Hurry up.” Beau gave her rear end a pat as she got in the passenger side of his truck. “We’re going to be late.”
“Late for what? Nothing’s even open.”
With a furtive smile, he closed the door and walked around the truck.
She buckled her seat belt, rubbed her sleepy eyes, and slumped against the seat. Micah had spent the night with her dad, who’d moved to Summer Harbor last month. He’d found a good job at the elementary school, doing custodial work.
When Beau opened his door the dome light came on, bright against the predawn sky. He turned the engine over and spared her a smile as he set his arm across the seat to back from her drive.
“Are you going to tell me why you’re dragging me out of bed at the crack of dawn?”
He winked. “Patience, my love.”
They rode through the darkened town, quiet and empty on the summer morning. There was a little life at the harbor as lobster-men got an early start on their days.
Just past the harbor, across from the rocky beach, he slowed and parallel parked across from the boardwalk. Zip, zip, and he was tucked into the space between a car and a delivery truck.
“Show-off,” she muttered.
“You can’t be good at everything.”
He opened her door, grabbed a quilt from the back of the truck, and pulled her toward the beach. When he found a spot covered with thick sand, he stopped and spread out the blanket.
“It’s a little early for sunbathing,” she said.
“I don’t remember you being so grumpy in the morning,” he teased.
“I didn’t have time for coffee.”
He lowered himself to the blanket and pulled her down in front of him. She settled against his chest, his warmth driving away the chill in the air.
“Madam . . .” He handed her a thermos she hadn’t noticed before.
“Oh, bless you.” She poured the hot brew into the lid, took a sip, and shared with him. Much better.
The smell of the brew mingled with the tangy scent of sea air. The cool breeze fanned her skin, pushing her hair from her face, and the water lapped the pebbled shore. The clouds on the horizon were beginning to brighten, the black fading to dark hues of blue.
A couple months ago she’d mentioned that she’d never watched a sunrise. He seemed intent on being there for all her firsts. The first time she rented a house. The first time she opened her own bank account. The first time she swam in the ocean. She embraced her freedom, and Beau was there, supporting her however he could.
The past four months had been the best of her life. She’d worked hard to grow her business, and she now had enough to sustain her without dipping into her savings too much. Things were going well for the farm too. She’d designed a website—snowy blue with white and silver. It had turned out great, and Beau’s online business was up and running.
Riley had returned home for his ten-day leave after boot camp in March. The time had gone by too fast, and before they knew it he was on his way to Camp Geiger in North Carolina for School of Infantry. He finished that in late May and was now stationed in Afghanistan. They’d heard from him twice so far. The family worried, but he seemed to be thriving as a marine.
Micah was also flourishing. He’d made friends in their neighborhood and was due to start kindergarten in the fall at the school where her dad worked. Her son had started seeing a counselor, and Eden was beginning to see more of the old, carefree Micah once again.
She was experiencing a little of that herself. Beau had been a big part of it. He listened to her when she needed to talk, played with her when she needed to laugh. He called her just to say he missed her and did crazy things like waking her during the predawn hours to watch the sunrise together.
She still struggled with some issues. When he was moody she sometimes felt anxious, and when he got into his caretaker mode, it made her feel smothered. But they talked it out and worked to resolve the issues. Beau was good at solving problems. He had patience. It was her new favorite trait.
He tightened his arms around her, and she snuggled in closer. His breath warmed her temple, sending a shiver down her arms.
He rubbed the gooseflesh away. “Cold?”
“Nope.” She replaced the empty thermos lid and curled her arms around his, perfectly content in his embrace.
Shades of periwinkle appeared in the sky now, swathed in purple. Pink and yellow began washing over the sky. It seemed to grow brighter by the second, the pink glowing so brilliantly it almost hurt her eyes. The colors were reflected in the harbor, turning the water a radiant shade of purple. The light silhouetted the boats moored there, their masts pointing like skinny fingers toward the sky.
Just when she thought the view couldn’t be any more impressive, a sliver of pink slipped over the horizon.
“Beautiful,” she whispered, not wanting to break the spell.
He pressed a kiss to her temple. “New beginnings usually are.”
They watched in silence as the sliver turned into a semicircle, and the semicircle became a glowing pink globe, balanced on the horizon. She was in awe of the beauty. Of the very idea that this happened every morning behind the scenes while she slept.
Beau shifted, his hand leaving her stomach, and she missed it. But it returned a moment later, holding something small and square.
He opened the box, and her eyes widened. She sucked in a breath.
A solitaire diamond winked back, reflecting the pink rays of dawn. She turned and met his eyes, those beautiful brown eyes, focused solely on her.
“I love you, Eden Martelli,” he said in that low, smoky voice. “I love your beautiful smile and the way your laugh brightens the whole room. I love your warm heart and your quiet strength. I love how tender you are with Micah.”
She placed her palm over her aching heart, catching her breath as he continued.
“I want nothing more than to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to cherish you every day. I want to laugh together and celebrate every new beginning together. I want to be Micah’s daddy—and maybe give him a brother or sister or two . . .” His lips kicked up at the corners.
They went flat again as a somber look washed over his eyes. “You’re the love of my life, Eden. Will you marry me?”
“Oh, Beau . . .” He took her breath away. He made her believe in new beginnings and happily-ever-afters.
“I don’t want to rush you. We can be engaged for as long as you want, but you’re it for me. You’re the one. There’ll never be another.”
“Yes,” she breathed. “I want all of that, and I want it with you.”
The smile that curled his mouth was priceless. Love shone in his eyes as he lowered his lips to hers, brushing them ever so tenderly. His kiss was a soft exploration, a confident proclamation, a gentle promise. She absorbed it all, welcomed it, gave it right back.
When his arms tightened around hers she forgot all about the ring. All about the sunrise and the birds awakening nearby. She forgot about everything but the man holding her—the one who’d shown her what love could be. What love was supposed to be.
Another beautiful day had begun. It was the beginning of many more, and she could hardly wait to see what each one held.