Chapter Thirty-Three
The last two days had been a little crazy for Rosemary—meeting the contractor to assess the cost of the repairs the beach house needed, calling Nina to tell her she was going to pull the trigger, and making the offer. Rosemary had been a bundle of nerves making that call and had braced herself for an ugly fight, but Nina reacted with kindness and understanding, even apologizing for her display at Amanda’s. “How will I make that up to you?”
“You’re my daughter, Nina. Nothing you can do will ever change my love for you.”
“Well, you’re a better person than I am. I’d replace me in a heartbeat after that scene I made.”
“Nope. No one can replace you. I love you with all my heart. I have that redhead hot temper too. Just like your father always said, the red apple doesn’t fall—”
“Far from the tree.” They both laughed.
“I love you, Mom, and I’m so sorry. I know you’re capable. I just wanted to protect you, fix the hurt, and, well, I just made things worse.”
“You didn’t. It was a blip. Honey, I’ll still be closer than Hawaii, and you can zip down here and relax, maybe find some life balance. You know how much I worry about the hours you work.”
“I know. And Kendra needs more time with me too. She’s really missing having the attention you gave her while you were here. That was great, but it also was only a Band-Aid for me not filling that void. I’m sorry, Mom.”
“No more apologies about it. We’re golden.”
Rosemary hung up the phone, feeling completely confident in her decision.
She was on her way to tell Amanda when she decided to stop at the Little Free Library to swap out books. Again, the contents were all askew, but this time she found herself smiling and enjoying the chance to do a little housekeeping for the next visitor.
Her attitude about a lot of things had changed dramatically in her short time here. Living here was going to feel good.
She headed to Amanda’s house, barely able to contain her excitement. When she confided that she’d made the offer, they celebrated with ice cream sundaes with the kids, although they didn’t tell them that’s what they were doing. They didn’t want them to blabber about the details before the deal was done. Living within walking distance from them was going to be wonderful. They could even walk to church together.
“Would you like to go with me on a little ride? I’m dropping the kids and Denali off at Paws. I have a couple of errands to run,” Amanda said as she cleaned up the ice cream dishes.
“That sounds great.”
“Kids, go get Denali on his lead. We’re going to head out.” They didn’t even pause and were back down with Denali a few minutes later.
With the kids’ excitement, there was nonstop chatter on the ride over to Paws. Rosemary waited in the car while Amanda handed off the kids to Paul.
They drove to a flower distributor about forty-five minutes away to get an idea of what flowers Amanda would like for the wedding.
“Does this mean you two set the date?” Rosemary asked.
“No, and the more we talk about it, the more we just want to keep it very simple. I’m so ready to be married to him. I don’t want to wait.”
“Then don’t.” Rosemary pulled out her phone and looked at the calendar. “I’m assuming you’ll want to do it on the weekend, because the kids will certainly need to be a part of it, or if you’re keeping it small, you could probably get away with doing it on a school night. An evening wedding would be romantic.”
“With lights in the trees?” Amanda perked up. “And candles in the paper bags with sand in them. Luminaries—that’s what they are. The kids loved making them at Christmas.”
“You could put them to work on those.”
“Do you think it’s tacky if we get married quickly?”
“Not at all. No one is going to question how perfect you two are together. And I think you’re smart not to spend a ton of money on a one-hour wedding ceremony. People go nuts these days.”
“I know. Neither one of us is into that. We just want our little family, a select few friends, like you and Tug, and if my parents don’t come down, we can video them in. It’s so hard for them to travel. But thanks to that storm, I just saw them. And my parents adore Paul. Always have. They have been waiting for this moment.”
“Put your energy into the relationship, not the party. That’s what I always tell young couples.” Rosemary tapped some notes into her phone. “So, what would we need? Flowers? A cake?”
“Yes, but it doesn’t even have to be a tiered wedding-type cake. Just a pretty one, because I think Hailey and Jesse will expect that. Maybe two round tiers with a little bride and groom on top.”
“That’s easy.” Rosemary added it to the notes. “Any color themes?”
“It’s going to be at my house. The house is already blue, so why not work with the natural colors of the beach and blue?”
“You’ll need a dress.”
Amanda smiled. “Yes. There’s a cute dress I saw in a catalog. I’ll have to find it and show it to you. It’s soft and flowing, not too fancy.”
