Epilogue
Three months later…
Seth
“Sera and Seth,” Mrs. Bishop greets us with open arms in the common area of the rehab facility. The place resembles a Red Door spa perched on the beach in the Hamptons versus a hospital.
“Mom,” Seraphina says while running ahead of me toward her mother. She wraps her arms around her in a tight hug, a smile on both their faces.
“Oh, how I’ve missed you,” Mrs. Bishop says, slightly pulling away from Seraphina. “And Seth.” She takes my hand and squeezes it.
“You’re looking lovely, Mrs. Bishop,” I say, bending down to kiss her cheek. She blushes and shakes her head.
“For the thousandth time, it’s Diana.” She winks at me. “You’re such a charmer. I can see why my Sera has fallen for you.”
“But it’s true, Diana,” I say her first name with extra emphasis. “This place has done you good.” I smile and add a wink of my own. Her fading beauty has been reborn, and she resembles the woman I knew before everything went to hell.
“Come. Let’s sit over there.” Mrs. Bishop points to an area near a bay window. “The view is beautiful.”
Hand in hand, Seraphina and I follow behind Mrs. Bishop—or Diana, as she wants me to call her. Seraphina glances up at me with a beaming smile. I would give every cent I own to make her this happy forever.
The last three months have been a time of healing for Seraphina and her mother. After staying with me the first weekend, Seraphina moved into my townhouse for good. I took off the week to spend with just her, which I never do on short notice, and for seven days, we hardly left our bed. I couldn’t get enough of her then, and still can’t.
“Sit here, Sera.” Diana directs Seraphina to a chair. I tap Seraphina’s sweet ass as she passes in front of me. She throws me a stop-it-we’re-in-public side eye.
I take a seat next to Seraphina and give her my standard, make-me smirk. She ends up smiling back at me. It always works.
“My, you two.” Diana waves a hand over her face like a fan. “You sure have some kind of chemistry.”
“Atomic,” I add, the same smirk still gracing my mug. “I love your daughter, Mrs—I mean, Diana, with all my heart and soul.” I bring Seraphina’s hand to my lips and kiss the back of it.
“Awww,” Diana says in a long breath. She tilts her head and looks between Seraphina and me. “You’re a mother’s dream come true.”
“I’m the lucky one.”
“Where would we be without you, Seth?” Seraphina asks.
“I plan on sticking around for … um, life, so you’ll never have to find out.” I glance between the two most important women in my life as they laugh. Well, Diana’s tied with my own mother for second.
“See, Mother,” Seraphina exclaims. “He never takes the credit. Like him helping me get enrolled at Juilliard. It’s a miracle.”
“He’s a saint.” Diana claps her hands together. “When do you start?”
“I’m so excited. The fall semester starts next Monday. Seth rented a house on the beach for us this week. We’ll stay until you’re released on Friday.” Seraphina knits her brow in concern. “Are you sure you’re ready to come back to the city?”
“More than, darling.” Diana reaches out and gently pats Seraphina on the leg. “I want my life back and also to be a real mother to you again. I failed you once…” Diana’s voice cracks.
“Remember,” Seraphina says, “we agreed to let the past be the past.”
“I know, I just can’t forgive myself,” Diana confesses with teary eyes.
“I’ve struggled with this too, but we have to let it go.” Seraphina smiles, and I pray she doesn’t break out into the horrible Disney song. I’ve learned to never say those three words together. Ever.
We stay for another hour discussing what will happen when Diana is released from rehab on Friday. For now, she’s coming home to live with us in the guest suite. It will be a solid place for her transition. Plus, Seraphina and I can make sure she’s not turning back to pills, though I think Diana’s truly conquered her demons.
I drive Seraphina to the beach house I rented and we get about as far as the entryway before I peel off her clothes. I can say the front hall table is very sturdy, and the dining room table is a great height.
We take a shower after our escapades throughout the house and get ready for dinner. Seraphina has on a light blue dress that matches her beautiful eyes. I can’t take my eyes off her as she searches in her suitcase for a pair of gold sandals.
“I swear I packed them,” she says, digging under a couple layers of clothes. “Where are we going again?”
“I have reservations at a place on the beach. Just throw on a pair of flip flops, sweetheart.”
“Okay, okay. I know where to find those.” She holds her favorite flip flops and smiles at me. “Done.”
“Here, let me.” I kneel and slip her shoes on her feet, then let my hands wander up her legs.
“Stop it,” Seraphina laughs while batting my hands away. “We’ll never make it to dinner, you insatiable man.”
“It’s all your fault,” I tease, rising back up to stand. “Everything about you drives me wild.”
