When Jeremy proposed six months after the boat accident, there was no question what my answer would be. I’d given him an enthusiastic yes as he looked up at me from one knee on the beach where we’d shared our first date. We were married four months after that. It was a quick engagement, but after nearly losing Jeremy, I’d learned not to take time for granted. There was no reason to wait, so we didn’t.
We had an intimate ceremony on the beach at sunset with only our family and closest friends. It had been beautiful and aside from Noah’s birth, it was the best day of my life. Even though it was small, we moved into Jeremy’s beach house. I knew Travers Cove is where I wanted my life with Jeremy. There was something special about it and I wanted Noah to grow up there, instead of the city. He was thrilled to live across from the beach full time, except when he visited his dad.
Darren had been surprisingly supportive of the move. He’d claimed he still loved me after the divorce and that he only wanted me to be happy. I believed him because he knew this is what I needed to be happy: Noah and Jeremy and our quiet life in Travers Cove.
Jeremy’s Uncle Bill decided to retire from lobster fishing after the Bonnie Bell sank. Jeremy didn’t blame Bill for what happened. A bad decision and subpar equipment had been behind the sinking, but like Jeremy reminded me every time I got upset thinking about him and his crew members huddled together on the lifeboat waiting to be rescued, hind sight is twenty-twenty. He took it as a sign to move on and decided to buy his own boat, which my son was thrilled to see Jeremy named Noah’s Ark. He hired a small crew and he was happy. Noah would tag along when the boat was at the pier learning everything he could about the trade. I had a funny feeling he might grown up to be a lobsterman just like Jeremy and I was perfectly fine with that.
I’d quit my job in Providence after the end of the school year and found a part-time position teaching kindergarten in the next town over from Travers Cove. The cut in pay wasn’t fun, but we didn’t need all the frills. We just needed each other. I loved my simpler life now and it gave me more time with Noah. Living in Travers Cove felt like I was on a permanent vacation.
We spent a lot of time at the beach during the summer. Sophie would come by and play with Noah on occasion, even though he’d be starting first grade in the fall and she was staring third. Jeremy came with us when he wasn’t out on the boat and I loved when we were all together.
Today was one of those days. I was sprawled out on my beach chair as I made my way through my latest read, something I’d done a lot more of since marrying Jeremy. Noah and Sophie were splashing in the waves and Jeremy had gone back to the house to grab us some more drinks. It was a hot day and I was sweating like a pig.
I heard a low whistle and I started laughing to myself as I saw Jeremy walking towards me, drinks in hand.
“How is it that you look even more beautiful today than you did yesterday?” he said, kissing me quickly before handing me a drink and sitting down.
“I’ve gotten fatter since yesterday, but that’s about all,” I laughed, taking a swig of my water as his hand rested on my ever expanding stomach.
I never expected to be pregnant again, but I couldn’t wait to share this baby with him. He’d been ecstatic when I told him I was pregnant and I couldn’t have asked for him to be more supportive.
“You are seriously the sexiest pregnant woman I’ve ever seen,” he said and I placed my hand on top of his as he gently patted my belly before he leaned down and kissed my stomach.
“You sure know how to make a woman who’s eight months pregnant in the middle of summer feel good about herself.”
“Because it’s the truth,” he said, smiling at me before kissing my stomach again. “How’s my girl? I can’t wait to meet you,” he whispered.
I loved when he talked to our daughter. I couldn’t wait to have a little girl and I knew Jeremy was excited too. We already had Noah, so a little girl would be a perfect addition to our family. It’d taken a while, but we finally agreed on calling her Rebecca, which was his mother’s middle name. Now we just had to wait to meet her and our lives would be complete.
“Jeremy!” Noah’s voice called from the water. “Come play with us!”
“The boss beckons,” he laughed, kissing my stomach once more and then brushed his lips against mine as he stood up and marched down the beach towards Noah and Sophie.
