Love Takes A Tumble Bonus
This is a bonus epilogue for readers of Love Takes A Tumble It is best read after you’ve finished the entire novel.
Palmar Island, one year later…
Audrey stood at the window of the Magnolia Suite, watching sunlight dance across the garden below. The hydrangeas were in full bloom, their blue and purple heads nodding in the gentle June breeze, and the climbing roses along the garden wall had opened their petals to the early summer warmth. White chairs had been arranged in neat rows on the lawn, a simple arch of greenery and white flowers marking the spot where, in just over an hour, she would become Harrison’s wife.
Wife. The word still caught her by surprise sometimes, like a plot twist she hadn’t seen coming in her own story.
“Nervous?” Elise appeared in the doorway, a vision in pale blue silk, a small bouquet of fresh flowers in her hands for Audrey’s hair.
“Strangely, no.” And it was true. At fifty, Audrey had thought herself long past the age of wedding jitters. What she felt instead was a quiet certainty, a deep-rooted peace that seemed to hum beneath her skin. “I think I’ve finally outgrown the fear of making the wrong choice.”
Elise smiled, setting the flowers on the dressing table. “That’s one of the benefits of finding love later in life, I suppose. You know yourself well enough to recognize the real thing when it finally appears.”
Audrey nodded, turning from the window to the simple ivory dress laid across the bed. Not quite white—she wasn’t pretending to be a blushing young bride—but elegant in its simplicity, with delicate beading at the neckline and a flowing skirt that would catch the breeze just so. Beside it lay her novel, bound in hardcover, its jacket gleaming in the morning light: “The Lighthouse Keeper’s Return” by Audrey Whitaker.
She picked it up, running her fingers over the embossed letters of her name. The book had exceeded all her expectations. It wasn’t a bestseller, but a solid midlist debut that had earned respectable reviews and a small but enthusiastic readership. More importantly, it had given her the confidence to begin work on the sequel, which now filled her mornings with purpose and joy.
“Your daughter-in-law-to-be is downstairs, by the way,” Elise said, beginning to arrange the flowers carefully into Audrey’s upswept hair. “She just arrived from the airport. Jacob’s showing her to her room.”
“Melissa’s here already?” Audrey felt a flutter of anticipation. Though she and Harrison’s daughter had spoken several times by phone and video chat over the past year, they’d only met in person twice. Once during a brief visit last Christmas, and again two months ago when Melissa had flown in for a long weekend. Their relationship was still new, still finding its footing, but she had been surprisingly welcoming of Audrey in her father’s life.
A soft knock at the door was followed by the appearance of a young woman with Harrison’s blue eyes and determined chin. “Is this where the bride’s hiding out?”
“Melissa!” Audrey moved to embrace her, breathing in the faint scent of travel and unfamiliar perfume. “You made it.”
“Wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Melissa stepped back, her gaze sweeping over Audrey with warm appreciation. “You look beautiful. Dad’s going to be speechless.”
“That would be a first,” Audrey laughed, gesturing for her to sit. “I don’t think I’ve ever known your father to be at a loss for words.”
“You’d be surprised.” Melissa settled into the window seat, the same spot where Audrey had sat finishing her novel a year ago. “He gets all tongue-tied when he talks about you. It’s actually kind of adorable.”
The thought of Harrison—steady, capable Harrison—being flustered by his feelings for her made Audrey’s heart expand with tenderness. She turned back to the mirror, watching as Elise pinned the last flower into place.
“I brought something for you,” Melissa said, reaching into her purse. “Dad mentioned you were looking for something borrowed.”
She held out a delicate silver bracelet, a charm in the shape of a book dangling from its links. “My mom gave this to me when I graduated high school. I thought… well, I thought it might be nice for you to wear it today. Given your book and everything.”
The gesture—unexpected and deeply touching—brought sudden tears to Audrey’s eyes. “Melissa, I couldn’t—”
“Please,” the young woman insisted, her expression earnest. “It would mean a lot to me. And to Dad.”
Audrey hesitated, then extended her wrist, allowing Melissa to fasten the bracelet around it. The weight of it felt significant. Not just the silver links, but the acceptance they represented. The blessing.
“Thank you,” she said softly. “For this. For everything.”
Melissa’s smile was unpracticed but genuine. “Just make him happy, okay? He deserves it. You both do.”
