Chapter Nineteen

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Lu had a present to give his new bride. Something special and wonderful and deeply, deeply horrifying.

“Wake up, darling.”

She murmured and snuggled closer into his side. She had branches and weeds tangled into her hair like wedding flowers.

“Montessa. Wake up. Today is a new day.”

She yawned and stretched and sat up. Looked around with eyes still bleary from sleep. “Lu? Where . . . ah, I remember. We slept outside last night.”

They had. Several yards back from the beach, across a small freeway, up in the tree line with a few scattered rental houses here and there.

“Did you sleep sweet?” he asked.

She popped her back, winced. “I slept sweet. How’s your shoulder?”

“Stiff, but not bad. The salt water hurt like a dickens last night, but I think it helped.” He grinned, kissed the makeshift wedding band on her finger. “It really does heal everything.”

Montessa stood up, and helped Lu to his feet. Brushed her hair out with her fingers and made a face.

“I’m a mess,