“You and Haley read my private words. Still, it was just a screenplay. I wanted to write an ending that was worthy of a romance movie like all the ones I’d watched on television. I know you’re right about one thing. Men don’t fall head over heels in love with science researchers. We’re the quirky sidekick friend, that’s all.”
He braces my chin in his hand. “I’d never read your words unless you asked me to.”
“You didn’t read—” My eyes widen. “How did you—”
“Haley was angry, but she loves you, Maggie. She’d never make fun of you to others. I may not know your friends well, but I know they’re thoroughly on your team. Haley wants you to do the work on resilience because she wants her friend back.” He lets go of my jaw and takes my hand in his. “She told me how much she hated seeing you alone in that apartment, grieving for a man who never deserved you in the first place. Those were her words.”
“My friends really did bring me on this cruise to help me.” The thought is almost too much because I know all they sacrificed to get me here. I certainly didn’t come willingly.
“I can’t stand to think of you alone, questioning your data. It breaks what’s left of my heart. You know resilience. You’re here. After your sister, after Jake, even after the way your mother speaks to you. You’re still standing and that proves your strength. You may have lost a lot, but you haven’t lost God. He went before you.”
“They told you about my sister.”
He nods.
“I got the grant for the work on resilience,” I say sheepishly. I never thought it would come through after the disaster at the university.
“You did? Maggie, that’s incredible. Good for you.” His voice changes and shakes a bit, and he looks toward the doors.
My excitement dies at his strange reaction. “I didn’t really get the money, did I?” I let out a haggard breath. “You gave the grant money for the study, didn’t you?”
“Me?”
“No one else I know has that kind of money, and the government hasn’t had my submission long enough. I should have known.” I feel betrayed all over again. “It’s a pity grant. So your sister will have her book.”
“Maggie, I didn’t do anything for my sister. I did it for the woman who reminded my heart to start beating again.” He lifts my hand and presses a kiss to my fingers. I feel faint at his touch.
“You’re a rock star in the happiness-science world. I told you, I can use that information for the companies I fund. I’m not in the business of philanthropy, Dr. Maguire. I don’t back anything if it’s not a sure thing.”
“You think I’m a sure thing?”
“Not only do I think you’re the fastest horse in the race, but if you want to take time off and write a screenplay, why shouldn’t you? We never know how long we have. God gave you the dream for a reason.” Sam starts walking toward the exit doors and pulls me along with him. The surge of adrenaline warms me as we make our break from the masses. “Anyway, I’m honored you’d use my name in the story—even if I was only a place marker.”
“Your loss reminded me of my own.”
He kisses me softly on the temple. “Your sister.”
“Once I remembered her and felt the pain again, it was replaced by joy. That’s when I knew I could write the book on resilience. Forgetting the pain isn’t the answer—feeling the love we had is.”
“Love is always the answer.” He grins. “I have a surprise for you.” He leads me out the double doors and toward the stern of the ship until we reach the open outdoor theater. Stars dot the sky, and floor deck lights lead us to a pair of chaise lounges. They are pushed together and covered with a white, furry blanket and two pillows.
Arvin is there in his tuxedo with a white towel draped over his wrist. “Dr. Maguire. We’ve been waiting for you.” He holds his arm out and motions for me to sit. The entire area has been cordoned off for the two of us—and Arvin.
I lift my skirt and gingerly climb onto the chaise, and Sam places another fluffy blanket over my legs. He pulls the other chaise even closer to mine and cuddles up under the throw beside me. I can feel his warmth beside me, and no gelato on earth ever tasted as good as being next to him feels. It begins to dawn on me that this isn’t the end of Sam Wellington in my life, and I have my pushy, controlling, bossy friends to thank for him.
“This is your movie date,” Sam whispers. “Remember the new movies I brought as your reward?”
“We’re going to watch them out here?” I ask over the lump in my throat. “Under the stars?”
“We’re going to have dinner and a movie, just you and me. No interruptions.”
“You’re going to watch with me?”
“I’ve heard there’s no actual shooting or explosions in this movie, so I may fall asleep, but I’ll be here.”
“So no costume ball?”
“Didn’t you have enough of the costume ball?”
“I don’t think I’ve had enough Sam Wellington.”
“I hope you’ll never have enough of me, Maggie.”
“For being so supposedly intellectual, I’m a slow learner, aren’t I?”
He nods slowly.
I spot Haley and Kathleen on the deck above, waving at me in their ridiculous costumes. “We love you,” they shout in unison before running off and giggling like two little girls.
“Maybe I’m not as smart as I think I am.”
“Maybe you’re not, but I’d love to find out anyway.”
“What if I’m only the bad pancake? The rebound girl?” I ask.
“Impossible. I’m reaching for the stars with you, Maggie.” He puts his arm around me and pulls me close. He presses his lips to mine and the sky bursts with fireworks. Suddenly I don’t want to watch a romantic movie. I never want to wake up from the one I’m living. That’s the thing about resilience. You have to know pain to feel the incredible high of coming back from the darkness.
My overactive brain starts up again. “You live in Northern California, I’m in Southern. The logistics of long-distance relationships—”
“We’re smart enough. We’ll figure that out. I know you love your sappy movies, but I want our story to end slightly more satisfyingly. We’ll write our own ending.”
I laugh, and he tosses off the blanket and leans in to kiss me. “Mr. Wellington . . .”
The vacation in paradise will end soon. I’ll be back at the university scrutinizing the data on happy people. My parents will continue not to allow me to mention my beloved sister, Amy. My friends will continue to make fun of me for my librarian fashion. Sam will live on one side of the state, while I dwell on the other.
Nothing has really changed, except everything is different, covered in the overwhelming wave of love.
The data shows that Dr. Maggie Maguire is finally happy.
Acknowledgments
I’M SO GRATEFUL TO MY EDITOR Lonnie Hull DuPont, who is such a blessing to me. Thank you for taking a chance on this book and for making it better. Thank you to the entire team at Revell and especially Hannah Brinks Korns for keeping me on task. Finally, to Jessica English, who went beyond the call of duty with her edits. Writing is a team effort, and it’s amazing to have an awesome team.
KRISTIN BILLERBECK is a bestselling, award-winning author of over forty-five novels. Her work has been featured in the New York Times and on Today. Kristin is a proud mother of four and a lifelong resident of Silicon Valley, California. When not writing, she enjoys good handbags, bad reality television, and annoying her children on social media.
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The Theory of Happily Ever After Page 27