Safe Harbor (The Lake Trilogy, Book 3) (28 page)

“I hired the best and told them my deadline. I needed the entire project done in
ten weeks so that I could either give it to my bride or sell it. So…am I giving it to my bride or am I selling it?” Will looks at me hopefully. I believe him when he tells me he’d sell the house if I just couldn’t live here, but I know he’s hoping we can create a new life here. A legacy so opposite of what used to fill these spaces.

“I think…this will make a wonderful first home for us. Thank you, Will.”

I lean into him and let his arms fold around me as I continue to take in the wonder that is now
my
home. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that this cold and bitter place could be magically turned into something so warm and inviting.

“Will, honey, are you crying?” I ask, feeling a tear land on my face.

“You have no idea how happy you make me. It means so much to me that we reinvent this place. There were terrible, terrible memories here. Memories I still haven’t told you about. I didn’t know if I could exorcise them with a simple remodel. But when I saw the finished work, I thought, maybe, just maybe it could work and we could build a new life here. And then…for you to stand here and see what I see…Layla…I think it’s actually really hitting me that this is happening. After everything we’ve been through. Over three years of highs and lows and struggles and moving heaven and earth…it’s happening. In four short weeks you’re going to be my wife, and we’re going to officially start our lives together. I love you more than I could ever fully express.”

Will pulls me back into his arms and we hold each other there for a long time. My phone buzzes in my pocket and I know
it is Claire calling to find out why I’m not back in time to leave for my fitting, but I don’t care. In this moment nothing else matters but Will and me and the re-creation of a place that will be the start of our life together. And…even though I thought it would be a good first home for us, I have a feeling that I could really build a
life
here with Will. A place we can raise our children…and a place we can grow old together.

*****

Claire forgives me when I tell her about the miraculous changes Will made to the other house and how I’ll be referring to it as Will’s and my house from now on. She’s winces for just a second with sadness that Will and I are not going to take them up on their invitation to live with them after the wedding.

“Mom, we’ll literally be walking distance from you and
Dad. It’s the next best thing to living with you,” I tell her as I stroke her arm. “We can take after dinner walks, and maybe actually start that Couch to 5k running plan. It’ll make the time we have together even more special.”

“I understand, Layla. I guess
I just thought we’d have a daughter at home for a little bit longer.” She sighs and replaces her frowned face with a bright smile. “Well, we have a month left and we’re going to fill it with all the wonderful things mothers and daughters do when preparing for a wedding.”

“Are we picking Caroline up?” I ask as we pull into her driveway.

“Yes. I was going to have you just run in and get her, but Carol asked me to pop in,” she says.

I ring the doorbell and Caroline answers before the chime is done echoing.
“Hey! I didn’t know you were coming with us today. This will be even more fun! Do you think Gwen wants to come, too?” I give Caroline a hug. I’m excited to tell her all about the house, and the 45 minute drive into Charlotte will give us plenty of time. I watch our mothers disappear in the direction of the kitchen and guess that Caroline’s mom is showing Claire some great new kitchen gadget. Claire has fully embraced the role of chef and is always looking for ideas and tools to make cooking easier.

“Gwen’s got something going on today. C’mere for a minute. I want to show you something,” she says, hooking her arm through mine.

We walk to the back of the house and through the Great Room to the doors to the patio. When Caroline opens them I’m greeted with cheers of “Surprise!”

“What? What’s going on?” I stutter out, stunned.

“This is your bridal shower, girl!” Caroline squeals.

I’m shocked! If someone had asked me to make a list for a bridal shower I could have come up with seven names
, maybe ten. There are definitely more than ten people here and my heart stops as I scan the garden and see Dana and Lisa…and Finn! I’m filled with excitement and trepidation. They don’t know about Will being Will. How on earth am I going to explain this?

Before I can faint from fear all three of them are rushing to me, throwing all six of their arms around me.

