I cupped her cheeks and wished we were alone instead of in the middle of a crowded market.
I broke away and turned to the artist. “How much for the necklace?”
“Twenty.”
I gave him the money and Juliette grabbed my arm, beaming at me. “Thank you!”
“My pleasure, Juls.”
We walked around for a few more minutes looking at the artists’ wares, with Juliette practically skipping at my side. She was amazing. My ex wasn’t this happy when I gave her a diamond necklace.
A drawing caught my eye, and I tugged her towards the tent. She followed my gaze to the picture that drew me in. “Oh, Dylan, I love it.”
It was a beautiful drawing of a couple on the Riverwalk. I had to have it as a reminder of this perfect day, and I didn’t care how sappy that made me.
As the artist wrapped and bagged it for us, Juliette wrapped her arms around me and said, “Looking at that picture will always make me feel happy.”
“Me too, baby.”
“Ready to go to the Alamo?”
“No rush. We can stay here as long as you want.”
“I’m ready. I’ve been here before. I haven’t been to the Alamo since I went on a field trip in third grade. Let’s go explore.”
“Let’s go, then.”
Juliette enthusiastically led the way, turning left as we left La Villita.
“This way,” I said, steering her towards the right.
A few minutes later, we walked into the grounds of the Alamo, and declining any tours or audio guides, we headed to the church.
“If you want the most interesting tour, we’ll come back one day with Liam and the other military guys. They make the story of Davy Crockett and how Texas fought for its freedom seem as important today as it was back in 1836.”
“Wow, I’d love to do that.”
“I’ll plan it. Do you know how the siege of the Alamo ended?”
“Just that we lost.”
“The Mexican army snuck in during the night and woke the Texans up by suddenly launching an attack from so close they couldn’t defend themselves in time. I can’t imagine that happening to our soldiers now. We all wake up ready to run when the tones go off, but not like the military guys. They go from asleep to ready to fight in an instant. It’s crazy.”
We spent a few more minutes in the church, then headed outside to watch the reenactments. Juliette was enthralled by it all. I’d never enjoyed it as much as I did with her and her contagious enthusiasm.
“Ready to go?” I eventually asked.
“Sure, if you are,” Juliette agreed, but I could tell it was reluctant.
I leaned in close, kissed her neck, and whispered, “Yes, I’m more than ready to take you home.”
“In that case, let’s go now,” Juliette said with a giant smile.
Holding hands, we walked back up the river towards my car, reveling in the joy of the day we’d shared and anticipation of the evening to come.
Juliette stopped suddenly, pulling me to a halt beside her. “Look,” she said, pointing to a bridge up ahead. “It’s like the drawing you bought. Let’s get a picture of us there.”
We made our way to the edge of the river to a nook beside the picturesque bridge, but apparently we weren’t the only ones interested in the spot. A young couple was there, looking like they’d stopped to share a snack.