Six months later . . .
“Fifteen minutes to Bayberry Island, Mr. Ravelle.”
Nat looked up from his shooting budget and smiled. “Thank you very much, John.”
“Beautiful June day out here. Water is as smooth as glass.”
“Yes, it is.” Nat began to gather his things, tapping his shirt pocket to make sure he had his sunglasses.
“Staying on for good? I think you told me last time that you hoped to be. Will you be here for the whole summer? Will you be here for the Mermaid Festival?”
“I will, John.”
“Will your family be coming?”
“Yes. They’ll all be here in August for festival week.”
“That’s lovely. Very nice people, your family.”
“Thank you.”
“How’s Annie doing? I got to chat with her the last time she was on her way to Boston to catch a plane to see you. She tells me that Los Angeles is more than six hours away by jet! I’ve never been much of a flyer myself. I prefer to travel by sea, you know.”
Nat smiled again. Yes, he did know. In fact, by now the only thing about John that remained a mystery was his preferred brand of underwear, and the ferry conductor seemed dangerously close to revealing even that before they reached the public dock.
Just then, a little boy and his mother ran for exit, the kid clearly suffering from seasickness.
John puffed out his chest and pulled on his belt. “Tourists,” he whispered to Nat, rolling his eyes. “Anyway, welcome home, Mr. Ravelle. Nice chatting with you, as always. Give Annie my regards.”
“I certainly will. Take care of yourself, John.”
Nat grabbed his carry-on and tugged the strap of his laptop case across his chest. He’d shipped the last of the remaining boxes from LA before he caught his flight. His Truly Weird coworkers, neighbors, and friends had thrown him a going-away party two nights before. He wouldn’t lie to himself. He would miss some things about LA, and he’d definitely miss his friends. But he’d already hired a few of them to work with him on the mermaid documentary, and they’d be joining him later in the summer. The rest of them were so charmed by Annie, and by tales from Bayberry Island, that they were all planning to visit.
Nat stepped out onto the passenger deck, the sea spray hitting his face as the sun beat down on his skin. He breathed deeply, filling his lungs with salt and wind. He heard the cry of seagulls and the beat of the ferry against the ocean. As the engine slowed, he opened his eyes. He saw her right away, and his heart somersaulted in his chest. Each time he returned, he was happier to see her. Each time, he loved her more. And very soon now, everything would change.
As he waved to Annie, his cell phone rang. He ran back inside so he could hear.
“Everything’s ready,” Rowan said. “We’ve got the champagne. We’ll be hiding in the bushes on the other side of the fountain. Is the ferry on time?”
“Yep. Just pulling in now.”
“Great. See you in about ten minutes. Hey, Nat?”
“Yes?”
“I—” She sniffed. “Never mind.”
“Ah, man, Row. You’re not crying, are you? Nothing’s even happened yet!”
“I know. I know. I’ll pull it together. It’s just that I’m so happy for Annie! For you! It’s just such a happy day! She’s going to be so surprised!”
“I sure hope so. Thank you, Rowan. See you in a few.”
Nat put the phone away and checked his pants pocket for the velvet box. It was there. And this was it.
Moments later, Nat stepped onto the dock, and Annie threw herself into his arms. He lifted her up and held her against him for a long time, so tightly that he was afraid he would hurt her.
“I’ve missed you so much, Annie.” Nat buried his nose in her fragrant hair, kissing her neck again and again. He let her slide to her feet so he could kiss her properly. Her lips were sweet and soft against his. When she moaned into his mouth, he felt himself being pulled into a vortex of love and happiness powerful enough to drown a weaker man.
“Let’s take a walk to the square,” Nat said. “I hear the mermaid is pretty spectacular when the fountain is up and running.”
Annie smiled at him. “She positively glistens.”