Page 39 of Unconventionally, Elle

Now

B?undled up in thick jackets, Barrett and I held hands on the bow of the ferry. I stepped a little closer so that I could rest my head on his shoulder and felt a tiny kiss on top of my beanie.

"See that over there, Elle?" He pointed to a long blur in the horizon.

"Yeah, I see it," I whispered dreamily as the wind rushed against my face and the smell of sea salt made my body relax.

"That's where we're going." He wrapped his arms around me and held them across my chest. His hands held mine, stabilizing me on the ship.

"You're going to love it. I can't wait to show you the townhouse we have off Main Street.

" He squeezed my hands a little tighter and tilted his head on mine.

The scent of sandalwood and spice made me close my eyes and sigh.

The ferry sailed up and down, following each wave as it broke against the boat.

My wavy brown curls whipped across my face, so Barrett turned our bodies to block the wind.

I turned around and wrapped my arms around his middle.

He took one hand, brushed my hair from my face, and kissed my nose with the tiniest little peck.

I rested my head on his chest and felt his heartbeat against my ear. His body was warm, safe.

He moved unexpectedly, making my eyes burst open. He shifted his arm and pulled a coin out of his jacket pocket.

"Elle, here's a penny." He offered it to me with a huge smile, and I stared at him with my mouth open and my brows pinched together. "Seriously, take it. We're passing Brant Point Lighthouse."

"Ah, I love lighthouses! What's the penny for?" I asked, turning the penny in my fingers and looking to where Barrett was pointing. "Is that it?"

"Yep, you're looking at one of the oldest lighthouses in the US.

And if you throw a penny into the water as we pass it, you'll ensure your return trip back to Nantucket, or so the locals say.

" He took another penny out of his pocket and held it.

"On the count of three?" He looked at me with an eyebrow raised.

"Okaaay," I said.

Together we counted, "One, two... three!" I held his gaze, smiled, and threw my penny into the ocean with his, hoping for a return trip to Nantucket--together.

It was just as I had imagined, if not better. The cobblestone streets, lines of Christmas trees, and the feeling of cheer filled my soul.

We both had mulled wine in our hands to keep warm and walked the streets of downtown for hours.

The shops were quaint and bustling, and I imagined that Nantucket was a modern-day fairy tale.

I could feel the magic Barrett had told me about.

It was in the crisp air brushing our faces, the taste of pastries along Main Street, and the smell of pine and mistletoe from candles burning in all of the little shops.

"The summer months are packed with tourists, but my favorite time was always coming for Christmas with my mom and sister." Barrett put an arm around my shoulders and held me close.

"What about your dad? Didn't he come spend the holidays with you guys here?" I took a sip of my mulled wine and felt the warmth spread through my chest.

"Once or twice he did, but he was always working. He's not much of a Christmas guy anyways. But my mother--oh man--it's her favorite holiday." He laughed and then stopped walking. "Hey, wait just a minute. I want to run into this store really quick."

Confused for a moment, I glanced at the quaint little gift shop and shrugged.

"Go ahead. Do you want me to come? Or I can wait here.

" I pointed to a wooden bench situated next to a coffee cart that was currently serving hot cocoa to a little girl and her grandma.

I forgot I asked Barrett a question and stared at them, the little girl so happy and the grandmother smiling joyously.

The little girl noticed me staring and gave me a shy smile. I instantly smiled back.

"No, I want to see something, and I don't want you to see it just yet." He winked and walked off toward the shop.

No cars were allowed, and the Christmas spirit was making me eager, and I regretted telling Barrett I'd stay on the bench.

I pressed my lips together, then decided I'd just walk to a few local booths while he was in the store.

I wouldn't wander far, and I'd keep an eye out for him.

I've always been confident and fine being alone, but after a terrible news story broke out in 2018 where a girl was found dead in New Orleans in her apartment, I started to make sure that all my friends could have access to my location.

Within a few weeks of dating Barrett, I made sure he had access on his phone too.

About ten minutes later, while I was looking at some dainty rings at a booth across the street from the gift shop, Barrett walked out of the store holding a gift bag. I watched him hustle across the street to me.

