Exhausted from our lovemaking, we lay naked in each other’s arms with me still collapsed on top of him for several moments. His thudding heartbeat pulsed against my ear resting on his chest as we remained fused together as one. Quiet peacefulness surrounded us, and I finally felt like I was in the right place in my life. I knew what love was now, and I would never want to be anywhere else ever again.
I knew Louis got off work from a twenty-four-hour shift Saturday morning, but I couldn’t wait to be with him again. I knew I still needed to wait a little while before seeing him, but I couldn’t wait before hearing his voice again, so I punched his number into my phone. I knew he would be home.
“What are you doing?” I asked in an unintentional singsong voice when he answered with a hello.
“I’m packing.” A rustling sound bounced around in the background.
“Oh really? To go where?” Maybe he was planning a getaway for us.
“I think I’m moving.” I gulped for air. He hadn’t mentioned anything about moving. Annapolis was already far enough away from Sandy Cove. I certainly didn’t want him any further away.
“Where are you moving?” I barely managed to squeak out.
“Back to Sandy Cove. You see, there is this girl there that I want to see every day, and living all the way here makes that difficult.” I pressed my palm to my heart and gasped as relief washed over me. “I hope she lets me stay with her until we can find a bigger place together.” His end of the line grew quiet except for a knocking sound. “Hey, Charlie, there is someone at my door. Hang on a second.”
I held my breath as he opened the door. “What are you doing here?” I heard him say.
“I couldn’t wait to see you again.” He pulled the phone away from his ear and grabbed me by the waist to pull me into his apartment.
“This is the best after-work surprise I have ever had.” He looked sexy as hell in his firefighter uniform, while I stood before him in my frumpy pajamas. “I hope you are here to cuddle with me under the covers while I catch a nap before going back to my girlfriend’s apartment.”
“I think I’m dressed for that.” I missed his arms around me last night. I hadn’t slept much, but I knew the moment I was lying next to him, I would once again enjoy a peaceful slumber. I wanted to sleep next to him every night and wake up in his arms every day for the rest of my life.
He locked the door behind me and pulled me toward his bedroom. “Get comfortable under the covers, and I will join you right after I shower.”
I simply nodded and smiled. I knew I wouldn’t fall asleep until he returned from his shower, but I figured I would warm up the bed for him.
I stripped off my clothes once he shut the door of the adjoining bathroom, but instead of scooting beneath the covers of his bed as I originally planned, I pulled open the bathroom door. Without hesitation, I slid open the shower curtain and stepped into the steaming spray of water.
Louis offered me an approving grin. “Charlene Callahan, you don’t have any clothes on.”
We stayed in the shower until the water ran cold and then moved back to the bedroom where we continued our lovemaking. Once our bodies were depleted of all energy, we let ourselves recuperate with a restful slumber. Before Louis fell asleep, he mumbled how much he loved me while simultaneously wrapping his arms around me. I whispered that I loved him too before closing my own eyes. No longer being afraid of our feelings of love for one another has really allowed us the opportunity to connect with each other on a new level. I guess love was exactly what we both needed all along.
Epilogue
Louis
One year later…
As I reflected on this past year, my heartbeat quickened and a warm sensation formed in my throat. There had definitely been a lot of changes. Charlie was in the shower right now in the townhouse we bought six months ago. I’m not sure how we lived in her tiny apartment together for six months, but we managed somehow. I let the lease on my apartment in Annapolis go September first—only days after we had our first date. I knew I wouldn’t live anywhere ever again but with her.
My phone vibrated on my dresser, and I quickly turned it over to see a text from Cam. Text me when you are headed over.
Alright, wing nut. But no more texting me. The last thing I needed was Charlie questioning the cryptic messages from her brother.
Thankfully, I still heard her humming in the shower. She does that. She doesn’t sing, but merely hums. I find the sound incredibly sexy, which is why more times than not, that sound is a precursor to me stripping down and joining her. So right now, even as tempted as I was to jump under the hot spray of water with her, I refrained from doing so because I didn’t want to be late.
She quickly changed into a sundress and sandals. I told her we were going for a walk on the beach and out to dinner. So we dressed casually. I chose a pair of khaki shorts and a gray golf shirt which I paired with sandals as well. After a quick kiss, we climbed into my car and left our driveway to head to the ocean and sand.
We rode with the air conditioning on, rather than having the windows down. It was an exceptionally hot August day. I hoped that the breeze coming from the ocean would cool things off. The last thing I wanted was to have armpit sweat stains during our walk on the beach. Fortunately with the sun descending toward the horizon, the temperature dropped by the time we reached the coast a half-hour drive later.
We left our car and walked hand in hand toward the boardwalk and kicked off our shoes once our feet hit the sand. The sand kicked up behind us and hit our bare legs as we walked along the shoreline. There was still an abundance of people at the beach. It was summertime after all, and the Junebugs don’t leave until after Labor Day. There were still umbrellas dug into the sand, towels thrown askew, and people in the water, as well as on the beach. Maybe this wasn’t a good idea.
