Page 11 of Midnight (Chasing the Sun #3)

Nate

I 've always been an early riser, and I found that Harper likes to sleep in, especially after I've kept her up all night making love to her over and over again.

We have been here for a few days now, and she absolutely loves the area. Pretty easily and effortlessly, she made friends with both Lexi and Lin. Lin even introduced her to her friend who owns the Sunset Inn, Brynn.

Truth be told, I love it here too. I never really wanted to move away, but the extra money is a huge help for me to buy my own place here. Plus, being close to my sister and her husband's family has been great for me as well.

Our visit here this week has made me realize how much I miss it. I miss the people, I miss the job, and I miss being on the island. Lexi, Lin, Brynn and Harper have a girls’ day planned, which is the perfect time for me to go look around.

Kade and Noah promised to keep an eye on the girls when I told them my plan for the day. So after a shower together and watching her get ready, I walk Harper across the street to where they are meeting at the Sunrise Inn.

"So what do you have planned today? Hanging out with the boys?" Harper teases me on our walk over.

"It's a surprise, but I promise to tell you all about it tonight. But yes, I also plan to get together with Jasper and some of the other guys," I tell her.

Jasper is Brynn's husband and one of the world's most amazing chefs, in my completely biased opinion.

He runs the restaurant at the Sunset Inn and his dad started two restaurants in town as well, that he runs.

People come to the Island for the day just for their food and fall in love with the place.

After I drop her off, I head next door to meet up with Jasper, but not exactly for the reason that she thinks. I find him in the office, and knock on the door to get his attention.

"Hey man, looking to get away from all the girls during girls’ day?" he chuckles, looking up from his computer.

"Something like that. Actually, I had a question for you since I'm a little out of touch with the area at the moment. I was wondering if you know of any homes that are for sale or are going up for sale?"

I think he'd be a good one to ask because his mom knows everything that goes on the island, and she lives for gossip. Ever since his dad passed, his mom has poured herself into being the gossip central person and knowing everything that goes on. I'm hoping to use that for my benefit.

"Actually, the place next door to my mom is looking to sell but hasn't officially been put on the market. It needs a lot of work but I bet you could get it at a decent price," he says.

"The house with the little old lady that always rescued the greyhounds?" I ask because for the life of me, I can't remember her name now.

"Yes, she's looking to move into a retirement facility in Wilmington. But has not wanted to sell until she finds someone who is going to put a family in the place and not use it as a vacation rental," he says.

"In other words, she's being stubborn," I laugh but hoping that I can appeal to her to sell me the house.

"Pretty much. You going to try to talk to her about the house?" Jasper asks.

"Honestly, can't hurt to try. Harper loves it here and I hate to stay in an apartment. After everything she's been through, she deserves a real home."

After a bit more chewing the fat with Jasper, we say our goodbyes and I go look at the house he told me about.

When I get there and find her on the front porch, I’m hoping luck is on my side. This is the south and I can get away with forgetting her name by calling her ma'am and still be considered a polite person. I'm hoping it works.

"Hello ma'am," the steps to her.

"Nate, I heard you took a job out of town. What are you doing here," she says with a big smile on her face. While I may not remember her name, she sure knows me, which isn't a surprise after being a cop in this town.

"I did, and I brought my girlfriend into town to show it off. She really loves it here. Actually, we are looking to move back, and were told you might possibly be interested in selling your house. So I thought enough with the gossip, I would just come and ask you myself."

"That was smart, young man. Are you looking for a house for you to live in?" she asks, making me think that what Jasper said is correct.

"I'm looking for a house to live in and it’s where I want to start a family. But I want to find it before I ask my girlfriend to marry me."

Jumping up with a delighted smile on her face, she comes over to give me a big hug.

"That makes me so happy! I would love nothing more for you than to start a family in this house. Now it does need some work, but if you have a few minutes I'm happy to show you around."

"I have all the time in the world. Harper is having a girl's day with Lin and Brynn," I tell her.

