Chapter 39

It didn't take long for the beach party to come together. Riley offered to bring the drinks while Kelsey ordered a picnic basket from the resort. Sylvie would be waiting for them at the dock on St. Thomas. Liz, Riley, and Alex agreed to meet them on St. John with transportation to the trailhead.

Kelsey and Isabella picked up the picnic basket and met Carmen in the lobby of the resort.

"Have you looked at the website?" Carmen asked as they walked to her car.

"Nope," Isabella replied. "We told you last night that we weren't checking it."

Carmen chuckled as they got in her car.

"I'm guessing the comments are good or you wouldn't be taking the day off to go to the beach with us," Kelsey said.

"You would be correct," Carmen replied as she pulled the car out of the resort. "There have been a few haters, but we expected that. The majority of them were positive." She chuckled. "Several proclaimed they saw it coming or they already knew."

"I'm not surprised," Isabella said.

"We couldn't keep this a secret if we wanted to," Kelsey said. "It's the way we look at each other."

"I agree," Carmen said. "I look at Sylvie that way."

"Maybe we'll get to keep doing these trips," Kelsey said.

"I hope so," Carmen said. "What's the plan for today?"

"We have several posts we want to do with the leaning palms, snorkeling, that cute beach bar, and simply lounging by the water," Isabella said. "But we really want to enjoy the beach with our friends."

Carmen smiled. "Thanks for thinking of this. I think it'll be good for all of us."

They pulled into the parking lot and saw Sylvie waiting at the boat. She gave Kelsey and Isabella a hand as they stepped aboard. Isabella looked up in time to see Carmen take Sylvie's hand and pull her in for a kiss.

Isabella grinned. "Love is in the air," she murmured.

Off they went towards St. John and what they hoped was a day of fun with friends.

Later that afternoon, after Kelsey and Isabella had done their last post, they snuck away for a walk on the beach. There were other vacationers spread out across the sand, but it wasn't crowded. Isabella took Kelsey's hand in hers as they wandered along, letting the water lap at their feet.

She stole a glance at Kelsey and thought of the picture she'd taken on their first trip all those months ago. Kelsey had no idea how beautiful she was and Isabella pointed that out when she later showed her the picture. Isabella's heart was full. This is what it was supposed to feel like all along. Being in love with Kelsey gave her a sense of totality. Their love was absolute. She knew in her heart that they were supposed to live this life together. The feeling of searching and wondering was over.

Kelsey kissed the back of Isabella's hand. "I feel like we're walking down this beach with a kind of shield of love surrounding us and it feels so damn good."

"Like you're protected?"

"Yes, our love will protect us from anything anyone wants to throw at us," Kelsey said.

"Spencer thought he was my protector and I finally made him understand I didn't need anyone to protect me. But now, I think I know what you mean. Loving you gives me a kind of strength I didn't have before because I know you're with me."

"I suppose this is like the honeymoon phase," Kelsey said. "But I can't imagine not feeling your love in my heart and what it does to me. It's hard to explain."

"You don't have to explain," Isabella said. "I get it. I feel it, too."

Kelsey stopped and turned to Isabella. "We may have to change some things to keep coming back here every month."

Isabella smiled. "It will be much easier because I don't have to say ‘see you next month' anymore."

Kelsey sighed and led them back towards the others. "God, I know. I felt like I was leaving a part of myself in Charlotte each month. At first I didn't understand it, but it didn't take long to figure it out."

"Hey!" Carmen yelled to them and waved.

"What's wrong?" Isabella asked as they walked up to her.

"The website is full of positive comments," Carmen said. "People want to book trips to Coral Bay and come to Honeymoon Beach."

"How about that," Riley said with a grin. "That's what we've wanted them to do all along."

"It sounds like sharing your story was a great idea," Sylvie said.

"I remember when you came to Peaches the first time," Liz said. "I could see the spark between you two that day."

"Oh, I remember," Isabella said. "You made me think about the possibilities."

Liz chuckled. "And look what happened."

"Isabella pulled me onto the dance floor and I didn't know it then, but it was the best Christmas gift I've ever received," Kelsey said, taking Isabella in her arms and twirling her in a circle.

