by Jeannie Moon
The gardeners had outdone themselves. Flowers bloomed in planters and garden beds, and café lights were strung in spots all over the grounds. To top it off, all the trees and shrubs had been decked out with thousands of twinkling lights. A large white tent connected the outside space to the glass-enclosed solarium where the ceremony would be held.
Jack had gone through the motions with Lilly, who looked beautiful in spite of having gone through hell two days ago. There hadn’t been a word from her since they argued in her apartment, and Jack had completely misjudged the kind of pain she was in. He was surprised she was even speaking to him.
But she’d been cordial, which was better than nothing. After the wedding, he’d figure out a way to make things right. He’d find a way to get her to let him back in.
And he’d show her how much he loved her, every day of his life.
All the people he cared about were here… his family, his best friends, and the woman he’d loved for as long as he could remember. Jack was a lucky bastard.
Mia and Adam walked to the center of the terrace and held up their glasses.
Adam kissed her on the top of her head before he spoke. “Thank you all for being here, and for your support over the past year. Mia and I wouldn’t be together right now if not for all the love, and meddling, from the people of this town.” Laughter filled the air, because it was true. Compass Cove was the kind of place where everyone was always in your business, but it was all out of love.
It was always about love.
Mia’s smile bloomed. “Now Adam and I have decided that we’re going to break a few traditions. There will be no tossing of the garter, and no bouquet toss.” Groans escaped from some folks, but to be honest, Jack was glad. “But because we’re romantic, and nosy, we’ve asked Liam to bring something special tonight.”
Liam stepped out of the group, holding the old carved wooden box that contained Lucy’s compass. It was a symbol of the town, of love, and of finding your true north. When Jack held it just a couple of weeks ago, it pointed at Lilly, and while he might have been in denial, he wasn’t surprised.
She was his true north. His beacon.
“So,” Mia said. “Who wants to hold the compass?”
The idea that an object could determine your destiny was ridiculous, but over and over, Lucy’s compass had opened hearts and minds. Maybe it was just a coincidence, but it had never been wrong. If nothing else, it forced people to see possibilities.
“I will.”
Jack’s eyes darted around to find the familiar voice in the crowd. Lilly. Her gaze found his, and for the first time all day, a spark of hope niggled in his chest.
She stepped forward, her flowing dress of blue and white trailing behind her. She was so beautiful it hurt to look at her. Cupping her palms, she held out her hands. “Hit me, Liam.”
Liam smiled and gently placed the compass in Lilly’s hands.
Silence fell over the party as Lilly watched the face of the compass. She seemed nervous, but not fearful. Two weeks ago, she wouldn’t touch the thing; now she was holding the town’s history, a symbol that soulmates existed, in front of everyone who mattered.
If there was any doubt after she stood up to Gio the other day, this was proof that she was the bravest person Jack knew.
She chewed on her bottom lip and glanced up. First, she sent a soft smile at their friends, and her family. And then, with a little nod, her Abuela blew her a kiss.
It felt like a blessing.
Then Lilly turned and took a long look at him. Everything about her was soft and fluid, all mixed in with a jumble of contrasts. She was complicated and smart. Sexy and innocent. She owned his heart.
Her smile bloomed, and her eyes filled with tears. Jack felt like he’d just had his life returned to him.
Lilly started with a few tentative steps in his direction, and Jack, unable to wait, met her in the middle of the terrace.
“Hi,” she said.
“Hey.” Without a thought, her hand came up and brushed a lock of hair off his forehead. “It seems this silly thing is pointing to you.”
Thank God. “It has a damn good track record, you know.”
“I heard that. But here’s the thing,” she whispered. “I may have messed it all up.”
“You? If anyone screwed up, it was me. I’m so sorry, Lilly. Please forgive me.”
Lilly looked up, and the tears tracked down her cheeks. “Oh, God, Jack. I’m the one who’s sorry. I love you so much, and I was horrible to you. I should have listened, talked to you about everything that happened, but I lashed out, and you didn’t deserve it.”
Taking her face in his hands, Lilly’s body pressed into his. “I love you, too. So much.”
“Marry me?” Her question—so tentative, so sweet—caught him off guard in the best way.
“Did you just propose?”
“I did. And you’d better say yes, because my grandmother told me you’d already asked her about it.” Her eyes, over bright and full of mischief, told a story of the amazing life they would have together.
Pressing his lips into her temple, the memories came flooding back. “I was ten at the time, but yes, I did.”
“You remember?”
“I do, and I will, and yes.”
With the compass between them, connecting them to all the lives and loves that had come before them, Lilly went up on her toes and kissed Jack. It was gentle, and sexy, and perfect, just like her.
“Thank you for helping me find myself again, Jack. I couldn’t have done it without you.”
“Welcome home, Lilly. Welcome home.”
The End
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Thanks for reading All of Me by Jeannie Moon!
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If you enjoyed All of Me, you’ll love the other books in….
