Sailing at Sunset

by Cindi Madsen

  She squeezed his hand, sending a jolt all the way up his arm to settle in the center of his chest, and then took the bottle from him.

  Josh cleared his throat. “I christen thee…” He yanked off the tarp, revealing the gold lettering he’d spent hours getting just right. But instead of looking at the boat’s new name, he watched for Danae’s reaction, much like he’d done throughout their journey together.

  Tears welled in Danae’s eyes as she studied the gold lettering. As opposed to the staring she’d done at Josh’s Evite, instead of not blinking, she blinked, blinked, blinked.

  But the gold lettering spelled out the same word she’d originally seen, leading her to believe it wasn’t a mirage.

  Josh stood and flashed her a smile, and the jagged pieces of her heart smoothed and mended until every part of her shimmered as brightly as the letters that made up the boat’s name.

  “You’re supposed to say the name aloud,” Josh whispered. “Then we break the bottle and finish the ceremony.”

  Sure, if she could manage to speak without bursting into tears. Happiness tingled through her entire body, and she felt her dad, up in the heavens, looking down on her. She swore she even felt a nudge that seemed to say You’re on the right path, NaeNae.

  “We christen thee Polaris, after the everlasting North Star,” she said past the lump in her throat. “May you guide this ship the way you have guided sailors since the dawn of time.”

  Expelling a shallow breath, Danae brought the bottle down on the bow of the ship, next to the leafy branch that symbolized a safe return. The bottle cracked and wine sparkled out in a spray, splatters coating her fancy pumps and leaving the tops of her feet slightly sticky.

  “Now, George,” Josh said, snagging two glasses of champagne from the table and handing one to her.

  “Hear, hear!” George raised his glass, and everyone in attendance toasted to Polaris.

  The entire evening felt like a dream, one Danae had almost missed because she’d been afraid. She’d worried that if she showed up and things went poorly, she’d have to say goodbye to the possibility of herself and Josh forever. Thank goodness for her team, who’d shown up and insisted she go along. She raised a glass to them, too, and they all seemed to be cheering just for her.

  Vanessa was filming, of course, so they’d undoubtedly be social media stars in a few minutes.

  Stars.

  “I can’t believe you changed the name from Solitude to Polaris.”

  “Well, someone made me realize that solitude might not be what I’m after. Plus, Polaris is the ultimate gold star.” Josh grinned, and a euphoric haze settled over Danae. From now on, happiness was going to factor into more of her decisions. More of her planning.

  Josh took her glass and set it and his aside. Then he slipped an arm around her lower back and turned them to face the bay. Pink, purple, and orange streaked the sky, the colors melting into the reflection of the water, the breathtaking setting an excellent match for an amazing night.

  Danae turned her head and locked on to eyes as blue as the morning sky. Her breath caught at the amount of affection reflected there, barely able to fathom it was aimed at her.

  “You’re my Polaris,” Josh said, and time screeched to a halt as he curled her closer.

  Anticipation shivered through her, tethering her to this moment and this man. At long last, his lips met hers, the mix of prickly scruff and tenderness igniting countless sparks that built and built, until every inch of her burned with the intoxicating blaze.

  Suddenly she felt weightless. Thanks to the firm arm banded around her lower back she was unconcerned, delighted to give in to the thrill of Josh dipping her. As if it couldn’t help itself, her heeled foot popped up, and then they presented the ideal image of a passionate kiss against the backdrop of a gorgeous sunset.

  Later, once the party wound down, she knew they’d sail off toward the horizon and start their own perfectly imperfect version of happily ever after.

  Epilogue

  Danae walked the now-familiar trail in the Little Bay Conservation Area with Josh at her side. For their six-month anniversary, she’d taken off Thursday and Friday so they could revisit places from their first sailing trip, where they’d begun their journey of falling in love.

  Most weekends they alternated between hanging out at her beloved cottage and his cherished ship, the Polaris. Like the North Star, it had never steered them wrong.

  One thing she loved about their relationship was that they made each other better. With Josh, she could relax and be more spontaneous. She trusted him wholly, with her well-being, with her evenings and weekends, and most of all, with her heart.

  Josh had learned to send her texts letting her know when to expect him—within a twenty-to thirty-minute window, since the ocean didn’t always comply. He checked in when he arrived at ports with WiFi, because he understood she worried about him, and he always, always answered her emails.

  Eventually.

  “By the way, did you buy a present for Jane’s baby shower yet?” Josh asked, and she dodged a branch that breached the trail. “The alert went off in our calendar, and I couldn’t remember if you were going to choose something, or if we needed to go shopping tomorrow first thing.”

  “Not only did I pick up several adorable baby girl outfits, they’re wrapped and ready to go. That way, when we get home late tonight, we won’t have to worry about it. We can sleep in and still be on time.”

  Using his grip on her hand, Josh drew her close and wrapped his arms around her. “Have I mentioned how much I love and appreciate you lately?”

  “It’s been at least a couple of hours,” she said with a laugh.