"I hope you'll be back for Christmas," Alex said. "We'd love for you to spend it with us again."

Memories of last Christmas on Honeymoon Beach and dancing with Kelsey at Peaches flooded Isabella's brain and her heart. This wasn't only what love was supposed to feel like—this is what being married was supposed to feel like. A smile grew on her face as she said, "I think we should do the wedding trip this Christmas."

Kelsey raised her eyebrows. "I guess we could. We don't have it planned for a specific month yet."

"Are you going to have an actual couple get married or just show your followers the options?" Riley asked.

"I know a couple who could get married here this Christmas," Isabella said.

Kelsey turned to her and widened her eyes when Isabella sank to one knee.

Isabella grinned and took Kelsey's hand in both of hers. "This is where we first met and I found my best friend," Isabella began. "We connected so quickly and so deeply. It was like you knew me from the beginning. When I realized what I felt was more than friendship, it didn't freak me out that you were a woman. My heart said thank God you're gay because then what would I have done."

There were chuckles as well as gasps heard around them.

"All this time I had this idea of what love and marriage were supposed to feel like, but I was wrong. My heart knew and when I finally listened, look what it gave me. I've found my person." Isabella took a deep breath. "I don't want to just be your girl, Kels. I want to be your wife. Will you marry me?"

Kelsey dropped to the sand and took Isabella's face into her hands.

"You know I'm the spontaneous one," Isabella said with tears in her eyes.

"I don't have to think about this, Bella," Kelsey said as a tear rolled down her cheek. "I want to be your wife. Yes, I'll marry you!"

Isabella brought their lips together in a tear-filled kiss while their friends applauded.

"Uh, excuse us."

Isabella pulled away and looked up to see two women standing there.

"We don't mean to intrude," the woman said. "We've been following your travel blog since you started it in January. We could feel the magic that you both speak about so often. It inspired us to come see for ourselves." She smiled at the woman standing next to her who began to speak as Kelsey and Isabella got to their feet.

"We've watched you fall in love through these trips. When we saw your post yesterday about coming to Honeymoon Beach, we had to see it, too. We've been married thirty years and this magic reminded us of what's most important and that's us."

"So, you can fall in love or fall back in love here," the woman said with a smile. "Your posts and these trips are reaching people. I hope you'll keep going."

Kelsey smiled at Isabella and nodded.

"Uh, we posted the picture we took of you earlier," the first woman said, turning the phone around so they could see.

She had captured Isabella and Kelsey strolling along the beach. "I hope you don't mind, but it was so sweet and captured the winding down of this wonderful day."

Isabella looked at Kelsey and smiled. "Thank you. We don't mind."

"We also took this video when we saw what was happening," the woman said with a sheepish grin. "I'd like to send it to you and then I'll delete it. This was a beautiful private moment between you and your friends and you should have it."

The woman handed Isabella her phone so she could type in her phone number. After she took the phone back the woman sent Isabella the video then deleted it.

"Have you been to Peaches yet?" Kelsey asked them.

"No, that's our next stop," the woman replied. "We were gathering our things when we saw Isabella kneel."

"Please join us there," Kelsey said. "We were about to leave as well."

"We're going dancing," Isabella said, putting her arm around Kelsey's shoulder.

They packed up their things and headed towards the trail. Kelsey and Isabella were behind everyone else when Kelsey tugged at Isabella's hand. She turned to look back at the beach.

"We fell in love here and now we've gotten engaged here. I know where we should spend our honeymoon." Kelsey grinned.

"How could we not?" Isabella reached up and kissed Kelsey tenderly. "I know where I want to get married."

"I do, too," Kelsey replied. "On the beach outside our bungalow."

Isabella smiled and kissed Kelsey again. "Wait a minute," she said. "I didn't give you a ring. So much for spontaneity."

Kelsey chuckled. "I don't need a ring. I've got you."

"We'll get matching rings tomorrow in the gift shop," Isabella said, leading them down the trail to catch up with the others. "Something really tacky and fun."

Kelsey laughed. "To always remember this day."