Another knock interrupted the moment, and Miss Doris appeared, her silver hair arranged in an elegant updo, a smudge of flour somehow still visible on one cheek despite her formal attire. “The cake is safely installed,” she announced, as if reporting on a military operation. “And if Jacob so much as breathes on those sugar flowers before the reception, I’ll skin him alive.” Her sharp eyes softened as she took in Audrey. “Well now, don’t you look like something straight out of a storybook.”
“I feel a bit like I’m in one,” Audrey admitted. “Still not quite believing this is real.”
“Oh, it’s real alright,” Miss Doris said with a knowing smile. “I knew it from the moment he carried you in from that beach. Some things you just know.” She checked her watch. “Twenty minutes, ladies. I’ll go make sure the groom isn’t pacing a hole through the porch boards.”
As she bustled out, Elise stepped back to survey her handiwork. “Perfect,” she pronounced. “Now for the finishing touches.”
The next fifteen minutes passed in a blur of final preparations. The simple veil settled carefully over Audrey’s hair. The bouquet of white roses and baby’s breath placed in her hands. A few last-minute adjustments to the drape of her dress. Through it all, a sense of wonder continued to build within her, like the rising tide.
How strange life was, how full of unexpected turns. Three years ago, she’d been alone in Ohio, caring for her ailing mother, her dreams of writing deferred for so long they’d nearly withered. Now here she was, a published author about to marry a man who had quite literally swept her off her feet on a beach she’d never expected to visit.
“It’s time,” Elise said softly, peering out the window. “Everyone’s seated. Harrison’s waiting under the arch with the reverend.”
Audrey took a deep breath, suddenly aware of her heartbeat, strong and steady in her chest. “Alright then,” she said, smoothing a hand over her dress. “Let’s not keep him waiting any longer.”
The walk from the inn to the garden felt both endless and far too short. At Elise’s suggestion, they circled around to approach from the side, avoiding the guests’ view until the last moment. Melissa had gone ahead to take her seat in the front row, and now only Elise remained at Audrey’s side, squeezing her hand once before stepping back.
“Ready?” she asked.
Audrey nodded, unable to speak past the emotion swelling in her throat. The music began—not the traditional wedding march, but a gentle melody that reminded her of waves lapping at the shore. As she rounded the corner of the hedge, the small gathering came into view:. There were familiar faces from around the island, a few fellow writers she’d met through her book, and Jacob standing near the front with a grin that threatened to split his face.
And there, beneath the arch of flowers, stood Harrison.
His eyes found hers immediately, and the rest of the world seemed to fall away. He wore a simple suit in deep blue, a white rose in his lapel, and the expression on his face as he watched her approach was one of such profound joy that Audrey felt her own happiness mirror it, expanding until she thought she might float right off the ground.
Step by step, she moved toward him, toward the future they would build together. When she reached his side, he took her hand, his fingers warm and solid around hers.
“Hi,” he whispered, the word barely audible over the final notes of the music.
“Hi yourself,” she whispered back, suddenly shy despite the journey that had brought them here.
The reverend began to speak, words about love and commitment flowing around them, but Audrey found herself focused instead on the feel of Harrison’s hand in hers, on the steady rise and fall of his chest as he breathed, on the way the sunlight caught the silver at his temples. This man who had taught her that it was never too late to begin again, to risk her heart, to find home in another person’s arms.
When the time came for their vows, Harrison turned to face her fully, his blue eyes serious and tender.
“Audrey,” he began, his voice steady despite the emotion evident in his face. “For thirty years, I ran toward danger while others ran away. I thought that was bravery. But the bravest thing I’ve ever done was letting myself fall in love with you.” He squeezed her hands gently. “You walked into my life—or rather, fell into it—when I was lost, when I’d forgotten who I was beyond what I did for a living. You reminded me that we are more than our jobs, more than our pasts, more than the roles we play for others.”
He paused, taking a breath, and Audrey could see the sheen of tears in his eyes matching her own. “I promise to be your partner in all things. To support your dreams as you’ve supported mine. To build a life with you that’s both shelter and adventure. And to remind you, every day, that home isn’t a place. It’s wherever we are together.”
The words, so simple and yet so profound, settled around Audrey’s heart like a blessing. When it was her turn to speak, she found her voice steadier than she’d expected.
“Harrison,” she said, the name itself a kind of prayer. “I spent my life helping others find their stories, never quite believing I had one worth telling myself. Then you appeared on that beach like something out of a novel I didn’t realize I was writing.” A smile curved her lips at the memory. “You taught me that it’s never too late to turn the page, to start a new chapter. That the most beautiful stories are often the ones we never saw coming.”