  He rested his forehead against hers, much like the first time he’d brought her on this very trail. Only unlike that first time, he followed up the move with a kiss.

  She lingered a moment, enjoying the embrace and soaking in his profile and his scent and everything about being with Josh Wheeler. “Have I mentioned how much I love going on adventures with you lately? Both planned and unplanned.”

  “Although you prefer the planned,” Josh said, brushing his nose against hers and kissing her cheek.

  “Well, of course. But I’m typically okay with the unplanned now, so that’s progress, right?”

  “Right,” he said. Then they hiked the last few yards to the bench that overlooked the bay.

  Even though she’d been here a handful of times, her breath still caught at the amazing view. She heard Josh behind her, lowering his backpack to the bench and rustling around in it for something.

  Probably a snack. The guy was always hungry, and she’d learned the one thing he was great at being prepared for was snack time.

  “We can eat our granola bars in a minute,” she said. “Now’s for enjoying the view. If you want to, I mean—you get what I’m saying. No pressure or anything. It’s just an incredible view.”

  “Oh, I’m enjoying the incredible view. It’s just that I made a firm plan, so…”

  She glanced back to see what he was talking about, figuring he’d packed a heartier snack than the granola bars she’d slipped inside.

  Josh was down on one knee, a black velvet box in his upraised palm. “Danae Danvers, from the first email you sent me, I knew my life would never be the same. I didn’t know all the ways you’d change me—I’m a go-with-the-flow guy, in case you were wondering.” He punctuated his statement with a grin she returned.

  Inside, her heart went pitter patter, and she told herself not to fast-forward the here and now and begin making plans. This moment was one she wanted to live in for a while. “I’ll put a reminder in my planner. Maybe add a sticker.”

  His low laugh drifted over to her and reverberated deep in her soul. “The past six months have been the best months of my life. I’ve learned to embrace other journeys beside sailing. Learned that I’m capable
of so much love that I sometimes fear I’ll implode from it.”

  “Like a star?” She bent at the waist and cupped his cheek. “Don’t worry, I’ll hold you together. No matter what.”

  “Yet another thing I love about you. The first time I brought you here, I told you about how I’d made one of the biggest decisions of my life as I sat on this bench, one where I was going to focus on living my best, happiest life. And you, Danae Danvers, make me so happy.

  “As I said the night of our boat christening…” The lid of the box opened with a snap, revealing a diamond ring that winked in the sun.

  Danae loved how he referred to the boat as theirs, and she’d begun referring to her cottage as theirs, too. They’d fully merged their lives, and while she believed that meant Josh would be willing to fully settle down one day, she hadn’t pushed.

  Truth be told, neither of them felt like they’d settled. They’d elevated and enhanced both of their lives by building each other up and weathering the storm of life together. She’d told herself if that was all that ever came from their relationship, she’d consider herself very fortunate.

  But this…? The sweetest, most exquisite joy washed away every worry she’d ever had about her future. Their future.

  Josh cleared his throat, and with his emotions cracking, hers crumbled altogether. “You’re my Polaris. My North Star. My everything. I’m completely and utterly in love with you. Will you marry me?”

  Danae fell to her knees—they were going to give out on her anyway. Plus, this way she could throw her arms around Josh’s neck. “Yes,” she said as happy tears spilled down her cheeks. “Yes, I’ll marry you, Josh Wheeler.”

  He pulled back enough to slip the ring on her finger, and she whispered I love you onto his lips as they sealed the proposal with a kiss.

  The End

  Acknowledgments

  Thanks to the entire staff at Hallmark Publishing. To my editor, Stacey Donovan, for her boundless optimism and amazing edits. You’re an absolute joy to work with, not to mention you’ve made some of my biggest dreams come true. The members of my awesome small town think I’m famous after being on Home & Family, and everyone there made me feel like I was a star, even if not the best cook. LOL. Thanks to Eunice Shin, and all the other people at Hallmark who help get my book into readers’ hands.

  The people who always sacrifice and support me the most as I write a book are my amazing family. To my husband and kids, thank you for being so supportive, even when I talk about my characters like they’re real people (because they are). Thanks for trying to keep up with the plotlines of several books at once. Thanks even more for all the help around the house and for making dinners and encouraging me to keep going, even on the hard days.

  Shout out to my agent of awesomeness, Nicole Resciniti. You’re a rock star, and I can’t thank you enough for all you’ve done for my career. Thank you for your guidance and perseverance and for comforting me when my world’s on fire. Xoxo.

  To my two amazing besties, who also have to keep up with multiple plotlines. Gina L. Maxwell and Rebecca Yarros, thanks for the chats and the writing sprints, and for being my rocks when it comes to writing and lifeing.

  Last, but certainly not least, thank you to my readers for supporting my books and sending me lovely messages that keep me going. Find me on Facebook, where you can tag along on my adventures, including burning my dinners, experiencing lots of mom fails, and managing to generate a whole lot of awkwardness.