"Elle, here!" His smile reached both eyes, and his cheeks were rosy red. "In honor of your first Nantucket Christmas, will you please do me the honor of opening this small brown recycled gift bag?"

We both laughed. The cute little paper bag had a glittery green bow on it and, sure enough, was made from one-hundred-percent recycled materials.

My cheeks hurt from smiling so much. As soon as he was close enough, I threw my arms open and lunged into a hug.

I pulled back and reached for the bag he was handing me.

"Yes! Of course." We sat down together on the bench I was supposed to be sitting at, and I untied the vibrant bow and carefully pulled out the gold-foiled tissue paper. Inside was a small navy-blue box.

"Open it." He nudged me with a contagious smile. I grinned back up at him and crinkled my nose with excitement.

I carefully opened the small box, and inside, delicately wrapped, was a glass Christmas ornament.

My breath caught. It was stunning--and all too familiar.

The glass was a soft gradient blue with hand-painted reindeer, a sailboat, and a minimalistic outline of Nantucket.

My eyes narrowed in on the very bottom of the ornament.

There in elegant gold cursive read Barrett and Elle, Christmas 2022 .

My throat started to close; I couldn't catch my breath. "Barrett, it's..."

A memory of a boy giving me an ornament came back to me: Jude. New Orleans. The Christmas before he left. I shook my head free of the memory and came back to the present.

I reached for Barrett's cold face with my mittened hands and held his crystal-blue gaze. "It's absolutely perfect! I love it." I closed my eyes and leaned in for another delicate yet passionate kiss.

"I knew you'd like it," he said with a smile as he fluttered his eyes back open.

"I listen to the way you talk about Christmas, and I knew this would be a great way for us to celebrate our first one together.

" Beaming, he reached for my hand. "I know it's only a few days after Thanksgiving, but we can decorate our own tree when we get home, yeah? " he said with hopeful eyes.

"Absolutely." I beamed back. "Also, if you're free, Finn invited us over to have an early Christmas with him and Jackson and their friends. I'd love for you to come with me." I squeezed his hand and kissed the tip of his nose.

"I think I can make that work." He scooted closer to me on the bench and pulled me into his warm, safe embrace.

"Dad's working on a lot of accounts right now, but he can handle it.

I think he hardly needs me. He says he's training me to take it all over, but it's a bunch of bullshit.

He does all the work anyways. Plus, I'd rather be with you guys.

" He gave a small squeeze and then his eyebrows lifted. "Oh, I have another surprise!"

"Oh? What do you have up your very sexy sleeve, B? Now, I asked for a pony once, but I really don't need one now. Louie is just fine. And by the way, I'm so glad he's spending the weekend with Emma. That was so nice of her to watch him for us."

"Ha, right. No. Definitely not a pony. And yes, she claims she's not a dog person, but she must have forgotten that Louie is a dog.

" He shrugged with a soft grin. "But this surprise, this one is for me, but kind of for us .

I took something you told me to heart. Follow me.

" He took my hand, and we went down toward Nantucket Harbor.

"The pier?" I asked.

"Not quite," he said, looking at me mischievously.

"B, what did you do?" Now I was concerned. "You're not the mayor or something and I don't know about it?"

"You really do have an imagination. I can't wait to read your book."

I crinkled my nose and narrowed my eyes in a playful pout. We walked for a few more yards and then came to a dock at the end of the pier.

"Here she is." I followed his gaze and saw a breathtaking sailboat floating in the water. It looked like a scene straight from a Nantucket postcard. With intricate craftsmanship and a polished shine, she was timeless, moving with the waves and the tide of the harbor.

"Look at this." Barrett pointed toward the back of the vessel. My gaze followed his finger: Elizabeth .

"Oh my God!" I yelled. "Barrett, you did it!" I was ecstatic. I grabbed his arm. "You're going to start your business?" I wanted, no, needed all the details.

He shook his head with a sheepish grin. "Not quite. But I did buy myself a sailboat so that I'm one step closer. I also named her after the person who inspired me to start following my dreams, even if I have to modify them for a bit." His eyes sparkled as he smiled down at me.

I started crying. I couldn't help it. This whole evening was incredible.

"Barrett, I'm so honored. I'm so happy for you, that you did this for yourself!"