The morning sun spilled through gauzy curtains, painting gold across the room. Waves whispered softly beyond the open balcony, where the scent of sea salt drifted in like a promise.
Anna stirred first. The sheets felt warm against her skin, the air cool enough to make her pull the blanket closer. For a moment, she simply listened the rhythm of the ocean, the sigh of wind, and beside her, the steady breathing of Ethan.
Her lips curved. Even after a year of marriage, that sound the gentle, even breath of the man she loved was still her favorite.
She turned, careful not to wake him. Ethan lay on his side, the light brushing across his bare shoulders. His hair was tousled from sleep, one arm half-buried under the pillow, the other resting where she'd been moments before.
Anna watched him, heart swelling with quiet joy. One year. Somehow, an entire year had passed since she'd stood in that little white chapel, hands trembling, eyes full of dreams she could barely put into words.
She still remembered his vow not just the words, but the look in his eyes when he'd said them. "No matter how the tide turns, Anna, I'll be your shore."
And he had been.
Through the small frustrations, the learning, the laughter, the nights when she'd burned dinner and the mornings when he'd refused to let her get up first Ethan had been her anchor.
She brushed a strand of hair from his forehead. "Happy anniversary," she whispered.
His eyes opened instantly. He'd always been a light sleeper. But instead of speaking, he caught her hand and kissed her wrist, his smile slow and teasing.
"Were you watching me again?" he murmured, voice still rough from sleep.
"Maybe."
"Remind me to sleep with one eye open next time."
"You'd look ridiculous," she said, laughing softly.
He reached out, pulling her closer until she was nestled against him. "One year, Mrs. Hart," he said quietly. "And I still wake up wondering how I got this lucky."
Anna smiled against his chest. "Flattery this early in the morning? You're up to something."
"Maybe breakfast in bed. Maybe a surprise. Maybe both."
She tilted her head, meeting his eyes. "You've already given me everything I want."
Ethan chuckled, but his gaze softened. "That's dangerous to say. I might take it as a challenge."
Their laughter melted into quiet. The kind of silence that didn't need words—filled with sunlight, heartbeats, and the calm certainty of love.
Anna reached for the chain around her neck, lifting the small silver locket he'd given her on their wedding night. Inside was a photo from the day they met a blurry, laughing moment caught in motion and a pressed flower he'd picked for her from their first trip together.
She ran her thumb over it. "You remember this?"
"Of course," Ethan said. "You almost threw it away."
"I thought it was a weed," she admitted, grinning.
"And now it's a treasure." He kissed her hair. "Kind of poetic."
They lay there for a while, watching the light shift on the ceiling, talking about everything and nothing. The world outside could wait.
When they finally got up, Ethan pulled her out to the balcony. The sea glittered endlessly, gulls calling in the distance. Below, the resort staff moved quietly, setting tables for breakfast.
Anna leaned on the railing. "I could stay here forever."
Ethan came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. "Forever might not be long enough."
She laughed softly. "Do you ever get tired of saying things that make me melt?"
He rested his chin on her shoulder. "Not when you look at me like that."
Their fingers intertwined, warm against the sea breeze.
---
Breakfast was a small feast pancakes, tropical fruit, coffee brewed just the way she liked it. Ethan insisted on feeding her bites of pineapple until she nearly choked from laughing.
When she caught her breath, she said, "You're impossible."
"Hopelessly devoted, maybe."
He reached across the table, brushing a bit of syrup from her lip. The touch lingered longer than it needed to, and for a moment, the playful air shifted into something deeper.
Anna's heartbeat fluttered. He leaned closer, voice low. "You know, last year at this time, we were both terrified."
"I was more than terrified," she admitted. "I was sure I'd trip walking down the aisle."
"I was sure I'd faint waiting for you," Ethan said with a grin. "Guess we both survived."
"And here we are."
The way he looked at her made her breath catch. There was love, yes but also something else. A question, maybe. Or a memory.
"Anna," he began softly, but before he could continue, her phone buzzed from the table.
She glanced at it. A message from her sister: Can I call later? Need to talk. It's about him.
Anna frowned. Him?
Ethan noticed. "Everything okay?"
"Yeah," she said quickly, locking the screen. "Just my sister. Nothing urgent."
But the unease lingered. She pushed the thought away and smiled. "So what's next, Mr. Hart? You mentioned a surprise?"
He brightened immediately. "Ah, yes. Give me five minutes."
She watched him disappear into the bedroom with that mischievous glint she knew too well. When he returned, he held a small, velvet box behind his back.
Anna blinked. "Ethan what are you doing?"
"Celebrating properly." He dropped to one knee, smiling up at her. "I know, I know we're already married. But this…" He opened the box to reveal a delicate bracelet, gold intertwined with white pearl. "…is for the promise that marriage didn't cover."
She covered her mouth, eyes stinging. "Ethan…"
He took her hand. "You've been my heart, Anna. My calm in every storm. But lately, I've been thinking…"
His voice faltered for a heartbeat. Something flickered in his eyes hesitation? Regret?
Anna's smile wavered. "Thinking what?"
He looked down at her hand, thumb brushing her ring. "That love is easy when everything's perfect. But it's the cracks that show who we really are. And I don't ever want to hide mine from you."
She didn't fully understand what he meant, but his tone made her chest tighten.
He clasped the bracelet around her wrist. "So, here's to us. Imperfect, but real."
Anna swallowed the lump in her throat and whispered, "To us."
He kissed her gently, the kind of kiss that said a thousand words and still felt like the beginning of a conversation.