Epilogue
Emma
The ocean breeze ruffled my hair as I stood in what had become one of my favorite areas of our home — the deck overlooking the ocean. It had everything a girl who loved being outside could want — a hot tub, a gas log fire pit, Cooper had even had a hammock installed for me since I loved it so much. A hammock we had put to very good use quite frequently just lying next to each other, talking about our thoughts and dreams for the future, and enjoying the afternoon sun or looking up at the stars with the ocean singing its song in the background.
I closed my eyes, enjoying the warmth of the mid-afternoon sun on my face and listened as the waves crashed to the shore. There were days I still had a hard time believing that this was my life. It seemed every day it got better and better, and I just waited for the wave of life to come crashing down on me. But I eventually came to realize how extremely blessed my day to day life had become. Of course, it helped to have a wonderful man like Cooper to wake up next to every morning. He was without a doubt the man of my dreams, the man I had been waiting for. He made life fun and exciting, always a new challenge to pursue. But at the same time, he made it easy to be content with the daily mundane existence that life can sometimes be.
Looking out across the sandy beach behind our home, a soft smile grew on my lips. I thought about the wedding that had happened there one year ago. Our wedding. We thought it was the only thing to do, to get married right behind our beach house in the very spot Cooper had proposed eighteen months before. There had been just a few family and friends in tow to watch us tie the knot. I had worn a simple white dress and Cooper had looked so handsome in his white dress shirt and khaki pants. It was by far the most important and special day of my life to date. I remember holding it together pretty well until Cooper mouthed the words I love you while the preacher went through his spiel. I teared up and pretty much cried through the vows, which also brought a few tears to Cooper’s eyes. By the time we had kissed as man and wife, I felt like the entire crowd was sobbing with us. It was a happy day; a day that would never be forgotten. And when the last song was played and the rice was thrown, I was married to a man who made my life complete.
After the wedding, Cooper surprised me on our wedding night with a trip to Australia, where we surfed and explored the country for three weeks. It was something I would have never dreamed of doing, but it was amazing and Cooper had planned it all as a wedding gift for me. Like the prince I perceived him to be, he whisked me away to parts unknown and we had the experience of our lives. The trip had been extravagant but that wasn’t something Cooper did very often. He wasn’t the type to throw his money around even two years later.
We still co-owned Keefer’s with Chris, and the guys had made plans to expand it next year. Chris still managed the day to day of the bar and grille and I had to give it to the former cook, he did a darn good job. The employees were happy, the business was making money and, on occasion, when I needed a place to decompress, Chris still allowed me to work a shift or two. And I wasn’t the only one. Cooper had been known to sling a few drinks on occasion, as well. The bar and grille held special meaning for us. It’s where the wonderful life I lived began and I doubted Cooper would ever sell the place because of it.
And for the first time since Cooper had bought Keefer’s, the college fund that he started for the employees was about to be used for the first time. Jessie, one of the waitresses, was to be the first recipient of the scholarship money. I could hardly wait to present it to her as a surprise. Both Cooper and I had been in her shoes. Jessie was a hardworking individual who was desperately trying to take care of her family and better herself for the future. She deserved any help we could give her.
With a contented sigh, I pushed away from the railing and sat down on the hammock, swinging back and forth idly. I shot my dad a text message to check on him. He had been doing as well as could be expected given his cancer recurrence and the new treatments. After Cooper had proposed to me, knowing how special my relationship was with my dad, Cooper had urged me to tell Dad myself. Of course, Cooper knew that Dad was already aware since Cooper had asked his permission. But, I took his advice and treated my father to his favorite restaurant so I could give him the news. I was surprised when he had told me his cancer had returned and that Cooper had offered to send him for a second opinion. It was that moment that solidified my decision. I realized I wasn’t making a mistake by marrying Cooper, quite the opposite. He not only cared for me and loved me, but he was also looking out for the other important man in my life. For that, I would be eternally thankful.
Just my father, William, and I had made the trek to the physician who had given us options we never knew existed. Without the worry of how we were going to afford it, the doctor put my father on an experimental drug for his cancer and so far, everything had been going pretty well. In fact, he had just recently received a promising report of the cancer shrinking. I was proud of him for being so strong. With every day that passed, I hoped and prayed we would have him around for a long time.
Looking at my watch, I wondered why my husband wasn’t home yet. He had left two hours earlier on an errand but had yet to return. I had hoped to have some time with him before we were due to be at Keefer’s, but the clock was ticking and at this rate we would probably have just enough time to make it over to the grille for the afternoon “staff meeting.” A meeting that was actually a party for Jessie and was set to be finished before Keefer’s opened up for the evening crowd. It also meant I would get to celebrate my anniversary with my husband when we were done.
