Epilogue

Lauren took in the nearly cloudless sky. A pair of pelicans flew gracefully over the cliff and glided above the ocean. Without warning, one of them abruptly dove into the water for their lunch.

There were people down on the beach today—blankets and towels spread out, children running and laughing, adults lounging with books, a group of teenagers playing volleyball.

It was a perfect August day. Warm but not overbearing. A nice refreshing breeze tickled the hair that she’d left loose around her face.

She followed the path of the wind to take in the gardens. Grams’s flowers were even more magnificent this year than any she could remember. Mounds of beautiful colors made up multiple flower beds. Petals hung from baskets on the porch railing and from hanging baskets all over the house. A huge row of white daisies rose proudly under the window that used to be her mother’s bedroom.

Daisies had been her favorite, Lauren remembered with a smile.

Her mom would be so happy if she were here right now. Lauren looked to the blue sky. You are happy, Mom. Wherever you are right now.

Lauren had officially moved back to Seaside Cove. She and Ethan were living together in his Cape Cod house. For now. They might look for something a little bigger, though, as the baby got older.

The baby. Lauren placed a hand on the small bump of her stomach and smiled. She couldn’t wait to meet her little one.

Today, August 5th, Grams had decided to throw a party for Lauren and Ethan. Apparently, she’d also known about the “congrats, you’re a great-grandmother!” party they’d been planning—to no one’s surprise—and since plans were already underway, Grams turned it into a “congrats to Lauren and Ethan!” party. Lauren loved a good party. And she really enjoyed watching her sisters, Grams, Ethan, Joe, and other residents of Seaside Cove laughing, eating amazing food that Gabby had prepared, and having fun.

Everyone in town had offered to help her move her belongings from Virginia to Maine. Grams and her sisters were constantly checking in on her, too. The irony wasn’t lost on Lauren. She’d returned to Seaside Cove to make sure everyone else was doing okay. Instead, she was the one who’d needed the help.

Thank god no one had waited for her stubborn butt to ask for it.

Gabby ran over to Lauren, offered her a peach seltzer mocktail, and threw an arm around her shoulders. “This is so fun.”

“You did an amazing job with the food, Gabs. And drinks. You should open your own restaurant.”

Gabby snorted. “As an out-of-work actress, I’ve worked in more restaurants than I can count. I don’t think that lifestyle is for me.”

Lauren grabbed a bacon-wrapped date and moaned as it melted in her mouth. “But this is soooo good.”

Gabby laughed.

“Maybe there’s something else you can do with food. You can’t deny the world of this talent.”

Gabby rolled her eyes, but she was smiling. “I’ll consider it.”

Brooke marched over to them, her hands flying to her hips. Despite the lovely, pastel visiting-royals-in-the-garden-type outfit she was wearing, she looked absolutely irritated. “What is he doing here?” She nodded toward Ethan, who was talking with a group of about five guys.

“You’re going to have to be more specific,” Lauren said.

Brooke’s eyes went wide. “Him. Kai,” she snarled. “And his stupid, muddy dog, who seems to just delight in jumping on me when I’m wearing pastels.”

“You have, like, a speck of dirt on you, B. Get over it.”

“Anyway, I’ve been thinking about Grams and her long-lost love, Cap,” Brooke declared.

“Me too,” Gabby said with a faraway look in her eyes. “I wish there was something we could do.”

“I still can’t believe that Grams, of all people, had that story in her past. It’s unbelievable,” Lauren said. Her heart continued to hurt when she thought about Grams not being with the love of her life.

“Unbelievable, huh?” Ethan asked, walking over and slipping an arm around Lauren. “Clearly, you three are talking about me.”

Lauren leaned up for a kiss. As usual, she melted into Ethan as he rubbed his lips over hers. Her knees went weak.

She was so damn lucky.

“So, daddy-to-be,” Gabby began, “getting excited?”

Ethan’s grin came fast and true. His whole face lit up at the mention of the baby, and Lauren had noticed he seemed to do that any time someone mentioned their soon-to-be bundle of joy. Ethan was going to be an amazing dad.

“I can’t wait to meet him,” he said. “Or her.”

“I have a feeling it’s a girl,” Gabby said.

Lauren scrunched up her nose. “I don’t really want to say anything, but I kinda do, too.”

“Do you care either way?” Brooke asked.

“Nah.” She shook her head. “As long as the baby is healthy. Although, I would really like to see Ethan deal with a little girl.”

