Page 110

Kelsey smirked and reached for her wine.

“We’ve never walked on the beach over here at night. What do you say?”

“I’d love to. We can dance when we get back to our bungalow,” Kelsey replied.

They went downstairs, waved at Riley, and slipped out through the patio to the beach. The wind was cool coming off the water and the waves were playing their song.

Isabella held Kelsey’s hand and they walked right on the edge of the water. “Walking on the beach with you is one of my favorite things.”

“I picture these moments in my head when I’m home,” Kelsey said.

“I know you worry about what’s to come and you especially worry about me, but I assure you, babe, I’ve thought about this.”

Kelsey squeezed her hand.

“Since we met at Christmas, I’ve been thinking about us and what it would mean to be with you,” Isabella said.

“You have?” Kelsey looked at her in surprise.

“Yep. I asked myself a lot of questions. Why did it feel so good to be in your arms when we danced for the first time? From there I knew we were more than friends. I thought about what that could mean for me and the boys.” Isabella paused for a moment to take a breath.

Kelsey patiently waited and that’s one thing Isabella loved about her.

“Before I met you, I was just going about life. I got married, had kids, and worked on a career. Like I’ve said, doing what was expected. But after Spencer and I split up I knew I wouldn’t do that again. My heart kept telling me there was more to life. I wasn’t living; I was just doing. When I met you it all started to come together. There were many nights when I couldn’t sleep and stared at the ceiling, but it all clicked into place when I let myself think of you and me together.”

Isabella stopped walking and turned to Kelsey, taking her hands.

“My heart was singing with happiness whenever I simply thought of you. It felt settled and the uneasiness was gone. I know this will be hard. I’m not naive. I know people will not approve and the boys will bear part of that. I hope not, but I’m prepared. I know my heart, Kels, and it’s yours. Don’t be afraid to take it. Let me tell you the same thing you told me. I’m worth it. We’re worth it.”

“Bella,” Kelsey said with tears in her eyes. “You’ve had my heart from the beginning. Our love is worth it. I surrounded my girls with love and it’s gotten us through. We’ll do the same for Wyatt and Gus.”

Isabella smiled in relief. They would face all of these challenges together. “One other thing,” she said. “We’ll finish this trip, but after that I’m not hiding. Our relationship is beautiful and we fell in love in a beautiful place. If that isn’t the ultimate advertisement then Carmen doesn’t know marketing.”

Kelsey laughed. “We’ll find a way to tell our followers. We’ll lose a few, but you never know what we’ll gain.”

“So we’re doing this,” Isabella said as they began to walk back towards Peaches.

“Yep. We’re doing real life with a little island time sprinkled in.”

“You’ll come back to Charlotte with me and meet the boys. It’ll be a look at our real life. Then I’ll come to Denver with you and the girls. We’ll take it a step at a time.”

“Our real life now is us together,” Kelsey said. “I miss you so much when we’re apart.”

“I know, babe,” Isabella replied. “I miss you, too. We’ll figure that step out sooner rather than later.”

“When things get hard,” Kelsey said, stopping and facing Isabella.

“And they will,” Isabella added.

“Look up,” Kelsey said.

They both looked up to see millions of stars twinkling in the sky. “Our love is this big and this beautiful,” Kelsey said. “We’ll remember this moment, when we were both happy, strong, and so in love.”

Isabella looked back down into Kelsey’s eyes. “So in love,” she said softly, pressing her lips to Kelsey’s. “I’m ready to go back. This has been lovely, but I need to be naked in your arms,” she said. She kissed Kelsey again knowing they wouldn’t always be this happy, but they would be in love.

32

“Iknow I’ve talked to Wyatt and Gus several times, but I’m nervous,” Kelsey said as they pulled into Isabella’s driveway.