SEB SAID HE wanted to take his time, using her own words against her, saying that the effort they put into their relationship now would make things even better. Any worry that he might back out and break Claire’s heart, he kissed away whenever they could manage to find time together.
This time it was she who was impatient. But they’d worked through so much of their pasts. Together. Going step by step, telling each other their fears.
She’d told him hers—that she was afraid he might walk away from them like Roy had. He’d promised her he was here to stay. And she believed him.
And he’d told her how afraid he was of losing another child, how gutted and lost he’d been after Bleu had died. But despite that, he was willing to open his heart and love again. And Claire already loved him to pieces. They hadn’t yet officially told her that they were together, but she knew. She just let them go on pretending she didn’t. And Rachel loved her for that.
The doorbell to her apartment rang. Frowning, she went to answer it, thinking it might be one of Claire’s friends, until she opened the door.
Seb stood there in shorts and flip-flops.
“Hi. I wasn’t expecting you—or did I forget something?”
“No, but I have a surprise for you. Can you come?”
“Claire isn’t home right now. Is this something she needs to be in on?”
He grinned. “Yes, but not right this second. I want you to see something. It’ll take a couple of hours.”
“So if you’re in casual clothes, I’m assuming I can come as I am?” She glanced down at her gauzy skirt and T-shirt.
“You’re perfect. We’ll be in the sand, so bring shoes you can easily kick off.”
Okay, she had no idea what he needed her to see at the beach, but she did as he said, sliding her feet into the easy-off sandals she’d worn the time they’d made love, and then grabbed her purse. “I’ll text Claire on the way and let her know where I am.”
Once in the car, he headed in the direction of the hospital, which was strange. He’d said they were going to be on the beach. So maybe it was the one out there.
He parked the car, and she noted there were a few people trekking up and down the boardwalk carrying cameras and binoculars. Was there a whale or a school of dolphins out there or something?
“What is it?”
“I want you to see it for yourself.” He got out of the car and came around to unlatch her door. He held his hand out for her.
Seb seemed almost...giddy. And he was never giddy. He could be amused, bemused, sardonic and happy. But giddy?
She climbed out, and he opened the back door to the car and pulled out a pair of his own binoculars and a large towel.
Okay, it definitely had to be a whale or something she wouldn’t normally see, which could be any number of things.
They walked down the boardwalk, and she noticed no one was in the water, which was strange. In fact, there were several people in uniforms directing the few folks that were arriving where to go.
When they got to the end of the boardwalk, one of the uniformed men asked Seb for his name, which he told them. He checked a clipboard and nodded. “Okay, go ahead, but stay behind the yellow tape and keep voices low.”
It was then that she saw stakes with yellow tape snaking down the beach as far as the eye could see. What in the world?
Sebastien took her hand and led her down the line of tape, moving a long way from the boardwalk until they’d almost reached the cabana where they’d made love. That seemed so long ago.
“Did something happen?” she whispered, hoping there wasn’t some kind of tragedy.
“It’s in the process of happening.” He stopped to look through his binoculars for a second before moving forward again. “We’re almost there.”
There were about fifteen people along the tape—at least as far as she could see—a much smaller number than was normal at this time of day.
Sebastien went about fifty more feet, then stopped and spread the towel out. “Let’s sit here.”
She had no idea what was going on, but everyone was looking at something.
Handing her the binoculars, he whispered, “Look toward the cabana about halfway from here to there.”
Putting the binoculars to her eyes, she scanned the water before realizing he hadn’t said to look at the ocean. She felt him behind her, reaching forward to cover her hands with his and helping to guide her line of sight to look at...sand.
Lots and lots of sand.
“I don’t—”
“Just look for a minute.”
He settled himself against her hip as she stared at the white grains, straining to catch sight of whatever it was that he—and everyone else—was looking at.
Something caught her peripheral vision, near one of the flags marking a nesting site. Her gaze shifted slightly to the right as she realized something was moving. And the way it moved was familiar. It was just like...
Oh, God!
It was a baby sea turtle. The tiniest, most precious sight she’d ever seen. She followed its waddling course down the beach as it seemed to move with an unfailing confidence that defied logic.
Or did it?
Hadn’t she and Seb been moving toward each other in the same way? Not knowing why or how, but only knowing it was in their nature to find the other...as surely as a sea turtle sought and found the sea.
A thought struck her, and she pulled down her binoculars to look at him. “Is that...? Is this the same...?”
“The same place we saw that sea turtle lay her eggs?” He nodded. “Yes. That is the exact nest.”
Rachel’s eyes filled with tears. Who knew between the time that that mama turtle had laid her eggs and the time they hatched that so much would have changed between her and Sebastien? And she loved him. So very much.
He reached forward and used his thumb to wipe a stray tear, just as something was being pressed into her other hand.
Her heart stopped, eyes widening.
Sebastien gave her a slow smile. “I wanted to wait for the perfect moment. And that moment is now.”
She set the binoculars on the towel and looked down at her hand. In it was a small jeweler’s box. She swallowed, her gaze swiveling from it to Seb.
He took her chin in his hand and tilted her head, placing a gentle kiss on her mouth. “I didn’t have your dad’s number to call and ask him. But I did talk to Claire before doing this. We talked about quite a few things.”
“Her sudden trip to a friend’s house?”
“Yes. That was me. I didn’t know exactly when the hatch would start, so when I heard, I had to act fast.”
She gulped. “A-and Claire—what did she say?”
“She said yes. To both things. As long as you did, too.”
“Both things?” She had no idea what the second thing was, but cupping the tiny box in both palms, she looked at him. “Seb...are you sure? You said you wanted to take it slow.”
“I realized a couple of weeks ago that this has been a long time coming. Maybe even since that first night we spent together. I don’t think I could have gone any slower, do you? I love you, Rach. I always will.”
Unable to speak, she looked at the box and snapped open the lid, revealing a beautiful blue gemstone surrounded by tiny diamonds. The color was the same clear hue as the ocean, and she had no doubt that Sebastien had chosen it with that in mind.
And he was right. This was the perfect time. Like those turtle eggs, which had gone from being tiny embryos to fully formed beings that were ready to start their lives, Seb and Rachel’s love had gone through the same cycle. They were ready to move forward to the next stage. She was ready. And it was all because of Seb’s love.
“So what do you say? I promised Claire I would text her as soon as I had your answer.” He grinned, that one crooked tooth filling her heart with love. She didn’t need a perfect smile. Or a perfect man. Because she had her own little imperfections. And despite them, Sebastien Deslaurier loved her. And she loved him.
“I say yes.”
The second the words left her mouth, Seb grabbed her to him, kissing her for a long, long time. When he finally let her go, he leaned forward and whispered, “Thank you. Because my yes to Claire would have been a little harder without your yes.”
She blinked, having no idea what he was talking about. “What did you say yes to?”
Seb took the ring from the box and slid it onto the fourth finger of her left hand.
“She asked me if I could be her father and to make it official. I said yes. I want to adopt her. If it’s okay with you.”
Her throat worked, but no sound came out. Instead, she threw her arms around him, burying her face in his neck.
He seemed to understand what she was trying to get across, because he squeezed her to him and said, “Thank you.”
His words opened the door to a gift more precious than anything she could have imagined—the love of a man who would be there for her. And for Claire. Always. No matter what the cost. No matter what came their way. Like those tightly packed grounds of coffee that only revealed their true flavor when the waters of life rushed through them, her love for Seb was the same. It was strong and enduring and incredibly rich.
And it always would be.