“Can I stand now?” I nodded and helped him up, and he cupped my face in his hands and gently wiped away some pesky tears. “Is this a yes?”
I smiled and sniffled and wrapped my arms around his shoulders, bringing him close. “Yes.”
He bent and kissed me. Soft, probing, slow. His kiss said he meant it, he wanted me, and not just for the night. He wanted me beside him. His kiss promised a future.
“I love you, too, you know?” He smiled his boyish grin, and I wished I’d told him earlier. “But you probably knew that.”
“Well, if your mushy heart couldn’t stand to talk on the phone with me…let’s say I hoped.” He trailed kisses along my jaw then pulled away, serious. “It may not be easy. We could be in for some rough years. These lawsuits could hang over my head indefinitely. The government is on the hunt to reclaim funds. They could try to take every bit of money I have. I don’t think it’s likely, but there’s always a risk.”
“No worries. There’s pretty much always an open spot for a dishwasher in the kitchen.”
He lifted me without even straining onto the counter and stood between my legs, so our faces were aligned, equal.
“Penelope Star Smith, have you ever lived with a man you loved?”
Epilogue
Gabe
I snapped open the box and held it out for my childhood friend to examine.
“Whoa. You’re proposing?” Tate set his board onto the sand, then held his hand out to hold the velvet box.
“You think it’s too soon?”
“Only you can make that call.” He held the box out in the sunlight. “That’s an enormous rock. A blood diamond?”
I snapped the box shut and huffed. Only Tate. I tossed it in the drawstring bag I’d carried out on the beach and he stood openmouthed pointing at the tote.
“You’re gonna leave that giant rock out here? On the beach?”
“No one’s going to steal it.”
“Uh-huh. Won’t let you do it, man.”
“It’s in my tote.”
“Are you out of your mind? Leave it in your house.” He stepped forward toward my house, insistent. I caught up with him and gave him the side-eye. “That’s all you have to say? I’m proposing marriage. And you’re worried about the safekeeping of the ring?”
“What’s there to say? I’m happy for you. Luna and I, in my mind, I’m right there with you. Committed for life.”
“But you’re not doing the marriage thing?”
“We don’t need it. We commit to each other each day. Marriage is a religious institution I don’t trust.” I kicked the sand, sending it spraying out before us. “But that’s not to say it doesn’t work for some. I think it’s good. You guys are good together. Congratulations.”
“I get what you’re saying. But I think having a ring on her finger and becoming Mrs. Chesterton will build Poppy’s confidence. Sometimes I feel like she’s still waiting for us to not work out, and marriage is the ultimate symbol of commitment. It says that there may be bad days, but no matter how bad it gets, you plan on digging in and working on it, for the rest of your life.” He clapped me on my back. “And, to be honest, she’s brought out a bit of a possessive streak in me. I want that ring on her finger so every guy who approaches her and finds himself staring at her rack sees she’s taken.”
The one skinny guy, Tony, who seemed to show up all the time near the marina, was gonna find a fist in his face if he didn’t stop blatantly checking her out.
“Ah, and the truth comes out. Well, that ring’s large enough no one’s going to miss it.”
Exactly.
“How’d your parents take the news?”
“Well, she hasn’t said yes yet. But they’re happy for me, even though they wish I’d move back closer to them. Expecting me to call and let them know her answer.” We reached the steps that led up to our place, and I took the lead up the ramp. “What’re you doing this afternoon?”
“Well, I’d hoped to give Jasmine some swimming lessons, but she bailed on me to help Luna with a project.”
“Good. I need your help.”
“With what?”
“I’ve got some lights to hang.”
“There’s no one you can hire to do that?”
“Who would I hire? Everyone here knows Poppy. And I want this to be a surprise. Plus, she’s been pushing me to do a little less hiring. She says it’s not normal to hire someone to do everything.”
I led him downstairs and showed him the bags of lights I’d ordered from Amazon. He bent to examine the clips I’d also ordered.
“Whatever happened to that suit?” His question came out of nowhere.
“It’s over. SEC dropped its investigation. The Justice Department never brought any charges against me. They forced my old boss to return some art he’d been gifted, and Cyr’s girlfriend had to return jewelry he gave her. But the most he gave me was a pair of Gucci slippers, and I left those in the hotel room. Cyr’s still somewhere in the Caribbean on his yacht avoiding prosecution. But for me, it’s over. It’s another reason I can now ask her to marry me. There’s no fear of ending up in a jail cell.”
He handed me one bag and picked up the other.
“Well, let’s go do this.”
Tate and I spent the afternoon converting the expansive deck on the Shoals Club into a dizzying array of twinkling lights. Or, at least, that was my grand vision. Hard to see for certain if it would come true in broad daylight. The florist arrived, and I set them to work prepping inside the restaurant.
By the time we finished, any passersby would think a wedding reception was happening that night. As a matter of fact, more than one member stopped and asked if a wedding was taking place. Inquiring minds wanted to know.
“Whoa. Look at you. A suit. What’s going on tonight?” Poppy wiggled between me and the bathroom counter and fine-tuned
