by Elyse Riggs
Suddenly I have a better idea and I know what to do. Step one is to quietly slip out the door. Step two is to check the hours on the outside of the restaurant so that I can time this right.
Making my way back to the car, I have a spring in my step and a purpose now. I get in and close the door.
“Where to now, boss?” Raymond asks, turning back to look at me.
“To the Beaky Tiki. And hurry, I don’t have much time.”
When I get there, I’m hot, sweaty, and out of breath. I approach the bar as nervous as hell because I know that everything has to go right in order for this to work.
Luckily, the waitress who hates me is working right now. She gives me a death glare, but I smile broadly.
“Get lost,” she says.
“I’m so happy to see you,” I reply. She didn’t see that coming and her expression changes from angry to confused. “Please, let me explain.”
“What is there to explain?” She asks. Then she turns and rummages behind her, like she did the night that Kaylee and I met. She turns back around with the knife in her hand.
I hold up my hands to her, remembering what Kaylee said about her being a professional knife thrower.
“I think you should get lost.”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” I say. “Listen, I come in peace. In fact, I’m here to make amends.”
She raises an eyebrow at me and puts the knife down. “Oh yeah? Convince me.”
Grateful for an opportunity to explain myself, I sit down and fill her in on everything.
“What do you say, will you help?” I ask. Then I realize that I’m holding my breath and hope like hell she agrees. If this is going to work, I really need her help.
In the end, she smiles and nods.
I can’t believe it. I tell her how grateful I am. Then I remember something. “Oh yeah, and how much would it be to purchase one of your fine coconut monkeys? Specifically that green one over there on the end?”
Chapter Sixty-Eight
Kaylee
I finish up my shift at Ooh Lala and head out on my trek back to my apartment. A trek I now regret that I have to take. It seemed like a good idea this morning, but tomorrow I am going to drive for sure.
I’m surprised about how much my thoughts keep going back to Chase today. As much as I want to hate him after yesterday’s events, I just can’t. A part of me is surprised he didn’t leave yesterday like he planned. The idea of him still running around the resort, around town, makes me a little crazy.
I know I have to let it go, but it’s hard when I can still see that dimpled face. All the things we did together come flooding back. And then I have to fight back tears.
In the end, it doesn’t matter anyway. Even if Chase Covington isn’t gone quite yet, he will be soon enough. And I’ll still be alone.
Carrying my shoes, I make my way past the afternoon crowds. I’m not very far into the journey when my phone starts blowing up. What now? I check it.
The messages are from Fi. She needs something, but the texts are cagey and not very specific. That’s odd. I hope she’s okay. She wants to meet at the Tiki, like we always do. ASAP.
My plans to trudge home, curl up into a little ball of self-pity, drink a lot of wine, and throw myself into bed changes in an instant. I’m tired, but I’m going to come through for my friends.
The timing works for sure, I’m not that far away from the Tiki now. And hey, at least it’s closer than my apartment.
I arrive and look around. Fi’s not here. Neither is Angie. Huh. In fact, the whole place looks deserted. It feels like something’s off, but I tell myself that’s because I’m not used to getting anywhere early.
With a shrug, I find our usual table and sit. After a minute I get restless, especially since there aren’t even any employees around. Alarm bells start going off in my head. Why aren’t there any employees? Nobody guarding the cash register.
I’ve been here plenty of times during lulls, but I can never once remember zero other customers or employees. What the hell is going on here?
I’m about to leave and text Fi that the place is deserted and it’s freaking me out and maybe we should meet somewhere else when I hear footsteps in the sand nearby. I look up. And I can’t believe my eyes.
Chapter Sixty-Nine
Kaylee
It’s Chase. He’s standing right in front of me. And he’s not wearing shoes. And he’s here. He’s here? What is he doing here? He’s standing there right in front of me wearing a huge smile. A part of me is so happy to see him, but then the events of the last couple of days come crashing in on my emotions.
I stand and look into his sea-green eyes. For a fleeting moment, I wonder if he’s a mirage. Despite how upset I am about the way we left things, he’s a sight for sore eyes. I just can’t help it.
Then I see the object in his hand. It’s the coconut monkey from the bar, the one he chose the night that we met. It brings back memories.
What exactly is going on here? “What are you doing here?” I ask softly. “I thought your plane left yesterday.”
“I wasn’t on it. I couldn’t leave.”
“Why not?”
Instead of answering, he sets the coconut monkey on the table and asks me to sit down. I sit. I still don’t know what’s going on, though. The coconut monkey is a sweet gesture, but I’m still confused.
“Why the coconut monkey? It’s an apology. I’m so sorry, Kaylee.” Even though I’ve only known him a few days, I can tell that the look on his face is sincere. “Please let me make it up to you.”
“What are you saying?” I ask. Is it possible that I was right? Is there something real between us?
He takes a deep breath. “The truth of the matter is, I don’t want to leave. I want to be here. With you.”
It’s the last thing I expect him to say. “But what about everything you worked for? Your new job as CEO? And Mark? And buying them all drinks and stuff?”