“Later,” she says, reaching up and giving me a quick kiss on the lips. I try to pull her into my arms, but she spins away. “I’m on to you and your voodoo sex ways.”
She squeals when I slap her ass as she tries to get away from me. “You’ve never complained. Not once.”
She gathers up her purse and heads to the door leading to the garage. I laugh to myself, knowing we will never leave this property for dinner.
Stopping in the kitchen, I lean against the granite countertop of the island and rub my chin in thought. Seraphina scrunches her adorable face in confusion.
“Let’s go,” she says, a bit of frustration in her voice. “I’m starving from the monkey sex. Besides, I hate being late.”
“Come here.” I curl my finger in a come-hither way. Seraphina pouts, but does as I ask. “Set your purse down here.”
“What’s going on?” Seraphina gives me the you’re-up-to-no-good evil eye.
“Trust me,” I say, and she relaxes. There’s one thing she’s learned about me: I’ll never let her down.
“Okay,” she says. “But you’re acting very strange.”
“Maybe I am, but I have good reasons. Let me show you.”
I join our hands and guide her back through the house and out the glass sliding doors to the expansive deck.
“What’s going on?” she asks.
“You’ll see.”
I lead her down the stairs to a worn path. Side by side, we walk toward the beach. I place my hand on the small of her back and wait. Two more steps, and she stops dead in her tracks.
“Oh my God,” she exclaims, and turns to me. Her eyes dance with excitement. “This is too much, but I love it.” Throwing her arms around my neck, I pull her to me in a kiss.
“We haven’t even made it to the beach yet,” I laugh while scooping her up in my arms. She giggles and kicks her feet in the air as I carry her.
I nod at the man waiting for us on the beach, who set up a table for two with food and drinks. He begins playing the violin as planned.
“I feel like a princess and you’re my prince.” Seraphina twirls my hair. “Well, my kinky prince who never gets enough sex,” she whispers the last part.
“Again, all your fault,” I tease.
The table has a candle lit inside a tall glass container. Placing her in her seat, I take mine next to her and lift the silver dome covering her food.
“Lobster,” she says, clapping her hands like she’s five years old. God, I love this playful side of her.
“Seems my choice was a hit,” I laugh.
We eat our dinners and drink some chilled white wine while the violin serenades us. After we finish dessert, I thank Mario for his music and perfect dinner. He wishes us a good evening and walks up the path to the house.
Now, it’s only Seraphina and me, but the show is just beginning.
“Let’s take our wine and sit on the beach.” I grab the blanket Mario brought for us and spread it over the sand. It’s heavy and should stay in place.
“Wait,” Seraphina says. We’re sitting on the blanket, facing the ocean. “Is that a barge?” She squints her eyes, trying to see better in the approaching darkness of the night.
“You know, I think it is.” I stifle a laugh, knowing the barge is there because I paid for it. Two men are moving on it, likely making the final touches to the firework canisters.
“You did this, didn’t you?” There goes that evil eye look again.
“Come over here and hush.” I pat the spot in front of me, and she moves, leaning back into my arms. Her head rests against my chest and her shoulders relax.
“Yeah, this is way better,” I whisper in her ear.
I should be nervous. I’m about to do something monumental in my life, but I feel nothing but bubbling happiness.
We sit in this position and wait. When we hear the first percussion sound, our eyes search the sky. A beautiful white star fills the black space with light. After a few more spectacular rounds light up the sky, I reach into my pocket. Seraphina’s so enthralled with the display, she doesn’t even acknowledge my movements.
“Thanks. It’s beautiful,” Seraphina says.
“But nothing compared to you,” I whisper, and she settles farther into my arms.
I hold the cool platinum diamond ring between my fingers and wait for the right time to finish my plan. My breathing picks up as the finale begins. It’s time.
“Sera,” I say against her ear, “I love you more than life itself. Hell, you are my life, and I want to make you my wife.”
“What?” Seraphina turns in my arms. Thanks to the fireworks, I see tears pooling in her blue eyes. “Your wife?”
“Yes.” I pull both of us to stand and drop to one knee.
“I can’t believe this.” She covers her mouth with her hands.
“Seraphina Bishop, will you marry me?” I offer the ring up to her.
“Yes, Seth. You beautiful, sweet man. Yes, I’ll marry you.” I place the ring on her finger, and she wraps her arms around me. Laughing, because I am the happiest man alive, I fall back onto the blanket with her against me.
“I love you, Sera.”
“I love you more,” she says with a giggle.
After the last of the embers are long gone, the only sound is the ebb and flow of the waves. Oh, and Seraphina’s moans as I make love to her. It took me three years, but I finally have that mysterious ethereal beauty on the night’s cool sand.