Until Then

by McLaughlin, Heidi

  “What changed, Graham?”

  He looked away and fiddled with the rock Rennie sat on. “The week before I met Monica, you and I were at this party. We were dancing, making out like we usually did. You took me into the bathroom, which wasn’t out of the ordinary for us. What was, though, was what you said. It caught me off guard and really made me take a step back. Do you remember that night?”

  Rennie shook her head.

  “You said, ‘Make it quick.’ That’s when I realized we were nothing more than fuck buddies.”

  “Oh, God.” Rennie covered her mouth. “I’m so stupid.”

  “We were young, in college, and having fun.”

  Rennie shook her head and looked off into the distance. Her smart mouth had finally done her in, and now she knew why Graham chose someone else over her. Who would want to bring a crass college chick home to their parents, no matter how many times she had met them before?

  Graham’s thumb gently brought Rennie’s face toward him. “I don’t want to live in the past, Rennie. It’s not healthy. But I want you in my future. I want to date you. I want to take you places, spend every minute we can together. I want to wake up in your arms on Sunday morning and read the paper together. I want to call my mom and tell her I’m bringing my girlfriend over for family dinner. I want to show up at your house in the middle of a rainstorm just so we can dance together outside.”

  “I want those things too, Graham.”

  “Can you live with me being a bartender? Knowing this is my life. It’s the life I chose out of duty to my family. Is this going to be okay with you? I’m not rich, Ren, and I never will be, but I can love you until my last breath if you’d let me.”

  Rennie sprang from her seated position and launched herself into Graham’s arms. She kissed him deeply and wrapped her legs around his waist. His hands went to her hair, back, and finally under her shirt, where she shivered from his touch.

  “I love you,” she said as she pulled her mouth away from his. “I love you so damn much it hurts.”

  “I love you, my Rennie.”

  THIRTY-TWO

  It was the middle of the summer when Graham asked to borrow Bowie’s boat for a long weekend. He loaded it full of food, made sure to grab bedding, and told Rennie to pack light. They were going sailing to celebrate the end of Rennie’s employment at Rhoads PC and the start of her new private practice. Main Street in Skagit Valley had a new resident, Wallace Law Firm, with two employees, Rennie and Ester. Rennie had fretted about asking Ester to join her new endeavor. She was a single mom and depended heavily on her income. One night, when Graham and Rennie were over at Brooklyn’s, it was Bowie who suggested a compromise. Rennie would do all his legal work, and in exchange, Ester could live in one of the small cottages he and Brooklyn recently renovated, rent-free as long as she paid utilities. The deal was too good to pass up, and Ester agreed to move.

  Before Rennie submitted her resignation, she started taking a couple night classes. She wanted to expand her knowledge of the law and work as a general practitioner, which would allow her to help anyone who walked through the door. Her colleague Jefferson had also resigned, and she promised to send any criminal cases his way. Working at Rhoads PC had become overwhelming, more so after the frivolous accusations toward Graham were found untruthful. Ester had uncovered the real reason Donna’s attitude toward Rennie had changed—Rennie’s promotion. Donna had felt Rennie wasn’t ready or deserving, and when she was promoted, Donna wanted to send a strong message to her former mentee. When Rennie found this out, she had no choice but to quit.

  While Rennie focused on her career, Graham poured his attention into his house. If he and Rennie were going to live together, changes had to happen. He worked with Bowie and Brooklyn to create a bigger space and then took the necessary permits out to start construction on his houseboat. They would add four inches of width and up to thirty inches to the length, giving them a lot more room. The plan, as it stood, would be to add two additional bedrooms, one of which would double as an office. It was an absolute must that the bathroom be expanded, as well as their living space. They wanted to live together, but neither was willing to pass up the views and ambiance the houseboat provided. With the additions, they’d be able to live comfortably.