“Don’t you read the news?” He asks with a smirk. “I’ll sum up the latest headline for you. Big shot billionaire resigns his new position as CEO of a Fortune 500 company to follow his heart.”
“No!” I say. “You didn’t.”
“I did.”
I search his face. He’s telling the truth. And he did it for love. For me? I have to admit, it’s a damn good headline. “Why would you do that when you worked so hard to keep it?”
“I told you. I want you. You told me that my passion is not in that company. And you’re right. So I quit this morning. I came here to see if you’ll give me another chance. To see if you care about me like I care about you.”
I swallow, almost not believing what he’s telling me. He gave up his dream job to stay here with me? “I care about you, Chase. I have from the very beginning.” I fight back tears. It feels like a dream come true.
All of a sudden, Chase drops to a knee in the sand. He wears a nervous smile, but his face is also a mask of concentration. I hear gasps from somewhere behind the bar, but I ignore them.
“Kaylee Love, will you go out with me? For real this time?”
I drop to my knees in front of him. Then I lean forward and press my lips to his. I feel the same magic as the first time we kissed at the overlook. It’s a perfect, magical, blockbuster movie-worthy kiss.
“Is that a yes?” he asks when we finally break the kiss and come up for air.
“That’s a yes,” I answer.
His dimple is back. He stands and helps me up.
I hear giggling coming from the other end of the Beaky Tiki. From behind the bar, where I can’t see. “They’re all there, aren’t they? This whole thing was a setup.”
“Yes. Everybody. Your friends and my siblings. All huddled back there pretending badly not to eavesdrop.”
I’m still smiling and fighting back tears of joy all at the same time. I stare at Chase Covington. My boyfriend. It doesn’t feel real. I’ve wanted this the whole time, I just wouldn’t allow myself to hope for it. And now, by
the looks of it, neither of us can stop smiling.
Clapping and shouting erupts from behind the bar.
“What do you say?” Chase asks. “Should we invite them over?”
I laugh. “I don’t think we have a choice, do we?”
“No,” he replies, “I think we’ve held them off long enough.”
One thing is still bothering me though. “Why are we the only ones here at the Beaky Tiki?”
“I can answer that one,” he answers. “Some crazy rich guy rented the whole place out for the evening. Private party. Paid for drinks and food too.”
“I love the sound of that.”
He leans forward for another kiss before everybody reaches us. It doesn’t take long. Before I know it, Chase is standing to let Fi and Angie sit. Ashley and Abigail are there too, as well as Liam. They all beam with joy.
When we all grab our chairs and get settled, Chase grins at me. “Oh yeah, look in the monkey.”
“What?” I ask as everybody looks on.
“There’s a present in the monkey.”
I take the coconut monkey in my hand and peer inside. There in the hollowed-out center something glistens. I pull it out. It’s a gorgeous, diamond and sapphire coconut pendant on a chain.
“It’s beautiful, Chase. I love it.” I stare down at it. This night is starting to feel like an out of body experience. My friends break out into more raucous applause, joined by Liam and Ashley.
I show the necklace off to everybody before Chase volunteers to fasten it for me.
A waiter appears and takes our food and drink orders. Now this is a party.
The drinks flow and I look around at my friends and Chase and Liam and Ashley and it feels like the oddest crashing together of the different parts of my world. And it feels so right.
“I knew it,” Fi says with a wink. “I knew he was falling for you.” She turns to Chase. “When did you first realize you were falling for her?”
I smile and Chase thinks about it for a minute. Then he looks at me. “Friday. Out in the water. When you dunked me under the waves.”
“Alright, your turn,” Liam says to me. “What’s the first time you realized you might be falling for this knucklehead right here?”
“Absolutely the spy mission we ran on you, Liam,” I answer with a grin. “When Chase was out paddle boarding and waving hi to me and then punching out my ex. That was a pretty spectacular afternoon.”
Ashley stands and holds her drink in the air. “I would like to say Welcome Kaylee to the Covington family. Good luck, sister. You’re going to need it.”
“Hear, hear,” Liam says, and then we all drink.
When Chase sets his glass down, he turns to me and grabs my hand. “Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to steal Kaylee away.” He stands up. “Don’t forget your coconut monkey.”
“You got it, Jellybean,” I answer. As wonderful as this party is, I’d like some alone time with Chase. “But where are we going?”
“Ah, it’s a secret. What do you say to a walk on the beach first?”
We walk on the beach for a while, both shoeless. Underneath a beautiful moon on a perfect night. He explains everything that happened with the board.
I explain to him how in the hell I happened to end up in Ralph’s restaurant instead of the Banana Burger.
We walk hand in hand just talking and figuring things out. And after a while I feel like I understand it all. We’re no longer fake engaged, we’re a real couple. A part of it seems strange, and a part of it feels like it was always meant to be. Then I remember something. “Hey, what’s your big secret?”
Even under the moonlight, I can see the glint in his eye. “Oh yeah. There’s something I have to show you, Kaylee.” He texts Raymond and a few minutes later, we’re in the car.
When the limo stops, it’s in front of the beachfront cottage. The one I loved and convinced him to buy. But there’s no way he could have closed the deal that fast. Right?