I still couldn’t believe we’d already made it through a whole year of wedded bliss. The time had flown by like a wonderful dream, and I couldn’t help but wonder if my life would forever be so blissful that I didn’t notice how quickly it was passing by. Would I wake up one day and see wrinkles on my face and wonder where the time had gone? I suddenly wanted to slow it down and enjoy what I had been blessed with.
Even my mother-in-law was amazing, which is more than what I understand most married women would say. I learned early on that she just wanted Cooper to be happy and once I proved that I could see to that, our relationship had been ideal. Not everyone was as lucky. She and Cooper’s Aunt Sophie and Uncle Bill had been a great support for us and a wonderful addition to my already loving family. The renovations on their house were completed shortly before the wedding and Cooper’s mom had a place of her own close to her sister and less than thirty minutes from us. We attended weekly family dinners there where we laughed over Cooper’s early days and just talked about life. I had learned so much over the past year about my husband. My father and William had both even come to the dinner a few times. I wanted the two families to get to know each other, considering I planned to be married to my husband for a long, long time.
Glancing at my watch again, I pushed myself out of the comfortable hammock and headed inside to get ready. Cooper came in just in time to take a quick shower and get dressed.
* * * * *
Cooper laughed as he glanced at me from his side of the car. “Are you already taking off your shoes? Should I even ask why you wear them if they hurt your feet that bad?”
I wiggled my toes in the floorboard of the car and smiled at my husband. “Because I only had to wear them a couple of hours and they match my dress, of course. Fashion over comfort.”
Cooper pulled into our driveway and shook his head as he cut off the engine, his quick smile visible in the dark interior. “I guess I’ll never understand why women suffer for the sake of fashion.”
I gave him a quick smile and slid my feet back into my uncomfortable shoes. “Umm, we do it because of men. I didn’t see you complaining when you were eyeing my legs back at the grille.”
Cooper grinned. “Touché. But you missed something.”
“And what was that?” I asked.
“I was looking at your ass, too,” he said as he reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a blindfold. I raised an eyebrow, looking at him.
“A blindfold, huh? You want to do that in here? We have a perfectly good house we can walk into.”
“No,” he chuckled, holding it out to me. “I want you to put it on. I have a surprise for you. But put a pin in that thought. We can explore that option later.”
I rolled my eyes in jest and allowed him to slip the blindfold over my eyes, shivering as his fingers drifted down my cheek before he climbed out of the car. I listened as he opened the passenger side door and his hand touched mine, helping me out on my uncomfortable shoes.
“What are you doing, Cooper?” I asked softly, my heart racing with anticipation. Cooper loved to surprise me — from flowers to candy to my favorite takeout. I never knew what or when he was going to surprise me and, deep down, I loved it. I felt cherished and loved.
“You will see shortly,” he said, slipping his arm around my waist and guiding me forward. I went with him blindly, resisting the urge to reach out before me as my heels clicked against our cobblestone driveway. We walked as the sound of the ocean became louder before Cooper’s arm left my waist and he slowly removed the blindfold.
“Oh, Cooper,” I breathed, taking in the sight. Before me, candles lined every surface of the deck, steam rolled from the bubbling hot tub visible from my vantage point. Roses of every color filled the corners of the deck, their fragrance wafting on the salty breeze. An array of different desserts were arranged on the outside dining table along with a bottle of champagne chilling in a stainless steel bucket of ice near the hot tub, two glasses already perched on the side. It was a perfectly romantic scene. “It’s beautiful, Coop.”
Cooper’s arms encircled my waist and he pulled me against him, his lips nibbling at my neck. “You are beautiful. Happy anniversary, babe. I love you.”
“I love you, too,” I said softly, turning in his arms to kiss him. “Your anniversary present is in the living room, by the way.”
I followed him across the deck and into the house. His surprised expression had me laughing as we walked into the living room where his brand new surfboard sat propped against the wall, its shiny surface gleaming in the soft light.
“Emma,” he breathed, tracing his fingers gingerly over the surface of the bright blue surfboard. “How did you know?”
“I saw the way you looked at it last time we were at the shop,” I confessed, happy to see that I had chosen the right board. I knew he wouldn’t buy it for himself so I had purchased it and had it delivered to the house during our time away. Apparently, I wasn’t the only one who had made plans for a surprise to be delivered while we were away. “Do you like it?”
