30. Drew: Coming “Home”

Chapter thirty

Drew – Coming "Home"

All I want to do is tell Meg the great news that my siblings have decided to go along with the new proposal and that Seaside will be even better than before as a result.

I decided not to tell her over the phone because I don't want to miss out on the beaming smile on her face when she hears the news. I understand why she loves the inn so much, and I couldn't live with myself if I ended up destroying that love in any kind of way.

The more I start to imagine a life spent with her, the more I'm starting to realize that there might be another love in her life. I desperately hope I am that love, and that she'll let me stick around for a little while more, no, actually for a long while more.

"I can stay at the inn and oversee the renovations," I offer Troy, as I start repacking my suitcase the night before my flight.

"I thought you hated the sand," he says, as he stands in my bedroom doorway.

"I think it's starting to grow on me," I admit.

"Is it the beach, or someone at the beach?" Troy raises his brow at me.

"Perhaps a certain someone who is going to be very happy with the news about the inn?"

"Something like that," I nod, zipping up my suitcase.

"She must be something special. I've never seen you like this before about anyone," he says.

"Things change," I tell him. "People can change, too."

He gives me a look that catches me off guard before asking, "Do you love her?"

I'm surprised and slightly taken aback by his bluntness. "What?"

"It's a simple question, Drew," Troy chuckles. "Do you love the girl?"

I'm about to deny it, to say no, that I've only known Meg for a couple of weeks, barely a month. There's no way I can love her. But the minute I try to say it, nothing comes out.

This wonderful young woman brings out the best in me and makes me want to be better than the man I want to leave behind in New York. She's hilarious, wholesome, funny, and beautiful.

"I don't know…" I try to say. But it's what Troy asks next that really gets me.

"Does she feel like home?"

"What do you mean?" I sit on the foot of my bed, watching him as a small grin appears on his face.

"Dad always told me that you know you love someone when no matter where you are, as long as you're with that person, you're home. That person is your safe place to land, your sanctuary, your place to rest when the world gets to be too much," he explains.

"Dad said that? Our very critical, logical, stern father said that?" I question, thinking he's pulling my leg.

"He told me that after my first real heartbreak," he says, taking a seat next to me. "He made me realize I didn't really love her, but that I just loved the idea of her."

"Yes, it hurt when she didn't want to be with me anymore. She didn't feel like home, so I knew I didn't really love her like that. That rule was why he proposed to mom after dating for only two weeks."

"I still can't believe he did that," I chuckle, though I'd heard their love story more times than I could count. High school sweethearts who built an empire and loved each other until their final days.

It never ceased to amaze me how many people asked them what the secret to marriage was when they found out how long Mom and Dad were together. Over the years, the answers changed, but one that they kept repeating stayed with me.

Marry your best friend. You can't screw it up if you have that.

"I miss them," Troy admits. He's never one to actually show real emotion, so I put my arm around his shoulders and give him a quick squeeze.

"Me too," I nod.

"So does she?" he asks again. "Does she feel like home?"

When I think about how she makes me feel, I can't help but smile. Meg is the girl I kept seeking out when I was ready to throw my laptop at the wall after an endless day of project updates and virtual meetings.

When I was done with emails, I would find her behind the front desk helping guests or I could track her down on the beach with the newest furry friend at the inn. Each time, if she could get away from work or not, each time I saw her, I immediately felt a wave of pure contentment.

When something is so perfect, you don't want to do anything to change it. You'll do anything to keep it the same no matter what. From what I know and have experienced with Meg, there isn't a single thing I want to change. Being with her is the easiest thing I've ever done.

After she finally knew who I really was but let me back into her world, things felt easy again. We jumped right back into our long walks on the beach and even longer kisses that sent my head spinning long after we'd said goodnight.

Just holding her hand grounds me in a way I didn't think I needed before now. Just her touch tells me that I'm right where I'm supposed to be, that I've got my girl with me, and that's all I need.