Rosemary giggled. It was exciting to help Amanda plan the details. Nina hadn’t let her do anything for hers. She and her sorority sisters handled everything except paying for it. “If you’re not opposed to emailing or calling everyone, then the invitations aren’t necessary. That’s a huge time-saver.”
“Don’t need them.”
“Got it.”
“I think I can speak for Tug, but if not, I can do it myself. I’d love to cater the meal for the small group. I’m a good cook. I promise. I’ve done it a million times over the years.”
“That would be perfect. I don’t even care what you serve. It’s about being together.”
“I couldn’t agree more.” Rosemary squeezed Amanda’s arm. “I’m so excited. Oh my gosh, it will be breathtaking. Twinkle lights all over the backyard and the ocean waves as the music. Wedding march?”
“I think Hailey and Jesse would like that. It’s overkill, but I want them to love it.”
“You are an amazing mother. This will be a very special day.” Rosemary typed in a few more notes as they drove, then put her phone down. “I’m going to create a wedding plan for you with all this stuff we’ve been brainstorming. I think it’ll help you decide on the earliest realistic date for what you really want. It doesn’t have to take long to plan it. I’ll help you. What do you think?”
“I think you’re a genius.”
“I think I’m as excited as you are!” Rosemary danced in her seat. “I’ll have to find a pretty beachy blue dress and some sparkly sandals.”
“I have a pair of flip-flops with pretty rhinestones all over them. I think I’ll wear those.” Amanda flashed Rosemary a smile. “Is that too casual?”
“No, ma’am. This is your day and I think it’ll be cute! Paul is absolutely going to shed tears when he sees how beautiful a bride you’re going to be.”
“Great. Then I’ll cry for sure.” Amanda swirled a finger in Rosemary’s direction. “Put waterproof mascara on that list of yours.”
“On it.” She added it to the list.
They ended up spending almost two hours in the flower shop, looking at photo albums of previous weddings they’d serviced and talking to one of the floral designers.
When they left, Amanda looked overwhelmed.
“Are you okay?” Rosemary asked.
“Who knew there were so many kinds of bouquets?”
“Not me. That was way more information than I ever needed to know about flowers,” Rosemary said. “We could tie a ribbon around a bundle of wildflowers or roses and call it a day.”
“I kind of like that idea.”
“I’ll get this all in a document for you. Is the printer in the living room wireless?”
“It sure is.”
“Great. I’ll print it out for you and email you the file so you’ll have it both ways.”
“Thank you, Rosemary. You make a great wedding planner.”
“I’ve seen the movie a time or two. Can’t resist a young Matthew McConaughey. I still laugh when I think of his fiancée calling him Eddie. He does not look like an Eddie!”
“I love that movie. Seriously, though, I appreciate your help and you validating that what I really want is okay. Something simple and special.”
“You deserve exactly what you want.”
They got back to Amanda’s, and Rosemary went to work on the wedding plan while Amanda started dinner. Paul was on his way with the kids. While she was working on her computer, her phone buzzed.
“Hello?”
“Rosemary. It’s Tug.”
“Hey, how are you?”
“Great. Was hoping we could get together for a little while and catch up.”
“I’ve been running around with Amanda. We’re talking wedding plans.”
“The happiest day in a woman’s life, I hear,” Tug said.
“It is. Want to get together tomorrow? I have something I want to tell you.”
“Is everything okay?” Tug’s response held a hint of concern.
“Of course. Everything is great,” she reassured him. “I’ve got some things to do with Amanda and the kids in the morning. How about we get together for lunch?”
“Sounds great. I’ll make lunch for here at the house if that works for you. Any special requests?”
“Sounds perfect. Surprise me.”
“That’s becoming my new favorite pastime. Wait. Do I have to put that on my bucket list?”
“Now, you know that’s a to-do.”
“Ha! I’ll see you tomorrow. Have a good night.”
She hung up the phone, smiling. Life on Whelk’s Island was a delight.
The next day, Rosemary showed up at Tug’s at lunchtime. She was shocked to see the temporary dune cleared and his truck gone.
She climbed the stairs and stood at the front door for a moment with excitement flooding through her. She couldn’t wait to tell him her news. She knocked, taking in a steadying breath.
“I’m coming,” Tug’s voice called from inside. “Hey, gal. Come on in.”
“You’ve been busy.”
“Oh. Yeah. I kind of miss the hill. Now I have car shopping to do. I’ve got to say, I’m tempted to build a slide down the other side of the porch.”
“Sounds fun. I always loved the snake slide the best.”