“Congratulations, darlin’!” I hear Dana’s sweet southern drawl say.

“Oh my gosh! I can’t believe you’re here! I…I have to explain something to you,” I begin.

“No need. John…uh…Will called and told us everything. It’s pretty amazing what he did, what you two have been through,” Finn says. “I’m only slightly mad at you for not telling me, but I suppose I understand.” Finn’s arms are around me again and this time I’m hugging him back with all my strength. My worlds have not collided, but merged and I’m elated.

“Lisa, is Jason here?” I ask.

“No, he had to work. But Finn made him promise to take extra time off before the wedding for J-…Will’s bachelor party,” she chuckles. “I think it might take me a bit to get used to calling him Will!”

“Oh you did, did you?” I tease Finn.

“Well, when Will told me everything, he gave me Jason and Dana’s numbers and told me to call them. He thought we might need someone to talk to after he dropped that bomb on us. Jason and I got talking and hit it off. He’s becoming a pretty great friend.” Finn smiles and my heart flutters. I didn’t realize until now how much I missed that smile.

“I can’t believe you!” I say to Claire, giving her a huge hug. “How did you pull this off?”

“It wasn’t that hard. You have been impossible about remembering your appointments so I knew I could tell you that you had one today and you’d just go along,” she says beaming.

“I look awful! Had I known I was coming to my bridal shower I would have worn something else!” I’m dressed for ease of taking my clothes off since I though
t I was headed to my fitting.

“I’ve got that covered!” Caroline says. She takes me by the arm and leads me upstairs to her room. Laid out on her bed are three
new dresses, all so perfectly me.

“Where did these come from?” I pick up one of the dresses, a blue and white polka
dot with a flared skirt.

“Claire brought them over yesterday. She knew you wouldn’t be dressed for the shower so she wanted you to have something to change into,” Caroline tells me.
“Now pick one of those darlin’ dresses and get downstairs! You’ve got gifts to open…most of which I’m sure will embarrass the crap out of you. I know my gift to you will!”

Caroline laughs in that adorable laugh of hers and closes the door behind her. I change into a light pink dress with brown trim and a pair of brown wedge sandals. Claire thought of everything. I check myself in the mirror and
begin to make my way back out to the garden when Finn meets me at the bottom of the stairs.

“
I can’t believe you’re here! Don’t you know that bridal showers are for girls only? Unless of course you’re here to make me a chai tea latte!” I say as he takes my hand and helps me off the last step.

“I think the rule is actually that you have to be into guys to be welcomed at a bridal shower,” he laughs.

“Oh, well, then I guess you’re good then!”

We take a few steps toward the back of the house, my hand still in Finn’s. I’m so happy that he’s here…Lisa and Dana, too. I was afraid that I wouldn’t get to really see them when they came up for the wedding. Things are going to be so busy, and there will be a lot to keep me from just sitting and enjoying their company.

“I’m glad you’re ok,” Finn says as he stops us. He’s serious now. More serious than I think I’ve ever seen him. “I wish you had told me about everything. It’s terrible to go through what you did and not have anyone to talk to. I would have kept your secret.”

“I wanted to tell you…so many times. But…it wasn’t just my secret to tell. It was Luke and Claire’s, and Will and his mom’s. You looked out for me with the whole Marcus thing, and I feel bad that I kept things from you when that situation could have hurt you, too. I mean, if Marcus knew I
told you anything about him…I don’t want to think about what his twisted mind would have done.” I take Finn’s hand in both of mine. “I hope you can understand.”

“I do.” Finn lifts my hands with his and kisses them. “We’re friends for life, Layla. Things can only get more awesome from here, right?”

“Right.  And lucky you…you get to go to both the bridal shower
and
the bachelor party! Now, c’mon. I understand there’s a table full of embarrassing gifts awaiting me!”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I got you a blender,” Finn says with a smirk.

“No you didn’t.”