And for some unknown reason, she decided to take the grumpy, overworked version of me and show me there was more to life than just getting work done every day. She showed me how to enjoy the little things, like the sunsets, that have always been just outside my office window but I didn't seem to care enough to slow down and admire them before.

How many incredible sunsets have I missed because I deemed emails and contracts more important? What else have I been missing out on after all these years that Meg's embraced nearly her whole life?

On days when I was immersed in the depths of email updates—and endless back and forth between contractors, siblings, and team leads—she was always the peace that calmed the chaos she didn't know I was buried in.

To be honest, I didn't realize the true chaos that came with my lifestyle until she forced me to slow down and smell the salty sea air that brought me back to life.

I can't help but ask myself if I've been carrying my shoulders nearly up to my ears my whole life because, until Meg, I don't think I'd ever dropped them once I started working at the family company.

She has this comfort about her that I'm sure comes naturally to her, like breathing. No matter what mood I'm in, she knows how to bring me down to earth.

She has no idea what I was handling just moments before, but she effortlessly brings about this sense of calm that I've needed for so long.

Now that I have it, that I have her, I can't let her go. Being with her is like knowing everything will be okay simply because there's no reason for it not to be.

I never felt like I had a place to call home, that truly felt like home, despite living most of my life in New York. But with Meg, the answer to Troy's question is simple. She's brought me so much peace and contentment and she doesn't even know it. When I want to run from everything, I know I want to run to her.

"She's more than home," I admit. "She's paradise."

Troy nods and stands up to give me a hug. "Go get your girl."

It's been so long since Troy and I have had a heart-to-heart like this, especially since Mom and Dad died, but it gives me a new appreciation for what I have with Meg. Not only do I want her in my life, I want her for the rest of my life. I can't imagine my life without her and during the last of the two flights to get to Florida, I repeat the words in my head that I want to say to her when I get down on one knee.

***

Somehow, I end up hitting every delay and layover between New York and Florida. It's as if the universe knows how anxious and excited I am to get back to Meg. It's almost five o'clock in the evening by the time I land and get back to the inn.

Just as I pull into the guest parking lot, I catch Meg heading out to the beach, a furry friend in hand, dressed in another sundress that makes her look like something out of a dream.

There's my girl.

I do a quick check for Mia as I draw closer to Meg, knowing that I'm still most likely in her sister's burn book.

"Miss me?" I call out to her, and her eyes look up and widen before a smile glues itself to her face. Now it's her who's nearly dragging the dog behind her as she rushes towards me, arms out wide to wrap me in the hug I've been waiting for since I left New York.

"You're back early!" she says, as she buries her face in my neck. "I missed you so much!"

"I missed you too, Meg," I whisper into her hair, as I gently let her go. "I've got some big news for you."

"Did your siblings agree to your proposal?" she asks in a whisper, as if saying it too loud might get her hopes up.

"I'm surprised your grandfather didn't tell you already," I smile. "As I explained to him as we finalized the details by phone, all of them agreed that it was a great idea."

Meg nearly screams with joy as she starts jumping up and down, ecstatic that the inn is saved. She wraps me in another hug, so hard that I think for a moment might snap my spine, but it's worth it. Seeing her this happy at the news and this excited to see me again makes everything worth it.

"Can I join you on your walk?" I ask, offering my arm.

She wraps her arm around mine and leads the way. "You don't have to ask."

As we make it closer to the shore, the sun slowly begins to set and the sky is painted with the perfect shades of gold, red, and orange. I start to slow our pace and Meg takes notice, looking at me with concern.

"Are you okay?" she asks. The little furball at her feet growls in complaint when we come to a complete stop.

"I need to ask you something and it's very important," I start. "I want you to know how happy you've made me in just the short amount of time that I've known you."

She smiles and shyly brushes her hair behind her ears. God, she's so damn cute.

"I need you to know that…" I pause and take a deep breath. "That I've never loved someone like I love you, Meg."

Her eyes widen and her jaw nearly drops. "You…you love me?"