“You’re a daredevil. I knew it!”
“Guilty.” She followed him inside.
He stopped in the foyer and turned to face her. “I have something to say.”
She almost bumped into him. “Oh? Okay.”
“I don’t want you to go,” he said. “Maybe you picked up on how much I enjoy your company. I don’t know, but I was talking to Amanda, and I realized I hadn’t said that, so I want you to know that I don’t want you to go back to your daughter’s house yet.”
“You don’t?” She felt as light as a feather. I guess no matter how old you get, it feels good to be wanted.
“I’ve been dreading it,” he admitted. “I can barely sleep for thinking about it.”
“Don’t lose another night’s sleep over it, Tug.” She couldn’t help but grin. “I want to stay here on Whelk’s Island.”
He perked up. “You do? For more than just a little while?”
“Yes. I wanted to tell you before, but I didn’t want you to think this was just because of you.” Flustered, she took a breath and tried again. “No, wait. That’s not coming out right, because it has a lot to do with you, in a really good way, but not only because of you.”
“You’re losing me.” His brows pulled together.
She could almost see the thought bubble of question marks above his head.
“I really like you,” he said.
Those words made her heart stop. “That’s just it, Tug. I am so happy here. I don’t want to lose you. And I’m okay if it’s always this friendship between us, because I love spending time with you, and I love this place and the town and Amanda and Paul and The Wife—”
“I’m getting the picture. It’s a great place to live.”
“It is. And you’re a great person to spend time with. I feel optimistic and hopeful around you.” She clasped her hands, trying to pace herself but dying to just spit out the words. “I put in an offer on that house down from Amanda’s.”
“What?” He looked completely surprised. “I was not expecting that. This is great news!”
“I thought you had an idea that I was interested in that house the day we passed by it and you told me about when it was built and all.”
“Everyone dreams of owning a beach house. I didn’t think that meant you were going to put an offer on it.”
“Not everyone dreams of owning a beach house. I didn’t until right about that moment.”
“Well, beach people dream about them all the time. The culture and tradition of living near the ocean is special. And this ain’t no Hawaii, but it’s beautiful, and I bet a lot of the activities aren’t that different from when you lived on the islands. The seafood festivals, bonfires, surfing competitions, sandcastle-building contests, and collecting shells. It’s a rich tapestry that shapes a beach community.”
“Exactly, and I long for it, but not because I’m chasing yesterday.” She was adamant she would never do that.
“Good. I think we’re both learning there’s nothing behind us worth focusing on,” Tug said. “Memories are meant to be cherished, but today is where we need to focus—today and the hope of tomorrows.”
“Right. My daughter was the only thing keeping me from moving forward, but I felt so strongly about it that I talked to her. Our conversation went much better than I expected, so I put in my offer, and this morning I got the call. They accepted it. I got the house.”
“You’re moving to Whelk’s Island? Right up the street?”
“I am.”
“Rosemary, you don’t know how happy this makes me.” He pulled her into a bear hug, swaying side to side. “I know you didn’t move for me. But this old man has found a happiness like I’ve never experienced since meeting you. I’ve been dreading you leaving.” He swept a hand through his hair and let out a breath. “This is fantastic news. Wow, so when will you be moving in?”
“The house was empty, and I negotiated the staged furniture in the deal. I also negotiated renting it until we close. So I’ll be moving in immediately. I get the keys tomorrow.”
“Wow. Well, when you decide to move, you really move. I’ll do anything to help you get moved and settled in,” Tug said with enthusiasm. “You can count on me. And what I can’t do, I bet I know a guy who can.”
“Oh, I’m sure you do. You know everybody!”
Tug looked proud of that. “And most of them owe me favors, which helps.”
“For sure.”
“Should I add getting you moved into your new house to my bucket list?”
“No. That is not a bucket list item. That’s a to-do list item.”
“I started one of those just today. Come with me.” He had her follow him into the kitchen. He pointed toward the refrigerator.
On a magnetic grocery pad, he’d written To-Do List across the top. Beneath that there was one item with a little checkbox next to it.
Surprise Rosemary every day.
Rosemary blinked back tears. “That’s the sweetest thing. Thank you.”
“I guess I’ll add ‘Help Rosemary move in’ to the list now.”
She nodded. “I love the idea of being on your to-do list.” No matter if they explored more of a relationship someday, it was good now, and it would all happen at the right time if it was meant to be.
