Chapter 42
FORTY-TWO
SAVANNA
“Mommy, I want you to wear this to the beach,” Drew says, rifling through my closet.
I give her a pointed look, then look out the window. The remnants of the last remaining rainfall from this week’s storm are finally shifting, giving us a break in the clouds.
It’s been seven days since Drew fractured her arm. Since Dalton brought his camouflage duffel bag over, unpacking his bag, mixing his life with mine. Seven days since I told Dalton Hayes I loved him—for real, and not just a drunken confession.
One week since we told Drew Dalton was her dad.
And since then, we’ve spent the last week tucked away together in the bungalow, weathering out the storm outside together, while blissfully wrapped up in one another—like a family.
“I don’t know, Drew. I don’t think it’s dress weather outside,” I say hesitantly, folding the last remaining clothes and stuffing them in the suitcase.
We have four hours until we have to leave for the airport to catch our flight to California, and while I finish packing, Dalton says he has a few errands to run before we leave.
“But Mommy, you look so pretty in it!” Drew’s eyes gleam back at me, her fingers tracing over the delicate white linen fabric, landing on the blue embroidered flowers stitched across the straps.
Giving her a weary look, I zip up our luggage. I promised Drew I would take her to the beach before we left for the airport, giving her an hour to explore after this week’s past storm.
“Please, Mommy? I’ll wear a dress too!” she pleads, clasping her free hands and cast together.
Releasing a sigh, a soft smile tugs at the corner of my lips. “Alright, I’ll wear the dress. But as soon as we get back, we need to change so we can drive to the airport. We need our comfy clothes for the flight.” Reaching out to tickle her, I grab the dress hanging from the closet.
“Deal!” she squeals, darting out of my bedroom.
Twenty minutes later, our steps fall in line as we make our way toward South Beach. Drew runs ahead, her rainboots sinking into the wet sand once we cross the wooden bridge. With her bucket in her hand, she picks up the pace, not stopping as she runs parallel with the Atlantic.
“Drew!” I call out. “Don’t go too far. We’re not staying long. We have a plane to catch, remember?” Picking up the hem of my dress so it doesn’t drag in the sand, I take longer strides to catch up.
“Hurry, Mommy! We’re going to be late!” she calls over her shoulder, her blonde hair whipping in the wind, her pink princess dress trailing behind her.
Late?
“Late for what, Drew?” I shout.
Drew’s giggles travel through the wind. “You’ll see!” She continues running. “Hurry!”
I follow her, my feet sinking into the sand with each step as the waves crash ashore. When we almost get to the pier at South Beach, my steps falter, my heart beating out of my chest when I see a figure standing beneath the pier.
It’s not just any figure.
It’s Dalton.
In our spot.
Running ahead, Drew makes it to Dalton, where he kneels and scoops her up into his arms, giving her a fist bump. From a distance, they both watch me with beaming smiles.
Why is Dalton at the beach?
Didn’t he say he was helping his mom before we left this morning?
As I make my way closer to Dalton and Drew, a fluttery sensation erupts low in my belly. My eyes land on their matching mischievous smiles. When my gaze travels up, I notice our friends and family on the pier, their eyes on me.
Hudson with a huge grin.
Sanders with a smirk.
Hailey, with her hands clasped, giving me a teary smile.
Our parents in an embrace.
My heart pounds, feet stopping beneath the pier in front of Dalton and Drew. “What’s going on? I thought you were at your mom’s this morning?”
Dalton’s eyes caress me, his mouth curving into a sly smile. “I was.” Setting Drew down, he takes a step closer to me. “Now I’m here.”
My forehead creases. “Now you’re here...” I repeat in a whisper back to him.
My gaze snags on Dalton’s denim jeans and white dress shirt rolled to his elbows. The opposite of the work clothes he left in this morning.
“Yup, in our spot,” he says, reaching out to take my hand. “I see our daughter got you to wear the dress.”
I glance at Drew, whose shoulders are pulled up to her ears in a lopsided grin. “The dress?” I say, glancing down at my white linen dress.
The dress that’s white, with something blue.
“Yup,” Dalton says, bringing the back of my hand to his lips. “I enlisted my helper this morning. I don’t think you would have wanted to do what we’re hopefully about to do in leggings and a sweatshirt.”
My eyes widen, landing on Dalton’s dimple, popping into a grin. “What are we about to do?”
Dalton chuckles, stepping back. “Hopefully, we’re about to get married.”
Covering my mouth to hide my gasp, a shaky breath leaves me when Dalton’s knee sinks into the sand. He looks over his shoulder, giving Drew a thumbs-up. Running to his side, she hands him her yellow beach bucket.
“Thanks, princess,” Dalton says with a wink, while reaching his hand into her bucket and pulling out a black box buried beneath the seashells.
Dalton’s eyes find mine, penetrating me.
With shaky hands, he holds the small box in the palm of his hand.
“Savanna, if you had told me three weeks ago that I would be kneeling here, under this pier, about to propose to you with our daughter at our side—I would have said there’s just no damn way.
And if you had told me three weeks ago that I wouldn’t be going back to my solitary life in the Marines, I probably would have laughed in your face,” he says, a wet chuckle falling from his mouth.
“But the last three weeks I've had with you and Drew have altered the course of my life.” Dalton releases a ragged breath, his eyes misting over. “But I think I finally figured out what I want to do with my life now.”
Uncovering my hands from my mouth, I swallow hard. “What’s that?”
“Be a husband and father.”
Without skipping a beat, Dalton rotates the box in his hands, flipping it open to reveal the scallop seashell bracelet I gave him the night before he left for basic training. It’s attached to a simple diamond-banded ring.
My heart stops before thumping against my chest again. My eyes mist over, realizing that he kept the bracelet I slid off my wrist all those summers ago. “Dalton…” I breathe, eyes widening.
“Savanna, I know last week we sat in this exact spot, and I said I’d marry you tomorrow if you’d let me...but I didn’t get a chance that night to ask.” He pauses, flashing me a grin. “So I’m asking now. But I don’t want to marry you tomorrow.”
Shifting my feet in the sand, I stare down at him. “You don’t?”
“I want to marry you today.”
“Today?” I draw in a sharp intake of breath, hands shaking at my sides as I stare down at the man who has had my heart since we were kids.
Who came back after six years.
Who’s staying—for me.
For Drew.
Dalton chuckles, eyes sparkling. “Yes, right now, preferably.” My eyes dart from Dalton to our family on the pier, before landing back on him. “So, what do you say, Savanna? Will you marry me today?”
I’m already nodding yes before the words leave my mouth. “I’ll marry you today, Dalton.”
He stands, his smile beaming, before pulling me in for a kiss. Drew squeals at our sides, jumping up and down in the sand.
Taking the bracelet out of the black box, Dalton unclasps it, slipping the ring off and directly onto my finger. Turning to Drew, he clips my scalloped bracelet onto her wrists. I crash my mouth into his, practically knocking him off his feet.
I’m marrying Dalton Hayes—today.
I’m going to be his wife.
Dalton’s laughter spills between our lips. “Thank god you said yes, because I really didn’t want to have to break it to our wedding officiant if you’d said no.” He nods his head up toward the pier, where Hudson waves, a smug smile lining his face. “He’s been practicing all week.”
A choked laugh escapes me. “My brother is marrying us?”
“He is.”
Pulling back, I study the familiar shade of clear blue, belonging to the only boy I’ve loved my entire life. My lips curve up, brow lifting. “Did you ask him for permission?”
Dalton tugs me back to him, his lips grazing my neck before whispering, “When have I ever asked for permission when it comes to you?”