40. Epilogue
Epilogue
Lina
I can’t believe Carter and I are going to stay in this magical place for ten days. There will be no worries about work or finding a house—just him and me.
Zoe is still trying to convince me to keep my townhouse so she and her girlfriend can rent it out together. I’m considering it, but I’m nervous my sister will turn it into a Risky Business -type situation. I can’t blame her. They’re all consenting adults just trying to get through college. But I feel like I shouldn’t be okay with it, though. We’ll see. Carter said it was up to me, and he actually gave my sister props for having such a strong business acumen—even if it is unconventional.
“Can I interest you in swimming with sharks this afternoon?” Carter comments, glancing down into the shallow teal water.
I walk over to the lower deck and wrap my arms around Carter’s waist. Staring down at the gray sharks with black-tipped tails, I get a rush of excitement. “They look friendly.”
Carter’s chest rumbles with a laugh. “I have one more surprise for you.”
“Another one?”
“Well, it might not necessarily be a surprise, but I thought it would make you happy.” He twists in my arms, now facing me with his back to the sunset.
“You don’t have to keep trying to impress me. You know I’m a sure thing, right?” I wink.
“I have the rest of my life to continue impressing you, and I plan on never stopping.”
“I love you.” I smile.
“I love you, too, baby,” he says, grazing the back of his fingers along the side of my face. “Your dad and Bristol are meeting us down here two days before we leave.”
“That’s interesting.” I’m shocked, but I am also warm at the thought of my dad and Carter continuing their friendship.
I was hopeful everything would smooth over eventually, and it did. Accepting Carter and I being together was hard for him at first, but after they hashed it out one night on their own, things have been better ever since. I understand why he was worried about what was happening between his daughter and his best friend, but as soon as he realized that Carter wasn’t going anywhere and that he’d do anything for me, my dad relented a bit.
“When I told Brian I was taking you to Bora Bora, he asked if they could join us on their way home from Australia. I hope you don’t mind.”
This whole thing has helped my relationship with my dad. We’re developing a new kind of friendship, and I’m finally feeling at peace with it. No surprise, my mom could not care less. The girls have been ecstatic and can’t stop planning things for all of us to do every time Piper and Jack are in town.
“Of course not.” I rise to kiss his lips, then slowly pull away. “As long as they don’t hang out with us too long. I’d like to keep you all to myself for the next week and a half.” I guess that’s one perk of dating your dad’s best friend. I never have to worry about whether they’ll get along or not. I’m still not the biggest fan of Bristol, but if my dad can accept my dating choices, I can accept his.
“Oh, trust me, baby. We will have plenty of time to be by ourselves,” he whispers. “Ready for a swim?”
I nod, quickly wiping a tear from my eye while staring into the deep shades of coral and ginger sunset. The horizon reflects on top of the water, with no clear beginning or end. I’ve always been a romance skeptic. I have never believed that I’d ride off into the sunset with the man of my dreams, and I never imagined he’d somehow have to save me because I wanted to save myself.
Now, with Carter, I realize love doesn’t have to be some sappy story. It can be a story of a real partnership and trust—finding someone to move through life with.
That’s what love is about.