Page 119 of Sand in My Boots

“Not a chance in hell.” Her voice is adamant.

“Figured, but had to try.”

“It was the start of us. Without that night, we wouldn’t be here now.”

“That night was the perfect middle ground between wonderful and horrible.”

Her head tilts back up to the sky. “And the boy gets it.”

“Sorry it took me so long. I’m too quick on the uptake or a slow learner. Not much in between.”

She reaches her hand out, and I waste no time interlacing our fingers. “I’ll let you have that for now, but for the record, I disagree.”

“You’re too generous, Jude,” I deadpan.

“One of my many assets.”

“Adding modest to the list. And . . .”

She glares up at me, effectively cutting me off. Reaching for my wrist, she notes the time. “We should get back to the movie. It should be at the good part right about now.”

“Pretty sure it’s all the good parts now.”

She throws her free arm into the air. “Exactly what I’ve been saying. Finally.”

The walk back to the movie takes longer than it should, but it’s only because I’m not ready to share her yet. These are the best times, when it’s just her and me.

Came and Jude.

Quite a pair we make.

Even with sand in our boots, I wouldn’t trade this life for the world.

Epilogue

CAMERON

TWO YEARS LATER

“You’re going to be late,” I call out in the empty space.

“Not my fault. I told you we didn’t have time, but you insisted. Then you left a mess I had to clean up.”

A sinister smile breaks out on my face. “Didn’t hear you complaining,” I mumble, packing the last-minute items.

It’s our final day in the townhouse. We’re not moving far—into a house on the beach on the other side of Whispering Tide. One that has nearly identical views but more space. Lots more space. I’m not sure we’ll need all the space, but my wife insisted. I tried to reason with her, to argue we didn’t need it all, but she shot me down. Pulled the whole “let me do this for you” card, and I caved.

Her graphic design business has skyrocketed her into a higher tax bracket in the past year. Us, I guess I should say, because we get to file jointly now that we’re married.

It took me a good year to let go of all my hang-ups about money. When you spend your entire life worrying about money, it’s hard to wake up one day with the worries gone. Even if your significant other can provide for you. Which was another pill I had to swallow, coming to terms with it quicker, otherwise she wouldn’t be my significant other. And I wasn’t letting that happen. The mere thought of losing her, of letting someone else make her theirs? Nope, wasn’t happening on my watch. So I sucked it up and pretended I was okay with it. Each day, it got a little easier, to the point I didn’t have to pretend anymore.

Juli appears in the doorway, her blond waves hanging loose around her face. Tentative steps lead her into the room. “I didn’t think I’d be doing this again so soon. Promise me this move is it for a long time?”

“Scout’s honor. I have no desire to pack and move for a very long time.”

A smile lights up her face. “Just what I needed to hear.”

“How are you feeling?”