I had no money.
“How comfortable was the beach?” I asked Theo. “It probably got cold in the winter. Oh my God, you didn’t have internet. Or maids. Or running water.”
“Of course Abigail Crowne is more worried about maids than running water,” he said.
My wide eyes found him, unable to laugh at his obvious joke. Sometimes it snowed in the winter, covering the sandy beach in a blanket of beautiful white powder. I always thought it was magical.
But not if I was sleeping in it.
“Was it warmer under the pier?” I asked.
His fingers were at my chin, drawing me to him. “Hey. We’ll figure it out. I’m not letting you sleep on the beach.”
“But—”
“I can’t promise you servants, Abigail, but I promise you will always be comfortable and always be protected.”
My heart rate slowed as I stared into his green eyes. I believed him.
“Maybe…” Theo dropped my chin, warring with something in his mind. He shook his head, and it was my turn to press him.
“What are you thinking?”
“It’s stupid,” Theo said. “I shouldn’t have even thought it.”
“But you did. What was it?”
“I wondered if maybe we can stay with my mom. She gave me her number and for a moment I thought she was going to ask me to stay with her.”
“Your mom?” I gasped. “You saw your mother?”
“Abigail Crowne?” someone said, at the worst fucking moment. To our left, a crowd of teenagers was looking over. I looked at my unfinished burger, at Theo’s barely touched fries.
“It’s Abigail Crowne and her new husband!” another said.
Theo grabbed my hand, pulling me off the rubbery chain-link table. Holding hands, we ran out of the diner. For once, the thought of marriage hadn’t filled me with dread.
Married to Theo.
What a dream.
After escaping the gathering crowd at Crowne Drive-In Diner, we walked hand in hand along bluffs, below us a sandy shore.
“So you met your mom?” I asked.
“Briefly. I got distracted by your marriage announcement.” Theo shot me a crooked grin.
I buried my face in my free hand. “Oh my God. I’m so sorry.”
He pulled me to his warm, solid chest, back to the ocean. “Never apologize for what led me back to you.”
The wind and waves whipped a small flurry, and I buried my head deeper into his hard pecs. Was it possible I was really safe? Finally with Theo, after everything? I never wanted to move from this warm embrace, but then he spoke.
“You were right,” Theo said and I lifted my eyes to his. “About the diary. All this time, my mother was trying to find me, hoping I would find her. It was a map.”
My heart cracked like an egg for Theo. In all the years I’d known him, this was the dream I’d hope would come true. As if he could see the words in my head, Theo pulled me to him and grasped my chin.
“I should’ve listened to you, my princess and my reject, my lying, fire-starting, romantic…” He pushed a strand of hair behind my ear with one finger, eyes throbbing with tenderness. “My perfect contradiction.”