We spend the next hour walking through the house, and she points out all the things that need to be fixed or worked on. Even after I told her as a seller she shouldn't do that, she'd just wave her hand at me and keep going.

All in all, the house is in good condition and you can tell that it's been loved and maintained. It has original hardwood floors that will need to be refinished. Some wallpaper has to be removed and it needs a good coat of paint.

The kitchen will need to be replaced and updated, but it will easily work for the next few years and doesn't need to be done right away.

After the tour we sit down to talk price. When I suggest getting a real estate agent first, she says no that we can work it out. Maybe at the end then bring one in to do the final details.

She offered me such a good deal, I insisted on paying more. When she refused, I offered to pay all her closing fees and she agreed. At the end I asked her one more favor, which she agreed to with a big hug.

Then she called her real estate agent friend who is drafting the contract and we plan to meet later today to go over it and sign everything. So, now, on to step two of my plan.

Finally, I head down to the police station, my old stomping grounds and say hello to everyone as I go into talk to the chief.

"Nate! How are you doing? Getting tired of the big city there in Washington?" he jokes.

Washington is bigger than us here in Seaview, but it's still a small town compared to most of America.

"Actually, I was hoping to talk to you about transferring back here." I cut straight to the point.

"Close the door," he says, nodding behind me.

I do then sit in the chair in front of his desk.

"Is everything okay up there? I know you wanted to be closer to your family."

"Yeah, but I met someone. I met The One." I can't keep the smile off my face.

"It's about damn time! Good for you!" He’s genuinely excited for me.

"I brought her here to show her around, and she fell in love with the area. I was wanting to see if there was any chance of being transferred back."

"Well, we never did fill your position, so it's open if you want it. We can start the paperwork on it today but it will be a little while."

"Let's definitely start the paperwork, then." I’m really excited that everything seems to be falling into place. After stopping for some donuts that I love from the bakery downtown, I go back to the villa.

The next couple of days are just filled with relaxing, swimming, exploring the town, amazing sex, and getting to know each other in general.

Then I get the phone call that not only am I under contract for the house, but that the transfer for my job was approved. I can now move back here, once I put in my two weeks' notice with the Washington police force.

When I have everything settled, I head out to go look for Harper.

"Come on, I want to show you something. I have a surprise for you." I tell her, practically dragging her to the car because I'm so excited.

Taking her to the house, I stop to have her look at it.

"So it's a little bit older and it needs some work inside, but what do you think?" I ask with a huge smile on my face.

"I think it's beautiful, why?" she asks. But she never takes her eyes off the house.

"Because it's ours."

Her eyes pop open in complete disbelief.

Then I take her hand, leading her up to the porch and turn around to face the street.

"I can imagine many nights sitting out here with you relaxing, with our kids in the front yard while we get to know our neighbors, like Mrs. Adams next door. She’s Jasper's mom." Then I point her out, waving to Mrs. Adams who's sitting on her porch with a glass of what I'm sure is sweet tea.

"What about your job?" she asks.

"Well, I was originally stationed out of here so I just went and talked to them. There was an opening and I got the okay earlier today. So, I’ll be transferring back. Now it's just a matter of putting in my notice in Washington."

Right then and there before I can second guess anything, I drop down to one knee.

"I want to start a life with you here on the island, here in this house. I want to marry you, make you my wife, and take care of you for the rest of our lives. Will you marry me?" I ask, holding up the ring that I bought earlier this week.

"Oh my God, you're serious! Yes of course I will marry you." She says, doing a little happy dance like she just can't sit still before I slide the ring onto her finger.

"It's about damn time you asked that girl to marry you,” Mrs. Adams says. "You two haven't even been around town more than a week and we all knew that she was it for you. What took you so long I will never know." Then Mrs. Adams comes over and gives Harper a congratulation hug.

Now, the only thing in our way is all the trouble that lies when we get back to Washington. There are things I need to work out with her father.