Page 38 of Coming Home

Uncle Ray’s house and all other assets were sold, so Shaun gifted Stephen a sub penthouse in his building for Stephen to live in, knowing that I would want him close to me. Between him and Shaun’s brother Marco, they are now managing the business while Shaun and I have our vacation. Both of them get along so well, and they are the two hottest bachelors in Boston now that Shaun is officially off the market. They are often photographed at our club Nitro with a different woman each week.

Aunt Emily moved to Florida to live with her sister, no longer wanting to be the Boston Socialite she once was, preferring to hide from the media and spotlight that shone on her husband and our family for many weeks. She was shocked, remorseful, and went into a deep depression learning about all of Ray’s activities. Stephen still speaks with her, and I have spoken to her a few times, although we are not as close as we once were.

Romeo was really the glue that helped all the evidence stick with the investigation, and Shaun kept to his promise, giving him a big raise and his own fully paid holiday with his family. He has now retired, Shaun setting him up with an Italian Restaurant, where he and his wife make the best pasta and pizza in the city. Jake has taken over the security firm and works closely with Stephen and the family now.

I have been spending a lot of time with Marco and Shaun’s mother, Margaret, both who welcomed me into their family with open arms. We have weekly family dinners, and I love to hear all about Marco’s latest conquests and enjoy spending time in the kitchen with Margaret. I am so grateful they took me in, and I am now part of their family. Family has always been important to me, and his mom makes the best lasagna I have ever tasted. I am still trying to perfect her recipe.

As Shaun walks out of the surf and makes his way to me where I sit on the beach, I admire the man who has done so much for me this past year. As soon as I was released from the hospital, I moved straight in with Shaun into his mansion, and we made it a home. Our walls are now adorned with family photos of both mine and his. We even bought a dog, a beautiful golden Labrador called Prince. He completes our family for now and loves nothing more than chewing Shaun’s shoes which irritates him to no end.

“Hey, Princess.” He smiles down, dripping his wet hair onto me.

“G’Day, surfer boy, come here often?” I grin, using my full Australian accent, which I know he loves. The Aussie sun has kissed his skin, and he is looking every inch a true Aussie surfer.

Laughing, he bends down and grabs me, pulling me up in a bridal style and starts walking toward the water. “Ready to get a little wet, Princess?” he says with a sly grin on his face before running into the surf and dropping me in.

The waves are heaven, and we swim around, my brilliant sky-blue bikini nearly coming undone.

I feel his hands grab my waist and he pulls me tight against his body. I feel so free here in the blue water, bouncing in the waves with Shaun by my side.

“You know, it was exactly one year ago today that I boarded a flight from LAX to Boston and spotted a sexy woman on the plane across the aisle from me. She had this amazing blonde hair, bronzed skin, and incredible blue eyes. I just knew I had to get to know her,” he says grinning, starting to kiss me on my neck.

“I wanted you from the moment I saw you, Scarlett, and I want you more and more every day.”

He pulls his head away from my neck and looks deep into my eyes, the waves gently splashing around us. “These past 12 months have thrown everything at us, and we have survived. I know that together we will overcome anything that life throws our way. You are what I think about from the moment I wake, until the moment I sleep. I need you in my life, and I want you with me for the rest of my life. Marry me, Scarlett. Be my wife.”

As we glide gently in the ocean together, with my arms wrapped around his neck and his hands holding my waist, I know there is nowhere else I would rather be. As the sun shines down on us and we sway together in the cleanest, bluest ocean, I look into Shaun’s eyes and I reply, “I love you so much. Yes, yes, I will marry you.” Our lips crash together, neither one of us wanting to let the other go, and we stay like that with the waves lapping our bodies, knowing that we will always have each other.