  As soon as Graham had everything secured on the boat, he jogged back over to his house. His neighbor Shari was outside; they waved at each other before Graham ducked inside his home. He was still too embarrassed to speak to her after the incident last year. When he told Rennie about it, she laughed and went over to introduce herself to Shari. The two were now friends, which made Graham feel even more awkward.

  “Hey,” he said as he stepped inside. He went right to Rennie and pulled her into an embrace. He hadn’t seen her in a few days, as she’d had loose ends to tie up in Seattle, but she was back in Cape Harbor and didn’t have to leave.

  “I made sandwiches.”

  “Perfect,” he said as he kissed her again. “You ready to go?”

  Rennie nodded, bagged up their lunch, and grabbed her things. Graham waited for her to exit first before pulling the door shut and making sure it was locked. While they were gone, construction would continue.

  “The work crew will be by while we’re gone,” Graham could hear Rennie tell Shari. He smiled as he passed by but kept his head down.

  “You know, you’re going to need to talk to her someday.”

  “Nope, I don’t think so.”

  “Stop being such a baby.”

  They walked hand in hand up the ramp and through the parking lot until they came to the gate for the docks. Graham typed in the six-digit code and waited for the lock to disengage. He opened the door, and Rennie went through and led them down to Bowie’s boat, where she stowed her things.

  “I’ll untie and pull the buoys,” she said as Graham started up the craft. When it came to boating, she was still a novice but learning. Graham had shown her a few tricks on how to coil the rope and fold the tarp, but he mostly did it for her. He appreciated her help, though, and always thanked her.

  They set sail toward Friday Harbor. Graham was making good on a suggestion—not a promise, as he liked to remind Rennie—that she see the lavender fields in bloom. They would dock for the night once they reached the pier, visit in the morning, and then head south toward Puget Sound and then turn north to head home. Four days at sea, with nothing but each other.

  Much like their last trip, Rennie worked in the galley, plating their lunch, and sat next to Graham in the extrawide single-person chair. Unlike their previous trip, Rennie was happy and in love . . . with Graham.

  “Thanks for lunch, babe.” He turned and kissed her on the cheek.

  With the navigation set, Graham relaxed a bit, and the boat cruised along the course. The last time they came out this way, there wasn’t another boat in sight; now they were everywhere.

  “Think Grady’s out here?” Rennie asked as she looked out the window.

  “Nah, I think he said they were headed toward Alaska.”

  Rennie shook her head. “I can’t believe how far he’s come in these past few months. You must be so proud of him.”

  “We all are.” Graham placed his arm around Rennie and pulled her closer. He had to give her a lot of credit where his brother was concerned. If it hadn’t been for her, there wasn’t a doubt in Graham’s mind Grady would be in jail. As it was now, Grady had a stable job on a fishing boat. After he had a talk with Brooklyn about starting Chamberwoods back up, she suggested he work for a bit to make sure he still had his sea legs. If in a year he was sober and thriving, she, on behalf of Brystol, would invest in the company and hand over majority ownership to him. Much to Graham’s surprise, Grady agreed. When Graham heard what Brooklyn said, he thought for sure Grady would go off the deep end, but he hadn’t.

  Rennie cleared their plates away and cleaned the galley before she stripped out of her clothes and went to lie in the sun. He was jealous of everything: that he had to drive the boat,
of her swimsuit because it touched her, of the other boaters who saw her. He wanted to be with her, always.

  When they reached the pier in Friday Harbor, it was time for dinner. Rennie cooked while Graham paid their slip fee for the night. They had talked about going back to the bar, but neither had really drunk since Grady got out of rehab, and it really wasn’t their scene. Although they liked the idea of hustling the pool players, they also feared someone would remember them from New Year’s. They ate an easy dinner of chicken and sautéed vegetables and sat on the deck and spoke to people as they came down the pier.

  “I feel like we’re old.”

  Graham laughed. “We’re not even forty yet.”

  “Look at us, Graham. I’m dressed in white shorts and deck shoes, with my striped pullover sweater. I belong in the catalog for what retired women should wear when boating.”