“Helping you sounds a lot more fun than a to-do task to me, but I’ll call it whatever you like as long as I get to have you around. You brighten my days.”
“I’m so glad you think so.”
“How about that lunch?” he asked.
“Yes, please. I’m starving.”
“You’re always hungry,” he noted. “I love that about you.”
Over lunch, he asked her when she was going to show him her bucket list.
“I’ve got mine written in my journal,” she said. “I’ll show it to you when Nina and Kendra bring my stuff down this weekend. Tug, I couldn’t believe she was truly happy for me. She and Kendra are excited to see the place.”
“I look forward to meeting them. Let me know what I can do to help.”
“I will. I might even write it on your list,” she said, tickled with the prospect.
“Have at it. And when you get your stuff, then we’ll compare our bucket lists and plan a short road trip. I don’t know if I’m the road-tripping kind, since I’ve never done it, but I’m willing to try it.”
“I’m looking forward to that.”
Tug’s cellphone rang. “Hang on a second.” He answered. “Yes, she’s right here. Okay.” He waved Rosemary over. “It’s Paul and Amanda. They want me to put it on speaker.”
“Hi, you two! You’re on speaker,” Rosemary said.
“Great,” Amanda said. “We settled on a date for the wedding, thanks to your planning skills, Rosemary.”
“You’re very welcome,” Rosemary replied.
“It’s a short list of our closest friends—just twelve people, and you two are at the top! We’re getting married in The Shell Collector’s backyard, Saturday after next. I kept it simple, but two weeks is going to fly by.”
Tug’s jaw dropped. “What? This is great. Best news I’ve had all year.”
“It’s super fast!” Rosemary said.
“We just inked it in on the pastor’s schedule,” Paul said. “We’ll be doing sunset vows. According to the internet, on September twentieth sunset will be just before seven. We will get started at six o’clock, so by the time we get all twelve cats herded and do all the ‘I dos,’ we can see the sun dip below the horizon.”
“You’ll both be there, right?” Amanda sounded worried. “Please don’t tell me you have plans that night.”
Rosemary glanced at Tug, her hand brushing his on the kitchen island as they exchanged a quick, knowing look.
“We wouldn’t miss it,” they said in unison, and Tug added with a grin, “No matter what!”
“Tug, I do need a favor.” Amanda took a breath.
“What is it? I’m happy to do anything you need.”
“Well, it’s kind of a big ask. My mom and dad are not going to make it down. There are a few things I want to be traditional for the kids and for us. Would you walk me down the aisle? You and Jesse, of course?” she clarified.
“Yes! Yes! I’m honored. Absolutely. Anything for you two.”
“I forgot to tell you, Tug.” Rosemary shrank back. “I sort of committed us to cater the dinner for afterward. I could handle it, but I think we’d create something pretty fabulous together.”
He pulled her close and kissed her on the cheek. “Thank you. I’d love to cook that meal with you. This is the smartest lady I’ve ever met,” Tug said. “Y’all know how to make a man feel needed. It’s a nice feeling.” His eyes were misty.
That kiss hadn’t gone unnoticed. Rosemary hadn’t expected it, but her heart was pounding in response. His blue eyes twinkled as Paul and Amanda ran down all the details of their upcoming nuptials.
Finally, Tug hung up. “This is one good day. You’re moving here. Paul’s moving in with Amanda and the kids. They’ll be a real family. Everything is right.”
“I’m so thankful something brought me to Whelk’s Island at just that time. I felt a strong calling to be here. I don’t think that was an accident.”
“Me either. There are no accidents. We’re all just pieces to a much bigger puzzle.” He sat there looking at her for an almost awkwardly long moment. “I can’t wait to spend more time together. This is really happening, isn’t it?”
“It is.” She broke into a wide smile. “Butterflies just danced inside me!” Did I just say that out loud? She quickly changed the topic. “There are some short road trips I’ve been wanting to do. The Biltmore in Asheville isn’t that far away, and I’d like to go on one of those whale-watching boats. I heard they do those right off the coast here certain times of the year.”
“They do. I know the guy—”
“Of course you do!” She relaxed. “Let’s do it together, then, since you know him and all.”
“Yeah. Sure,” Tug said. “I’m up for that.”
“You have several things on your bucket list that sound fun.” I’d love to tag along. She could easily picture spending a lot more time with him.
There was a hint of mischief in the lift of his brow.
She hoped that meant they might do those together too.