Chapter 28
Chapter Twenty-Eight
E stelle stepped back, studying the cake with a critical eye. She tilted her head to the side. “Not bad,” she murmured. She smiled. If she didn’t have an order for this cake, Estelle would have loved to have it herself.
Rich in blues, white and silver—three tiers. It was almost like a wedding cake, but it lacked some of the formal decorations of a wedding. Instead the order had been for swirls and a galaxy style feel to the frosting. All buttercream, no fondant, another thing that Estelle preferred. Fondant allowed cleaner lines and fun decorations, but Estelle hated the taste. Buttercream gave her more freedom for color and style, but it also meant her flaws were more evident. “One thing for another.”
Grabbing a towel, she wiped her hands and glanced back, only to frown. Aspen was missing. Estelle couldn’t recall when her sister had left. Had she said anything?
She glanced at the clock on the wall. The cafe closed in an hour. Deciding to let their front cashier off a little earlier, Estelle took the cake to the walk-in fridge, then changed out her messy apron for a cleaner one and stepped through the swinging door .
Estelle’s feet stalled, and she gasped. One hand fluttered to her stomach where butterflies were now dancing the hula. “What’s going on?” she asked, her voice shaking.
Layla giggled and jumped up and down, the balloons in her hands bouncing with the movement.
“Estelle Harrison,” Crew said with a too-wide smile on his face. “I have a question for you.”
Aspen shushed the chubby baby in her arms. Anthony Austin Edwards had his mother’s lungs and must have been hungry because he was far from soothed. “Sorry,” Aspen said with a sheepish look on her face.
Estelle’s eyes went back to Crew who began to saunter in her direction. The room was full of so many people that Estelle hadn’t begun to see who all was there. Harper, Layla and Mason were easy to spot, obviously her sisters and their husbands, but all the other faces had turned into a blur as Crew walked across the room.
Those butterflies were dancing so hard now that Estelle couldn’t breathe. “When did you get into town?” she asked softly as he stepped up to take her hand. It was clammy and shaking, but she couldn’t bring herself to care.
“About an hour ago.” Crew grinned and linked their fingers together. “Are you ready for my question?”
Her eyes stung, and the trembling in her hands spread to her whole body. She was ready for this. She knew what Crew was doing, and Estelle was so nervous she could barely stand. She loved Crew and wanted to spend the rest of her life with him, so why the nerves?
They’d spent six months getting through the changes in her family, the grief and the mourning, the mental struggles and working to find the balance within their relationship for helping and accepting help.
The last had been harder than Estelle had expected. Both she and Crew had a tendency to want to be the one helping. Neither enjoyed accepting help, but they were both doing much better about finding a way to be gracious and grateful.
She was actually looking forward to growing more together, but right now, her brain wasn’t thinking straight, let alone worrying about balance.
“Estelle?”
“What? Yes, I mean…” She shook her head. “I’m sorry,” she admitted. “I wasn’t expecting this, and I’m really, really nervous.”
Crew’s grin widened. “Why?”
“I don’t know.”
He chuckled. “Well, let’s just get on with it then, huh?”
She nodded jerkily, doing her best to ignore the hushed voices around her.
“Estelle Harrison,” Crew said as he dropped to one knee. “I love you. I love everything about you. Your voice, your hair, your cake decorating skills, your kindness, your empathy, your ambition and desire to help.” One side of his mouth rose higher than the other, and he tilted his head in a little. “I especially love the way you kiss me and fit in my arms.”
Estelle closed her eyes and shook her head. Heat swept through her chest and neck, and she prayed no one else could hear what he’d just said. Not that anyone would be surprised. She was constantly being teased about how Crew couldn’t seem to keep his hands to himself.
“We’ve both waited a long time for each other,” he continued. “But we had some things we needed to accomplish, and now that they’re out of the way, I want us to move forward. You. Me. Together.” Reaching his free hand into his back pocket, Crew produced the small velvet box that Estelle had watched all of her friends receive over the years. “When I start my practice here in Seagull Cove, I want you by my side and for every milestone there after. I want us to add to your mother’s grandchildren?—”
“Hear, hear!” a female voice shouted from the back.