“You’
re right. Just make sure you’ve always got some AA batteries on hand!”

“Finn! You didn’t!” I say, wide eyed as Finn laughs hysterically.

“I’m just kidding…maybe!”

We teasingly push and hip bump each other all the way to the doors that lead to the garden. With a final bump and kiss to my cheek, Finn opens the door
. Once again, I’m greeted by smiling faces of women who are here to enjoy this long awaited celebration.

Everyone I would have expected to be here is
here. Gwen and her mother are here along with Eliana and Nana Grace. Even Sarah made it down from Virginia, which is so amazing. We’ve been growing closer over the months and my heart swells with joy that she’s come.

T
here are some faces that surprise me like Mrs. Whitman from Heyward Prep, a few I recognize from the law firm retreat, and Chris and Tyler’s moms who I never really got to know. Their presence here warms my heart and reminds me of the silent support Will and I have had from so many.

I scan their faces and am overwhelmed at the outpouring of love.
Every time I turn around I’m being amazed by yet another piece of evidence pointing to the fact that I’m no longer alone in this world, and I can’t help but feel like the champion of a fight I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy.

Will has been a busy bee getting our little love nest ready. Luke suggested he move out into the new house once it was ready. I wasn’t jazzed about it but thought that it would build some wonderful wedding night anticipation to have to say goodbye to Will again every night.

With the wedding just three weeks away, I thought I should start packing. It actually didn’t occur to me until Will showed me the closet in what will be our bedroom and told me I could start bringing my things over any time I wanted. I won’t have any furniture to bring, so really it’s just my clothes and books and whatnot.

Packing…again.

It’s not the same this time. I’m still nervous, and a little scared. I’m still headed into so much unknown. I’m still packing up one life to move to another. But this time it’s totally different. This time it’s all about my future, my happiness. Will and I have worked harder and overcome more than two people should have to in order to be together. We couldn’t have done any of it without Luke and Claire, and to be honest that is the one thing that makes me sad about leaving this place.

Luke and Claire gave me a life I thought had long disappeared the night I moved in with Gram and Gramps. Any thoughts or dreams I had about my future were shoved aside and ignored like an inconvenience. I couldn’t afford to even look at them for fear I might start dreaming again.
When friends at school talked about boys or college or careers, I had to turn a deaf ear to the conversation. How could I think about the future when I didn’t know how I was going to get through the day?

It wasn’t until Gram died that I allowed myself to think about
any of that, but only for a moment here or there. I’d look at Gramps, sitting quietly in his favorite chair and wonder what it might be like to find someone who would love me as unconditionally as he loved Gram. I’d let myself dream about finding someone who would grow old with me.  Thanks to Will and Luke and Claire, I don’t have to wonder anymore. 

Now I’m packing to leave the place that breathed life back into this lifeless existence of mine. Even though I’ve only been with Luke and Claire for three short years, and we’ll be living just a few streets over, it seems a little strange to be leaving. This has been the most
home
I’ve had since before my parents died. It’s a bittersweet feeling, I suppose. I’m excited to start my life with Will in our home, but a little sad to be leaving Luke and Claire.

Will has been spending all of his time making sure our house is more than ready by October 25
th
. He said he wants to come home from our honeymoon and not have a single detail to worry about. Since we opted to wait until next semester to get back to school, he’s had more than enough time.

Today, though, he’s made me promise to keep my distance as he’s shopping for gifts for the guys, and me. I told him I didn’t need a wedding gift. Marrying Will is
the only gift I need. I told him he’s already gone overboard with the remodel of the house and our honeymoon to Ireland and Bali but he doesn’t care. The problem is that I have no idea what to get him. I think about options like monogrammed cufflinks because that sounds like one of those fancy gifts rich people give each other as a wedding gift, but shake my head as I realize I just put myself in the “rich people” category. I suppose I am, or will be since I’ll be married to Will and he refused to have me sign a prenuptial agreement even though I offered.