The Windfall (27 page)

Cooper moved close to me and took my hands, draping them around his neck. “I will if you will.”

“W-what?” I asked, my pulse slowing down to what felt like only a single beat.

“I want you to live here with me, Emma,” he said, a grin on his face. “After all, I had you in mind when I first saw this place. From what the realtor says, the surf here is . . . how did he put it? Off the hook.” Cooper tried to imitate someone, but I had no idea who. Regardless, it was adorable. “So, the question is . . . could this be a place that makes you happy?”

I swallowed hard, fighting back the tears as I looked at him, trying to figure out how I had gotten so lucky to have this guy in my life. “Oh, Cooper,” I whispered. “Wherever you are, I am the happiest. Besides, this place is amazing. Of course I will move in with you if that is what you want.”

“I don’t want anything more,” he said, brushing his lips over mine. “And I am glad you like the house because I kind of already bought it, this morning, in fact.”

I laughed, pressing against him to feel his warmth through my body. “Of course you have. What if I had said no?”

“I think I would have had to talk you into it then,” he chuckled, kissing my shoulder lightly. “And since we are here, in what will soon be our home, would you like to take advantage of the off the hook waves and go surfing here instead?”

I thought about our plans for the afternoon, how both of our boards were sitting in Cooper’s car, waiting to hit the waves and nodded. “I suppose this place is as good as any.” I was going to expand Cooper’s training today, at least get him to the point of standing up on the board without falling every second. When he had shown up with his own board this morning, I laughed, hoping that he had gotten some help in choosing it. “But can’t we look at the upstairs first?” I asked, anxious to see the rest of my new home.

“I promise it will be there after surfing. We only have so much daylight left. We’ll check it all out then. Let’s go get our gear.”

I couldn’t argue with his logic, and I did want to get some wave time in. We walked out to the car arm in arm, my heart light with everything that was happening in my life. First, Cooper’s declaration of love. Now, this house purchased for our future. My life couldn’t get much better than what was going on at the moment.

Together, we shimmed into our wetsuits and walked down the provided path to the beach, me taking a moment to look back at the house that was going to be our home as it glistened in the sunlight. It was quirky and cozy, not at all flashy. I couldn’t ask for much more than that. It would be a place that Cooper and I could both be comfortable in. And as I thought about it, I couldn’t wait to see the bedrooms upstairs, to pick out furniture and really make the place ours, together.

Cooper plopped down in the sand and pulled his board in his lap, fiddling with the connection of the Velcro strap. “Go on without me. I got to get this thing to work right first.”

“Don’t be too long,” I said, and I was about to run out into the cool water of the ocean with a happy sigh when two people approached me, a guy and a girl.

“Excuse me,” the girl said to get my attention. She was carrying a camera and dressed in a pair of shorts and tank top. “Hi, I’m Amber, this is Scott. Would you mind if we took a few photos of you and your friend for our surfing blog? Maybe asked you a couple of questions?”

I looked back over my shoulder at Cooper, who shrugged. “I’m still trying to get this strap fixed, besides, the only questions I could answer right now would be about falling.” I smiled and shook my head. He was so damned cute.

“Sure,” I said as I turned back to the pair standing between me and the waves. Amber took a few steps back and positioned her camera, Scott moved to a different angle and snapped a few shots as well, though I wasn’t sure if he was taking pictures of me or of Cooper fiddling with his board behind me.

Amber stopped snapping photos and started to ask me questions about how long I’d been surfing and where I thought some good spots were in the area, all the while Scott was snapping shots all over the place. When Amber asked me what had brought me out to the beach today, I told her that I was teaching Cooper how to surf and we were there for a lesson.

“Awesome, would you mind if we get a few photos of you two together, then?” she asked as Scott disappeared behind me.

“Sure.”

“Great, if you could just step over there with him, I think the lighting is better.”

Laughing, I turned to head back to stand with Cooper, but I stopped dead in my tracks when I saw Cooper was kneeling behind his board on one knee. The bottom of his board was facing me. Written across it in what I could only assume was paint were the words: WILL YOU MARRY ME?