I smile at her and take her hands in mine. "More than you know."

She lets out a sigh. "Okay, because I've been wanting to say the same to you since you left!" She smiles. "I love you too, Drew."

Before my heart can explode, I lean down and kiss her lips, holding her face in my hands. This kiss isn't anything like others have been before. Yes, kissing her was always something I enjoyed, but it's been nothing like this. This is a kiss of great promise.

Not only does she feel like home, but she's also a person I want to cherish and love and hold for the rest of my life. I feel like she's finally, undoubtedly mine.

As I pull away and look into her eyes, I finally have a clear vision of what my future, our future , looks like. The woman of my dreams has a face, a stunning face, with the most beautiful blue eyes.

I reach into my pocket and pull out the little blue box before dropping to one knee. I can see tears swell in her eyes as she covers her mouth in excitement.

"Megan Marie Carson, will you please be my partner, my home, my forever, and marry me?" I ask, opening the box.

Despite the shiny ring inside, her eyes never move from mine as she says, "Yes."

I scoop her up into my arms and now it's my turn to start crying. I try holding it in, but realize that I don't have to do that anymore. I finally found someone who I can be totally authentic around.

I don't have to pretend to be someone or something I'm not anymore, and that's the most freeing feeling in the world. It all feels like a fairytale to me, and I can't wait for us to be our own family.

"We're getting married!" she says, through happy sniffles.

"We are," I say. "Would you like to take a peek at the ring now?" I laugh. She hasn't so much as looked at it.

"Oh, right!" she says. Her mouth drops open when she sees it, two carats in a princess cut, set in a white gold ring. "Oh my gosh, it's beautiful, Drew!"

"It was my mother's." I smile as the ring slides on perfectly.

Just as I was about to leave my apartment for the airport, Troy stopped me and put the small box in my hands.

"You're going to need this," he said, as I opened the box. As the oldest child, he was given Mom and Dad's rings in the will after they died.

"Troy, this is supposed to be for your future wife," I said, trying to hand the box back to him, but he refused to take it.

"I think Mom would have wanted Meg to have it. It seems to me that they share quite a bit in common," he said.

It was then that I realized why I was so drawn to Meg's feisty and bold personality. It's because I'd seen it in my own mother as I grew up. She knew how to handle my dad's grumpy moods and turn him into someone all of his kids could run to.

My mom was a rare kind of human being, so it makes sense that I'm determined to hold on to Meg for as long as I can. No wonder I couldn't get her out of my head.

"Thank you," I told him, as I tucked the ring safely in my carry-on before heading out.

"She and my father were married for almost sixty years and I always thought it had some kind of good luck to it," I tell Meg, as she admires the new treasure on her hand. "I know I had amazing luck finding someone like you, and I think it's fitting that this ring be yours now."

"Drew, I'm honored," she says, as she reaches up to kiss me again.

"We're going to have a wonderful life together," she follows up breathlessly, as if the realization is just hitting her.

"And it's going to be filled with love." I kiss her forehead. "Laughter." A kiss on the cheek. "And probably a lot of pets," I say, with a kiss on the lips.

"Really?"

"Yup, and that's just the beginning."

"What else did you have in mind?" she asks, as she takes my hand again.

"You'll see."

When we get back to the inn and return Zeus, the tiny dog, to his owners, Meg insists that we tell Mia the good news.

"Wait, does she know already?" she asks, looking down at the ring.

"Just your grandfather," I reassure. "I figured I had to get his permission first." I kiss the top of her hand.

"Let's hope he didn't tell her, because I want to see the look on her face."

She's walking so quickly that her little legs are almost at a jog, but my longer legs let me keep up at a bit faster than a walk. I can't help but laugh seeing how excited Meg is that we're engaged. She so badly wants to share the news with her sister that she cuts through the bushes on the way up the hill.

"Mia!" Meg calls out the moment she's through the cottage doors. "Come here, quick!"

