“Leia,” he murmurs, my name a prayer on his lips. “You’re here.”

He walks over to me and pulls me to my feet. I crash into him and smile at his excitement as I rise to my tiptoes, his lips finding mine instantly. He kisses me with such desperation that my restless heart stills.

“How are you here?” he whispers against my lips.

“I told Asha I’d be staying with you tonight. I’m going back home to my parents tomorrow, but before I do that, I wanted to spend a night with you. I have a feeling they won’t make it easy on us, and I need this. I need you.”

He drops his forehead to mine and inhales shakily. “You have no idea how much I’ve missed you. Honestly, last week has been hell. Only being able to speak to you on the phone, I hated it. I was so damn close to rocking up on your sister’s doorstep, demanding to see you.”

I shake my head and press a soft kiss to the edge of his lips. “You did the right thing. I needed time with my sister, and I definitely needed some time to think about the situation with my parents. I cannot believe you went to ask for my hand. What were you thinking?”

He chuckles and cups my cheeks. “Should I have proposed to you first? Amara told me that that’s not how it went for your sister, so I thought… was I wrong?”

I smile and shake my head. “You did the right thing. I’m just shocked that you went out of your way to do that for me. One of the things my family is worried about is that I might lose sight of my culture, and you’re proving to them that I won’t, without me even having to ask it of you.”

“Leia, I’ve always said that you won’t lose out on anything by being with me. I mean it. I know how important your family is to you, and I would never ask you to change anything that helped shape the woman I love. There are going to be things I don’t understand, and there are going to be times I might behave insensitively, but I’m willing to learn.”

I nod and wrap my arms around him, hugging him tightly. Throughout all of this, my heart hasn’t wavered, but I’m worried. I’m worried my parents won’t change their minds, or that the investigation about my dissertation wraps up unfavorably. It feels like I’m trying my very best, and it’s never enough.

“Come with me,” Thor says, grabbing my hand. He leads me to his bedroom and sets up his telescope, lowering it to my height. “It’s a clear night tonight, so we should be able to see a lot.”

I nod and follow along as he positions me in front of it. “Remember how to look for Orion’s belt?”

He wraps his arms around me and presses a kiss to my neck as he talks me through the constellations I should be able to see.

“You know, Leia?” he says, his lips brushing over my ear. “Years ago, you asked me how I could love astronomy without believing in astrology. I still think the two are separate, but I also think you may have had a point. The way we found each other twice, the way life kept pushing us back together when we tried to resist… I know everything feels hard right now, and I know you think the obstacles we face might be signs that we shouldn’t be together. But, my love, there are just as many signs telling us we’re meant to be. Ultimately, I believe we create our own destiny, and you are mine. I’ll always choose you, Leia. No matter what.”

I nod and turn in his arms, the way I did back then, my arms wrapping around his neck as I rise to my tiptoes.

“And I will always choose you, Adrian.”

He smiles and leans in to kiss me, my worries melting away at his touch, even if it’s just for a few moments. It feels like faith is all I’ve got left, all that’s keeping me going.

Please, I silently beg. There’s nothing else I’ve ever wanted out of life. Just this. Him. Please, for once… let the path to happiness be unobstructed.