“Yes,” I said. “She’s saying, stay in my arms for a moment more.”
Faith raised her head. “Really?” she asked, her voice quavering and her eyes filling.
I nodded, smiled, though my heart ached as a tear escaped and spilled down her cheek. “Now she’s saying, a tear rushes down to the sand.”
“She is not,” Faith said, sniffing.
“Scout’s honor.”
“And now?”
“Now she’s saying if she’s patient, the sea will bring her love to her.”
“You’re making this up.”
“It’s true.” I held her face with both hands. “I promise you, Faith. This is not our last night together.”
I leaned in and her eyes shut tight as I kissed her, as if she were making a wish. The deepest wish of her heart—and mine—and I vowed, then and there, I’d find a way to make it come true.
FIVE
“AND THAT,” I said with a flourish, “is how we met.”
Max and Silas, both being smart-asses, applauded.
“You’ve definitely got us beat,” Max said, laughing. He looked to Asher. “Silas and I met an NA meeting. Not the stuff of romance.”
“Oh hush,” I said. “Your love story is epic. I’ve always envied it, but now…” My silly throat got choked up, and I leveled a finger at Silas. “Do not say a word.”
He held up his hands innocently, laughing. “I say nothing. I think it’s great. I’m so happy for you.” He held up his glass. “Congrats, Asher. The one man on the planet able to break through Faith’s unromantic outer shell to her mushy center.”
“Hypocrisy!” I cried, throwing a cashew from the bowl on the coffee table at Silas. “You just described you and Max to a T.”
Max chuckled. “Now that’s not fair, Faith.” He looked to Asher. “Silas is very romantic. He told all the major news outlets he was in love with me before finally getting around to telling me.”
“Shut up.” Silas rolled his eyes but couldn’t keep the smile off his face as he leaned in to kiss his husband.
They exchanged the kind of loving smiles that I used to envy. Now I had my own love to share little looks and touches with. I never thought those little things could mean so much. My gaze went to Asher.
But they’re everything.
Especially since they weren’t permanent.
“And so now you guys trade flights back and forth between Hawaii and Seattle?” Silas asked, as if reading my mind. He whistled. “That’s a lot of frequent flier miles.”
“Faith calls it our long-distance relationshit,” Asher said, grinning over his beer.
“That’s because it sucks being apart. But we’re making it work,” I said. “It’s hard, but it’d be harder not to have him at all.”
My eyes threatened tears at the heaviness in my heart that seemed to grow heavier every time I had to say goodbye to Asher. Each time was harder than the last.
I glanced up to see the room had gone silent, and all three men were watching me with soft gazes.
“God, puppy-eyes overload. I’m fine, I’m fine, I’m fine,” I said, fanning my eyes and avoiding looking at Max’s sweet, compassionate face or else I’d lose it completely. “Let’s talk about something else. Quick, someone change the subject.”
Asher cleared his throat. “I’ll change the subject.”
I glanced over as his deep voice had a strange tremor to it. He set down his beer and moved off the floor, as if to stand up. But he got halfway and stayed there.
My heart nearly leapt out of my chest. “Oh my God. Wait. What? Are you down on one knee?”
Somewhere, behind the rushing of blood in my ears, I heard Max gasp and Silas mutter, “Holy shit.”
Asher cleared his throat and took my hand in his. “You’re right. The long distance is too fucking hard and I don’t want to do it anymore.” He reached into his slacks pocket and pulled out a black velvet box.
My heart was thumping so loud, I could hardly hear his next words.
“Faith.” He opened the box to reveal a square-cut solitaire diamond on a band of white gold. “Will you marry me?”
Max sniffed, and from the corner of my eye I saw him reach for Silas’s hand. Then my world telescoped to just Asher, a thousand thoughts clamoring for attention.
I’d have to move to Kauai?
I can’t leave my life here.
What about my job?
What about Silas and Max? I’d miss them so much.
I’d miss the city. I’d miss fancy restaurants and shopping and cocktail hour at the Four Seasons…
“Yes,” I whispered, because for every question in my heart, Asher was the