Tears fall from the corners of her eyes. Tears of happiness that clench my heart. Her hand drops, and I see the smile on her face.
“Will you marry me, Isabella Jenkins?”
She squeals, throwing herself into my arms, and shouts, “Yes! Hell yes, I will marry you.”
I lift the lid on the platter and reveal an ivory box with gold-encrusted embroidery. Picking it up, I take her hand in mine, then flip the top. Inside is a custom-made, ten-carat ring. Engraved on the inside, it reads, until kingdom come.
Her eyes light up, and she gasps at the beauty of it. “Oh my God, Cal. It’s exquisite.”
I take her left hand and slide the ring on her finger. It fits perfectly. Just like us.
Bella looks from the ring to me with puffy eyes and a red nose. “I love you so much.”
“I love you more.”
After breakfast and the proposal, Bella and I decided that it was a good day to just lie in bed. It’s exactly what we’ve done for the past week, but it doesn’t matter. I could do this with her every day, and it would never get old.
I was an idiot for questioning things. What we have is solid and real. Bella is never going anywhere, and neither am I.
My phone buzzes on the nightstand, but I ignore it.
Bella lifts her head from my chest. “Should you get that?”
“Nah. If it’s important, they’ll leave a message.”
It buzzes again, and again. And when it stops, it starts right back up.
I huff, leaning forward and reaching for it. “Unknown caller.” I glance at Bella before finally accepting the call.
“This is Mr. Ellis.” Bella lays her head back on my chest, fingers floating over my stomach.
“Yes, Mr. Ellis. This is Jim from Water Express Delivery. We’ve got a package for you from Gunders Cremation Services. We’re docked at Cori Cove, but the guards won’t let us up to deliver the package, and we need your signature.”
“I’ll be down shortly.”
I end the call abruptly and go to get up. Bella lifts her head, tugging the sheet over her chest. “What is it?”
“Peter’s remains are here.”
My feet hit the ground, and I snatch my clothes off the floor.
“Do you want me to come with you?” Bella asks, still lying in bed, looking so inviting.
“No. You stay here where it’s warm. I won’t be long.”
Ten minutes later, I’m at the dock, wearing nothing but a tee shirt, joggers, and a pair of boots as the snow falls from the sky.
I greet the delivery guy, and he hands me a rectangular box. “Sign here,” he says, holding out an electronic keypad with a pen attached.
I scribble my name, thank him, and head back to the castle with Peter.
So many emotions take over as I make the trek. There is so much I want to say but talking to a box seems ridiculous, so I think the thoughts instead.
I never got to say goodbye. I never got to thank you for picking me up from The Webster House that day. You were there for me when no one else was. Cleaned my wounds when Vincent got out of control, adjusted the thermostat when he’d crank it up and try to roast me in my bedroom. You taught me how to ride a bike when I was fifteen years old, when Vincent took Delilah to a clinic out of state. I was embarrassed as hell that I was a teenager and didn’t know how to ride one, but you never once judged me. And you never gave up when it took all day. You were a good friend. The father I wish I’d had. I won’t let you down, Peter. Bella and I will live out the dreams you and Carolina had—right on this island. It’ll be a home full of laughter.
Before I know it, I’m standing in the sitting room on the staff floor where Peter would often have his nighttime tea.
His chair is still there, weathered and used. It was his favorite chair. He didn’t care what it looked like. Always said it was the comfort that mattered.
He was right. What we see is not always what we get.
I sit down on the chair and begin peeling away at the packaging tape on the box. Inside is a heavy-duty, wooden box. I pull it out, letting the shipping box fall to the floor. Holding it up, I read the engraving on the front.
Peter Blake
February 8, 1948 - December 8, 2021
“Happy Birthday, Peter.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Standing in the doorway of the sitting room, I just watch him. It didn’t take me long to find where he’d gone. When I rang the guard and he said Cal had picked up the delivery twenty minutes ago, I knew he just needed some time.
Ten minutes later, I checked the cameras.
Slow, soft steps lead me over to him. I wrap my arms around him from behind as he sits in Peter’s chair. “Hey. You okay?”
He runs his fingers over the top of the box. “Yeah. Just wish I could’ve been there for him. I let him down.”
His words are like a knife to my heart. “Babe, no.” I round the chair, keeping one hand on his neck as I slouch beside him. “Don’t think like that. There was nothing you could do.”
“I should have acted faster when I knew what Byron was up to. I should've never left the island that day.”
“You had business to tend to. Peter would never want you to blame yourself.”
“There was no business.”
I tilt my head. “What do you mean?”
“I said I had business to take care of on the note I left you, but I lied.” He turns to look at me, and I can see the sorrow in his eyes. “I went to the main island to get you this. While I was at the jeweler’s, I got a tip-off that Byron was rallying men for some big scheme he’d been planning that involved you. That’s when I called Peter to get you out of here. I left the purchased ring with the jeweler, with plans to return and pick it up. As I was heading back to you, someone stuck a bag over my head and knocked me out. Anyways,” he lifts my finger that has my engagement ring on it, “I knew this one was perfect for you.”
I had no idea Cal was going to buy me a ring. Sure, I told him I’d marry him the night before that day, but at the time, it was all because he needed me to. “I can’t believe you went and bought me this.”
“It was never about the contract or my will. It was always because I loved you so much that I couldn’t imagine spending another day without you.”
My fingers graze his as the glow of the fire in the fireplace hits my ring, illuminating the ceiling with glimmering oracles. “Well, I have a confession, too. When I agreed to marry you, it was never because I thought you needed me to be your wife. It was because I wanted to be your wife.”
Cal flashes a half of a smile as he still looks down at the box. I can tell he’s pretty down on himself still.
“Peter would be so proud of how far you’ve come. Don’t beat yourself up over what could have been.”
He nods, though I don’t really think he’s accepting what I said. It’ll take time, but lucky for both of us, we have all the time in the world.
"I decided on my new last name.”
“Oh yeah? What’s it gonna be? Stanford, Vanderbilt?”
“Blake. Callum Blake.”
“I think it’s absolutely perfect. Peter would be honored, and I’m honored to take the last name when we’re married.”