Chapter 23
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Alexis looked around her with a smile. She was working with a whole crowd of people in Turtle Dove Hall as they did their best to return the venue to its former glory in time for Julia and Cooper’s wedding.
Since she had Cash strapped to her back in a baby harness, she wasn’t doing any of the particularly difficult work, like removing or replacing the wallpaper and some of the floorboards.
Instead, she was on tool duty—whenever someone needed a tool that they didn’t already have, like a hammer or a level or scraper, they would call to her and she would hurry to deliver it to them.
Everyone seemed to be extra delighted by being visited by Cash’s smiling face, so it was a good job for her, she thought with a chuckle.
It felt comfortable and companionable to be working together with her friends and neighbors like that.
She knew that the people of Rosewood Beach valued their community and were always ready to lend a helping hand whenever they could.
It made her feel more grateful than ever to be living in the supportive, kind-hearted town.
“Hey, sweetheart!” Grayson, who was working on replacing the floorboards with Jacob, lifted his hand and waved to her. “Can we get a pliers? Some of these nails won’t come out.”
“And a hammer!” Jacob called. “Thanks, Alexis.”
“You got it, boys,” she called out cheerfully. She grabbed the tools they had asked for and headed over to them.
“My favorite part of today is whenever you turn around and Cash stares at us the entire time you’re walking away,” Jacob said with a laugh as she handed him the hammer. “He’s making the absolute cutest expressions, like he thinks we’re all here to do his bidding and he approves.”
Grayson laughed. “Maybe someday he’ll oversee jobsites like his Uncle Ryan.”
Alexis made a goofily shocked face at him. “Grayson, Faith and Ryan aren’t engaged.” Even if they were, the husband of his third cousin wouldn’t be Cash’s uncle, but Alexis decided to wave that point.
Grayson shrugged, grinning impishly. “We all know they’re headed in that direction.”
Alexis was about to agree when she saw an unexpected visitor walk into Turtle Dove Hall through the main entrance. She blinked in surprise, hardly believing what she was seeing.
“Look,” she squeaked, waving at Grayson. “It’s Lewis. I didn’t think he was still in town.”
Grayson looked up, also surprised that his friend had arrived at Turtle Dove Hall. “I didn’t either. I guess he’s enjoying our simple, countrified ways more than he expected.” He gave his wife a sly smile and Alexis laughed.
Lewis strolled up to them with his hands in his suit coat pockets. There was a smile on his face that appeared to be a mix between friendly and smug.
“I saw so many cars in this parking lot that I thought there must be an event of some kind in here,” Lewis said, flashing a grin. “And then I came in here and I saw all this. The whole town is working together to put this building back in order, is that right?”
“That’s right.” Alexis was determined to stay polite and friendly, even though what she wanted to do was cross her arms and ask Lewis if he planned on being condescending toward their small town again.
“That’s so… charming.” He said the word as if it meant something outdated and sickly sweet. He chuckled and shook his head. “So charming to see a small town pull together. It’s so neighborly.”
“What’s wrong with being neighborly, Lewis?” Alexis asked gently. She suddenly felt very sorry for him. Maybe deep down, he was jealous of the way they lived.
“Well, nothing.” Lewis laughed. “Unless of course you’re acquiring real estate or making a business deal. Then, naturally, it doesn’t get one very far.”
“Not everything in life is about business deals, Lewis.” Grayson set down his tools and stood up, looking his friend right in the eyes.
“We don’t value those things like we used to.
Life isn’t about success and making money.
Our simpler existence here in Rosewood Beach doesn’t have the stress and drama that came with our previous lifestyle in L.A.
It’s exactly right for this next chapter of our lives.
If you’re unable to see that, might I suggest that you stay in your lane and stop making jabs at our happiness? ”
Lewis’s grin was as wide and flashy as ever, but Alexis could see a look in his eyes that implied that Grayson’s words had hit home. “I’m just joking, Grayson, not making jabs.”
“I know you’re just joking, but it’s gone too far,” Grayson said, his tone kind. “I haven’t been insulting the way you live in L.A., Lewis, but believe me, I could be. Joking or no joking.”
Lewis clapped Grayson on the back with a devil-may-care attitude, but Alexis could see that he was feeling less superior than usual. “You can’t insult L.A., Grayson. It’s too big to be bothered by the likes of you.”
“Yes, it is,” Grayson said. “And that’s just the point, Lewis.
It’s too big to be bothered with me too.
Can you imagine people in L.A. coming together like this?
Right away, without hesitation? This kind of thing doesn’t happen in a big city, but it happens here.
I’m so proud of my community. I could never live anywhere else after living in a place like this. ”
Alexis listened to her husband with a joyful smile on her face.
She was moved by his passionate words, and she felt glad that Lewis had come along and challenged their new values, since it had led to her being able to hear her husband defend their new home with so much conviction.
She felt proud that he was standing strong and standing up to Lewis’s words.
“I wholeheartedly agree with Grayson,” Alexis said, slipping her hand into his. “And remember, Lewis, we’ve lived in both places. We really do know what we want, because we’ve tried both of them on for size. This is the place that fits us and our values best.”
“Well, if you ever get bored to tears, come visit me in L.A.,” Lewis said, unable to keep himself from turning everything into bantering, it seemed. “You’ll remember what you’re missing.”
“Maybe we will come visit you,” Grayson said, unperturbed by his friend’s jab. “But who knows—maybe once you go back to L.A., it’ll be you who misses the comfortable quiet of Rosewood Beach.”
“Mm, not in a million years,” Lewis said with a laugh, but Alexis saw a look pass across his eyes that made her guess that Grayson might not be far off.
