by Jill Sanders
She glanced up at him. “Well, according to the stories you used to tell Rob, you had a line of women you used to get busy with.” She smirked. “Rob’s words, not mine.”
He chuckled. “Stories. How else did you expect me to win their respect?”
She thought about it, then smiled. “With Rob and a few others, I guess you’re right.”
He turned her towards him. “Short of winning you over, that is.” He leaned down and rubbed his lips across hers. “Now, that we’re together, I’ve gotten more respect than before.”
“That just proves that you should have been nice to me from the start.”
He smiled. “But seeing you riled up was way too much fun.”
She couldn’t help but laugh.
***
Adam spent the next half an hour setting up their picnic. He dragged the small folding table and chairs down to the sand, then carried the cooler and basket of food.
It took him several minutes to convince Lilly to enjoy the beach, instead of helping him. He’d helped her onto the rocks, then handed over her bag. She’d settled on a towel in the sand and kept watching him. He could tell she wanted to help, but he was determined to make everything perfect for the evening himself.
He went back to get some candles he kept in the cabin, and noticed his grand-mère’s bag. Walking over, he flipped it open.
She’d packed him a nice teal button-up shirt and caramel-colored cotton pants. He glanced at himself in the mirror and frowned. He did look rather rough. Deciding quickly, he pulled them out, only to have a small box fall at his feet.
Reaching down, he picked it up, then flipped it open. Inside sat his grand-mère’s wedding ring from her first marriage. She must have told him the story of the ring a hundred times when he was younger.
The ring itself was a marvel to look at. The fact that it still shined as if new didn’t surprise him. Instead, it was the shape of the ring that had him twisting it in the light. He’d always loved how the gold twisted into a flower shape with tiny diamonds covering the petals and a larger one held in the middle. The band even had a few leaves twisted into it.
The story of the ring and how it had been hidden and saved during a time of war was the real gem. The fact that it was still in his family was nothing short of a miracle.
Glancing down, he noticed the note tucked in the bottom of the bag. His grand-mère’s handwriting had grown a little sketchy over the years. Still, she’d written the note in French, which meant it was for his eyes only.
“You know what to do with this. I’m so proud of you and happy you’ve finally found your happiness and your heart. – With all my love.”
It took him only a few minutes to change and he was shocked when he walked back down to the beach to find she’d changed out of her shorts into a flowing white dress. She’d tied her hair up on top of her head as strands of it flowed around her face.
She was standing near the table, watching him. Walking over, he set the candlesticks and candles down, then gathered her into his arms.
“You look amazing.” He smiled just before he kissed her.
“So do you, and all of this.” She nodded towards the table.
“There are just a few more things.” He set up the candles and lit them then held her chair out for her to sit down. When she did, it quickly sank in the soft sand, causing her to laugh.
He finished setting out the food and then sat down in his own chair, sinking slightly into the sand himself.
“This all looks amazing.” She smiled.
“I owe my love of cooking to mémère.” He sighed. “I know everything is going to be perfect.”
All throughout dinner, he felt his stomach roll with nerves. He’d never imagined asking a woman to marry him after only knowing her for six months, let alone dating her for less than two weeks. But there was no doubt in his mind that Lilly was his happiness and heart, as his mémère had put it.
He could no longer imagine his life without the woman sitting across from him. He only hoped she felt the same way. He waited until after they had eaten. The sun was just sliding down over the land, leaving the sky rich with bright colors.
He stood up, reached out his hand for hers, and helped her stand. “Walk with me?” he murmured.
She nodded and followed him to the shoreline. The beach was small, which only allowed for a short walk, and when they reached the water’s edge, he stopped so they wouldn’t get wet.
He’d been thinking about the words to say all evening. He knew he had one chance at this and didn’t want to screw anything up.
“Lilly.” He pulled her closer after placing a kiss on her soft lips. Then he stepped back and went down on one knee, since in this matter, he was a traditionalist. He pulled the small box from his pocket and opened the lid slowly. “I’ve never met another woman who has stolen my heart so quickly. I can’t imagine a life without waking up next to you, seeing you smile, hearing your laughter...” He saw a tear slip down her cheek as her hand went to cover her mouth. “There’s only one thing that could possibly give me more joy than I feel when I’m with you, and that’s if you’ll agree to marry me and let me spend the rest of my life next to you.”
He held his breath as he searched her eyes. When she pulled her hand away from her mouth, he saw the smile and felt the relief flood in.
“Adam, I’ve never met someone like you before. Someone who could irritate me and make me want to kiss you at the same time.” Her smile grew bigger and she chuckled. “I’d love to spend the rest of my life torn between the two.” She nodded her head and squealed when he rose up and quickly hugged her until he felt his arms shake. When he stepped back, he removed the ring from the case and took her hand.
“This has been in my grand-mère’s family for generations.” He smiled. “And she wanted you to have it.”
He heard her gasp, then saw more tears slide down her face.
“It’s beautiful.” She held her hand out in the dying light and then rushed back into his arms.
