Everyone laughed at my ridiculously enormous cake. I thought it was fabulous because he picked it out.
“Did you have a fun party, baby?”
“So much fun, thank you for everything. You’re always so generous.”
He leaned me against his car—Pete was driving, of course—and ran his soft lips over my mouth.
“Ready to go? We have one stop to make before your birthday is over, I want to take you somewhere.”
“Okay.” I was dead on my feet and ready to crawl into bed, but I would go anywhere with this man. We slid in the back, he buckled me and we took off to our unknown destination. I rested my head against his shoulder; I was exhausted. “Why did you and Asher leave the party after cake?”
“Oh, just some business.”
“Hmmm.” I didn’t push him further because I probably didn’t want to know. I closed my eyes and was easily lulled to sleep by the motion of the car.
“Baby, we’re here.”
I opened my eyes to pitch black.
“Where are we?”
“At the river. Come, we drove a little further because I wanted to bring you to the area where they hold many of the rowing regattas. More grass here than in City Center.”
I stretched a little and got out of the car. I wasn’t really sure what he was talking about, but whatever. When my eyes adjusted to the dark, I focused on an illumination coming from the bank far ahead.
“What’s going on?”
He smiled, saying nothing. He encircled my hand with his, coaxing me forward.
“Kick your shoes off, baby.”
I stepped on the grass and did as I was told.
“Mmm.” It felt great to get those shoes off. I wiggled my toes in the grass and continued to follow Chase’s lead. I had no idea what was going on, but I wasn’t surprised that Chase had planned something else.
“I want you to feel the sand between your toes.”
“Sand?” I questioned. It was dark, which made it difficult to see, but the coarse grass almost immediately turned into cool, silky sand. “Chase, why is there sand?” I was so confused.
At the river’s edge, a row of small lanterns encircled a small beach blanket in the middle of this giant patch of sand. The only light was from the lanterns and the crescent moon shining in the clear summer sky. The moon reflected off the water, creating streams of light that mixed with the flickering and twinkling of the candles.
“I wanted you to feel like you were at the beach.” I looked up into his eyes. Just the glow from the small lantern was illuminating his face. He was stunning. “Sit, baby, I have one more gift for you.”
“You made this beach. You’re crazy.” I looked around. It was like we were on our own tiny island. He kissed my lips and laid me back so we were facing each other propped up on our elbows. “Chase, you don’t need to give me anything else. You’ve already given me so much. This bracelet, my outfit, the party, and most importantly, you … you are everything I need. Ever. I love you so much.”
“Well, this is a present for us. I know I’ve been a little off this past week, and I could tell you noticed.”
“Does this have something to do with why you kept leaving the room on business phone calls and rushing around the hospital acting weird? Why you left the party tonight with Asher?” His small smile was smug. “It is, huh?”
There was a small basket at the edge of our blanket with a bottle of champagne and two flutes. The yummy champagne. He handed me a glass before he reached deeper into the basket. He placed an irregularly shaped stone into the palm of my hand. It was smooth and in the dim light it resembled a larger piece of blue sea glass from my bracelet. Attached was a small silver chain and ring that held a single vintage key.
I gave him a questioning look. “What’s this?”
“It’s ours,” he said quietly.
I sat up a little bit, trying to absorb what he was telling me. “You want to live together?”
Chase made a throaty noise, a seriously sexy noise, and lifted the corners of his mouth. “That goes without saying, that’s already a done deal. Wherever we’re waking up together is where we live, as far as I’m concerned. Yeah, it would definitely be more convenient if all of our shit was at one place, but that’s your call, baby. If you want to keep your apartment or get a new one altogether or sleep in a different place every night, it doesn’t matter to me. It’s just an address, a technicality. The spot where your head is laying against my chest is where we live. Got me, Blue?”
What was I to say to that? I said nothing. I just stared in amazement.
“So I guess the answer to your question is yes, we live together, but this is something else.” He rubbed the key in my hand. “This is our peaceful place.”
I was confused. “I don’t understand?”
“I know how much you love Cape Cod and how it holds so many special memories for you, special memories for us.”
I knew exactly what he meant. We both laid a piece of our heartache to rest at that beach and found peace. For me, I buried the heartache from the loss of an unborn child and the loss of control over my life after it was stolen from me during that one stormy night. For Chase, he scattered his sister’s ashes and buried the guilt of one night’s choices that led to tragic events beyond his control.
“It’s our peaceful place and the place where you told me you love me. I want us to keep creating memories there ... I saw it behind us that morning on the beach when you went running. It’s perfect ... it’s ours. And I think you’re gonna love it.”
“A house?” I barely squeaked out past my swelling emotion. This was all too much to take in.
“Yeah, baby, a beach house. For us to go anytime we want to get away. And whenever you’re ready, because that’s your call too, I want us to get married on that beach, our spot. Truth, baby ... I will love you. Forever. Not a fucking second less. You with me, Blue?” That wasn’t really a question.
“Oh my god, Chase, I really don’t know what to say. This is ... you are ... amazing,” I cried. Hard.
29
Stairs
“Morning, Dad, it’s me.”
“I know, babydoll.” He chuckled.
“Did I wake you? I know it’s early.”
“Nah, just having coffee.” Like father, like daughter. “Why are you up? Aren’t you off for Labor Day?”
“No, not anymore, the case manager on Chase’s team called in sick and my supervisor called to see if I could go in this morning for a little bit and help out.”
“Oh, okay, no big deal. Sharon and I can find our way to the airport later.”
“No chance, Dad, I’m still bringing you. There’s no way I’m letting you leave without one more big hug.”
“All right, babydoll. Sounds good.”
“I’ll call you when I’m leaving the hospital. Love you.”
“Love you too.”
I took my seat next to our mildly sedated patient and squeezed his hand. I smiled under my mask, remembering what a complete nightmare I was the first time I stepped foot in the operating room. I had been queasy and sweating, staring at the sexiest grey eyes I’d ever seen. And now that sexy neurosurgeon was mine and reminded me often. Just a mere two months ago I was fading and hiding underneath everything bad that ever happened to me. It was my existence. Then one man came along and crushed the only existence I had known for three years and dug deep to see beneath my beautiful.
“Lili ... Lili.”