The Compass Cove series
Book 1: Then Came You
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Book 2: You Send Me
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Book 3: All of Me
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Enjoy an excerpt from
Then Came You
Jeannie Moon
Book 1 in the Compass Cove series
Keep reading below or buy now!
In another life, Mia DeAngelis would have been a star. In this life, she was doing damage control.
Again.
It was another day, another disaster.
“Aunt Mia, wait up.”
Mia slowed and turned, doing all she could not to say anything until they got to the car. Ever since their move, Ben had been trying her patience. Three days in a new school, and she’d been called by the principal—twice. Today she’d had to leave work to come and pick him up.
“You’re mad,” he said.
Mia glanced down. It wasn’t easy to be ten, and new in school. It wasn’t easy to be ten, period. Mia had thought the rollercoaster tween years wouldn’t be something she had to worry about, since she wasn’t dealing with girl hormones. She couldn’t have been more wrong. Boys had plenty of growing pains; they were just different.
His sandy brown head was bowed; she could see he was sorry. He was always sorry, and it was times like this that Ben still looked like a little boy. Other times, the sheer size of him gave her a glimpse of what he would look like when he was a man.
“Ben, I’m annoyed. This isn’t a great way to start at a new school.” They walked together into the bright afternoon sunlight, the smell of a nearby salt marsh tingeing the air. The whole ordeal made Mia’s heart hurt. She wanted the move to be positive. So far, positive was a stretch. “Do you want to tell me what happened? I’d like to hear your take on it.”
Ben shook his head. “No,” he said. “The principal told you everything.”
Thank goodness, he knew if nothing else, he shouldn’t lie.
“Nothing to add? No excuses for your behavior?”
“Tyler was being a jerk, but I know I shouldn’t have pushed him.” Ben looked up at her, his blue eyes glassy. “The teachers think I’m a troublemaker now, don’t they?”
Mia blew out a breath as she searched for the right words. “You’re not a troublemaker, Benny. And the people at school know you’re settling into a new routine, so I’m guessing you’ll get a little slack.” She reached over and wrapped her arm around his shoulder. “But you know what I always say about first impressions? People remember, and you are the new kid. You’ll have to work at making things better.” He nodded and wiped his eyes, fighting back the tears Mia knew he thought he was too old to cry. “We’ll talk about it later. Do you have homework?” Mia was sure he did, there was just little chance he would actually do it. He was bright, but there was no denying he was a ten-year-old boy. A sometimes very unfocused ten-year-old boy.
“Uh huh. I’m going to work with you?”
“For a couple of hours,” she said. “Nana has her yoga class this afternoon. You can hang in my office or find a table and start your homework while I finish up.”
“Okay.” Ben buckled his seat belt and stared out the window. Something was on his mind, again. “Do you think my mom knew I would be a bad kid and that’s why she went away?”
Mia’s hands gripped the steering wheel as she considered her response. Went away. It was the euphemism she had used when he was younger to avoid telling him what happened, and he still used it when he was upset. Thinking about her sister’s death when Ben was a baby was something had Mia avoided for many years, but as Ben got older the questions came, and there was no way to soften a suicide. “Sweetie, there were many things that pushed your mother do what she did, but you were not one of them.” Mia doubted Sara was thinking about him at all. “And let’s get one thing straight. You aren’t a bad kid. You don’t always think before you act, but you aren’t bad.”
That seemed to satisfy him, at least for the moment. The day was so pretty, Mia almost wished the drive back to campus was longer. She could have used the time to clear her head. Whenever she visited Long Island as a girl, she’d always felt like she fit in, and that Compass Cove was her place. The gentle waves on the beach near her grandparents’ house, the people, the smells… everything felt like home. And now it was.
When her good friend called about the job as an instructional librarian at Jennings College, Mia jumped on it, knowing she could provide Ben with a better environment, better schools, and more opportunities. That Compass Cove and the surrounding areas were beautiful was a bonus.
Ben was everything. When she became his sole guardian two years ago, her life took a left turn she never would have anticipated. The drunk driver who had mowed down her parents as they left a restaurant in Bethesda had killed her father, and injured her mother. After that, life went into a tailspin.
Finally, knowing things had to change, Mia took advantage of the chance to be close to family again—to give Ben what she knew he craved.
They pulled through the campus gates and Mia wondered if she’d ever stop noticing the elegant beauty of the college. Passing academic buildings and dormitories, remnants of the college’s gilded Gold Coast past were everywhere. Formal and informal gardens, sculptures, and charming outbuildings dotted the grounds. The old stables, which were still in use, dominated a substantial portion of the property. Mia always slowed so she could catch a glimpse of the grazing horses, loving the feel of the place, and extremely grateful that it was their new home. Continuing the drive along the perimeter road, it was just a few minutes before she reached the North Quad, which included her library.
The Miller Library shared this part of campus with the administration building and the student union. Sitting on top of a hill, the views from the large windows, including the ones in Mia’s office, were spectacular. Facing the Long Island Sound, she could see the gentle outline of the Connecticut shore. There was always a soft breeze, and on a warm day the smell of the salt water and the sound of the gulls were a perfect antidote for stress. It was the opposite of the congested city she’d left behind; exactly what she and Ben needed.