“I will be excellent with either a girl or a boy. They will be spoiled and loved and pampered.” He leaned over and whispered to Lauren. “So will you.”

She couldn’t think of any words to truly express the love she felt for him, so she settled with another knee-weakening kiss.

“Ugh,” Brooke moaned. “You guys are grossing me out. I’m going to go call Lucas.”

Gabby downed her beer. “I don’t think that call is going to go through. Look, Princess is already making a beeline for Brooke and her precious pastel ensemble.” She ran off in the direction of the barking dog and their shrieking sister.

“You look happy,” Ethan commented, placing a soft kiss on her forehead.

“So do you,” she replied.

“You make me happy. You both do,” he said with a gentle rub of her belly.

Lauren leaned against him, comfortable and comforted by his mere presence. “By the way, I accepted your friend request on Facebook.”

He threw back his head and let out a huge laugh. “About time.”

She shrugged with a smile of her own. “Yeah, well, I figured you might want to see all the photos I’m going to post of this little peanut.” She rubbed her tummy.

She was beyond happy. She was going to stay in Maine and live with Ethan. They would raise their child with Grams and Gabby around.

Grams.

Lauren eyed her grandmother, who was off to the side, looking toward the lighthouse. Grams had been instrumental in helping Lauren realize her feelings for Ethan. She may think she’d missed out on the love of her life, but Lauren wasn’t willing to let it go quite so easily.

Together with her sisters, maybe they could come up with a plan. Maybe Grams and Cap’s story wasn’t quite over yet.

After all, there were no rules when it came to love.

…

Rose stood off to the side, watching her three granddaughters celebrating. She wore what some might describe as a sly smile.

She’d call it knowing.

So, Lauren thought she was coming back here to check up on her. She gave a little snort. Please. She didn’t need to be babysat.

Now, her oldest grandchild. That was a different story.

Lauren was stubborn, just like she was. She should know. She knew everything about Lauren. Including the fact that the girl would forever do the opposite of whatever she suggested.

Don’t go to that bar.

Don’t date Ethan.

Don’t fall in love.

She couldn’t contain the smirk. She’d pushed her in the exact direction she’d needed to go. People could see that megawatt smile on Lauren’s face from outer space.

Mission accomplished. Rose silently congratulated herself.

To think, she was about to become a great-grandmother. And she would also bet the deed to this house that Lauren was carrying a little boy. But that was something she would keep to herself, since her granddaughter thought she just knew everything there was to know.

She looked off to the lighthouse in the distance. At least someone in this family had found true love. Although, to be fair, she’d found it herself once. A long time ago.

Only, she hadn’t been able to keep it.

The lighthouse held that constant beacon of brightness, as it had for over a hundred years. It was steady and sure. Just like her love for Cap.

Until her recent conversation with Lauren, she hadn’t spoken about him out loud…ever. Her love for him, their relationship, their sad ending—none of it had ever come out of her lips. It was a private and very personal part of her life.

However, now that his name had left her lips, she couldn’t stop thinking about him. To be honest, she thought of him pretty much every day. But lately, it was more than that. It was a yearning like she hadn’t felt since he’d gone missing at sea.

She shook her head, bringing herself back to the moment. Today was a time for celebrating the present and the sweet future ahead. Not for wallowing in the past and the regrets that threatened to consume her.

With a final look at the lighthouse, she turned and walked back to join the party and her granddaughters and the new joy they were bringing back to her life.

Lauren was settling down, and though Rose would never tell her, she was thrilled that she was going to be living here in Seaside Cove.

Gabby was currently showing some of the young kids a dance. A talented dancer, singer, and actress was her Gabby. She’d always been. But as gifted as she was with entertaining, she was an even better cook. Something Rose could definitely push her on. Of course, she needed to get to the bottom of what was happening with her bubbly granddaughter first. Something had happened in New York. There was a story there and a secret. Rose knew she’d eventually get to the bottom of both.

Then there was her Brooke. Of the three of them, she’d always been the most refined and sophisticated. But there was fire under all that lace and manners. For an engaged woman, her eyes didn’t hold the happiness Rose would expect.

She looked from Lauren to Gabby to Brooke… Yes, she would have to give some attention to Brooke. Although, it would be difficult with Brooke returning to Chicago soon.

Rose would have to work on that, too.

Decision made, she walked back to join her family—the new, the old, and the soon-to-be.

The love doesn’t end here…
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