He’d never been as happy as he was then. They spent a few more moments watching the sunset, then she helped him gather everything up and take it back up to the boat. He set everything on the deck, then took her hand and a large blanket and led her back to the soft sand.
“Since it’s still warm, I’d like to lay under the stars with you for a while.”
“I’d love that,” she hummed.
He laid the blanket out and heard her sigh when she’d finally settled in his arms. He held on to her for a moment, looking up into the night sky, dreaming of how wonderful their life was going to be.
When he felt her shift, he wrapped his arms around her and enjoyed the kisses she rained over his face and neck. His hands roamed up her legs, which had wrapped around his hips, until he felt her shift once more. This time when she pressed her core to him, it was his turn to groan.
“Lilly,” he growled next to her heated skin.
“Adam.” She pulled back an inch. “Make love to me, here, under the stars.”
Looking into her eyes, he realized he couldn’t deny her anything. His hands went higher, cupping her softness until he heard her moan, then they were rolling until he had her shoulders pinned on the soft sand. Her skirt was hiked up to her waist, exposing her to his view. His eyes roamed over her body. He’d never felt so hungry for her, ever. He was starving for her touch, for her taste, to feel her body wrapped around his.
Her nails dug into him, then she quickly unbuttoned his shirt and pushed it off his shoulders. Her nails scraped his skin, sending more desire flooding through him. He’d never experienced this much desire.
When he slid into her, it was like coming home. They both moaned through a kiss that seared him more than he could ever have dreamed. His heart shattered into a million pieces, shooting stardust towards her.
They lay there, their breaths matched as they stared up at the stars, wrapped around one another until the air turned chilly. Then he carried her towards the boat
and easily hopped the gap with her in his arms. She gasped, then giggled when he landed safely.
“I’ve never had a more perfect day.” She sighed into his shoulder.
“There’s plenty more where this one came from.” He smiled. “And you’ve promised to spend them with me.” He looked down at her.
“Yes I have.” She smiled up at him. “Take me to bed,” she purred.
“As you wish,” he agreed and complied.
Chapter Twenty
The next morning, Lilly was happier than she’d ever been. It started with breakfast in bed, then a cool dip in the water with Adam before they spent the morning on the small beach collecting seashells. They decided to eat lunch on the boat as they made their way slowly back to Silver Cove. They agreed to eat dinner in town, since they were running low on supplies.
When they pulled his boat back into its slip, his grandmother was already there. He’d texted her and asked if she would like to join them for a celebration dinner.
When they walked off the dock, hand in hand, she rushed towards them and engulfed them both in a hug.
“Félicitations à vous,” she said over and over. “Je suis tellement heureuse pour vous.”
Lilly smiled, and replied in French, “Je vous remercie,” making his grandmother smile even more.
“I told you she was the one,” she said as she slapped Adam’s cheek softly. “Now, let’s get some food. I’m in the mood for pizza.” She winked.
The pizza and the company were amazing. Just what she needed to end her day. When the last slice was finished, she heard her phone buzz.
“It’s Sarah,” she said, then answered the phone. She could barely hear her friend, so she motioned to Adam and his grandmother and stepped outside the door so she could hear better.
“Hey, I hate to bother you, but…”
“It’s no bother, what’s up?”
“Never mind. I can figure—”
“Sarah,” she warned. “What?”
“I can’t seem to find the orders for tomorrow.” She sighed. “I’ve checked everywhere. I held off calling you until…”
“They’re in the folder on your desk.” She smiled.
“No, they’re not.” She sighed. “I swear, I’m gone for two weeks and it’s like I forgot how to do anything,” her friend growled. “Yesterday, I actually almost forgot to run payroll.”
Lilly laughed. “Breathe. I’m almost done here, I can—”
“Nope,” Sarah said, stopping her.
“I’ll be heading back there anyway tonight.”
“What? You still have until tomorrow.”
Lilly looked in the window at Adam and his grandmother and smiled. “Yes, but I have some news I wanted to share with you. Besides, Adam will be staying at his grandmother’s place and I feel kind of weird about staying there too.”
“Have you talked to him?” Sarah asked.
“Not yet, but I’ll tell him you had an emergency and needed my help.”
“Don’t use me as an excuse,” Sarah warned.
“I’m not.” She chuckled. “Trust me, I’ve had a wonderful time, I just need… some time to myself for a night.” She sighed
“Okay, I could sure use your help. I’m drowning in paperwork here.” She could hear Sarah shuffling paperwork.
“Oh, I forgot to tell you how to scan the invoices,” she added.
“Scan?” Sarah asked.
“I’ll show you when I get there, it’ll save you so much time. I’ll be there soon.” She hung up before Sarah could respond and then walked back into the pizza parlor with a smile.
“Everything okay?” Adam said as she sat down.
“Yes, I’m going to head back to the resort. Sarah needs some help finding some stuff.” She rolled her eyes. “Sounds like the honeymoon fizzled her brain.”
Adam chuckled. “We can leave—”
“No.” She reached out and took his hand. “You don’t have to be back until tomorrow evening. Why don’t you take some time with your grandmother?”