  And thank YOU, dear reader, for picking up this book. You also help make dreams come true.

  Crunchy Salmon Cakes

  A Hallmark Original Recipe

  In Sailing at Sunset, Josh, Danae, and Danae’s coworkers enjoy a lot of delicious seafood on their chartered sailboat tour of New England. When Josh takes them all to his favorite restaurant and Danae tries the salmon cakes, she declares, “This might be the best thing I’ve ever eaten. Ever.” If you make our Crunchy Salmon Cakes for friends or family, they might just say the same thing.

  Prep Time: 15 minutes

  Cook Time: 10 minutes

  Serves: 8

  Ingredients

  2 cups flaked, cooked red salmon (2 15.5 oz. cans), skin and bones removed, drained

  1/2 cup fine cracker crumbs

  1 large egg, lightly beaten

  1/2 cup celery, chopped

  1/4 cup red onion, chopped

  1/4 cup red pepper

  1/4 cup yellow pepper

  2 tablespoons parsley, minced

  1 1/2 teaspoon capers, drained

  Dash hot sauce

  1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

  3/4 teaspoon crab seasoning

  1/4 teaspoon salt

  1/4 teaspoon black pepper

  1/2 cup mayonnaise

  1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

  2 tablespoons butter

  2 tablespoons oil

  Preparation

  Combine all ingredients except for butter and oil.

  Divide into 8 equal portions and form into patties

  Heat 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon oil in a non-stick frying pan.

  In batches of four, cook salmon cakes for 4-5 minutes on each side over medium heat, or until browned. Repeat with the rest of the butter and oil and cook the other four cakes.

  When cooked, set onto a paper towel lined plate to catch any extra oil.

  Serve hot with Remoulade Sauce.

  Thanks so much for reading Sailing at Sunset. We hope you enjoyed it!

  You might like these other books

  from Hallmark Publishing:

  Country Hearts

  In Other Words, Love

  A Simple Wedding

  A Cottage Wedding

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  About the Author

  Cindi Madsen is a USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance and young adult novels. She sits at her computer every chance she gets, plotting, revising, and falling in love with her characters. She has way too many shoes but can always find a reason to buy a pretty new pair, especially if they’re sparkly, colorful, or super tall. She loves music and dancing and wishes summer lasted all year long. She lives in Colorado (where summer is most definitely NOT all year long) with her husband, three children, an overly dramatic tomcat, and an adorable one-eyed kitty named Agent Fury.

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  Chapter One

  Paige Westmoreland was on the verge of pulling off the impossible. Most of the wedding planners who came before her swore it couldn’t be done, and there had been a few times (two particular flaming disasters came to mind) when she’d also doubted its possibility. But here she was, about to manage the perfect wedding.

  Pride swirled inside her as she stood in front of the two-story wall of windows and looked out over the manicured gardens the way a painter stood in front of her masterpiece. Sure, it might be a little premature to claim it yet. The bride hadn’t even walked down the aisle, for goodness’ sake. But she had a good feeling about this one. After forty-seven attempts, this was the first time she’d ever gotten this far without so much as a hiccup. Every single box on her pre-wedding checklist was marked off, the kitchen was fully staffed and running right on schedule, and the bride and groom, along with everyone they considered important to their wedding, were in excellent health and fantastic moods. From where Paige stood, she could almost see the glittering pot of gold at the end of the proverbial rainbow. And since the bride of this p
articular wedding was her best friend’s cousin, it made the victory that much sweeter.

  She drew in a deep breath, letting the joy of the perfect day sparkle through her. In her opinion, especially on days like today, she had the best job in the world. Every weekend, and the occasional weekday, she got to see love win. And, as an added bonus, she had the privilege of doing it in Hilltop, the charming resort town nestled in the heart of the Texas Hill Country.

  Paige ran through the timeline for this particular wedding in her mind. Ten minutes until the groom and his men took their spots and the wedding processional started. Twelve and a half minutes until the bride walked down the aisle at exactly five o’clock. Which meant…

  “I made it.” The jovial voice echoed through the otherwise empty room, but even this didn’t surprise her. She typed 8:30 into the timer on her tablet and pressed start before she looked up at the latecomer.

  Aiden Pierce strolled across the marble floor of Hilltop Resort’s famed wedding pavilion, The Chateau. He had the laidback gait and easy smile of someone for whom life always seemed to work out, and the sight of him brightened Paige’s already sunny day.

  “Cutting it a little close, aren’t you?” She gave Aiden a hard time because that’s the kind of friendship they had, but inside her pride beamed with such force she wondered if it made her glow. She’d planned this wedding so perfectly that she’d even anticipated his late arrival. Earlier, she’d caught wind that Aiden’s golf game on the resort’s course was going to be a close finish, and since he was the bride’s cousin, she’d prepared a way to sneak him to the front row where his family was seated with minimal disruption.

  Aiden tied his sapphire tie as he walked, not bothering to speed up his lazy pace. “The bride hasn’t walked down the aisle yet. Therefore, I’m not late.”