Estelle didn’t have to look up to know exactly who was eager for that to happen. With baby Anthony here and Maeve announcing her own pregnancy just last month, Mama Harrison was chomping at the bit to fill her house with new people to love.
“I want to stop traveling back to California and saying goodbye for weeks on end.” He took a deep breath. “Ultimately, what I’m saying is, I’d like you for my wife and partner for life. Estelle…will you marry me?”
Her breathing was so fast now that Estelle had a momentary fear that she would hyperventilate, but she forced her body into submission and took in a deep breath. Leaning over, she cupped his cheek. “You saw me when no one else did,” Estelle whispered. “You brought me to life when I thought I had nothing left to live for. Thank you for being true and helping me to see that I didn’t have to be alone, that I could rely on others and find balance in my life. Thank you for working with me, being patient, being the perfect boyfriend for me and…” She winked. “Being the most amazing kisser ever.”
Crew chuckled, his hand tightening on hers.
“I would be the luckiest and happiest woman alive to spend my life with you.”
“Is that a yes?” he asked, his eyes searching hers.
“That’s most definitely a yes,” she replied.
With his own hands trembling, Crew took the stunning solitaire and slid it onto Estelle’s finger.
Itst sparkle in the bright lights of the cafe entranced her, twinkling like the Christmas trees they had all recently put away. “It’s beautiful,” she whispered.
Crew stood up and slowly pulled her into his arms. “Nothing will ever be as beautiful as you.” He wasted no time in sealing the deal with action rather than words, and Estelle barely heard the shouting and cheering from the group gathered in the cafe.
After months and months of struggle and turmoil, after years of crying and worrying, after too many nights of bearing a responsibility she was meant to share, Estelle finally felt seen and safe, and she vowed never to take it for granted again.
She said yes. She. Said. YES!
Crew’s mind was buzzing with adrenaline and desire. He’d waited so long to make her his. If he’d had his way, he’d have proposed last summer right after they had their little chat about their future. But Estelle hadn’t been ready. He’d known that, and so in an attempt at chivalry, he’d forced himself to be patient as she mourned her father and figured out exactly how she wanted to move forward.
Once she had that down, it was time for Crew to make his move.
He had a couple of interested parties in his business, and he would be looking over proposals next week. He’d never even brought up the question of Estelle moving to California. This was where their family was. This was where Crew wanted to raise his children.
He’d miss the heat and the beaches, he’d even miss Daphne and his surfing buddies, but none of that sacrifice would compare with what he was gaining by moving into the community of Seagull Cove.
Acceptance, deep friendships, support, loyaltym and most of all, the woman he loved most in the world, were all his in a tiny beach town that was only busy in the summers.
It was going to be perfect.
A throat cleared behind him, and someone poked Crew in the back. “Time to come up for air,” Mason teased. “Other people want a chance to speak to your fiance.”
Crew broke his contact with Estelle and pouted. “They want me to share. But I’m feeling extremely selfish at the moment.”
Aspen elbowed her way between them. “You have her for the next fifty years. Give us a chance.” She used her free arm to grab her sister in a tight hug. “I’m so happy for you.” Aspen’s voice had thickened and tears trickled down her face. They matched Estelle’s.
Mason pounded Crew’s back. “I have a few pointers,” he joked. “But since I don’t expect you to ever have to do that again, I’ll keep them to myself. ”
Harper rolled her eyes from her spot at Mason’s elbow. “You’re terrible.”
“What she said,” Crew responded. Another slap landed on his shoulder, and Ethan threw his arm around Crew.
“Welcome to the family.”
Crew smirked. “Thanks.”
“Fair warning…” Ethan looked around as if to make sure no one was looking. “Mama Harrison is getting baby hungry. I wouldn’t wait too long to make good on your promise, oof!”
“You’re such a dork,” Maeve said with a laugh. “Leave Mom alone.”
Ethan shrugged and stepped back. “Sometimes a guy has to call it like it is. She’d be happiest if you were having triplets.”
