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“Adam,” I rasp, my voice rushing out in a stunned exhale.
As he strides up the beach towards me, it all clicks into place: He’s the man Papa asked to come help us—he invited Adam to come here. I can’t believe it.
I run to him.
My heart races, laughter spilling past my lips as sandy ground flies underneath my bare feet. I run faster than I ever have in my life—everything rushing around me in a blur of sand and sea and deep blue sky. Adam catches me and sweeps me off my feet, twirling me around in the sunlight while I fall on his neck with tears of joy.
Once I’ve caught my breath, I pull back just enough to look him in the eyes. “You’re the man?”
Adam laughs, surprised by the question. He gently presses his forehead against mine and says, “Yes. I’m the man. I’m your man. Now and forever, if you’ll have me.”
My heart feels like it’s doubling in size as he leans in and kisses me deeply, his pulse racing under my fingertips. Tears spill from my eyes as I kiss him back, my hands gripping his T-shirt, his hands circling my waist. There are no words big enough to describe the immensity of love I feel in this moment. It is the universe and all its glory, caught between two souls. Tenens infinitum.
“I don’t understand,” I gasp, sinking back down to my feet in the sand. “How did you convince Papa to let you come?”
“I told him that I love you. That I will always love you. That I’m willing to do whatever it takes to prove it.” Adam reaches up to gently brush a tear off my cheek. “And I will prove it. To both of you.”
I shake my head. “You don’t need to prove it to me. I know you, Adam. I love you with all my heart.”
He stares at me for a moment, like he has so many things to tell me and doesn’t know what to say first. “Orca, I want us to spend the rest of our lives together. I know you feel the same way. And I don’t want you to deny yourself out of guilt or fear—that’s no way to live. Your father agrees with me.” He breaks into a smile, looking down at my hand interlaced with his. “He said that we have to wait a year; then he’ll give us his blessing.”
“What are you saying?”
My heart gives a fluttering leap as he gets down on one knee, taking both my hands in his. “Orca Monroe,” he begins, a glint of tears in his beautiful blue eyes, “would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
All I can do is stare at him. “Your wife?”
Adam nods.
I take his face in my hands and kiss him fiercely. He remains frozen on the sand, unsure what this means—his eyes beg for answers when I ease back to look at his face.
“Yes,” I whisper, “I will marry you. And we’ll build that cottage by the sea and live happily—” I kiss him fast “—ever—” another kiss “—after.”
A wave of passion swells inside me as his lips capture mine. The rest of the world could fall away, and I wouldn’t notice—because my whole world is here, in this moment of perfect happiness. As Adam’s lips move in a dance with mine, our souls come back together. All the pain of the past vanishes within seconds, and I am left with nothing but a free heart pounding wildly in my chest, spilling over with love for him.
Adam stands and lifts me off my feet, startling a gasp from my lips. I loop my arms around his neck, crying and laughing and showering him with kisses as he carries me back to the lighthouse.