Page 77 of Hide Away By the Sea

“Not at all,” I said, trying to keep from crying.

Every time I talked about the book, my whole body was filled with emotions. Nyla wrapped her arms around me and hugged me gently.

“Thank you for letting me share this amazing day with you. I thank God every day that you were brought into my life.”

She let me go and I grabbed her hands. “I feel the same about you. When Jensen and I get back from our honeymoon, you and I are going to change things around at the clinic.” I squeezed her hands. “We’re going to make it our own.”

She nodded quickly, trying her best not to cry. “Sounds good to me.”

My father’s footsteps pounded up the stairs and he appeared at the glass door, his eyes widening when he noticed me in my wedding gown.

Lips trembling, he opened the door. “Oh, honey, you look so beautiful.” He held out his arm. “Are you ready?”

Nyla stepped past him so she could make her way down first. I linked my arm with his and kissed his cheek.

“Yes, I’m ready. Let’s go.”

* * *

The setting sunshone its last rays on the beach, casting a golden-orange hue on the sand and illuminating the waves as they crashed against the shore. Jensen and I stood facing each other; he looked at me with such love and affection in his eyes that my heart nearly burst with joy.

I wore a simple white dress that flowed in the breeze, and my hair was pulled back in an elegant braid. Jensen wore khaki pants and a white button-down shirt; he looked as handsome as ever.

We had waited for this moment for so long, and finally, here we were, about to say ourI do’s.

I took in every detail of the idyllic setting: the smell of the ocean in the air, the sound of the seagulls, and the warmth of Jensen’s hand as he held mine.

“Do you, Jensen, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?” asked the officiant.

“I do,” he replied, his voice full of emotion.

“And do you, Everleigh, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?”

“I do,” I said, my voice shaking slightly. “More than anything.”

As we exchanged our vows, my eyes never left Jensen’s. I felt like the luckiest woman in the world to marry the man of my dreams on this beautiful beach that was our home.

Once the officiant announced us as husband and wife, we shared a tender kiss. Then, as we turned to walk down the aisle toward the dunes, I couldn’t help but feel a little nervous. I was about to tell him my secret; it was the perfect time.

“Jensen, there’s something I need to tell you,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

Everyone was still on the beach, which gave us a few minutes alone. My heart raced as I stopped and stood in front of him.

“Are you okay?” Jensen asked, his voice etched with concern.

It took all I had to contain my delight. “I’m more than okay. I found out something a few days ago and wanted to wait until today to tell you. Guess you can call it a wedding present to us both.”

Jensen’s brow furrowed in confusion, but a smile played at the corners of his lips. “Okay, now you’ve got me curious. What is it?”

I took a deep breath and looked deeply into his eyes. “I’m pregnant,” I said, biting my lip in anticipation of his response.

Jensen’s eyes widened for a moment before a huge grin spread across his face. “Are you serious?” he asked, his voice full of excitement.

I nodded, tears of joy starting to prick at the corners of my eyes. “Yes, I’m serious.”

Jensen pulled me into a tight embrace, lifting me off the ground and spinning me around. “This is amazing,” he said, his voice filled with wonder. “We’re going to have a baby!”

I laughed, tears streaming down my face. “Yes, we are.”

As Jensen set me back on my feet, we both looked at the ocean stretching out before us. It was the perfect moment, the perfect day, the perfect news.

Jensen cupped my cheeks in his warm hands and gently kissed my lips, his grayish-blue eyes never leaving mine.

“This is just the beginning, Everleigh. I know it took us a long time to get here, but I’m ready to see where our path takes us. And now, with a baby on the way, we’ll have even more fun adventures.”

“Are you ready for that?” I asked teasingly.

He chuckled and kissed me again. “You better believe it.”

THE END