That One Summer: A Collection of Steamy Contemporary Romance

Chapter 14

Emilee

Max sticks to his word, though he does offer me access to his legal team if I need them. Over the last few days, while he’s been working out the details of his partnership with Shaun and Marika, I’ve been talking to the police back home and Darren’s father. All accusations against me have been dropped, and Darren has been charged. I was worried that his father wouldn’t believe me. I mean, I was asking him to take the word of an ex-employee over that of his own son. But the recording sealed Darren’s fate.

Unfortunately, social media moves at a different speed, so while at least my situation is not trending anymore, they also have no interest in the truth. I guess that’s in Darren’s favor. The local news, however, jumped on the story, focusing on Darren’s current situation and not that they had wrongly targeted me. That’s fine. I don’t mind if my name is never connected with or mentioned in that scandal again.

Over two weeks ago, I left home, hoping to find peace and answers to what would come next. I found the peace. Darren’s father has offered me my old job back. When I turned it down, he offered me a promotion. But I turned that down as well. I don’t know what the next chapter holds. But I’m less worried about it today than when I first arrived on Summer Island. I’ve actually been helping Shaun with the books, finding areas where he can safely reduce costs, at least in the short term, until they’re up and running and reservations are stable.

The powdery sand clings to my toes as I stand next to Max, the air around us heavy with humidity for the third day in a row as we look out over the water. Standing here like this, just watching the waves roll in, listening to them crash as they make land, calms me like no other sight or sound.

Construction continues despite the temperature, but the guys take frequent breaks to rest and hydrate. And Max, bless his soul, has been trying to help, but he can’t swing a hammer without hitting his thumb. It’s kind of cute—this big strong man really sucks at manual labor. We sent him fishing instead, and he came back with dinner. The chef was impressed, and we had a fabulous meal that night.

We haven’t talked about us, though, in the last few days, and now I find myself caught in a riptide of emotions—pulled under by the fear that I might just be a convenient distraction for him yet buoyed by the undeniable love I have for him. Even if we go our separate ways at the end of this trip, he’s made it memorable for me, and I’ll always love him for that.

Max closes the space between us, his presence like a favorite blanket. “You’re quiet today. What’s on your mind, Emilee?”His voice is gentle, probing without pushing, and it tugs at words I’d been trying to keep from spilling over.

“Isn’t it amazing how the sea seems to hold every shade of blue and green imaginable?”I murmur, letting the colors distract me from the cyclone churning within me. Today, a young family from another resort has wandered down the beach to our area, and the laughter of the children building a sandcastle mingles with the sounds of the sea.

I hesitate, tracing a pattern in the sand with my foot. “It’s silly,”I start, then stop, the truth fighting its way out. “I just... I don’t want to be someone you’re passing time with. After everything that’s happened, I think I deserve a real relationship with somebody solid.”

His amused laugh is a soothing sound that threatens to curve the corners of my mouth upwards. “Honey, if I were looking for a way to pass the time, I’d take up knitting or lessons on how to wield a hammer.”

A smile breaks free despite the weight of my worries. “Good point. But—”

He turns and pulls me around, so we’re face to face. “No buts. You’re not a pastime, you’re not a rebound. You’re the best thing to ever happen to me.”His fingers brush lightly down my bare arm, sending flutters to my stomach.

I want to dive into the depths of his words, to let the current of his conviction sweep away my doubts. But fears, much like old habits, die hard. Taking a deep breath, I let his words wash over me. “I want to believe you, Max. I really do,”I confess, my heart yearning to believe him and put all my fears to rest once and for all. “But it’s hard, especially after everything that’s happened.”

Max tilts his head slightly, his expression softening with understanding. “I know. Trust is something that takes time to build, but I’m willing to show you through my actions that you mean more to me than just a passing moment or a summer fling.”

His sincerity pierces through the walls around my heart, and I feel them crumble. “Actions do speak louder than words.”

He nods, his gaze unwavering. “Then allow me to show you, every day, that you are not just a fleeting chapter in my life story.”His voice sounds so steady and sure. The confidence in his promise builds my own.

Max reaches out and cups my face. “Emilee,”he says softly, “I want a future with you—one filled with honesty, shared dreams, and the simplicity we both crave.”

As I stare into his eyes and see them shining with love, the pieces of a possible future fall into my mind, and my heart finally feels whole.

“You have this uncanny ability to say the right things.”

There’s an earnestness in his eyes that makes my heart skip. “Only because it’s you.”

My emotions are a tangled mess, but one thing stands clear amid the chaos—I love Max Beaumont with every fiber of my being. I never would have figured I could fall for somebody so quickly, not after a man who broke my trust in the worst way. But Max is not like Darren or any other man.