My laughter took on a surprise note as my free hand covered my mouth. “What are you doing?” I asked breathlessly, my eyes straying to his.

He grinned and popped open a small black box, revealing a square diamond ring that glistened in the sun. “I didn’t buy the house for us just to live together, Emma. I love you, so very much and there is not a second in every day that I don’t think about you and our life together. I was hoping that you would like to be by my side forever, as my wife and my partner. Will you make me the happiest man alive? Will you marry me?”

My tears intermingled with the saltiness of the air as I felt my heart nearly explode in my chest. “Oh, Cooper, yes. Yes, I will,” I said softly, my voice choking on the words. “I love you so much.”

He stood and I practically jumped into his arms, clutching him tightly. “You just made me the happiest woman ever.”

He rained kisses on my forehead and cheek. “I will spend a lifetime making you happy, Emma.”

I completely forgot about the photographers still clicking away with their cameras, photographers I later learned my future husband had hired.

Cooper let me go and looked around, spying the ring box he had dropped in the sand when I attacked him. My breath caught as he picked it up and pulled the ring out of its container, sliding it onto my finger with a small shake of his hand.

“Oh my god, Cooper, it’s beautiful,” I said, looking down at the glimmering stone set in a platinum setting. “It’s absolutely perfect.”

He let out a breath, laughing. “I’m glad. Now, if you don’t like it, I can take it back and the house too if you change your mind.”

I looked up at him and gave him a disarming smile, then smacked him on the arm. “Don’t you dare. This is going to be our home.”

He gathered me close and kissed me, the California sun beating down on us. It was the perfect beginning to the rest of our lives together.

Epilogue

Emma

The ocean breeze ruffled my hair as I stood in what had become one of my favorite areas of our home — the deck overlooking the ocean. It had everything a girl who loved being outside could want — a hot tub, a gas log fire pit, Cooper had even had a hammock installed for me since I loved it so much. A hammock we had put to very good use quite frequently just lying next to each other, talking about our thoughts and dreams for the future, and enjoying the afternoon sun or looking up at the stars with the ocean singing its song in the background.

I closed my eyes, enjoying the warmth of the mid-afternoon sun on my face and listened as the waves crashed to the shore. There were days I still had a hard time believing that this was my life. It seemed every day it got better and better, and I just waited for the wave of life to come crashing down on me. But I eventually came to realize how extremely blessed my day to day life had become. Of course, it helped to have a wonderful man like Cooper to wake up next to every morning. He was without a doubt the man of my dreams, the man I had been waiting for. He made life fun and exciting, always a new challenge to pursue. But at the same time, he made it easy to be content with the daily mundane existence that life can sometimes be.

Looking out across the sandy beach behind our home, a soft smile grew on my lips. I thought about the wedding that had happened there one year ago. Our wedding. We thought it was the only thing to do, to get married right behind our beach house in the very spot Cooper had proposed eighteen months before. There had been just a few family and friends in tow to watch us tie the knot. I had worn a simple white dress and Cooper had looked so handsome in his white dress shirt and khaki pants. It was by far the most important and special day of my life to date. I remember holding it together pretty well until Cooper mouthed the words I love you while the preacher went through his spiel. I teared up and pretty much cried through the vows, which also brought a few tears to Cooper’s eyes. By the time we had kissed as man and wife, I felt like the entire crowd was sobbing with us. It was a happy day; a day that would never be forgotten. And when the last song was played and the rice was thrown, I was married to a man who made my life complete.

After the wedding, Cooper surprised me on our wedding night with a trip to Australia, where we surfed and explored the country for three weeks. It was something I would have never dreamed of doing, but it was amazing and Cooper had planned it all as a wedding gift for me. Like the prince I perceived him to be, he whisked me away to parts unknown and we had the experience of our lives. The trip had been extravagant but that wasn’t something Cooper did very often. He wasn’t the type to throw his money around even two years later.