Jeremy loved my son as if he was his own, which made me fall in love with him more every day. I loved watching them together, laughing and joking. I couldn’t take my eyes off of them as they played in the water, the waves breaking all around them, never having forgotten what Jeremy told me once. When something in your life crashes, just like the waves, there’s always another one right behind it, another opportunity that may even be better than the first. I thought about that a lot when I looked into the ocean. Somewhere in the vastness, even when we think we can’t get any lower, something better will eventually roll in. We may not think things will ever get better, but it will and it does. I’d thought my life was over when I found out what Darren had to us…what he’d done to me, but it wasn’t. I’d spent the time afterwards thinking there was something wrong with me, as if I’d somehow been the reason he did what he did, but I wasn’t. I hadn’t thought I was worth being loved, but I discovered I was. I’d come to realize what exactly I was worth and what it is I deserved. It might have taken me a while, but I learned to love myself for who I was and what I could give to someone else. I hadn’t done it alone though. The man I now watched playing so willingly with my son, the man I was going to share this new baby with, had been a big part of that realization. He’d helped me see my worth and what it meant to be loved. He helped me see I deserved a man who loved me unconditionally, a man who made me feel beautiful, a man who accepted the person I was, faults and all, and a man who made me want to be a better me. It’d taken me a while to accept this because of the life I’d already lived, and even though that life hadn’t been what I’d expected, I wouldn’t change it. I’d learned from everything that had happened to me and it had given me my son. And now as I looked out on the ocean, my eyes focusing on Jeremy, I knew he’d always been out there for me, I’d just had to wait for the right time for him to find me.
“Mom!” Noah shouted, interrupting my thoughts and I pulled my gaze from my husband and smiled to my son. “Come here!”
He was waving eagerly to me and I couldn’t resist. It took me a second to maneuver my way out of my beach chair, but a few moments later, the warm sand was squeezing between my toes as I made my way towards them and soon the cold water was lapping over my feet. Noah came bounding over to me, splashing me as he did so and then Jeremy joined in. I started laughing and splashed them back before Noah wrapped his arms around my stomach. I felt Jeremy slide his hand into mine, our fingers threading together. We were happy. Life was good and I hoped it would always be this way. I turned to face him. Jeremy smiled at me and I smiled at him and as our eyes met, something told me it would be.
A Note from the Author
Thank you so much for reading Every Breaking Wave. I loved writing this book and getting to know Beth and Jeremy. This book was inspired by the U2 song of the same title. When I first heard Every Breaking Wave, the song struck me and a story immediately began brewing in my head. The characters came to life and I did my best to make it real. If you enjoyed the book, please consider leaving a review on Amazon or Goodreads. I would greatly appreciate it.
I must give a big thank you to my beta readers: Mom, Sara, Emily, Beth, Donna, Wendy, Ryann, Nikki and Carolyn. Your insight and thoughts helped me so much and I thank you for all of your assistance and support. I couldn’t do it without your constant encouragement.
If you’d like to read more of my work, all of my books are available on Amazon as e-books and paperbacks. They are:
After the Sky Fell Down
Here With Me
My Tomorrow
The Home Series:
Last Train Home (Book One)
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br /> Far From Home (Book Two)
Carry Me Home (Book Three)
The Long Road Home (Book Four)
Finding Home (Book Five)
I love to talk with readers, so feel free to drop me an email at [email protected]. You can also keep up with the latest news about my books on my Facebook page: Megan Nugen Isbell-Author or you can join my Facebook group, which is a little more intimate: Fans of Megan Nugen Isbell (Author). I also have a blog I update sporadically: [email protected].
If this is not the first book you’ve read of mine, you know what a big role music plays in my writing. I’ve included a playlist if you’re interested in hearing the music that inspired this book.
I must give one final thank you to you, Reader, for reading my work. I truly appreciate it. Happy reading!
~Megan
Every Breaking Wave Playlist
Every Breaking Wave-U2
Ships in the Night-Mat Kearney
Losing Your Memory-Ryan Star
Unbreak-Ryan Star
Stay Awhile-Ryan Star
Breathe Again-Sara Bareilles
All I Need-Within Temptation
All This Time-OneRepublic
Heart of a Girl-The Killers
Love’s to Blame-for King & Country
I Was Wrong-Sleeperstar
This is Beautiful-Tyrone Wells
Bloodstream-Stateless
Longest Night-Howie Day
Stay-Hurts
Cut-Plumb
Run-Leona Lewis
People Change-for King & Country
Distance-Christina Perry
Science & Faith-The Script
Breakeven-The Script
Echo-Jason Walker
Only One-Alex Band
Stolen-Dashboard Confessional
Every Breaking Wave Page 25