She looked up into his beloved face, memorizing every line, every plane, every expression. “I promise to be your safe harbor and your greatest adventure. To walk beside you through whatever storms may come. To believe in us, in this unlikely, wonderful love we’ve found.” Her voice dropped to a near whisper. “And to never forget that sometimes, the most extraordinary journeys begin with a simple fall.”
The exchange of rings was a blur of emotion and shining gold. And when the reverend finally pronounced them husband and wife, Harrison’s kiss was both familiar and new, a promise and a fulfillment all at once.
As they turned to face their small gathering of loved ones, hands clasped tightly between them, Audrey caught sight of her book in the hands of one of the guests. Her story, bound and shared with the world. Just as she herself had finally, wonderfully, learned to be.
Harrison squeezed her hand, and together they took their first steps down the petal-strewn path, into the future they would write together.
***
Harrison stood at the edge of the wraparound porch, a glass of champagne cooling in his hand as he watched his wife laughing with a small group of guests in the garden below. The setting sun cast everything in amber light, from the white folding chairs still arranged on the lawn to the string lights that had just begun to twinkle overhead.
Wife. The word settled in his chest like an anchor, grounding him to this moment, to this place, to the life he’d never imagined for himself.
Audrey wore her ivory dress with an easy grace, her hair slightly looser now as the evening progressed, a few wayward curls escaping to frame her face. She was speaking animatedly to a woman Harrison recognized as a local bookstore owner and one of the first to host a signing for Audrey’s novel. Beside them stood a younger couple, the woman holding a copy of “The Lighthouse Keeper’s Return” as if it were a precious artifact rather than a book.
“She’s a natural,” Melissa said, appearing at his side with her own glass of champagne. “Hard to believe she was ever nervous about the public parts of being an author.”
Harrison smiled, thinking of the woman who’d once been so fiercely independent she’d refused his help on the beach despite a sprained ankle. “She’s always been stronger than she gives herself credit for.”
“Like someone else I know,” his daughter replied, bumping her shoulder gently against his.
The past year had brought changes for all of them. His relationship with Melissa had deepened, the distance that had grown during his years in the fire service gradually closing as they found new ways to connect. She’d visited the island several times now, each stay longer than the last, each departure a little harder.
“I’ve been meaning to tell you,” Melissa said, her gaze following his to where Audrey now bent to speak with one of the island children who’d served as an impromptu flower girl. “I’m proud of you, Dad.”
Harrison turned to look at his daughter, surprised by the emotion in her voice.
“For what?”
“For this.” She gestured to encompass the inn, the gathering, the life he’d built. “For starting over. For being brave enough to change.” She paused, meeting his eyes directly. “And for finding someone who makes you so happy. After Mom and I left… I worried about you. But seeing you here, with Audrey, with this whole community…” She smiled, a woman now rather than the teenage girl who’d watched her parents’ marriage crumble. “You’ve built something really special.”
The simple acknowledgment touched something deep in Harrison’s chest. “Thank you,” he said quietly. “That means more than you know.”
Before Melissa could respond, a distinct chiming sound cut through the general murmur of conversation. Jacob stood on the porch steps, glass raised, calling for attention.
“If I could have everyone’s attention for just a moment,” he began, his gaze seeking out Harrison and Audrey among the guests. “I’ve been asked to say a few words about our newlyweds.”
Audrey made her way to Harrison’s side, slipping her hand into his with the easy familiarity that still, after a year together, sent a current of warmth through him. Her fingers were cool against his palm, her wedding band still unfamiliar against his skin.
“When Harrison Tate checked into the Pelican Inn a year ago, I pegged him as just another visitor passing through,” Jacob continued, his expression warm with affection. “Three days max, I told Elise. The restless ones never stay.”
A ripple of knowing laughter moved through the gathering.
“And when Audrey arrived not long after, focused entirely on finishing her novel, I was certain these two would barely cross paths.” Jacob’s smile widened. “Shows what I know.”
He raised his glass higher. “What I’ve learned from watching them find each other is that sometimes, the most unexpected guests become family. Sometimes the passing visitor puts down roots. And sometimes, a simple fall on the beach changes everything.”
The guests raised their glasses, the sunset catching in the crystal, scattering light like stars.
