Page 72 of Finding Love

The two-hour trip flew by and just as the sun was starting to sink, they pulled onto Ocean View.

“I thought we’d stop here first,” he suggested.

He’d arranged for Parker to deliver some things and had every intention of spending their first night back in Pride in their new home together. He knew they’d have to stay in her small cottage until most of the big work was done. They couldn’t even turn on the electricity until all of the wiring was checked and inspected.

“I was hoping you’d say that. I’ve been dying to see the place again,” Brook said cheerfully.

As they parked, they looked out over the view. There was a low layer of clouds hovering just above the surface of the water, but above the fog, the night sky was clear and filled with so many bright colors, he doubted anyone had enough skill to paint it. He could even just make out the first twinkles of stars appearing.

“Wow,” Brook said with a sigh. “I think it’s welcoming us home.”

He smiled at her. “Then let’s not disappoint.” He opened his door and waited until Willy jumped out before rushing over to help Brook out. He took her hand, but then stopped and went back to get her jacket.

“It’s a little chilly,” he said as he slipped on his own light hoody.

“We only have a few more weeks of summer,” she said, zipping her own jacket. Then she took his hand. “Let’s take a walk first.”

He nodded and pulled her to the path that headed towards the beach below.

She stopped at the top of the hill and gasped. “You had the stairs fixed?”

He smiled. “Parker’s been working all week to get this done in time.” He pulled her into his arms. “Do you like it?”

“I love it.” She laughed when he spun her around in his arms. “I love you,” she yelled happily.

He set her feet back on the ground, then dropped to one knee and pulled out the ring box that he’d shoved in his hoody pocket.

“It’s time,” he said with a smile. “Time that I told you and showed you just how much you mean to me. Time I gave you more than just my heart.” He held up the ring. “You’re my everything. I can’t imagine another day without you in it. I want to give you everything I have, everything I am. I want to grow old with you. Here.” He motioned to the house behind them. “I want to spend the rest of our lives getting to know one another, learning just how much joy and fun we can create.” He took a deep breath as tears rolled down her cheeks. “Will you marry me, Brook?”

“Yes,” she said, kneeling in front of him and wrapping her arms around him as they kissed. “Yes,” she said again when he slipped his grandmother’s floral ring smoothly onto her finger.

EPILOGUE

Brook stood on the deck of the Calypso on the opening day of her new business and smiled. There were at least six students standing on the dock, listening to her instructions.

Even thought it was only a part-time gig, she didn’t mind. She had a million other things that ate up her time. Finishing the house being the biggest.

Most of her time was taken up with planning the remodel. Not to mention making sure everything was ready for her and Ryder’s wedding, which was less than five months away.

They’d left the past behind them in Seattle. Ryder’s brother John had been tried and convicted a month after he’d been captured.

Mark had been cleared of most of the charges when it had come to light that he’d been blackmailed by John, who had found incriminating data on his computer about his many affairs. Mark had agreed to look the other way about the missing money in exchange for John keeping his secrets from his wife.

The money John had siphoned had been found and returned except for a hundred thousand dollars. Ryder had decided to eat that so all of his employees could get every penny of their own money back. Just one more reason she loved him so much.

But that was all in their past.

Today was all about her future.

This was the first day of her new business. A business that she had come up with and had started herself. Pride’s one and only sailing and boat safety school.

Okay, so it wasn’t the coast guard. But with any luck, what she taught here would help save people’s lives.

How many tourists or younger kids ended up in bad situations on the water because they didn’t know the basics? She’d grown up hearing about all the times that her father had to rescue someone for doing something stupid on the water.

Well, this was her chance to knock that number down.

She loved the water. No matter what time of year it was. Even now, with the cold winter wind blowing in over the water, she had a smile plastered on her face as she taught her half dozen students.

This was hers. Something she could be proud of. Something she’d dreamed of her entire life. Getting paid to be out on the water.

Her first class was her introductory sailing class. Her students included a couple of townspeople she’d known her entire life. Some had always dreamed of learning how to sail, a few others were afraid of the water and just wanted to overcome their fears. The last student… she glanced towards Ryder and smiled. Well, he just wanted to learn how to sail so he could be with her on the water and so that next summer, they could take off on their dream honeymoon.