I had researched what time sunset would be. I reviewed the weather conditions for precipitation. And I made plans with friends and family. I really wanted this to be perfect, but it definitely wouldn’t be private. There would be an audience wide and long with easily hundreds of people. Maybe all of them would be so involved with themselves that they wouldn’t pay us any attention.
Charlie and I continued to walk along the beach close to the waterline. The waves were lapping around our feet and receding back toward the ocean. The water was warm. It is usually pretty heated by this time of year. May and June yielded cold ocean water, but August and September gave way to the perfect temperature for swimming in the oceanic waters of the Atlantic.
The sun moved down farther toward the horizon and the sky began to change from the brilliant blue to shades of orange, pink, and purple. The colors painted a perfect picture for this moment for us.
Heart palpitations pounded within my chest, an empty feeling developed in the pit of my stomach, and the muscles of my body quivered. I felt more nervous than I ever had in Charlie’s presence. I was usually at ease around her. Being with her had always been natural. She was my childhood friend. I know everything about her, and she knows everything about me. But right now the hand that was holding hers perspired heavily as I thought of what was about to happen. I hope I know her well enough to anticipate she will be happy about my surprise, but I also know what her rejection feels like unfortunately.
I pushed that horrible memory away during this last year, convincing myself that ultimately we ended up together and she loves me. But I have questioned a time or two if she and I are on the same page about life and our future. I don’t know if my heart could withstand being shattered like it did when I was eighteen. No more negative thoughts, Louis. This is going to be a wonderfully happy occasion.
I glimpsed over to Charlie. We hadn’t spoken a word to each other since walking along the beach, but we don’t always have to say anything. We truly just enjoy being together. As I watched her brown hair flying in the breeze, I decided we had walked far enough. We approached an area with very few people, and I decided that brief strip of sand was go
ing to be the place for us.
So I stopped walking and Charlie stood beside me. A glint of wonder shone in her storm-cloud eyes. I pulled her toward me and gently kissed the sensitive skin on the side of her neck while still holding her hand. Realizing I still had my sandals in my other hand, I tossed them into the sand as I kneeled down on one knee.
Charlie tossed her sandals to the side and covered her mouth with a hand, never breaking the grasp I still had on her other hand. I reached into the pocket of my shorts with my free hand trying not to disrupt our magnetic gaze. But of course, I fumbled a little and had to look down to my pocket to retrieve the box wedged in there. That damn velvet box was determined to be as difficult as possible being extricated from the confinement of the lining of my shorts.
She laughed at my blunder, and I relaxed a little. After all, I lived for that laughter of hers. I always have. My favorite is when we laugh together. I am sure one day we will both laugh about this, but today is not going to be that day.
I finally managed to free the damn felt box but before I opened it, I kissed the hand of hers that I was still holding and broke our grasp. When I opened the box to face her, she gasped with her hand still covering her mouth. I hoped that was a happy gasp.
“Charlene Callahan. I have loved you for as long as I can remember. I loved you with pigtails catching fireflies, and with a mouthful of braces, and when you hit a grand slam home run in high school playing softball. I love fishing with you and biking with you. I even love running with you. I want to chase sunsets with you and go on adventures with you. You are the most amazing woman I know, and nothing would make me happier than to spend the rest of my life married to you and raising a family with you. You are the reason I know what love is. You are the reason I believe love is good and kind. I didn’t know where home was for a long time, but now I know home is wherever you are. Please make me the happiest man alive and agree to be my wife. If you say yes, I promise I will spend the rest of my days trying to make you as happy as you make me. So will you marry me, please?”
A moment passed as I held out that velvet box containing the solitaire princess cut diamond ring I intended for Charlie to wear. Tears ran down her cheeks. I hope those are happy tears. Time seemed to tick by for several long moments before she finally nodded.
“I’m going to need to hear you say the word.”
“Yes!” My heart almost exploded from my chest right then. I quickly stood and slipped the ring on her finger. Then I lifted her up, encircling my arms around her waist, and spun her around before letting her down to land on her feet. Clapping broke out, and I turned toward the beach to see onlookers giving us a standing ovation. It felt awkward having a bunch of random Junebugs witness my heartfelt testament of love and proposal.
But I only cared for like half a second. My favorite person agreed to be my wife. Nothing could bring me down from the cloud I was floating on. I figured we might as well give the vacationers a show, so I pulled Charlie in close to me and crashed my lips against hers. Although I refrained from displaying a distasteful open mouth tongue tangling kiss with my fiancée, the kiss still showed passion.
We grabbed our sandals we had thrown along the sand and retreated back to our car. I had dinner reservations after all. We drove to the Solar Sea restaurant along the Coastal Highway and managed to find the last spot available in the parking lot. They were busy. Thank goodness I called for a reservation several days ago.