She looked at her husband with a smile, feeling glad that their unexpected adventures with Lewis had ended in them feeling surer than ever that they had made the right choice about where to live and where to raise their son.
This life we’ve created together , she thought, feeling her heart lift with happiness, may be messy, imperfect, and exhausting at times, but it’s absolutely beautiful—and I wouldn’t change it for the world.
Julia was sitting at the kitchen table in Cooper’s house, an assortment of papers and crafts spread out in front of her. She was finally, finally checking off the final items on her to-do list for the wedding, and victory had never tasted so sweet to her.
She looked down with satisfaction at the place cards, which had the names of their guests printed on them in a beautiful gold, swirling font. She could just imagine them nestled under the golden trees hung with glass beads that she and the women in her family had finished making the other day.
She smiled to herself. Her wedding wouldn’t be perfect, and it wouldn’t be the magical fairytale wedding that she’d once envisioned as a young girl, but it was going to be absolutely incredible.
She’d put in the time and effort, and people that she loved had put in time and effort as well.
She couldn’t wait for the day to arrive, so that she could vow to love and cherish Cooper forever and spend the rest of her life with him.
She thought about how all of her friends and neighbors in Rosewood Beach had come together to fix up Turtle Dove Hall in time for the wedding.
The place looked as good as new—maybe even better, since now she had wonderful memories of working there with people she loved.
She breathed a sigh of relief as she thought about how worried she’d been that they weren’t going to be able to find a venue for their reception at all.
She got up to get herself a second cup of coffee, even though she still felt energized and focused. She liked the buzzing feeling that coffee gave her—and besides, Cooper had picked up a pumpkin spice creamer for her, and it was so delicious that she wanted to drink a little more of it.
She had just sat down again and taken a couple of sips of her coffee when Cooper stepped through the kitchen doorway.
“Macey’s all snuggled up with her favorite princess movie,” he said, his eyes shining lovingly at Julia.
“Perfect.” She turned her face up to him as he bent down and gave her a kiss. “I love it when she sings all those songs while we’re getting her ready for bed.”
He chuckled and sat down next to her. “So this is it, huh? We’re nearly at the end of the planning?”
“This is it,” she agreed happily. “We’re just about ready to get married.”
“Mm, I’m pretty sure I was ready to get married to you since the start of our fifth date.”
She laughed and blushed. Whenever he looked at her like that, she felt as though she was full of stars and butterflies, all swirling around in some kind of dance.
“I’m so lucky,” she said, and kissed him.
“Me too. And we’re so lucky that our community helped us repair Turtle Dove Hall. It all worked out in the end, even when we thought it wouldn’t.”
“We’re so lucky,” she agreed. “I’m so grateful.
And I’m grateful for you too, Cooper—really grateful.
You were so calm and reassuring throughout this whole stressful endeavor.
You kept me steady and sane, and I couldn’t have done it without you.
It’s just one of the many reasons why I love you and I can’t wait to be your wife. ”
Cooper took her into his arms and they shared a kiss. Julia was getting lost in a happy daydream about their future as husband and wife when they heard a squeal of delight.
“Macey!” Julia laughed as she saw the toddler standing in the doorway, her eyes wide with delight.
Macey was pointing at the kitchen table, where the garland of autumn leaves, flowers, and ribbons that Julia had made with Hazel was resting.
“Isn’t it beautiful?” Julia asked, holding her arms out for the little girl, who toddled into them eagerly.
“That’s going to go on the altar at the church for when your daddy and I light the unity candle at our wedding. ”
“So pretty,” Macey said.
“Thanks, Macey.” Julia set the little girl on her lap and gave her a hug. “What happened to your movie?”
Macey shrugged, smiling impishly. It was clear that she’d figured there was more excitement going on in the kitchen, and she wanted to be there instead.
“I want to talk about the wedding,” Macey said. “Can I try on my flower girl dress again?”
“No, honey.” Cooper chuckled. “We have to make sure to keep it nice for the big day. But we can show you another picture of it if you want.”
“I want to see your dress again,” Macey said to Julia.
“Uh oh,” Julia said to Cooper, laughing. “Better turn around.”
Cooper dutifully covered his face with his hands and Julia took out her phone and showed Macey the pictures of her wedding dress. It was long and lacey and elegant, and Macey cooed with delight.
“You are going to be so pretty,” Macey said, her words emphatic and difficult to understand because of her sloppy baby consonants.
“Thank you! So are you.” Julia kissed the little girl on the top of the head.
“I can’t wait for you to be my mommy.” Macey swung her legs happily while she said it, nonchalant and energetic, but both Julia and Cooper froze when they heard the words. They shared a look over Macey’s head, and Julia blinked back the tears that had suddenly filled her eyes.
“I can’t wait either, baby,” she whispered.
She remembered how helpless she’d felt concerning Macey when she and Cooper first started dating.
She’d thought that she would be clueless when it came to taking care of a little girl, and she’d wondered if things between her and Cooper would work out, since she was so inexperienced with children.
Macey had immediately captured her heart, however.
Learning how to care for her had been challenging, certainly, but Julia loved the little girl in ways she hadn’t known she was capable of loving.
The toddler brought joy to her and Cooper’s lives like no one else could.
Beside her, Cooper wiped away a tear. He offered Julia a watery smile and then laughed over how emotional he’d gotten.
“Come here,” Julia said, holding her arm out for him. He scooted his chair closer to hers and the three of them shared a hug.
Julia felt as though her heart was overflowing with love. Soon, both Macey and Cooper would officially be a permanent fixture in her future. The three of them would be their own, new family. She couldn’t wait.