Page 85 of The Magic of Sea Glass
“That’s great,” she said, admiring his handiwork.
“And this footstool opens up.” He unclipped the latch and pulled out the leaves of a full-size breakfast table, lacquered like his boxes.
She ran her fingers over it. “You did all this?”
His toned chest puffed out proudly. “Yep.”
“I shouldn’t be surprised,” she told him. “But even still, I am. You never cease to amaze me.”
“I’m glad you like it.” He took her hands. “But I think it needs one more thing.”
“What’s that?”
He looked into her eyes with a mischievous sparkle, a bolt of excitement swimming through her. “You.”
“Me?”
“I’d like you to go with me across the country. We could see it all, from the mountains to the deserts and everything in between. I want you with me.”
A pulse of hope shot through her, but then she considered what it would mean to go with him. “I can’t leave Mary and the inn.”
“Yeah, I thought about that. What if I told you that I’ve figured out how to get her some help just while we’re gone?”
Lauren waited for the explanation, wondering how he’d managed that.
“Stephanie’s job is only part-time and she told me once, a long time ago, that she’d love to work at the inn. I explained what I was going to suggest to you and I asked her if she’d want to fill in for you. She said she would.”
Suddenly, Lauren’s future stretched out in front of her in a way it never had before. Mason’s voice floated into her mind:…sell it all and travel the world.He was giving her a little push to do even more of the things he’d planned for them, and to do them with someone wonderful.
“I’d love to,” she said.
Brody scooped her up into his arms and spun around in the little space, making her laugh. Real joy that she hadn’t known was possible filled her. He set her down, put his hands on her face, and kissed her lips. “What have you done to me?” he asked softly, his eyes opening.
Instead of an answer, she kissed him again, knowing she hadn’t done a thing. Finding him had changed them both.
She pulled back. “When do we leave?”
“Well, I only have a few date-specific reservations, so it’s really up to you. Do you have any renovations that you want to get done before we set off?”
“The sand’s being brought in next week and Dave’s going to want to film that when he does my final interview. And they’re redoing the parking lot in a couple days.”
“How about we leave right after that? Would that give you enough time to get the ball rolling so that Stephanie can oversee the construction?”
“Yes. All I have to do is finalize everything. Stephanie can keep me posted on progress. We could probably leave next week.”
He picked her up again in excitement, nuzzling her neck and making her squeal. “Let’s call Stephanie right now and tell her.”
She wriggled free, giggling. “Let’s go inside and talk to Mary so she knows about our plan. Then we can call Stephanie.”
They stepped out of the Winnebago and he stopped her. “Oh, I forgot.” Brody dug into his pocket and pulled out a shiny green object. “I found it this morning while I was fishing. I was nervous about asking you to come on the trip with me, but when I saw it, I took the boat straight home, got in the Winnebago, and drove over.” He took her hand and placed a piece of sea glass in her palm. “Green for go.” He winked at her.
With a plume of delight, Lauren held the glass up to the sun, admiring the sparkle of it. “Green for go,” she repeated with a nod to Mason. Then she took Brody’s hand, and, together, they stepped into their future.
EPILOGUE
Lauren’s heart felt as if it might explode at the sight of the small crowd of family and friends that had gathered by the Winnebago. Melinda and Chuck were there, along with Mary, Joe, Mitchell, and Stephanie.
“Everything’s packed.” Lauren dropped her bags at Brody’s feet as everyone inched closer to see them off. Milton barked from inside the vehicle, his head hanging over the open back window, his tail wagging furiously. “I’ve brought a few outfits for each season, just to be safe. You’ve got a washer and dryer in there, right?”