“We’re going out now,” he grins. “So my house is your house. Especially since you talked me into it.” He hands me a key and gets out of the limo so he can run around and beat Raymond to my car door.
We walk to the front door together and then I open it with the key and walk in. Chase and I turn on all of the lights. We make our way through the house again, only this time it feels real. And even better, it’s just the two of us and no Fred. “I can’t believe it. Chase, this place is so beautiful!”
Every room we walk into, hand in hand, Chase kisses me. Kitchen, kiss. Living area, kiss. Outside patio, me on my tippy toes softly touching my lips to his while we listen to the sound of the waves.
Until, just outside the master, he scoops me up into his arms. I squeal with delight as he tosses me onto the bed. “I love you, Coconut.”
“I love you, Jellybean.”
Epilogue
Kaylee
One month later
I wake up not in my tiny apartment. Shaking off sleep, I turn over in bed to see Chase, his hair perfectly mussed, lying next to me. He stirs and snuggles up closer. It’s all real. I’m here in bed with the love of my life.
I snuggle in closer and go back to sleep.
When I wake again, Chase’s side of the bed is empty. I get up and walk into the living area.
The smell of fresh coffee fills the room. Chase sees me and smiles. He’s sitting on the comfortable couch facing the ocean, his legs stretched out. The windows are open, letting in the morning sea breeze. My idea of heaven.
On the coffee table in front of him, there are folders lying scattered across the coffee table, much like what he did when he was researching real estate.
“Morning.” He says with a smile. Then there’s a faint knock on the door.
I raise an eyebrow at him.
“I ordered breakfast. Got your favorite.”
“Thanks, love.” I say, giving him a soft kiss.
“Oh hey,” he says, “I have to grab something. Will you get the food?”
I cross to the front door where a delivery guy hands me my favorite breakfast. For two. Plus drinks. I smile as I take possession of all the containers. Then I thank him and turn, shutting the door behind me with my foot.
When I turn, though, I see Chase drop to one knee. I feel like I stop breathing. Time slows down. He’s holding a jewelry box in his hand and I have to say, something about all of this feels awfully familiar.
“Kaylee Love,” he says. Then he takes a breath. “I mean Coconut.” There’s a hitch in his voice. “Will you make me the happiest man alive and be my wife?”
Is this really happening? I realize that I’ve stopped in my tracks holding seven different food cartons and two drink tumblers. If anything that makes this moment perfect. Chase knows everything about me. He knows I don’t want the caviar dinner and the tuxedos. I just want him with his mussed hair and our favorite breakfast.
I cross to the coffee table and set down the packages. Then I have to remind myself to breathe. I’ve always, always wanted this moment. And I know for certain that he’s the one I want. “Jellybean, I mean Chase. I would be so proud to be your wife.” I realize that I’m grinning like a maniac. And it’s only after I set down the packages and say yes that I see the tension lines in Chase’s forehead disappear.
He jumps to his feet, breaks out into a huge smile, and kisses me deeply, passionately. I kiss him back. Then I study the jewelry box in his hand for a moment. “Hey, is that the box from before?”
“Yes,” he says with a sly grin, pulling out the ring and slipping it on my hand. It fits perfectly. Because it’s the ring from before.
“I thought this ring was lost,” I said.
“Nope,” he answered, “finally, this ring is found.”
After some more make-out sessions as a real engaged couple, Chase and I have the best breakfast in the history of the world.
“What’s all of this?” I ask, looking over all the brochures on the coffee table.
“Well, somebo
dy important told me to go with my passion. These are all of the football clubs with owner openings. I thought you’d like to help me go through them.”
“I’d love to.”
The two of us get lost in his brochures. I love seeing him so happy and excited about his future. And I’m so glad to be a part of it.
Eventually, Chase looks at his watch. “You’d better hurry, or you’ll be late.”
“Late for what?” I ask.
“For the Beaky Tiki. Lunch with your friends, remember?”
Oh shit, he’s right. I check my own watch and see that there’s no way I’ll ever be on time. As usual.
I trek through the sand just as fast as I can until I see the familiar thatch roof and the tiki torches. The sound of top forty music plays in my ears along with the backdrop of the surf lapping gently against the shore.
And once again, all is right with my world. Well, more than right. I have a giant ring on my finger, and this time it’s for real. I can barely contain my excitement as I get to our usual table. And as usual, I’m last.
“Nice of you to show up,” Fi says, standing to hug me.
“Yeah,” Angie chimes in. “I guess everything really is getting back to normal with you. Minus most of the drama.”
“Not everything,” I say, sitting down and throwing my left hand down on the table. And damn if that ring doesn’t sparkle brighter than the north star. Even in the daylight.
Fi and Angie scream in unison.
“When did this happen?” Angie asks, inspecting the ring all over again. “Hey, wait a minute. You said you threw this ring into the sand.”
“I did,” I answer. “And now it’s back.”
“Wow,” Fi says. “It’s beautiful, Kaylee. And you’ve never looked happier. Congratulations.”
We all raise our glasses and toast. “To the future.”