He turned toward me and wrapped me into a hug, spinning me around the room. “I love it,” he laughed, kissing me on the lips. “Almost as much as you. Thank you.”
“Good! You’re welcome.” I smiled, kissing him back. “Thank you for my surprise as well.”
“Oh, I’m not finished. Close your eyes.” He grinned, pulling back and reaching in his pocket. “Close your eyes or I’m not giving it to you.” I complied. “Okay. Open them.”
I gasped when I saw a necklace dangling from his fingers, a solitaire diamond sparkled on the end of a white gold chain.
“Happy anniversary, baby.”
“Cooper, it’s beautiful,” I breathed as he moved toward me and fastened it around my neck. “You shouldn’t have.”
“I wanted to,” he said, kissing the side of my neck. “One diamond for one year of pure happiness. You’re the best thing that has ever happened to me, Emma.”
“I can’t wait to see fifty years,” I joked as he stepped back.
He gave me a grin and then pointed to the deck. “Ready to enjoy the rest of your night?”
I smiled, feeling the weight of his love around me. “Yes. Yes, I am.”
Cooper took my hand and I followed him back to the deck. He pointed to the champagne, but I shook my head as I brushed my hand through the water in the hot tub. “Not yet, maybe later.”
“Whatever makes you happy, love,” he replied. Cooper took a seat next to me and we sat there for a moment listening to the waves as I took in the romantic atmosphere around us. “I think tonight was a success,” he said after a few minutes, reaching over to clasp my hand in his, our wedding rings gleaming in the candlelight. “Jessie was very surprised.”
I nodded, my throat tightening as I remembered the tears that had glimmered in her eyes as we presented the check to her. She had thought it was just a staff meeting and we had really caught her by surprise. There had been a gleam of hope in her eyes and that was all the thanks we needed. Hope was what had brought me and Cooper together.
Moving in front of him, I looked into his beautiful eyes, seeing the love reflected there. “Cooper,” I started, nervous butterflies in my stomach. “I have to tell you something.”
His eyes darkened and his expression changed, some of the excitement faded. “What? Is everything okay? What’s wrong?”
I pursed my lips and put my arms around his neck, playing with his hair at the nape. “Nothing’s wrong. I just have one more anniversary gift for you.” I reached over beneath the built-in bench where I had hidden his gift earlier in the day and pulled out a small box wrapped in green paper with blue and pink ribbons curled on top. “Here.” I placed the box in his hands. “Open it.”
Cooper eagerly tore into the paper and pulled off the lid of the box. He removed the tissue-covered item and proceeded to unravel it from the paper. When he held it out in front of him, his eyes grew as wide as saucers. “Em, this . . . this is a little small for me,” he said of the orange and white bib he held in his hand. He eyed it for a moment and read the words embroidered across it aloud. “Dad surfs. Mom surfs better?” he said with a bit of hesitation. Then his gaze moved to me and our eyes locked. “Does this mean what I think it means?”
“I’m pregnant,” I blurted out, seeing his expression morph from confusion to excitement. “About five weeks along.”
“P-pregnant?” he stammered, his eyes darting to my waist where his fingers quickly began caressing. “Are you sure?”
“Yes,” I laughed. While we hadn’t been preventing it, I hadn’t expected it to happen so suddenly either.
He swallowed and a glimmer of tears gleamed in his eyes as he pulled me close, his warm hands on my back. “Oh my god. I am going to be a dad.”
The wonderment in his voice brought tears to my eyes as well, thinking of all the conversations we’d had about families and children. “You’re going to be a wonderful dad.”
He pulled back to look at me, his hand snaking around to touch my stomach gently. “We are going to have a baby.”
I nodded, unable to trust my own voice. The thought was still pretty shocking to me as well but I was excited to start our family. We were financially secure and in a good place in our marriage. We had a loving, supportive family and extended family that would help us raise our child in an affectionate environment. Everything was falling into place.
A frown appeared on his face. “I guess the hot tub is out tonight. Hot tubs aren’t good for pregnant women.”
“Cooper, I’m not fragile. A little hot water isn’t going to hurt me.”
“No champagne either,” he was saying, grabbing a plate of desserts from the table. “But as much food as you want. I will get you anything you want, even if I have to fly it in.”
I laid a hand on his arm and forced him to look at me, my heart softening at yet another wonderful thing my husband wanted to do for me. “Cooper, sweetheart,” I said gently. “I still have eight months before this baby even thinks about making an appearance.”
“I just want everything to be perfect,” he sighed, setting the plate back on the table before reaching for me. “I didn’t think it was possible, but you have just made me the happiest man on the face of this earth again, Emma.”