“Is it scary? Thinking about a future?”His voice is a quiet rumble that vibrates through me.

“Terrifying. But maybe, it’s the kind of scary that’s worth facing.”

“You’re not alone. I’m here for you. With you. I got you,”he whispers, bringing my hand to his lips in a tender kiss that sets my skin ablaze.

I allow myself to bask in the feeling of being cherished by someone other than my family for the first time in my life.

“Wait here for a minute. Don’t go anywhere.”Max drops my hand and runs up the beach to the path leading back to the resort area.

What in the world is he doing?

I watch him duck behind a grouping of trees, and when he reappears, he has one hand behind his back. Smiling and laughing lightly, I wait, curious, as he makes his way back to me.

“What are you up to?”I ask. I dodge to the right and left, trying to see what he’s hiding.

His grin is infectious, his eyes dancing with delight. When he brings his hand back around, he’s holding a fragrant, colorful bouquet of hibiscus in pink, white, and red.

“Max, they’re beautiful.”I exhale, my voice catching with emotion. My fingers brush against the petals, soft and delicate. My heart feels like it’s ready to burst from the sweet thoughtfulness of his gesture.

Then, he steps back, and his blue eyes lock onto mine. They’re filled with a love so profound it seems to echo into the infinite stretch of sea before us. He lowers himself, one knee sinking into the cool, wet sand, not caring that he’s getting his shorts dirty. “Emilee, I want you to know...”

The beating of my heart is so rapid, the blood whooshing through my ears so loud, I can barely hear him. But then as I gaze down at him, all other sounds fade away—the waves, the birds, the kids—like a bubble has formed around us.

Max reaches into his pocket and produces a small black velvet box.

“How in the world...” When did he...? Where did he...?

Like a physical thing, the moment hangs between us as he slowly opens the box to reveal a diamond ring that captures the fading sunlight and refracts it into a thousand brilliant sparks.

“Emilee Thompson,”Max begins, his voice low enough for only me to hear, keeping this moment as private as possible. “I’ve searched for someone who ignites a fire in my soul, and I found that with you. I never would have guessed that in two short weeks, I could find my other half. You’re the authenticity I yearn for, the simplicity amidst my sometimes complex world.”

His gaze never wavers, and in the depth of those ocean-blue eyes, I see my own hopes and fears reflected at me. My breath hitches, and happy tears are quickly dried by the breeze coming off the water as it caresses my skin, leaving me both exhilarated and comforted.

“Will you marry me, Emilee?”Max’s voice cracks slightly, betraying the depth of his emotions. “Will you let me be the man who stands by your side? Because that’s all I want—to build a life with you, a future where each day is ours to enjoy.”He cocks his head to the left and shrugs that shoulder. “And maybe we can make Summer Island our home away from home.”

I laugh outright. I don’t need words to express the rush of feelings that surge through me. A whole bunch of them shimmer in the air between us, as tangible as the refined grains of sand all around us. There is no going back now, and as I glance down at him, every fiber of my being screams... hell yes!

My vision becomes blurry with tears. “Max, I...”

“You don’t have to say anything right now. Just know that I love you with all that I am, and I want to build a future with you by my side.”

The ring is gorgeous, and bigger than I’ve ever seen—the diamond shimmering in the fading sunlight, casting a kaleidoscope of colors in his hand. My heart swirls with a whirlwind of emotions, but amidst it all, there’s a sense of peace—a certainty that this is where I belong.

I nod, hardly trusting my voice. Taking a shaky breath, I reach out to touch his face, trailing my fingers along the contour of his jaw with a tenderness that mirrors the love blooming in my heart. “Yes, Max. Yes, I will marry you.”

A radiant smile spreads across his face as soon as the words leave my lips. He slips the ring onto my finger and jumps to his feet to wrap his arms around me and twirl me around. When he comes to a stop, he sets me down gently. Then he traces my jawline with his fingertips, tilting my face to meet his gaze. “You’ve made me the happiest man alive,”he whispers, his voice husky with emotion. Gently coaxing my lips apart with his own, Max kisses me. It isn’t just any kiss; it’s the kind of kiss that speaks of new beginnings and future promises.

My hands find their way into his hair, pulling him closer, needing to feel every inch of him. The taste of salt mingles with the warmth of his mouth, and for a moment, the world ceases to exist beyond the two of us.

Slowly, we part, but our foreheads remain pressed together as we catch our breath. Max brushes his thumb across my cheek, wiping away the moisture gathered there.

“Promise me this is real,”I say, my voice a throaty croak.

“Every heartbeat, every breath, every moment—it’s all for you,”he vows.

“I love you so much, Max,”I reply, my heart expanding witha sense ofoptimism and anticipation for our future.

“I love you too, Emilee, with all my heart.”