EPILOGUE

 

Inappropriate Airport Greetings

 

Libby - Three Months Later

 

 

I silently stare out the airplane window as we touch down and zip past the palm trees lining the runway. My heart feels like it’s about to explode, and I can barely force myself to stay in my seat. As the plane nears the main terminal, I squint into the bright day, trying to spot Harrison through the window, but we’re still too far away.

In the past three months, I’ve spent the first two learning the ropes at Paradise Bay (when I wasn’t in bed or in the shower or skinny dipping under the moonlight with Harrison). We flushed out a detailed plan for Eden, hocked my ring (which turned out to be disgustingly expensive, so, thank you, Richard), and broke ground on the new villa.

The past month, however, has been hell. I flew home to pack up my life, sell the things I won’t need (like all my winter clothing and boots), and say farewell to everything I know. Alice and I have cried buckets of tears every time we see each other, and even though she’s happy for me, she’s also scared I’m making the wrong decision. She and Jack seem to be doing a little better, so I don’t feel quite as guilty leaving her. They’ve gone for some couple’s counselling, found a babysitter to give Alice every Friday off from being a Pinterest Mom, and are going on weekly dates, and from the sounds of it, the nights are ending happily (if you get my drift).

Surprisingly, Quentin and Alan weren’t complete arses when I went to pick up my things at GlobalLux and sign my exit paperwork. They both seemed a little disappointed to see me go, and Quentin even came close to apologizing for not treating me like ‘one of the boys.’

My grandparents aren’t too happy with me, though, especially Gran. She pretty much called me an utter disappointment and is blaming my grandad for ‘ruining another child.’

The guilt was eating me up, but then one morning Gran went out to do the shopping, giving me and Grandad a chance to talk. I found him in the back garden, sweeping the night’s skiff of snow from the sidewalk.

When he saw me, his eyes lit up. “There’s my girl,” he said, and it almost broke my heart.

Giving him a quick kiss on the cheek, I said, “I’m sorry for this big mess.”

“Why on Earth are you apologizing for being happy?” he asked, setting the broom against the garage wall.

“Because Gran’s so upset with you about what I’m doing.”

“Oh, don’t mind her. Being upset is her favourite pastime,” he answered, waving it off. “Besides, she’ll get over it once she meets him.”

“Does this mean…?”

“Yes, we’ve applied for passports.”

Grinning, I gave him a big, squeezy hug. “You’re really going to leave Avonia?”

“I figured it’s about time we see the world. And Paradise Bay sounds like a great place to start,” he said, picking up the watering can.

“You’re going to love it. And you’re going to love Harrison, too. He’s the best man I’ve ever met…present company excluded, of course.”

“He better be the best man you’ve ever met. You’re giving up everything for him,” he said, a look of worry crossing his face.

“He is,” I answered, knowing it was true. “He’s going to take very good care of your favourite granddaughter.”

“You seem so sure.”

“I am. Even though it seems completely crazy, I really am sure.”

And now my eyes are searching frantically for the best man I know as the plane touches down. I spot him leaning against the front of his truck, looking sexily casual. My entire body hums with excitement.

“There he is,” I say to the man next to me. His name is Phillipe, and he’s from France. He and his wife are celebrating their fortieth anniversary. They couldn’t get seats together on the plane. I offered to switch with her, but she hates window seats (and possibly Phillipe, based on the limited interactions I witnessed).

Phillipe leans across me a bit and looks out. “He’s very handsome. I can see why you can’t stop talking about him.”

I grin like a fool, then bite my bottom lip as I wait for the plane to stop. “Oh God, what if this time apart has made him change his mind about me?”

“He wouldn’t have sent you all those sexy texts when we were waiting to take off in Germany,” Phillipe says.

I turn to him with wide eyes because I didn’t think he could read English, and those were some very naughty texts. Very naughty.

Shrugging, Phillipe says, “I was bored, unlike the two of you.” He grins knowingly. “I have a feeling neither of you will ever be bored again. Exhausted, maybe, but never bored.”

 

***

 

When they finally open the door, I have to fight the urge to climb over the seats to beat the other passengers to the front. Instead, I wait in the congested line, telling myself to play it cool.

Don’t be too eager, Libby. Men don’t like eager. They like women who are confident and kind of nonchalant.

I walk out into the scented humid air, and I swear my hair makes a ‘boing’ sound as it curls up even more. Squinting into the sun, I wave to him, and I admit, it’s not a confident, nonchalant sort of wave. It’s an ‘oh my God, I’m so frigging excited I could pee’ sort of wave.

I hurry down the steps, basically plastering myself to the guy in front of me. When my feet hit the pavement, I pivot around him and start running, dropping my carry-on as I rush.

Harrison, who clearly was trying to play it cool by the truck, takes three fast steps toward me and picks me up in his arms, kissing me wildly on the mouth. “Christ, I missed you.”

“You too,” I say. “All of you. Especially your length.”

“Don’t forget my girth. I’ve had great reviews on that, too.”

“Believe me, I could never forget your girth.” I wrap my legs around him. “Oh, there it is now.”

He gives me that grin that turns me to butter, then we kiss some more, completely forgetting where we are. Just when I’m about ready to start peeling off his clothes, I hear someone behind me clear his throat.

We pull our faces apart, and Harrison lets me slide down off him. When I turn, I see Phillipe standing there holding my bag, a huge grin on his face. “You forgot your bag,” he says. Then he looks at Harrison. “Congratulations. You’re definitely going to get to do all the things in those texts you sent.”

 

***

 

We barely make it back to Paradise Bay before we tear each other’s clothes off. He drove like Rosy the entire way home, and as scary as it was, it wasn’t nearly fast enough.

Harrison booked the Royal Honeymoon Suite for us for two nights so we can ‘properly get to know each other again.’ It won’t be enough time, but with the right person, I don’t suppose there ever could be.

And so, I get my happy ending after all. It’s not the one I thought I’d have, or the one I ever would have guessed I’d want, but it’s perfect all the same — crazy and fun and passionate.

Our future isn’t set in stone — in fact, I guess you could say it’s only drawn in the sand, but maybe that’s how plans are supposed to be made. In the sand, so that when they get washed away, you can quickly draw up a new one together. Oh, Spontaneous Libby is deep.

We have a lot of hard work ahead of us to keep this resort going, but we’re going to do it together. And the truth is, that’s what counts in life. Not what you do, but who you do it with (oh, I didn’t mean that in the sex way, although that fits, too).

Harrison and I lay back, panting and smiling at the ceiling while we recover from round two.

“In case I haven’t told you yet today, I love you,” he says, tucking a lock of hair behind my ear. “I love every inch of your body.” Kiss. “And your brain.” Kiss. “And your soul.” Pulling back a tiny bit, he gives me that intense ‘you’re mine’ look. “I’m so glad you came back so I can spend the rest of my life being your hero.”

“How about a counteroffer?” I say with a grin. “How about we be superheroes together?”

“Deal.”

 

 

The Beginning…