We still co-owned Keefer’s with Chris, and the guys had made plans to expand it next year. Chris still managed the day to day of the bar and grille and I had to give it to the former cook, he did a darn good job. The employees were happy, the business was making money and, on occasion, when I needed a place to decompress, Chris still allowed me to work a shift or two. And I wasn’t the only one. Cooper had been known to sling a few drinks on occasion, as well. The bar and grille held special meaning for us. It’s where the wonderful life I lived began and I doubted Cooper would ever sell the place because of it.

And for the first time since Cooper had bought Keefer’s, the college fund that he started for the employees was about to be used for the first time. Jessie, one of the waitresses, was to be the first recipient of the scholarship money. I could hardly wait to present it to her as a surprise. Both Cooper and I had been in her shoes. Jessie was a hardworking individual who was desperately trying to take care of her family and better herself for the future. She deserved any help we could give her.

With a contented sigh, I pushed away from the railing and sat down on the hammock, swinging back and forth idly. I shot my dad a text message to check on him. He had been doing as well as could be expected given his cancer recurrence and the new treatments. After Cooper had proposed to me, knowing how special my relationship was with my dad, Cooper had urged me to tell Dad myself. Of course, Cooper knew that Dad was already aware since Cooper had asked his permission. But, I took his advice and treated my father to his favorite restaurant so I could give him the news. I was surprised when he had told me his cancer had returned and that Cooper had offered to send him for a second opinion. It was that moment that solidified my decision. I realized I wasn’t making a mistake by marrying Cooper, quite the opposite. He not only cared for me and loved me, but he was also looking out for the other important man in my life. For that, I would be eternally thankful.

Just my father, William, and I had made the trek to the physician who had given us options we never knew existed. Without the worry of how we were going to afford it, the doctor put my father on an experimental drug for his cancer and so far, everything had been going pretty well. In fact, he had just recently received a promising report of the cancer shrinking. I was proud of him for being so strong. With every day that passed, I hoped and prayed we would have him around for a long time.

Looking at my watch, I wondered why my husband wasn’t home yet. He had left two hours earlier on an errand but had yet to return. I had hoped to have some time with him before we were due to be at Keefer’s, but the clock was ticking and at this rate we would probably have just enough time to make it over to the grille for the afternoon “staff meeting.” A meeting that was actually a party for Jessie and was set to be finished before Keefer’s opened up for the evening crowd. It also meant I would get to celebrate my anniversary with my husband when we were done.

I still couldn’t believe we’d already made it through a whole year of wedded bliss. The time had flown by like a wonderful dream, and I couldn’t help but wonder if my life would forever be so blissful that I didn’t notice how quickly it was passing by. Would I wake up one day and see wrinkles on my face and wonder where the time had gone? I suddenly wanted to slow it down and enjoy what I had been blessed with.

Even my mother-in-law was amazing, which is more than what I understand most married women would say. I learned early on that she just wanted Cooper to be happy and once I proved that I could see to that, our relationship had been ideal. Not everyone was as lucky. She and Cooper’s Aunt Sophie and Uncle Bill had been a great support for us and a wonderful addition to my already loving family. The renovations on their house were completed shortly before the wedding and Cooper’s mom had a place of her own close to her sister and less than thirty minutes from us. We attended weekly family dinners there where we laughed over Cooper’s early days and just talked about life. I had learned so much over the past year about my husband. My father and William had both even come to the dinner a few times. I wanted the two families to get to know each other, considering I planned to be married to my husband for a long, long time.

Glancing at my watch again, I pushed myself out of the comfortable hammock and headed inside to get ready. Cooper came in just in time to take a quick shower and get dressed.

* * * * *

Cooper laughed as he glanced at me from his side of the car. “Are you already taking off your shoes? Should I even ask why you wear them if they hurt your feet that bad?”

I wiggled my toes in the floorboard of the car and smiled at my husband. “Because I only had to wear them a couple of hours and they match my dress, of course. Fashion over comfort.”