  “You’re ridiculous; come with me,” he said as he got up. He walked up the stairs into the galley and then down the small flight to where the bedrooms were. He went into the master bedroom and waited for Rennie to join him.

  “What are we doing?”

  He closed the door and then went around to make sure the windows were closed as well. “Strip.”

  “What?”

  “Get naked,” he told her as he dropped his shorts. Rennie gawked at him and slowly undressed. She stood before him, naked. “Now, lie on the bed. I’m going to show you how sexy and not old you are.”

  She did as she was told. Graham lay next to her, resting on his elbow. Slowly, he touched every part of her body, saying he loved the spot behind her knee because it was so ticklish and how the curve of her hip fit his hand perfectly. Each time he’d get to a random part of her body, he would comment and massage or kiss the area. By the time Graham came to her neck, she was panting. She wanted him, but each time she reached for him, he batted her hand away.

  “Graham,” she drew his name out through ragged breaths.

  “Ren,” he replied. When they’d finally figured their lives out, he’d promised never to call her love or darling. Both nicknames triggered fits of anger in her, and he never wanted her to be upset with him.

  “Can you?” Her chest heaved up and down as his finger trailed over the goose bumps on her skin. “I need . . .”

  “What do you need?”

  “You. I need you.”

  “Okay.” Graham dropped his hand onto her waist and pulled her toward him, hitching her leg over his thigh. He cupped her face between his hands, and she gripped his wrist, as if to hang on. He flexed his hips and watched her intently. Her eyes fluttered, and as soon as her mouth opened, he kissed her.

  When the sun came up the next morning, Graham was thankful they only had one thing on their list to do. The rest of their vacation would be on the boat, just the two of them. He rose early, showered, and made his way to the rental agency, where he was able to get the scooter he wanted. When he pulled into the marina, Rennie was waiting for him in the parking lot.

  “Oh my. Is this safe?” she asked as she slipped her helmet on.

  “We aren’t going far,” he told her.

  Rennie climbed on the back and wrapped her arms around Graham’s waist. He drove them out to the field he had shown her back in January, and when he pulled into an open parking spot, she jumped off the scooter and walked toward the fence.

  “Graham, this is beautiful,” she said after she took her helmet off. “These fields are so vibrant.”

  Graham secured the scooter and took Rennie’s helmet from her and set both helmets on the seat. He reached for her hand and started them off on the trail that would take them deeper into the lavender.

  “I can’t believe it’s taken my whole life to see this place.”

  With those words, Graham turned and got down on one knee.

  “What are you doing?” she asked him.

  In his hand, he held a black-velvet box, and he said to her, “I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to ask you to be my wife. Rennie Wallace, will you marry me?”

  Rennie covered her mouth with both hands and nodded. “Oh my God, yes. So many yeses,” she told him as she tackled him to the ground. They lay there laughing at her exuberance for a moment until Graham rolled them onto their sides. It was an awkward position, but he was able to slip the halo solitaire onto her finger.

  “I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to do this.” He kissed her hand once the ring was in place.

  “Are you kidding me? We’re so much stronger now than we would’ve been. We needed to grow up, be stupid, and find our way back to each other. I love you, Graham Cracker.”

  After their hike through the fields, they returned the scooter and made their way back to the boat. Graham caught Rennie holding her hand out, angling her ring so the sun would hit it, and each time it sparkled, she would giggle.

  When they boarded the boat, it was business as usual. Graham started the engine while Rennie untied them from the dock. Once they were out in the open sea, Rennie curled up on the couch and opened her book. Every so often, Graham would glance over and find her looking at him.

  Their road to happiness had not been easy, but if Graham had his say, their future would be.

  EPILOGUE

  The bonfire crackled, and small embers flew to the sand, leaving black soot marks scattered around the area. People sat on the driftwood logs, some stood, and others wrapped themselves in blankets to keep the mid-September night chill away. Others sat in the sand, and a few people had chairs. The group had started small but grew in numbers as the night went on. Every time someone new joined, there were squeals and statements such as “I haven’t seen you in years.”

