Tattooed Hearts (35 page)

“Tears of happiness.” She
sighed in pleasure as his strong arms closed around her. “You’re my home too.
You always have been.”

“Good to know.” His voice
was strong and undisguised with relief as he pressed his lips against
her forehead. Then he buried his face in her hair and
released a long, rough breath that seemed to come from the deepest part of his
heart and soul. “Claire.”

“Forrest.”

“I love you.”

Epilogue

“And at the heart of mathematics lies the concept of
infinity.”

Anonymous

The summer breeze rustled Claire’s blouse and hair.
Laughing, she tilted her head back and inhaled a lungful of the salty ocean
air.

“We’re here.” Forrest’s mouth brushed against her ear.

Moaning, she pressed her back against the
wall of his chest, and listened to the sea crashing against
the side of the ferry as its engine stopped.

“Ready?”

She turned to face him, as always her breath caught by his
sheer beauty. Tiptoeing, she placed a lingering kiss on his lips then slipped
her h
and in his. “Let’s go.”

With fingers threaded together, they stepped off the ferry
in Vineyard Haven and were greeted by blue skies, and the sweet air of the
island. There was something about the Vineyard that automatically relaxed her
body.

Perhaps that w
as why she loved it
here so much–it stabilized the rapidity of her thoughts, grounded her in a
place where ticking of clocks did not govern a lifestyle.

“Did I tell you Chappy and the rest of the island have
reconnected?” Forrest asked as they walked off t
he
pier. 

Chappaquiddick, a peninsula of Martha’s Vineyard, stood as
a truly separated island after its bay broke through the beach and joined the
ocean. For almost a decade, Chappy and the rest of the Vineyard had remained
separated.

Until now.

It had to
be an omen. A good one
for sure. Her worlds were merging, joining. Seagulls wheeled over their heads
and cried, welcoming them home. “No more gap between our worlds.”

“None.”

She pulled out her phone to send a text to her family and
friends and realized s
he had no phone signal. Oh
well, cell phone was officially off, a fortunate stroke of serendipity. Just
her, the island, her family, friends, and Forrest.

Free therapy.

Reboot. Reset.

Home.

Lily had given birth to a beautiful girl. Claire was
looking
forward to playing auntie. She slid into
Forrest’s parked Jeep that Blake dropped off earlier in the day. “How does it
feel to be back after months on the road?”

He revved up the engine. “It feels nice. But I’d walk away
from here to be with you. Don’t eve
r forget
that.” 

She knew that. He’d spent the last three months following
her around the globe, not once mentioning the need to be back on the island.
Her heart did that funny little dance reserved for the man sitting beside her.
The last time she’d been
this happy had been…
here
with Forrest. His love was
infinite and without limits, as was hers. She understood that.

“I want to be here with you,” she reassured him.

“I never want to be the reason you walk away from your
career. You were meant to sing.”

When
she informed Forrest she
would be taking a break and not focus on recording another record until a year
or two, he had been adamant about her not choosing between him and her career.
This wasn’t about two possibilities. She’d continue to sing and travel,
just not the grueling schedule she maintained for so long.
Living became more important. “I’m not walking away from my career. I’ve
readjusted my priorities. Do you know how I coped with you not being in my life
the last decade? 

“Tell me.”

“I worked until
I couldn’t think.
Whenever James brought up a project, I did it as long as it didn’t interfere
with my singing.” She turned to face him and slid her fingers into his hair
just for the sheer pleasure of touching him. “I love to sing, I won’t give that
up.
But I don’t want to be a full-time actress. As
for designing, I’ll design a wedding gown when and if I feel like doing it.”
She smiled and said, “I want us.”

His eyes darkened behind the glasses as if he was
contemplating something then he turned his atten
tion
to the road. “I want to take you home but everyone is waiting for us at Vapor.”

Brisk wind ruffled her hair. Tucking a few strands behind
her ear, she sat back and put on her shades. “Let’s go.”

As they drove down Main Street, Claire took in the scene
ry of the island now fully awake with tourism and those who
always departed for the winter months. A bicycle bell rang from the bike path
and Forrest waved at Mrs. Kane. The streets with no traffic lights were busy
but flowed smoothly. After a short drive,
Forrest
pulled the Jeep into the parking area at the pier across from
Seafood
Shanty
.

As always, Downtown Edgartown, the heart of the island, was
full of life and energy. The restaurants, ice cream parlors, and bike shops
were all open for business. With
her hand encased in
Forrest’s, they walked the short distance to Vapor.

To Claire’s surprise, the place was quiet. A rarity. The
only people inside the island’s favorite hangout spot were their friends, her
mother, Ralph, Charles, and Marjorie.

Confused, s
he looked at Forrest.
“Why is Vapor empty? Did something happen to Adam and Jason?” She spoke to
everyone often, but her time had been limited, she might have missed something.

“Vapor is closed for a few hours.” He released his hand
from hers to place it o
n the small of her back and
led her to their family. Hugs were quickly exchanged, welcoming her back.