It was hard leaving Maryland, simply because it was familiar. But once her dad died, and Mom decided to move south to live near a pack of her friends who had also retired there, Mia didn’t have any good reason to stay. Her mother had grown up in Compass Cove, and Mia cherished the summers she’d spent here visiting her grandparents. Memories of going to the beach every day, eating Italian ices, playing with other kids and experiencing that perfect freedom that only comes during the summers of your childhood helped Mia see that Ben deserved nothing less.
The family house where her mother grew up was in the area known as North Harbor. While moving in with her widowed seventy-nine-year-old grandmother wasn’t the ideal situation for a single, twenty-nine-year-old woman, Mia did love that she had family. And Nana was hardly a typical little old lady. It had taken her a while to adjust to losing Mia’s Grandpa several years earlier, and then her parents’ accident had been another blow, but Nana fought to be happy and learned to love her life again. That included travelling to the most obscure places, working at a bustling indie bookstore, and doing yoga. She was busier in retirement than most people were in their working lives.
Mia adored her. It was Nana who’d really encouraged her to make a move, even before Mia had a job. She figured they had to stick together, especially since she’d been left alone to care for a ten-year-old.
The white Victorian where they lived had blue shutters, a colorful garden, and a big front porch. There was loads of room, inside and out, and it was right near a pretty beach. If Ben could settle himself down, he’d have a slew of playmates, because the neighborhood was crawling with kids.
Of course, if the kid Ben stood up to really was being a bully, Tyler probably deserved a lot more than a shove. Mia glanced at Ben and worry took over. He was tall for his age, with a strong athletic build; the problem with that was that other kids might see him as a challenge. Figuring he was built like his father, Mia also worried about his disposition. She’d never met Ben’s father, but Sara had told her stories. And the stories weren’t good.
As they walked up the main steps in front of the library, Mia knew she needed to find out more. More about the situation, more about what set Ben off.
“So, how did the whole argument start? All the principal could tell me was that you boys were on the playground and there was a lot of yelling and shoving.”
Ben answered in a low voice. “It was dumb. Tyler threw a pass, I intercepted it and he told everyone I broke the rules.”
“Excuse me?”
“No one’s allowed to intercept anything when Tyler Jansen’s the quarterback. We’re supposed to let his team walk over the goal line.” Ben was really angry; he was just going on and on and on, and that’s when the pieces started to click into place. Mia stopped dead on the top step.
“You were playing football?”
The boy froze.
“Ben?”
“It’s fun,” he grumbled.
“It’s against the school rules.” It was, too. Contact sports, tag—even hide and seek had been banned in some places—it seemed everything was against school rules nowadays, except maybe hopscotch and pick-up sticks. Mia tended to be overprotective, she knew that. She’d learned it from her own mother. But she was starting to wonder if some of the rules were going too far.
She couldn’t tell Ben that, though.
“We’ve discussed this. You can’t just do whatever you want—”
“It’s a stupid rule,” he snapped. “Football’s fun.”
“Really?” Mia felt her face flush as her temper flared. “How much fun was it today when you nearly got into a fight?”
Ben spun at her, snapping, “I got into a fight because a stupid kid thinks he can pick on me ’cause I’m new.” He threw her a look that was pure arrogance. “I showed him differ
ent.”
Obviously, the principal didn’t know what triggered the pushing and shoving, but at this point Mia didn’t know if it mattered. She did wonder how the football detail had been missed.
“We’ll discuss this later.” Mia moved toward the doors and walked into the library lobby. She knew he didn’t understand. He couldn’t. It was her problem, her need to do everything right that sometimes made things hard for him. The problem was she sometimes didn’t know what was right. “But from now on, you will follow the playground rules. Is that clear?”
“You don’t get it.”
“What is there to get? It’s not allowed, you could get badly hurt and, obviously, in trouble. No football!”
“You don’t let me do anything fun.”
“Look, I’ll ask around. I’m sure there are other things… art classes… or maybe you’d like to try tennis?”
The second she said it, Mia knew she’d made a mistake.
“Art classes?” The disdain in his tone said it all. Art classes may have been fine for another kid, but not him.
As they walked into her office, Mia could feel his temper simmering.
“You don’t care what I think,” he growled.
Mia was doing her best to stay calm so the situation didn’t get worse, but he was making it very tough to do so. “Benjamin,” she began calmly. “I’ve had enough of your attitude. We’ll talk about this later.”
But Ben was the one who’d had enough. He threw his backpack across the room, causing Mia to jump as it crashed into a chair and the contents went flying in all directions.
“Hey! What was that all about?”
“I don’t want to play tennis or take art!” he screamed, kicking a notebook that had landed on his foot. He was furious.
“Ben, calm down!”
“No! You don’t listen! When are you going to listen?” And with a final shove at the door, he took off.
By the time Mia composed herself enough to go after him, Ben had disappeared.
