Page 30 of Liberty

I followed the GPS directions, pulling into a cute little apartment complex. I kept an eye on the apartment numbers until I saw the right one.

I pulled into a parking spot.

As I did, the door of one of the apartments opened.

Libby came running out.

She was just as beautiful as I remembered.

I opened the door of the Chevelle and stepped out, opening my arms. She almost leapt into them, laughing as she hugged me.

Nothing had changed.

I held her tight, kissing the top of her head. She pressed her face to my chest, mumbling something that I couldn’t make out.

“What was that?”

She lifted her head and grinned at me. “I love you.”

I blinked.

And then I smiled.

“I love you, too, Libby.”

Epilogue

Libby

One Year Later

I woke up alone in Cooper’s suite.

Now, though, it was fine. It was normal. I liked to sleep a little later than he did, although that was going to change soon—my first class at the community college near the resort started at eight, so I’d be waking up at five with Cooper soon.

I went out to the kitchen to find a cup of coffee in my favorite mug, like always, and one of his shirts draped over the back of the couch. I pulled it on, buttoning it enough to be decent, and walked out to the balcony.

The sun was starting to come up, the sky purple and pale orange. I leaned against the rail of the balcony to look out over the water.

Even from this distance, I could pick him out of the group of guys surfing—he was the tallest, and his board was bright orange.

I smiled as I watched him paddle out, catch a wave, and ride it back to shore.

He came to a stop and picked his board up, stepping back to let one of the other guys take the next one.

As he waited, he turned and looked up toward the balcony.

He raised one arm, waving it above his head.

I laughed and waved back, then leaned on the rail again.

The sparkle on my finger caught my eye—the engagement ring he’d given me a month ago, diamonds surrounding a sapphire the color of the Gulf waters.

This coming Fourth of July was going to be a special one. The resort would still hold its bash; the Cruise-In would still happen, with Cooper’s Chevelle leading the parade this year.

But it would also be the weekend of our wedding, a private event on the beach before the party.

Exactly what I wanted.

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