Page 144

Story: See You Next Month

“I know you’re proud of them,” Liz said. “So are we.”

“What about you two? Are you officially retired?” Alex asked.

“We have kept a few clients,” Isabella said.

“That monthly thing you did with Carmen made you the vacation queens of the Caribbean.” Liz chuckled. “What a genius marketing play.”

“There were times when it didn’t look so genius,” Isabella replied.

“But it all worked out,” Kelsey said and smiled at Isabella.

“Yeah it did.” Isabella leaned over and gave Kelsey a sweet kiss. “Besides, we won’t need to vacation ever again. We are finally where we’ve wanted to be since the first time we came here.”

“That’s right,” Kelsey said. “We’re surrounded by love and magic all the time.”

Isabella finished her beer and turned to Kelsey. “Are you ready?”

Kelsey nodded. “We’re going to do one of our new favorite things.”

“What’s that?” Riley asked.

Isabella grinned at Kelsey and took her hand. “We can walk home along the beach.”

“Let’s go,” Kelsey said with a smile.

They hugged everyone, promising to see them tomorrow, then walked off the patio onto the beach. Isabella turned to grasp Kelsey’s hand as they walked towards their new home.

“Can you believe that fifteen years ago we came to this place to simply meet with a client?” Kelsey said.

“If we’ve learned anything, it’s that those simple things are the ones that matter most,” Isabella said.

Tears stung Kelsey’s eyes as emotion washed over her. She reached up to brush away a tear and Isabella stopped them.

“Baby,” she said with concern, taking Kelsey’s other hand. “What is it?”

Kelsey smiled as another tear rolled down her cheek. “Simple things like these.” Kelsey held up her left hand and wiggled her ring finger. She wore a simple silver band inlaid with coral gemstones.

“These were supposed to be fun little rings that day I proposed,” Isabella said, looking at her matching ring. “We were going to get better rings, but neither one of us could take these off.”

“I remember the day I got off the plane I sarcastically muttered, welcome to paradise. I had no idea moments later paradise would embrace me and change my life forever.”

“Oh, my love,” Isabella said, kissing Kelsey tenderly.

“And here we are again—this time, living in paradise.”

“I don’t think that’s quite accurate,” Isabella said, starting down the beach again. “We’ve been living in paradise since that day fifteen years ago. It may not have always felt like it, but…”

Kelsey chuckled. “It did to me. There were sad times and hard times, but at night when I laid down with you and we held each other, I knew everything would be better in the morning.”

“And then there were those nights when everything was paradise.” Isabella giggled as they neared the stretch of beach in front of their humble bungalow.

Kelsey stopped them once again, looked into those familiar blue eyes, and ran her hand along Isabella’s hair. “My Bella,” she whispered. She softly touched her lips to Isabella’s and thought, this is paradise.

The softest moan from Isabella caused Kelsey to deepen the kiss and warmth spread through her. This woman was everything and Kelsey knew this next phase of their life would be even better than the last.

Isabella pulled away slightly and began to softly sing the song they first danced to fifteen years ago. “I hear strings play, every time you look my way…”

“Don’t you know that’s what you do, feels like ooh,” Kelsey sang along.

Isabella pressed their lips together again in a passionate kiss and Kelsey lost her breath.

“Take me inside,” Isabella whispered as she pulled away.

Kelsey grabbed Isabella’s hand and they walked onto their back deck, both humming their song.