Braving the Waves (Cruisin’ With Curves)

Epilogue

EPILOGUE

ONE YEAR LATER

MARLEY

“Don’t let go of me,” I say, practically clawing at Isaac’s arms as they wrap around my torso.

“I’m not going to let go of you.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

I nod and slowly loosen my grip, letting my arms float out into the water. I love the way it feels as it washes up in little bubbly waves against my fingertips. But then a wave hits me in the back, and my body tenses.

“We’re not going to go under,” Isaac says, reassuring me. “The waves are far too shallow here.” He glides closer in the water, until I can feel the heat of his skin. “Close your eyes.”

I do it immediately, trusting him.

“Feel the rhythm of the ocean,” he says. “You can feel the waves coming before they’re even here.”

All I can feel is the way my toes just barely touch the ground beneath me, how much water there is all around us. And then I start to feel it, the gentle ebb and flow of the water.

I smile. “I feel it.”

“Do you feel this?” His mouth brushes against mine, and I open my eyes in time to see him flash his dimples at me, the ones I know so well.

“Ew!” someone shouts from off to our side, and we both look over to see Isaac’s nephew dog-paddling through the water, going headfirst into the waves that are getting bigger and bigger. “Stop kissing!” he shouts. “Come on, Auntie Marley! Let’s go!” And with that, he dives under a wave. I swear, the kid is indestructible. And he’s only six.

“Yeah, come on, Auntie Marley,” Isaac mimics, reaching around me to grab onto my ass and lift me against him. “Time to get nice and wet.”

I giggle and brush my nose with his. “I love you,” I tell him.

“I love you, too.”

And after that, I sit on the beach in Monaco and watch Isaac splash around with his nephew, letting myself enjoy the feel of the water as it slowly creeps up onto the sand.