  Rennie stood near the fire, trying to keep warm. Every time she tried to sit down or find Graham, an old classmate came up to her. They hugged, talked about what they’d been doing for the last five years or so—however long it had been since their last high school reunion—and pestered her with questions about her upcoming wedding. A few of her old classmates gushed about how handsome Graham was; a couple had asked if he had a brother, and Rennie had pointed toward Grady, but when these women asked if she would introduce them, she blew them off. Rennie was protective of her soon-to-be brother-in-law, and the last thing she wanted and felt he needed was a relationship. They were complicated and messy, and Grady was working his tail off to keep his life on track. To date, he hadn’t slipped up, even though he talked about it, especially when the anniversary of Austin’s death rolled around. At her and Brooklyn’s insistence, Bowie, Jason, George, and Graham took Grady camping for a weekend. Just the guys. No cell phones. No wives, girlfriends, or Johanna making sure her boys were well fed. It was good for the guys to get away and even better for Grady to be surrounded by his friends.

  Strong arms wrapped around her from behind, and she was comforted instantly by the smell of Old Spice. She closed her eyes and placed her hands on his arms, holding him as best she could. Rennie had all but forgotten about the woman she had been talking to until she heard her clear her throat.

  “Oh, sorry,” she said as she opened her eyes. Rennie wasn’t embarrassed. She was in love. After years of not having the man of her dreams, now that she finally had him, she couldn’t get enough of him. “Jen, this is my fiancé, Graham.”

  “Nice to meet you.” Graham stuck his hand out to shake Rennie’s friend’s.

  “Wait, I know you,” she said after Graham let go. “You’re the bartender at the place not far from here, right? My friends and I stop in all the time when we’re sailing.”

  “We actually own the bar,” Rennie corrected, even though she didn’t need to. When the conflict between Donna and Rennie became public knowledge at Rhoads PC, Lex Davey had given Rennie an excellent severance package, which she’d used to buy out Graham’s parents’ stake in the Whale Spout. Graham tapped Rennie on her waist, a sign from him that she needed to tone her jealousy down a little bit. She couldn’t help it. Once she moved to Cape Harbor, she saw firsthand how many women flirt
ed with Graham. She was thankful he was oblivious to it all, but it still got on her nerves.

  “We appreciate you and your friends stopping by. When you’re in next time, say hi.” Graham kissed Rennie on the cheek. “I love you, firecracker.” He laughed and stepped away.

  Rennie continued to talk to Jen for a few more minutes before she excused herself to find Brooklyn. “Hey,” she said as she sat down on one of the logs. “I can’t believe you invited everyone from high school to your wedding.”

  Brooklyn huffed. “I didn’t mean to.”

  “Tell me again how this happened?”

  Brooklyn covered her face with her hands and groaned. “Stupid social media. I created an event for the weekend. I figured it would be easier if all the information was in one place. Except I didn’t make it private, and I sent invites to all, along with the ones I sent our friends. I had no idea what I had done until people started RSVP’ing.”

  Rennie bumped shoulders with her best friend. “You know what this means, right?”

  “That only Brystol can do my social media from here on out?”

  She laughed. “Well, yes, I would agree with this, but also you’ll get a ton of presents tomorrow at your reception. So many freaking presents.”

  “You’re ridiculous.”

  “And yet, I’m your best friend, and you love me no matter what. Seriously, that’s why I tell Graham we need to have a huge wedding and invite every single person we know.”

  “Have you set a date?”

  “We’ve talked about next year, but we also talked about going to Vegas during the winter to elope.”

  Brooklyn gripped Rennie’s forearm. “You can’t do that. Not without Bowie and me.”

  As if on cue, Luke the black Lab barreled through the crowd and found Brooklyn. He sat at her feet while she petted him. “Seriously, Ren. I have to be at your wedding.”