Before Mia can get to us, we hear scrambling from just down the hallway. A very flustered Mia appears, dressed in pajamas with her hair thrown up in a bun. My guess is that she was napping.

"What? What's wrong?" She rubs her eyes, and when she focuses on me, her expression hardens.

"Before you give him dagger eyes." Meg walks over and shows the ring on her finger. "And he got his family to agree to the new proposal for the inn."

Mia looks shocked and confused as she looks at Meg, then down at the ring, then back up at me. Once her mind puts all the pieces together, that the inn is saved and her sister is happily engaged, a beaming smile appears on her face as she starts squealing, jumping up and down like her sister did just minutes before. She hugs Meg so tight, I worry she might snap her in half.

"Holy crap, that was a lot to take in after a nap!" Mia laughs. "Congratulations guys! I can't say I'm completely surprised, though," she teases.

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"Oh, come on, you guys have been glued to each other since you went out on that first date," Mia says. "Plus, I knew Meg was hiding something." She winks.

"I guess our clandestine meetings were not as private as we thought," I mumble into Meg's ear.

"She kind of caught on when she saw how I was when you were in New York," Meg says, when I wrap my arm around her shoulders.

"How so?" I ask Mia.

"She was basically a blonde Eeyore walking around the inn, all mopey and sad all the time," Mia says, as she gives a demonstration of Meg's alleged forlorn face.

"Oh, come on, I wasn't that bad." Meg playfully pinches Mia's arm.

"You really did miss me," I laugh, kissing the top of her head.

"So, are you guys planning to live here or in New York?" Mia asks.

"We're staying here," I say, looking at my fiancée. "During our little excursions, I happened to notice a couple of houses for sale. I believe there was a little blue one in particular that this one here admired the most," Drew said, seeking my approval.

Once again, Meg's eyes light up. Clearly, she likes the idea. Mia can keep her small cottage just for her and maybe the pets while Meg and I find our forever home nearby.

"I thought some sunflowers and daisies would look nice planted right out front too," I add.

"Okay, I'm not going to lie, I keep waiting for someone to pinch me and wake me up because this whole day feels like a dream," Meg says, nearly tearing up again.

Mia does the honors and pinches Meg a bit harder than she did her.

"Hey, what the heck?" Meg swats Mia's hand away.

"You're still awake. You're welcome." Mia shrugs, with a slightly naughty smile.

***

Meg wanted the four of us - Meg, Mia, their grandfather, and me - to all go out to celebrate the engagement. Unfortunately, their grandfather is busy handling things at the inn, and it's pouring down rain. So instead, the girls and I decide to stay in and bake their family's favorite oatmeal cookies again.

"Isn't rain a sign of good luck?" Meg asks, as she takes inventory of the ingredients.

"Yes! That would be amazing for it to rain on your wedding day," Mia replies, as she gets the bowls and utensils out.

"It rained on my parents' wedding day," I add. "My mom was furious at first because she wanted an outdoor wedding. But once everyone was inside and my dad calmed her down, they decided to have their first dance to "Singing in the Rain."

"That's very fitting," Meg chuckles.

"What song are you guys going to dance to?" Mia asks. "Oh, and what song are you going to walk down the aisle to?"

"I literally just got engaged less than an hour ago," Meg reminds her. "I have no idea."

"I have one," I say, holding my hand up. "But I want it to be a surprise."

"Well, when would I get to know?" Meg asks.

"When you're walking down the aisle," I say, watching her give Mia a look like she's on the fence about it.

"I promise it will be fitting in every way and you'll smile the moment you hear it," I swear up and down. "This is my only wedding planning request."

"Hmm," Meg ponders my request—but surprisingly, it's Mia who's on my side.

"Meg, when a man only has one request for his entire wedding, you should give it to him," she says.

Meg locks eyes with me, squinting suspiciously. "You promise it's the perfect song for me to walk down the aisle?"

"There is no better song than the one I have in mind, sunshine," I say, dropping her just one hint.

"Okay, fine." She holds her hands up, surrendering. "I'm trusting you."