Adam glanced at his grandmother, who just smiled. “I do have a few things that I wanted to talk to you about.” Lilly saw a slight frown cross the woman’s face. Adam’s face matched hers as worry crossed his eyes. Then he turned back to her. “I’ll take you to the dock.” He started to get up.
“No, I can find my way.” She leaned up and kissed his cheek, then turned to his grandmother. “Thank you,” she said and held out her hand, showing off the ring. “It’s more beautiful than anything I’ve ever seen.”
The older woman smiled and she was sure she saw a tear form in her eyes. Leaning down, she placed a kiss on the woman’s wrinkled cheek.
She headed out towards the docks, her overnight back slung over her shoulder. So much was running through her mind with everything that had happened in the last few weeks. She’d never imagined being engaged. She glanced down at the ring on her finger and smiled bigger.
It was beautiful. Amazingly so. She’d never seen a ring like it. Its old-time charm was something she would have never picked for herself, yet it seemed to fit her personality perfectly. She couldn’t wait to show it to Sarah and everyone else.
Her heart flipped every time she remembered seeing Adam fall to his knee. Her heart had almost burst with love when he’s spoken those words to her. She’d known instantly her answer. She’d never been surer of anything in her life.
By the time she reached the dock, she felt like she was almost floating on air. Not only was she going to be manager of East Haven Resorts, she was going to be married to Adam. Married.
She’d texted Jerry to come pick her up, but still ended up waiting a few minutes. When the boat approached her, she frowned as it pulled up next to the dock.
***
Adam helped his grand-mère out of the car and frowned when he saw another car parked in the driveway.
“I didn’t know you had company.” He frowned as he turned towards her, then frowned even more when he saw the look in her eyes.
“I… I didn’t know she would be here so soon.” She blinked a few times and Adam felt his heart drop. He wasn’t prepared to see his mother yet.
Then he glanced back towards the car and thought about heading out, meeting Lilly at the dock, running away back to the resort with her to escape what was sure to happen next.
“Adam.” His grandmother’s hand rested on his arm, stopping him. “Please, just listen to her. She deserves a second chance.” She took a deep breath. “She’s my daughter and even though I know she’s been a complete idiot with most of her life choices, I, as her mother, couldn’t turn her away any more than I could turn you away so many years ago.”
He closed his eyes and felt pain and hurt swell from all the years of neglect from the woman standing in the window, watching them.
She looked older than he remembered, even though he’d only seen her just last year. Her eyes were filled with worry as they looked at him through the glass, waiting for him to make a move.
He turned back to his grand-mère. “Did you plan for Lilly to return to the resort?” He saw the answer in her eyes.
“I thought it would be best if she wasn’t here for this. Not yet anyway. So I called and asked if they would ask her to come back.”
“You could have told me.” He shook his head.
“No, you wouldn’t have come back.” She tapped his cheek. “You’re too stubborn, like me.”
He chuckled. “You’re right.” He held out his arm and waited until she wrapped hers in his. “Let’s deal with this together.” They started walking towards the house and he could have sworn he saw relief cross his mother’s face.
When he stepped in, the room was silent for almost a full minute.
“I didn’t think you’d come in,” she said in English.
“I almost didn’t.” He looked down at his grandmother, who quickly patted his hand and walked from the room.
His mother walked over and sat down on the sofa. That was when he noti
ced she was wearing a pair of jeans and one of his old sweatshirts. He’d never seen his mother in anything but designer clothes. He was so taken back by it that it took a moment to understand she’d been talking.
“I’m sorry?” He shook his head and walked over to sit across from her.
“I’m sorry,” she said, shaking her head. “I’m not as fluent in English as I used to be.”
He nodded, prompting her to continue.
“I know we talked about what has happened. But I wanted to tell you the truth.” She was twisting her hands in her lap. Her eyes were focused on his shirt, rather than his eyes. “That your father, he’s the one that had affairs.” He waited. “He’s the one that filed for divorce.”
“I thought you did?”
“No, he has and he has plans to marry again.” Her chin rose and her eyes met his.
“I see.” He felt his blood turn hot. “Why?”
“Why?” she asked, her head tilting slightly. “From what I know, she is pregnant.”
He heard a light buzzing in his head. “I see.”
“At first I believed she was blackmailing him, but now…” She shook her head and closed her eyes. “They have been together for a while.”
“And?” He waited.
“Your father…” Her eyes moved back to his. “He is a very powerful man.” She bit her lip and he watched a tear slide down her face. “He was just starting his career when you were born.” She looked away. “Someone in his position, he needed to focus.” Her eyes moved down to her hands. “I was nothing more than a showpiece and there was no room on his shelf for a son who was rambunctious.”
“Then why have me in the first place?” he drawled.
“It was my choice.” She avoided his eyes. “I wanted half a dozen children.” She sighed and leaned back, resting against the sofa, a move he’d never dreamed he’d see his mother make. She looked relaxed, at home almost. “From the moment you were born, I loved you.” Her eyes met his now. “I would have done anything for you. But then…” She closed her eyes again. “Charles, he wasn’t having it, not after the party.” She met his eyes.
