Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 73010 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 365(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73010 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 365(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
“I’m sorry I’m springing all this on you.” He grips my arm. “I don’t even know if you’re willing to give us another chance after all I—”
“How can you think I wouldn’t? I hurt you too. I didn’t fight for you or go with you. I have my regrets too.” I knot our fingers together. “I bought this boat and thought maybe…hell, I don’t know. Maybe I would go to you, ask if I could stay. Sell my bar, even. I’m fucking lost without you.”
He breathes out, and his eyes soften. “I don’t ever want to be away from you again.”
The words are a balm to my soul. But then I remember… “What about the divorce papers?”
He roots around in his bag and pulls them out. “I brought them in case I was wrong. In case you wanted to be the one to file them.”
Even the thought makes me clench my teeth. “Never.”
“So maybe they need to be torn up?”
On impulse, I reach for them, and we rip them in half together. “Whew, that felt good.”
“It did.” His smile is mesmerizing. “I love you so fucking much.”
“Come ’ere.” I pull him closer and kiss his temple. “I love you too. We’ll figure the rest out together.”
He buries his face against my shoulder. “You don’t know how much I needed to hear that.”
I cup his jaw, forcing him to look at me. When our eyes meet, I tap our mouths together, and it feels like the universe has set itself right again. We press closer with lips and tongues and hands as if we can’t get our fill.
And then we stay there, discussing the details of Micah’s return, sharing hopes and dreams, and enjoying each other’s company like we always have. Eventually, he lays his head on my lap, and I relish the feel of his silky waves as I run my fingers through his hair.
“I figure Beth was wrong about us,” he murmurs.
“How so?”
“We’re not the sun and the ocean.” He steals a glance. “I’m the ocean, and you’re the moon.”
“Why is that?”
“Because the moon has a gravitational pull on the ocean. And no matter how far I’ve spun away, you’ve always brought me center.”
I kiss the top of his head. “Home is where you always needed to be.”
“Home is you.” Micah’s fingers find mine, and he laces them together. “I’ve always been sure of that. Sure of you.”
EPILOGUE
Micah
It’s the day of the annual rib fest, and the bar’s patio is crowded. I’ve helped where I could leading up to the event, but I’ve also been busy with other prospects. It’s only been a few months since I moved back to Aqua Vista, but I’m finding my way and enjoying myself in the process.
Cap agreed to sell me Hook, Line, and Sinker as long as he could still work the counter and be part of the fisher community. John figures it’s a good investment to bring in revenue, and Aaron helping with minor renovations like paint and a new sign will undoubtedly make it a bigger draw. It’s been like fulfilling a portion of a dream I didn’t even realize I had. Being part of Sleepy Slip and serving the fishers’ needs feels like redemption.
I’m also helping Ms. Hart with the drama camp she runs in the summer months, and my involvement has given me ideas of my own—like operating something similar in the future, but for adults. She’s also begged me to assist her during the school year, and there’s no way I’d give up the opportunity. Turns out, I don’t need an official degree to run the club after school, but my acting credits certainly helped sell the idea to the principal. And who knows, maybe I’ll even consider getting my bachelor’s. It’s still a shock how much I enjoy teaching these kids, even if it’s not in an official capacity.
It appears that turning down that Cold Blade role is the best decision I’ve ever made. My agent dropped me, which wasn’t unexpected since I’m done with that life and have no regrets. And even when the guilt occasionally creeps up, John reminds me that the most important thing is that we made our way back to each other.
The afternoon is busy, and time seems to fly. I help serve food and drinks as I chat with the regulars—even those who’ve misunderstood me over the years. Instead of continuing to doubt whether I belong here, I’ve jumped straight in, confident that I do, with a little help. Aaron dragged me with him to register the house with the historical society, and in the process, I learned a bunch about my family’s roots in this town. Beth’s, too, and lately, we’ve been meeting for lunch and sharing tidbits about what we’ve read or discovered. Her great-grandmother led a women’s suffrage rally, and mine was part of it too. Go figure.