Maeve shook her head. “Ignore him.” She gave Crew a hug. “We’re so glad you decided to make it official.”
“Thanks.” Crew patted her back before straightening.
“What cake?” Estelle asked.
Everyone turned to the conversation.
“Didn’t you just decorate a blue, three tiered cake?” Aspen asked, bouncing her son.
Austin picked up Anthony and swung him through the air. “An order that came in last minute and was marked ‘rush?’” he continued.
Estelle looked around, her brows furrowed. “Yeah. I just finished it before I came out.”
“Well, let’s go get it. It’s for your engagement party!” Aspen grabbed her son back, then turned and walked toward the kitchen.
“Are you telling me that you had me decorate my own engagement cake?” Estelle marched after her sister.
“Who better?” Aspen threw over her shoulder. “I baked it. It’s not like you did all the work.”
“Yeah, but—!” Estelle’s voice cut off as they went through the door.
They disappeared in the back, and Crew turned to Maeve. “ Really? I know I asked for a cake, but I didn’t realize Aspen would have Estelle decorate it.”
Maeve shrugged. “It’s fine. Estelle doesn’t really mind. She just thinks she does.”
Crew made a face. “I’m going to go check on them.” He headed toward the kitchen, smiling and nodding at all the people gathered to celebrate with them. It had seemed like a good idea at the time to have them all come to celebrate. After all, he and Estelle had spent their entire dating life with family. It was part of their very foundation.
But now?
Now he was ready for all of them to be gone. He wanted to have Estelle all to himself. He wanted to kiss her until neither of them could breathe. He wanted to hold her and spend time whispering about their future and what it would be like to stop missing weeks with each other. He wanted to keep her warm in the cold and watch the surf hit the shoreline during sunrise.
Patience.
He took a deep breath through nose and slipped into the back. Aspen and Estelle were laughing and smiling as they brought the cake out of the fridge. Estelle was holding the door with Anthony on her hip while Aspen carried the cake.
His shoulders relaxed. Maeve had been right.
Estelle caught his eye as she let the fridge close behind her. Stopping, her smile softened in his direction.
“Hey, Aspen?” Crew asked, his eyes never moving from his new fiance.
“Wassup my new brother?”
He chuckled, but still watched Estelle. “I think we need someone to come get Anthony.”
Aspen laughed. “Hang on a second.” She slipped past him, and Crew held open the door. Aspen was back within seconds to grab her son .
Estelle gave up the boy without a fuss, and Aspen sauntered back toward Crew.
“I can’t hold them off forever,” Aspen teased. “Don’t take too long.”
Crew let the door close behind her. “No promises,” he told Estelle.
She smiled and crooked her finger at him.
Crew wasn’t a dummy. He worked his way around the stainless steel work table and caught her in his arms before his next breath.
Estelle laughed softly and threw her arms around his neck.
“Are you happy?” Crew buried his face in her neck, kissing under her ear. All these months, and it was still his favorite spot.
“I love you,” she whispered, tilting her head to give him better access.
“But are you happy?” Crew pulled his head back so he could look her in the eye. It was so important to him that she was happy with this. She’d sacrificed her happiness for others, and Crew was determined that as long as she was with him, he would make sure she didn’t have to make that sacrifice any more.
She smiled and reached up, threading her fingers through his hair. “So happy,” she whispered, leaning up on tiptoe to meet his waiting mouth.
Crew tilted his head and cupped the back of her head, putting her at the angle he wanted.
This. This was what he’d been waiting for. The rest of the group could eat the cake without them, for all he cared. All he wanted was Estelle. He’d waited so long to have her commit to him, now he was going to make sure their engagement was as short as possible.
Estelle was his, and he would take care of her and let her take care of him until the end of their lives. He’d found everything he was looking for, and was confident she felt the same.
There were still things to fix. Antony still needed help. Mama Harrison would need more help as years went on. Nieces and nephews would come. Family gatherings would need planning. His business and his side of the family would need support.
But they could do it. They weren’t alone. They had each other. They had their families. They had their friends. It was everything Crew never knew he needed, and he and Estelle were going to have it together.
Cake could wait.