After my mom calmed down, I also got her to sit down with Annie. They both had a lot to say, with Annie apologizing for leaving without giving my parents a chance to see her side and Mom apologizing for pushing her so hard. Then my mom invited Annie to stay with them for a few more weeks, and the relationship between the four of us (Mom, Dad, Annie, and me) has never been better.
In fact, I told them all about my book, and their support gave me the final push I needed to send query letters to agents. So far, I’ve had one request for sample pages, but the rest have been rejections. I’m not letting it get me down, though. I hear self-publishing can actually be better in some ways.
As far as Zach goes, Mike and Julie decided it was time to kick him out and let him face the consequences. And, get this: he’sthriving. Who’d have known Zach just needed some tough love? He found an apartment and is actually making good money on the course he and Tyson created.
The amazing thing is that I’m genuinely happy for him. This is what he needed all along—to know that he had to depend on himself and work hard to truly feel the joy he deserved.
Oh, and he found a new girlfriend. She’s a musician, and their laid-back personalities are perfect together. We’ve even had dinners with our families, and it’s almost like our engagement was in a parallel universe.
Christopher claps at the front. “Before Janet gets started on the software updates, let’s give a big round of applause for Ryan and Claire getting together!”
I turn to Ryan in alarm. He shakes his head at me but grins.
“Come on, stand up, you guys!” Christopher calls.
“Oh, no,” I say, shaking my head, but Ryan stands and pulls me up with him. Everyone in the room claps, although I hear a few whispers of, “Wait, weren’t they already dating?”
“And an applause for me, too!” Christopher calls over the claps. “Because I’m the reason they got together!”
Everyone looks confused but keeps clapping. Ryan rolls his eyes, and I just laugh, because as weird as this all is, it’s just perfect.
Ryan leans over and gives me a quick but sweet kiss on the lips, and I can’t help but think that his love for me has always been constant. Even though our friendship was a variable we couldn’t solve for, once I let go of unnecessary expectations, the equation balanced perfectly. And the solution was simple—Ryan has always been where I belong.
Epilogue
RYAN
NINE MONTHS LATER
“This is the life,”Claire says softly, closing her eyes and lying back on the soft sand. Beside her, I rest my head in my folded hands, murmuring my agreement without saying any words.
We’re back in Maui for summer break, and we’ve decided this will be our tradition. Every year after graduation, we’ll head out to Maui and spend a few weeks here. From there, we’ll travel to Costa Rica, Mexico, Tahiti, Fiji—the list is endless, really. As long as it has a beach, I’m happy.
Actually, as long as it has Claire, I’m happy. If she wants to go hiking in the Alps, I’ll do that, too.
I’m a complete sucker where Claire is concerned, and I’m not ashamed of it.
So we lie here on the sand, the summer sun warming our bones, somewhere between awake and asleep.
“Are you happy?” Claire’s voice brings me back to the land of consciousness.
I blink my eyes open and turn my head to face her. “Of course I am. You know I am.”
She sits up, resting on her elbows, and shakes her head. “I guess happy isn’t the right word. What I’m thinking is more…fulfilled. Do you feel fulfilled?”
I furrow my brow at her and mirror her position, sitting up on my elbows. “Why are you asking?”
“That’s not an answer,” she says, tilting her head.
I laugh out loud. “Yes, Claire! I’m fulfilled. I’m happy and content and grateful to be here with you right now. I couldn’t ask for anything more. My life is good.”
“Okay.” She looks back out at the ocean and is quiet for a minute. “I just wonder if you’d be happier here.”
“Here, like Maui?”
She nods and looks back at me. “I saw a change in you last summer, and as soon as our plane landed today, it happened again. You’re so relaxed.”
“I’m on vacation,” I reply, running the back of my hand down her smooth arm. “I love it here—I won’t deny that. And I love being close to my mom. But it’s not my home. Life on the island can be difficult, especially for someone who wasn’t raised here. So I’m happy in Coastal Vista. That’s home for us. I’m also happy to come back here and visit whenever we can.”
