Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 57761 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 289(@200wpm)___ 231(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57761 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 289(@200wpm)___ 231(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)
Once dinner is over, we walk out of the restaurant with Lake’s parents, and I hug Mom before we go our separate ways.
“I think I ate too much,” Lake complains as he rubs over his stomach.
Glancing at him with a mischievous grin, I tease, “I know of a way you can work all the food off.”
“Is that so?” He reaches for my hand, but laughing, I dart away.
“We first have to meet the real estate agent before we can go back to the dorm,” I remind him.
“I can always reschedule the appointment for another time,” Lake says, and shooting forward, he grabs hold of my arm and pulls me toward him. He wraps his arm around my waist and presses a kiss to my mouth. “Right now, I think an entire night of exercise will be needed to work off everything I ate.”
“I guess it’s a good thing I had a nap this afternoon.”
Standing under a lamppost, Lake smiles down at me, “Are you looking forward to your first family vacation?”
Grinning up at him, I nod. “I think it’s going to be an amazing experience for everyone to be together.”
“And after we get back we can decorate our new home,” he says as we begin to walk toward the car.
I glance up at the stars that shine over the country I’ve now accepted as my own and thinking back on the past four months, I can’t believe how much my life has changed.
“Salanghaeyo,” I whisper to Lake as I press my cheek to his arm.
“Salanghaeyo,” he says as we get to the car, and turning to face me, he leans down and presses a tender kiss to my mouth. Pulling back, he whispers, “Just look at my beautiful wife. How lucky am I?”
Epilogue
Falcon
By the time we get to Shipwreck Lodge, our home for the next two weeks, we’re all tired and hungry.
Dad booked the entire place with the help of Stephanie and Mr. Shepard, of course.”
The off-road vehicle which our tour guide, Theo, calls a Jeep comes to a stop at the lodge. There are shipwreck-shaped chalets scattered across the sand, and in the middle is the restaurant.
As we all climb off the vehicles, we form a group.
“Welcome to Skeleton Coast National Park, my friends,” Theo says loudly so we can hear him above the wind. “I’m going to let you settle into your chalets. At sundown, we can drive out to an oasis for a magical hour before returning for dinner.”
The African man speaks with so much enthusiasm it’s contagious, and I feel the bite of excitement return after the long drive.
Staff members of the lodge come to help offload our luggage from the Jeeps, and once we’ve all been allocated a chalet, we trudge through the desert sand.
“The first cabin is mine,” Dad calls out.
“We know, Dad,” I yell back at him. “And it’s called a chalet!”
“Whatever!” he shouts and then I see him chuckle.
I take Layla’s hand and help her through the sand, and glancing at Lake and Lee, I smile as he picks her up and carries her to their chalet.
“Look,” Layla points to Mason, who has Kingsley tossed over his shoulder.
I let out a sigh. “Some things will never change.”
The chalet is definitely not five-star, but then five-star accommodation would ruin the experience.
Once we’ve satisfied our curiosity inside, Layla and I go to ask Dad and Stephanie if they want to join us for a walk.
“What do you mean a walk,” Dad grumbles as he steps off the porch. “We’ll be climbing dunes while we’re here.”
“Let’s go climb a dune, Warren,” Stephanie says, and she starts walking, not giving him much of a choice.
As we head toward the first dune, I glance at Layla and noticing she’s chewing on her thumbnail, I pull her hand away from her mouth. “Are you anxious to see your Dad?”
She nods. “I can’t wait. I don’t want to walk too far in case he comes while we’re gone.”
“We’ll just see what’s on the other side of this dune,” I say to put her at ease.
“Hold up!” Mason hollers and glancing over my shoulder I see the Chargills and Cutlers making their way toward us.
“Kiddo!” Layla’s head whips in the direction of her mother who’s pointing at something, and when she sees a man walking toward us, she begins to cry as she breaks out in a run.
Or at least she tries to, but the sand keeps slowing her down.
“Daddy!” she screams and hearing the happiness in her voice makes me feel so damn emotional, I have to hold myself back so she can have this moment with her Dad.
“Aww… I’m going to cry,” Kingsley says behind me.
Layla practically throws herself at her father, and they both tumble down on the side of a dune. The wind catches their laughter and carries it over the desert.