Page 130 of Second Chance at Sunshine Inn

“Fine. I’ll go first.” Cade licked his lips and then stood up to his full height. “Everleigh, when I met you, I had given up on everyone. Serena had broken our engagement, and my business partner had run our restaurant into the ground.”

She nodded. “You told me the night of the storm.”

“I was bitter that Alana had left the inn to you and me, and I had to negotiate plans with you. I was also angry when I found out that my mother had been lying to me all of my life when she told me I was an only child.” The tremor in his voice made her throat thicken. “But somehow, you managed to break down the wall I’ve spent years building around my heart.”

She sniffed and rubbed her eyes.

“When I had given up on everyone and thought I was completely alone, you showed up. You’ve taught me how fun, exciting, and amazing life can be. And as much as I thought I could let you walk out of my life, once you left, my heart was ripped to shreds. I’m tired of being alone. I’m tired of being bitter and resentful all the time.”

Her eyes started to sting, and she wiped them. His words were music to her ears.

He threaded his hand with hers, and she enjoyed the feel of his warm skin. “I have something for you.”

He steered her through the parking lot to his truck. He opened the passenger door and pulled out a lovely wooden planter bearing a handwritten plaque that said “In Loving Memory of Alana McFadden,” along with the year she was born and the year she passed away.

“Cade!” she gasped. “You made this?”

He nodded. “For you.”

“Oh, Cade. I-I don’t know what to say.” She rested her hand on his hard chest. “Thank you.”

“You were so upset the day you had to tell that guest that Alana had died. You were crying on the swings, and I wanted to make you something to always keep in memory of her. You can plant her favorite flowers in it.”

“Gerbera daisies,” they said in unison.

Then Cade took the planter from her and set it back in the truck before taking her hands in his. “Everleigh,” he began, “there’s so much I want to say to you, but my mind is a jumbled mess right now.” He shook his head. “Thank you for helping me learn how to trust again and how to love again. You’ve always believed in me even when I didn’t believe in myself.”

He paused, and she sniffed as tears rolled down her hot cheeks. “Icame here to stop you from leaving, but if you really want to go to Atlanta, I’ll understand. M-maybe I can survive without you, Everleigh, but I don’t want to.” He cupped his hand to her cheek. “You’re the most brilliant, funny, adorable, irritating, infuriating, beautiful, exciting woman I’ve ever known. I want to spend the rest of my life showing you how to cook and arguing with you about dumb things.”

She laughed.

“When I read the letter Alana wrote to you, l remembered something important. The last time Alana was admitted to the hospital, she asked me to make a promise.”

“What was it?” Everleigh asked, searching his eyes.

“She said, ‘Promise me you’ll find your sunshine. Don’t keep your heart closed forever.’” He paused and sniffed. “That’s you, Everleigh. You’re my sunshine. You opened my heart, and you’re the brightest light I’ve ever seen.”

She gasped as more tears streamed down her cheeks.

“You said Alana is our guardian angel, and she had given each of us half of the inn so we could make our dreams come true. I think you got part of that right,” he continued. “She’s definitely our guardian angel, butherdream was for us to meet. She wanted to set us up because she saw something inside us that would bind us together.” He swallowed, and his eyes glittered. “Don’t leave me, Everleigh. I’m begging you because... because I love you.” His voice was husky. “And if you still want to go, then please, let me go with you.”

“Cade,” she whispered through her tears. “I feel like I’m dreaming because I love you too.”

He dipped his chin and brushed his lips over hers. Her knees buckled, and she wrapped her arms around his neck and savored the thrill of his mouth against hers. She’d imagined his kiss so many times, but her fantasies paled in comparison to reality. As she leaned deeper into him, she felt like she was floating on a cloud.

When he released her, she held on to him for balance. “Cade,” she began, sounding breathy, “you’ve been my strength through everything, and I’m so grateful for how you literally held me up and protected me on the night of the storm.” She traced her finger over his amazing jaw, then ran her hand through his sandy hair.

“I thought you’d given up on me, Cade. You acted like you didn’t care that we’d sold the inn or that I was leaving. When I told you about the offer, I hoped you’d ask me to stay. But instead, you completely shut down. As if you’d retreated into the man you were when I first met you. I thought you didn’t care about me.”

“I’m so sorry, Everleigh. I didn’t understand until earlier today that you were hoping I would reject the offer. I was trying to protect myself from getting hurt again, but I wound up hurting you instead.” His eyes searched hers. “Tell me we can be together. We can stay in Coral Cove, or I’ll go to Atlanta with you.”

“I don’t want to go to Atlanta,” she said. “I want to live in Coral Cove to be near you and my family. And I want to help you grow the B&B just like you and Alana planned. She’s our guardian angel, after all. She orchestrated all of this. And I’m honored to be your sunshine because you’re mine too, Cade.”

He smiled and moved his thumb along her cheek, making every cell in her body leap to life. “Think we can hold on to the B&B and start a nonprofit at the same time?”

“How?” She searched his eyes.

“We’ll hold fundraisers. My mom has participated in them before. Artists donate their pieces, people bid on them, and the money goes to the charity. Or we can auction off vacations at the inn. My brother is in finance, and I bet he’d offer his advice. I’ll sell my motorcycle if I have to. I’ll sell everything I own.” He took her hands in his again. “We can make this work, Everleigh. Let’s turn down the Newtons’ offer, keep the inn, and start the nonprofit together.”

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