When Abby and my mom come strolling in from their walk on the beach, Abby stops to kiss me and admire the bonfire my dad, Jack, Cora and I are building. We’ll spend this evening out here in the ocean breeze, roasting marshmallows after eating the steaks I’m grilling.
“I’m not sure I ever want to go back to white Christmases,” Abby says, grinning.
“Me, either.”
Emerson looks over at us, eyes wide with excitement. “Can we come back here next Christmas? Please?”
“We can if everyone wants to,” Abby says.
“I do,” Jack says quickly.
“Me too,” adds Cora.
“We better book it early,” I say. “I was surprised we were able to get it for Christmas this year.”
A smile dances on Abby’s lips. “I think the owner’s pretty cool.”
“Oh yeah?” I arch my brows at her. “Someone you know?”
She shrugs. “Merry Christmas, babe. I bought you a beach house. Well, us.”
“No way!” Jack gapes at Abby.
“Are you shitting me?” I drop the branch I was cutting for the bonfire. “You bought this place?”
Abby nods. After our trip here last summer, I asked my real estate division to see if they could help me pick it up. The deal went through in November.
“How could you not tell us?” Cora’s effort at a scolding tone fails because she’s so giddy she’s practically jumping up and down.
“It was tough,” Abby says. “I was trying to think of a cool way to tell you guys.”
“Oh my God!” Cora cries. “Can I bring my friends here?”
“Sure, we can make that happen,” Abby says.
“On your plane?”
I put up a hand in caution. “We’ll talk about it, okay? Don’t be making plans just yet.”
“Can I put this on IG?” Cora asks me. “Caption: Merry Christmas. Hashtag beach house. Hashtag all ours.”
“Absolutely not. You know my rules for social media.”
Cora scowls and I catch a glint of the braces she’s had since last month. I swear, the kid hit eleven years old and went full adolescent on me.
“We have a surprise, too!” Emerson bursts out.
My heart kicks up a notch. Damn it. I told her at least a dozen times not to say a word, but she’s the worst at keeping secrets.
“Oh yeah?” Abby asks her. “Are you making those cupcakes I like so much?”
Emerson looks pained as she squeezes her lips shut and shakes her head. She gives me a pleading look.
I had it all planned out. There were supposed to be pink rose petals on the ground. We were supposed to be lit by the glow of a bonfire and full from a delicious dinner.
But it doesn’t look like Emerson can keep it in for another couple hours. I wave Jack and Cora over and Abby gives us all a puzzled look. My dad sets down the branch he was cutting and goes to stand next to my mom, putting an arm around her.
“What’s going on?” Abby looks at me, her brows pinched together seriously.
“We’ve got a question for you, babe.”
I walk over to stand in front of her and the kids follow. We’re standing in a row facing Abby. I reach into my pocket and find the little black box inside, then look over at Cora and nod.
She grins. “Will?”
Jack’s been practicing his word, and he delivers is perfectly. “You?”
Emerson cups her hands beneath her chin, practically dancing with excitement as she bursts out, “Marry!”
I get down on one knee on the sand and look up at Abby. “Me?”
Abby squeals with disbelief. I open the box so she can see the shining round solitaire I bought for her. Set in rose gold, it’s perfect for her. Classy, simple and elegant. And the shape of a circle is meaningful to me, because it has no beginning and no end. I think love is often the same; we can’t pinpoint the moment we first felt it, and it never really stops.
“I love you more than—”
“Yes!” Abby cries, interrupting me.
Her eyes widen and she covers her mouth with her hand. “I’m sorry. Go ahead.”
I laugh and take the ring from its cushion, taking her hand and sliding it onto her finger.
“I was just saying I love you more than I ever knew possible. You’re my best friend and I want to get old and wrinkly and grouchy with you.”
She puts her hand on my cheeks and leans down to kiss me. “There’s nothing I want more, Luca.”