We walked into the restaurant hand in hand and we were quickly ushered to our table in the back room where we were greeted with a loud shout of “Surprise!” by our closest friends and family. I had managed to text Cam “On my way” when Charlie brushed the sand off her legs before she hopped back into the car.
Charlie’s eyes sparkled and her light golden skin was glowing with radiance. I had wanted a private proposal, but I wanted to tell everyone immediately afterward. So it made sense to invite everyone out to celebrate with us.
Cam, of course, greeted us first. “I always knew you two would end up together.” He clapped me on the back and gave Charlie a quick hug.
“Oh, you did not,” she quipped back at him. “You only recently became a gooey romantic since dating Alexis.”
Cam shrugged and pulled Alexis from the group walking close by. He smacked a loud kiss on her mouth and she giggled. “Congratulations. We are very happy for you.” We thanked Alexis before Cam pulled her away, probably to go make out somewhere. They have been together for nearly a year, much to the dismay of Charlie’s female colleagues. There was quite a ruckus when Cameron Callahan was suddenly off the market. I was sure many girls had broken hearts over that announcement. Alexis is a good friend to Charlie, and she fits in with our little circle, so I am happy Cam found her.
Travis and Claudette moved toward us next. They were part of our circle of friends, too. They had both said that their relationship was completely platonic, but I felt like something else may have been developing there. They seemed to complement each other nicely. They both gave their congratulations to us and then advanced toward the seafood buffet the restaurant was famous for. Maybe once Travis was ready to move on, their relationship would evolve into something more, I thought to myself as I watched them walk away together side by side.
The Callahans gave bear hug embraces to both of us. John and Rita Callahan stood before us as the physician-attorney power couple that raised Claudette and the twins. They were a true testament to a good marriage and family. I want to be just like them when I grow up. John stood the same height as Cam with the same hazel eyes. Rita has the same wavy dirty blond hair Claudette does and the same gray eyes Charlie inherited. They have always been like a second set of parents to me, and my heart is full of gratitude that someday my kids will get to have them as grandparents.
My mom and dad approached us afterward and hugged both Charlie and me. They remain good friends, and I can’t say that isn’t still weird. But they both seem happy, so I guess that is all that’s important.
“I told him when he found someone that was his friend and made his heart skip a beat, he should marry her,” my dad said and glanced in Charlie’s direction. She blushed, and it was adorable.
“I just hope I can make Louis as happy as he makes me Mr. Coleman.” She put her arm around my waist, and I felt as big as the world. Even though my parents’ marriage didn’t last, I had no worry about us. Charlie and I would be together always. Our love is so powerful, it could conquer the world if necessary. I couldn’t wait to show her all the ways I would love and cherish her, but I figured it could wait until our engagement party was over. After all, we have forever.
THE END
Gratitudes
Brian: You are the love of my life. My childhood friend, and in case you haven’t guessed, you are totally the Louis character in this book. Thank you for the support you have given me with all of my ambitious endeavors!
To my beta readers Christy and Tania: Thank you for taking the time to read my ideas as soon as I put the words on paper and solely looking at the story, while overlooking the grammar and spelling errors. You two are the best!
To my sister Anna: Thank you for reading this book even though you had to close your eyes during the sex scenes!
To Robin: Thank you for working with a rookie like me and creating a book cover that was exactly what I was looking for!
To ellie: Thank you for being my editor. You are a gem! I am extremely appreciative that you held my hand when I needed it, and ultimately convinced me that I could really do this.
To Leddy: I owe you everything! Thank you for being my mentor, my sounding board, and my friend. I know you came into my life randomly, but I feel deep in my heart and soul that you were meant to show up and be a big part of my life. You are the reason I can check this off my bucket list. You inspire me every time I put words on paper. I will always be your biggest cheerleader, and I will forever be grateful for you. You truly have made a dream of mine come true.
To my readers
: Thank you for taking a chance on me. I have always believed that stories are written for other people to read, so I am extremely grateful to each of you that decided to read this one. I hope you enjoyed it! I really enjoyed writing about the Callahans. I couldn’t seem to get Cameron out of my head, so I decided to write down his story also. I hope to release it summer of 2021, so keep an eye out for it!
About the Author
Greenleigh lives on the Eastern Shore of Maryland with her husband and four children. Being an ER nurse for two decades and married to a firefighter, she write stories about what she knows. Coffee and chocolate are everyday must haves in her life, but fishing and relaxing at the beach are her favorite pastimes.
After a pancreatic cancer diagnosis in 2019, Greenleigh began to check things off her bucket list—one of those things being “write a novel.” Today she is healthy and continues to write whenever she can, so she can get the stories in her head down on paper. She is inspired by people that chase their dreams and is a firm believer in happily ever afters, so you will find her characters and their stories mirror these ideals.
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