Epilogue
The sun beamed on the sands of her very own beach. Theirs. Hers and Will’s. Arabella eyed the white foam rolling up and retreating with longing. Her company was doing very well, but even working her own hours and from home, she still had to work or nothing would get done. Sitting on the covered patio with the scented breeze whispering around her should have been enough of a vacation in itself, but she’d become spoiled. No more twenty-hour days. Although her income had already increased, even after investing in her startup six months before, she managed to take care of business in six or seven hours a day and leave plenty of time for fun.
With the sun halfway down the sky, she hoped Will would be back soon. He was still off-island picking up everything they couldn’t buy on-island, which was everything. She’d doubted him, when he said he bought an island.
But now that she knew him better, she understood he’d never joke about something so serious. As the sun slid lower, she scanned the horizon, hoping to see the boat coming, but aside from some smallish sailboats in the distance, she saw only water and sky.
Arabella flipped the lid of the laptop closed and stood, stretching her back and blowing out a long breath. Enough work. She left the porch and started toward the water, digging her bare toes into the warm sand. Their island was one of the smaller ones, but large enough for the home he’d built them and the small, exclusive resort currently in the planning stages. Partnering with a few very powerful men, he’d raised the funding in record time and by next year they’d have the resort of his dreams.
She stood at the water’s edge, watching wavelets roll over her feet and retreat only to come back again. She’d give a lot to be able to dive in and swim way out, just float on her back in the turquoise beauty, but Will would have her head. First, he’d made her promise not to go out over her head or in rough water when he was not in the vicinity. And second—
The rumble of a motor broke the stillness, and she lifted her hand in a wave. He hadn’t even been gone overnight, but she’d missed him anyway. Arabella headed down the beach to the dock, waddling a little in the wet sand, but still arriving in time to grab the rope and help him tie off. He scrambled up the ladder and took her in his arms, throwing her off balance when he bent her back to kiss her.
“I’m so glad to be home.” He kissed her again, leaving her breathless. “The arrangements are all made. We head over to the mainland next week and we’ll be back after the doctor clears you.”
Arabella stomped her foot. “You’re being overprotective. I’m perfectly fine.”
Will reached down and grabbed a knapsack. “I’ll come down for the rest in the morning. Right now I just want to go up to the house, have dinner, and go to bed.”
She winced. “I forgot to cook anything. I was working and…”
He shifted the bag over his shoulder and wrapped his other arm around her. “I brought some takeout from that little shack you like. There wasn’t anything much to cook with anyway until I brought supplies.”
“What a guy!” She sniffed the air. “I think I smell conch fritters?”
He chuckled. “With all the great food in these islands you like that old-style tourist snack.”
“But you got it, right?”
He held the door open while she walked inside. “Of course.”
“I love you.” She grabbed the knapsack and dug out the paper wrapped food. “So much,” she muttered around a mouthful of chewy, crispy conch. “Where’s the sauce?”
A few hours later, she woke with a yelp.
“What’s wrong?” Will struggled to sit up. “You okay?
“Ohhh,” she moaned. “Why did you let me eat all that fried food?” Heartburn vied with gas for possession of her innards.
Will pushed to his feet. “I’ll get you an antacid.” He wore what he always did to sleep in. Nothing. But, as she clutched her stomach, she couldn’t truly appreciate the fine rear view.
“No. Please don’t go!” She groaned and curled around her swollen abdomen. “I don’t want to be alone.”
“Well”—he turned back to her, giving her the spectacular front view in the shafts of moonlight pouring through the windows—“I have to leave to get your meds.”
“I can’t, oh ouch!” Sweat broke out on her forehead. “I need…I want…oh no!” A gush of fluid dampened the bed. “Oh, Will.”
“Oh, Bella.” If she weren’t in the middle of a labor pain, she might have giggled at his horrified expression.
“I guess we won’t be going to stay on the mainland,” she said when it eased. “You’re going to have to help me, you know.”
“Bella, come on. Let’s go right now and we can get to the clinic on—”
She shook her head slowly. “No. I think things are moving fast. We need to stay very calm.” Arabella looked at him, holding his gaze. “Can you be calm?”
He nodded. “I’m going to try.”
“That’s all I can ask. First call the midwife.” She was on an island nearby, thank heavens. When Will insisted she have the baby on the mainland, she’d agreed only if she could use the local midwife for her regular checkups. As much as she loved the boat, since getting pregnant, she’d learned the hell of seasickness.
After that, the night became a blur of pain and resting between. Karen arrived and took over the delivery from a very grateful Will who sat next to her encouraging and coaching, much more comfortable in that role than the one he’d feared having to take on. The pains got closer together, more intense, and, as dawn broke over their little piece of paradise, their daughter arrived, wailing and kicking as soon as she landed in the midwife’s arms.
Sinking back to the pillows, Arabella watched Karen clean the baby and wrap her in a long length of soft cloth before bringing her over. “Here’s your little girl,” she said.
“How is she?”
“Perfect.” The midwife’s soft smile lit her face. “What’s her name?”
Will came to stand beside her. “Bonnie. Her name is Bonnie.” He held out a box, flipped open to show a diamond ring. “Now, will you marry me, Bella?” He lifted the baby from her arms and cradled her. “Mommy didn’t want to have a wedding while she was getting ready to have you.” He kissed the tiny button nose. “I think she was afraid she’d look bumpy in her dress.”
“That’s not true,” she protested, laughing. Arabella’s heart nearly exploded with love at the sight of her big handsome man holding their beautiful new daughter. Tears spilled from her eyes and rolled down her cheeks. “I was waiting for my flower girl to arrive.” And she’d be lovely, their little girl, in a stroller bedecked with flowers from their island gardens. “I love you both so much,” she sobbed, emotions turning on a dime. “When I think I might have kept going on that treadmill that was my life before I met you….
Will sat down beside her as the midwife slipped out the door, giving them privacy. “Sshh. Don’t worry about what ifs. We were meant to be. If you hadn’t taken that trip, we’d have met some other way. I refuse to believe in a universe where we didn’t meet.” Pressing a kiss to her forehead, he smiled. “You should get some rest. You did a great job, Bella.”
“She is wonderful, isn’t she?” Her eyelids fluttered, but she forced them open. “Will you watch her while I take a little nap?”
“I’ll watch over you both. Always.”