Harper watched as James walked toward the water, his arms holding Alyssa against his broad chest. His skin was toned, tan, and it made her fingers twitch with the need to touch him. How the heck did she get so lucky? As he reached her, his eyes met hers, his lips curling into a broad smile. Alyssa kicked her legs against his chest, as though she was impatient to get this over with.
“Do you think she’s going to like it?” Harper asked him, reaching out to stroke Alyssa’s cheek.
“She’s going to love it. Shall we dip her toes in?”
“Okay.” Harper grinned as he turned the baby in his arms and crouched down, slowly lowering Alyssa until her feet were right above the surface of the ocean. He had one hand beneath her, the other across her stomach as she faced Harper, her eyes wide.
Then he lowered her further, until her tiny toes met the water. She kicked again, making the water splash. He dropped to his knees, until Alyssa was up to her waist in the water, and she looked up at Harper with delight.
“You want to swim, little one?” he asked, moving Alyssa through the water, swooshing her left and right. Alyssa hiccupped, or at least it sounded like a hiccup, but when she did it again, Harper realized it was a laugh.
“She loves it,” she said, grinning.
“A water baby.” James kissed Harper’s head. “Hey look, do you see that?”
“What?” Harper asked him.
“There’s something down there on the ocean bed.”
Harper leaned down to look at where James was gesturing, and sure enough there was something down there. It caught the light of the sun, glistening beneath the gentle waves. “I think it’s a shell,” she said. “Or maybe a pebble.” She reached down to pick it up, intending to show it to Alyssa, but her finger touched a thin metal band. She lifted it out of the water, turning it in her hand.
“It’s a ring,” she said, watching the diamond catch the rays. “An engagement ring by the looks of it. Do you think somebody lost it?”
“It’s not lost.” James’s voice was scratchy. “I think it’s exactly in the right place.”
Harper blinked. “It’s not…” her words trailed away, her breath catching in her throat. “James?” she asked, wondering if she was going crazy.
“Harper Hayes, from the moment you exploded into my life things have never been the same. I’ll never be the same. You make everything better. Right. And it would be the greatest honor of my life if you’d agree to be my wife.”
Harper tried to swallow, but her throat was too dry. “You want to marry me?” she asked him, still breathless.
“Yes. I want you to be my wife. I want the world to know how much I love you.” His eyes softened as he took the ring from her and slid it onto her finger. “I want to shout it from the rooftops, take an ad out in the goddamn paper. Because you and Alyssa are everything I’ve ever wanted.”
She grinned at him through her tears. “Then the answer’s yes.” She laughed, her head tipping back.
James turned toward the shore. “She said yes,” he shouted, his words
carried by the breeze. A loud cheer came from their friends sitting on the beach.
“They knew?” Harper asked.
“I told Lucas. I’m guessing he told Ember and the rest was history. The Angel Sands grapevine is strong.” Still holding Alyssa against his chest, he lifted her hand, kissing the ring on her finger. “And I’m glad. I hid you away once. I don’t intend to ever do it again. I want the world to know you’re going to be my wife.” He took a deep breath, his eyes warm. “There was a time when I thought nothing good was ever going to happen to me again. But you showed me that everybody deserves to be loved.” He leaned over, still cradling Alyssa against him, as he pressed his lips to Harper’s. “Thank you for making me the happiest man alive.”
Harper kissed him back, feeling the joy overwhelm her. A year ago she’d visited this town and spent the night with a gorgeous man whose eyes were full of clouds. Now those clouds had disappeared, replaced by a brightness that touched her heart.
For the first time since she was eighteen years old, she felt as though she truly belonged. In a town she loved, with friends she cared about, and a family she adored. Was it possible to have everything?
As James kissed her again, and murmured sweet words against her lips, she thought it definitely was.