“Welcome home,” Jason whispered in her ear. “And thanks for
making the big guy whole again.”

“How are you, Minka?” she asked her friend, now three
months
pregnant.

“Other than I keep snapping at my husband.” Minka gave
Jason a secret smile. “I’m well. But I can’t wait to give birth and hold these
babies.”

Claire grinned and turned to Adam standing next to Lily
with a tri-blue colored wraparound baby carrier
on
his chest. A gift she’d personally picked out and sent to the happy couple
after receiving a text with the picture of their newborn. “She’s tucked in
there somewhere.” 

Adam nodded and pulled back the cotton material to reveal a
cozy, sleeping baby wit
h a mass of dark hair and
tanned skin like her father. “Meet your niece, Christina Sofia Aquilani.” 

Claire’s heart squeezed. The name was a nod to his parents.
“Can I hold her?”

 “Of course.” Very gently he removed the sleeping baby
from the safety of his
chest and handed his daughter
to Claire.

The newborn opened a set of big brown eyes and gripped
Claire’s thumb. She let out one of those soothing baby sounds and gave Claire
what she thought looked like a smile, then let out a sharp, high-pitched sound
th
at went straight through Claire’s head.

“I’ll take her.” The proud papa took his daughter and
rocked her on his chest, whispering to her in Italian.

“She’s all about daddy right now,” Lily said. For proof,
the cry had subsided and Christina was once again
safely
pressed against her father’s heart.

“Daddy’s little girl,” Blake pointed out. “It’s only fair.”
He lowered his head and placed a kiss on Keely’s lips.

Claire glanced over at a smiling Lily as she watched her
husband and their daughter bonding. So mu
ch love in
the room, this time there was no hollow space in her gut.

Charles walked over to Forrest and placed a hand on his
son’s shoulder. Aware the two had been working on mending their relationship,
she was glad to see the tension that was once so thic
k
between them had dissipated. Not that Forrest would ever be ready to refer to
the other man as his father, but she knew in his heart he had accepted the role
Charles played in his life.

“Go ahead,” Charles said to Forrest. “You made those two
shut down
Vapor for you.”

Forrest slid his father a look. Charles shrugged his broad
shoulders and looked amused. She was utterly confused about what was just said
between the two men. She peered at Forrest. He stared at her, his expression
faded from relaxed to ser
ious.

“Claire.” Forrest pulled a small velvet box from the pocket
of his jacket and crouched before her.

Someone let out a smothered laugh. She couldn’t tell which
of the guys it came from
.
I
t didn’t matter. The sound faded. The
vicious thumping of her hea
rt made her forget about
everything except what was happening at the moment.

“I asked everyone to meet us here,” Forrest said, voice
thick and gruff. “Because I thought it was fitting for us to be surrounded by
the people we love the most when I ask you to
marry
me.”

He opened the box and revealed a stunning ring with an open
curved diamond band in the shape of the infinity symbol. There was a huge gap
of silence, not even a sound from baby Christina. Then Claire’s lips parted and
released a breath.

“Marry
you,” she said, and her
voice made a funny noise as it cracked with emotion.

Forrest smiled. “You’re crying again.”

“I am?” Oh God. She’d been doing that a lot lately. She
quickly swiped her cheeks. “Happy tears.”

“I love you. I want to be your home as you
are mine. Say yes so those jerks can stop staring at me
with those silly grins on their faces.”

She stared down at Forrest, the big, calm man, who always
knew what he wanted. She’d loved him forever. “Yes.” She blinked to stifle
incoming tears and looked
into his beautiful eyes. He
was a man of few words, but his eyes…they always spoke to her. And he meant
every word. She cupped his scruffy face as he rose to his feet.

“Yes,” he repeated her word, his voice raw with relief.

Claire let out a chuckle. She we
nt
up on her tiptoes and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Yes,” she whispered
once more against his lips. “I’ve loved you for so long.”

He kissed her again. In the back of her consciousness, she
heard a few cheers and clapping. Forrest scooped her up in
his arms. Claire let out a scream filled with delight and
held on tight. “I’m officially spoiled.”

“Good,” Forrest muffled against her lips.

“Hey,” Charles said, his voice echoing the happiness inside
Claire. “Are we celebrating?”

“Tomorrow,” Forrest
answered.
“Claire and I are going home.”

Then he was kissing her again as he carried her away. She
lost Forrest and found him again. The second time, guided by not only their
hearts, but with maturity, things made more sense. Timing had a lot to do with
ev
erything in life. Sometimes regardless of what the
heart desired, love continued to run away and escape…because ten years ago,
they hadn’t been ready for each other yet.

Now, they were in a suitable mindset and primed for their
infinite journey together.

E
verything within her flooded
with happiness, need, lust…love. “Thank you for waiting for me.”

“Forever, Claire. I’d wait for you forever.”

She loved him.

She loved life.

She was happy.

She was home.

*The End*