THE SUN WAS BLAZING down on me as I walked from the house to the tent set up in front yard. It was hot for early May, and I was glad I’d gone with the strapless dress and sandals.
“Hey, Ali.” A pretty woman who bore more than a passing resemblance to Meghan greeted me with a hug. “This is absolutely perfect. Thanks so much for throwing Meghan’s graduation party. I can’t believe the turnout.”
I looked around at the crowds of people filling the tables and chairs we’d borrowed from friends and neighbors, at the line of folks enjoying the buffet table and the few who’d take up residence on the porch.
“This town loves Meghan, Jude. She’s one of us now.” I squeezed her arm. “Thanks for sharing her.”
“You all make her happy. That’s what matters.” She beamed at me. “And speaking of happy, I hear you’ve got some good news.”
I held up my left hand. The beautiful ring I’d always admired on Cory Evans felt right on my finger. I’d been a little worried at first about taking it away from her, but she’d pushed that away.
“Brice would want you to wear it. And so do I. It has centuries of love and happy marriages built into it, and I know you’re only going to bring it more.”
“Yes, I do.” I answered Jude with a grin. “It was a long time coming, but it’s worth every tear I ever cried.”
“Hey, are you talking about me?” Flynn slid his arms around my waist and drew me back against him. “I just got Bridget to sit down and eat something.”
I laughed. “Jude, have you met my fiancé, Flynn Evans? Babe, this is Jude, Meghan’s mom.”
“Congratulations to both of you.” Jude cocked her head. “So you’re moving to New York?”
“Yes. Sort of.” I turned my head to smile at Flynn. “Flynn’s got a job at a news magazine in New York, and we’re going to live up there part of the year, from late fall to early spring. But from May through September, we’ll live here in Burton, so I can do my part with the farm. Flynn will telecommute while we’re down here. The magazine wanted him enough to make that happen.” I covered Flynn’s hands where they rested on my middle. “And we’ll be traveling, too, about a week out of every month. I’m going to homeschool Bridget, so we have the freedom to go with Flynn, wherever he’s working.”
“Sounds like a perfect compromise.” Jude’s lips twitched, and I knew she’d heard the whole story from her daughter.
“I think it works for us.” Flynn nuzzled my neck.
“Two weddings in one year. Who would’ve ever thought?” Meghan joined us, slipping her hand around her mother’s back. She held out her own left hand, where my mother’s ring sparkled. It looked absolutely perfect.
“I want to hear the whole story of how Sam proposed.” Jude hugged her daughter. “You promised when you called me.”
Meghan smiled. “We were on the porch last night, and I was nervous about graduation and the party today. Sam made me sit on the swing, and he told me to sketch something, because he knows it calms me down to draw. So I started doing a picture of our two hands together, and when I had it finished, I showed it to him, and he said it was missing something. I took it back to check, because I actually thought it was a pretty damn good sketch, and when I looked back at Sam, he was on his knee, holding out my ring and asking me to marry him.” She smirked a little. “He might’ve said some other things, too. You know, about love, how I’m his life, and he never wants to live without me again.”
“Yeah, you women have a way of turning us inside out and making it so we can’t live without you.” Logan, Jude’s husband, came over and slid his hand through his wife’s. He smiled down at her. “Not that I’d have it any other way.”
“Hey, is this a family gathering? Did you forget me?” Sam slung his arm over Meghan’s shoulders.
“We were just hearing how romantic you are, big brother.” I bumped my arm against Sam’s.
“We need to talk wedding plans.” Jude raised her eyebrows. “I’m so excited about it. Everyone back at the Cove is going to be happy to hear you’re getting married on the beach.”
“What about you two?” Logan glanced at me. “You know you’re welcome to use the Rip Tide if you want to have your wedding on the beach, too.”
“Thanks.” Flynn kissed my cheek. “But our family and friends would raise a fuss if we didn’t finally give them a wedding right here in Burton. We’re not doing anything too big, but it’ll be in town, at the end of the summer.”
Jude nodded. “Well, you’re always welcome when you want to come visit.” She glanced inside the tent where her toddler grandson was running the length of the buffet line. “I think I’d better go lasso DJ. Lindsay’s not feeling well. The heat takes it out of her these days.”
“When’s she due?” I shaded my eyes from the sun.
“End of the summer, poor thing. Between the Tide, DJ and this new baby, she’s going to have her hands full.” Jude took Logan’s hand. “We’d better go give her a break. Talk to you later, Ali.”
Meghan watched her mother hurry over to scoop up her grandson and then glanced back at me. “Sam told me you’d come up with someone to help him with the stand after you move.”
“Yeah, for the months when we’re living in New York. Rilla Grant’s doing the PR for the stand now, and when I mentioned we were looking for someone to help out, she jumped at the chance. I guess she’s trying to make a little money to get her own place and jumpstart her business.”
“I don’t think I know her.” Meghan frowned. “Sam said she lives nearby?”
“She does. I don’t know her whole story yet, but I think she’ll be a good fit. She seems to be a hard worker, and I’ll train her this summer before we leave.”
“I’m so glad everything’s working out for you.” Meghan squeezed my arm. “I’ll miss you when you’re living in New York, but I know you and Bridget are going to love it. You’re all three going to be so happy.”
Flynn’s smile was brilliant. “That’s the plan.”
Alex was passing us, carrying a plate laden with food to a table where his parents waited. When he heard Flynn’s words, he grinned and winked at me.
“Man of honor! Remember, I’m it. I’m serious.”
I blew him a kiss. “Who else?” I laughed as I watched him navigate through the people who stood between his table and him.
Sam tugged at Meghan’s hand. “You need to eat before this crowd devours everything. Come on.”
As they wandered away, Flynn took my hand and kissed it. “You good, babe?”
I looked around at all the people I loved, gathered on the land that had nourished generations of my family, and then at the man who was my every dream, my every wish and my future.
“I couldn’t be any better.”
“Really? What if I did this?” He used the hand he was holding to pull me tight against his chest. The other hand skimmed over my cheek until he caught my chin between his finger and thumb, using it to coax my mouth open as he lowered his lips to mine in a sweet kiss that held every hope we shared.
I lost myself in Flynn and his touch until breathing became an issue. He leaned his forehead down against the top of my head and whispered so that I shivered.
“See? I told you it could be even better.”
“Hmmm.” I pretended to consider. “I guess if it only gets better each time you kiss me, you’ll have to do it all the time, every day, for the rest of our lives. Think you’re up to it?”
His blue eyes sparkled with wicked intent, and his lips curved into a smile of promise.
“Challenge accepted.”
THE END