“And to this day, we’re still getting to know each other,” Bernie said. “People change over the years. Their likes change. I’m constantly learning about my wife, and she’s constantly learning about me.”
“Sounds exactly how it should be,” Colin said, as he threaded his arm around my waist.
“Our life hasn’t been easy. I’ve done plenty of things I didn’t agree with and he’s eaten plenty of dinners he hated,” Doris said.
“I told her never to make baked spaghetti again,” Bernie said.
I giggled as I leaned my head back onto Colin’s chest.
“But we’re soulmates,” Doris said.
“But we’re soulmates because we made it that way,” Bernie said.
“He doesn’t like romance,” Doris said.
“I just don’t like romance that dims the truth on things. Marriage is hard work. Even people who meet each other and fall in love instantly still struggle and have dark times. And sometimes, those dark times can make it seem like things are impossible and will never get better,” Bernie said.
“But they do,” Doris said. “They always do.”
I had no idea what to say. I was in awe of the couple standing in front of us. I watched as Bernie helped Doris onto her float, making sure her hair was out of the way and that she was comfortable. With the way they smiled and interacted with one another, I would’ve thought they were love-at-first-site soulmates. Not people who were thrust together for the convenience of their families.
Just watching how happy they were challenged everything I had ever thought about marriage.
“Abby?” Colin asked.
“Yes?”
“I have a crazy idea,” he said.
“What?”
“Why don’t we get married at the next stop?”
I turned around in his arms as my eyes widened.
“Wait, there’s another stop on this cruise?” I asked.
“Yes,” he said, chuckling. “Basseterre, Saint Kitts. If you think St. Lucia’s beautiful, then I can’t wait for you to see that island. It would be the perfect wedding destination, exactly what you deserve.”
“Colin, that’s really quick. And none of our family will be there. My parents—they’ll miss everything,” I said.
“I want to marry you,” he said, as he took my hands. “All of you. The good, the bad, and the scared. I know we can do this. I know we can make it. It’ll take work, and it’ll take running towards each other instead of away, but I have faith in us. I have faith in love. I love you, Abby. I want to do life with you. No matter what it brings and no matter what weather we have to battle alongside each other.”
I clenched his hands tightly as Doris and Bernie stared at us.
“Can I think about it first?” I asked.
“Of course you can,” he said, as he pressed a kiss to my forehead. “We don’t dock in Basseterre until tomorrow.”
I sighed heavily before I turned and took in Bernie and Doris. He was swimming alongside her, pulling her out into the ocean as she gazed down at the fish. He was pointing out things to her and she was smiling broadly as he kicked her along with his flippers. I laced my fingers with Colin as I watched them drift off into the ocean together, their bodies heading for the coral reef as I smiled.
“Do you think that could be us one day?” I asked.
Colin brought my hand to his lips for a kiss as my eyes turned up to his.
“I know it can,” he said.
Chapter 19
Colin
I rolled over in bed as the boat groaned into Saint Kitts. Abby and I had slept through breakfast, recuperating from the dancing we did with Doris and Bernie the night before. The snorkeling with them had been a blast. We spent all of our time on the island bobbing with them in the water. We got to listen to stories of their fights and special memories all throughout their marriage, and I was hoping it would convince Abby of my idea. I was serious when I asked her if she wanted to get married. I was ready, now more than ever, to make her my wife. I didn’t want to waste another second trying to figure out whether or not this was going to happen. I was ready to prove to Abby that she was the most important thing to me.
Not my fans, not my business, not anything.
Just her.
Only her.
I rolled over just as Abby was opening her eyes. She looked angelic waking up in the mornings. Her moods were always sour until she could get caffeine in her system, but her eyes always sparkled with the intrigue of a new day. I kissed the tip of her nose and she smiled, gracing me with her innocent beauty as her tanned skin glistened in the sun that streamed through our windows.
“Morning, handsome,” she said.
“Morning, gorgeous. Have you thought anymore about my—proposal?” I asked.
“I see what you did there,” she said, grinning.
“I know you’re worried about our family not being here, but if you want we could do a vow renewal and the reception at home,” I said.
“I know, I know,” she said.
“I want you to have whatever you could ask for, Abby. But what I’ve learned about you is that you don’t like to ask for it. For whatever reason, you think you’re not entitled to ask for things that you want, which makes it harder to give you what you want. I’m left to cast about trying to figure it out, and I get it wrong more often than not.”
“I’m gonna need coffee for this conversation,” she said.
“Just look at me,” I said.
She turned her body towards mine and I reached out to smooth some of her hair behind her ear.
“I’m sure Bernie and Doris would love to be there to witness it. We could get you a beautiful flowing dress in one of the shops. We’ll get me a ring made right here on the island, dig our toes in the sand while we take our vows, and then party it up with