“To Harrison and Audrey,” Jacob concluded. “May your journey together be as beautiful as the stories you inspire in each other.”
“To Harrison and Audrey!” The response echoed across the garden.
As Harrison took a sip of his champagne, he caught sight of Miss Doris emerging from the inn, her face alight with anticipation.
“And now,” she announced, her voice carrying despite her diminutive stature, “I believe it’s time for the cake.”
Two of Harrison’s assistants from his handyman business—Josh and Tyler, local boys he’d hired when the demand for his services had outgrown his ability to keep up—carefully carried the three-tiered masterpiece from the kitchen to the table set up on the lawn. Miss Doris followed, directing their movements with the precision of a battlefield general.
“Easy now,” she cautioned as they set it down. “Those sugar flowers took me three days.”
The cake was, indeed, a work of art. Three round tiers covered in smooth white frosting, decorated with delicate sugar flowers that matched the garden blooms. And perched on top, a small lighthouse crafted from fondant and gum paste, its light seemingly illuminated by the golden sunset behind it.
“Oh, Miss Doris,” Audrey breathed, stepping closer to admire the creation. “It’s absolutely perfect.”
The older woman’s chest puffed with pride. “Nothing less would do for you two,” she said, though her gruff tone couldn’t quite hide her pleasure at Audrey’s reaction. “Now come cut it before those sugar flowers wilt in this heat.”
The cake cutting was a joyful affair, with Harrison and Audrey managing to avoid the traditional smearing of frosting on each other’s faces—much to Miss Doris’s relief. As slices were distributed among the guests, soft music began to play from the speakers Jacob had set up around the garden.
“I believe,” Harrison said, setting aside his empty plate, “this is where I’m supposed to ask my wife to dance.”
Audrey’s smile lit her face from within. “I believe it is, husband.”
He led her to the small area cleared for dancing, the grass beneath their feet still warm from the day’s sun. As he took her in his arms, the familiar scent of her perfume enveloped him. Jasmine and vanilla, the same scent that now lingered on his pillows, in his workshop, in all the corners of their life together.
“Happy?” he asked softly as they began to move to the music.
“Completely,” she replied, her head finding its familiar place against his shoulder. “Though I still can’t quite believe we’re here. That this is real.”
Harrison understood the feeling. Even after a year of waking up beside her in their small cottage on the edge of town, of sharing meals and walks and the mundane rhythms of everyday life, there were still moments when the sheer improbability of their story struck him anew.
“Very real,” he assured her, his hand splayed against the small of her back. “Though I’ll admit, there are days I feel like I’m living in one of your novels.”
Audrey laughed, the sound vibrating against his chest. “Speaking of which, I had an idea for the sequel this morning.”
“On our wedding day?” he teased. “Should I be worried about your priorities, Mrs. Tate?”
“It’s your fault,” she countered, leaning back to look at him. “Something you said last night, about how sometimes the most meaningful journeys happen after we think the story’s over.” Her eyes sparkled with creative energy. “I think that’s where my sequel begins. Not with my lighthouse keeper settling into domestic bliss, but with him and his new love discovering that finding each other was just the beginning of the adventure.”
Harrison spun her in a gentle turn, marveling at how perfectly she fit in his arms. “I like it,” he said. “Though I might be biased, given that I’m living that particular story.”
“The best research is lived experience,” she agreed with a smile.
As they continued to dance, other couples joined them on the makeshift dance floor—Jacob and Elise, their movements practiced and easy after years together; Melissa and one of the local men who’d been eyeing her all evening; even Miss Doris, coaxed into a tentative two-step by an elderly gentlemen he didn’t recognize.
In the distance, the lighthouse was lit, the glow cutting through the gathering dusk. Harrison watched it over Audrey’s shoulder, thinking of the metaphor that had brought them together. Of guiding lights and safe harbors, of journeys home.
Later, as the celebration continued around them, Harrison leaned close to Audrey’s ear. “What do you say we slip away for a bit? There’s somewhere I’d like to go.”
Her eyes met his, curious but trusting. “Lead the way.”
They made their excuses to their guests, promising to return shortly, and slipped away from the inn’s glowing warmth. Hand in hand, they walked the familiar path down to the beach, the same stretch of sand where they’d first met. The tide was low, the wet sand reflecting the rising moon in perfect silver circles.
“Feels like a lifetime ago,” Audrey said as they reached the spot where she’d fallen. “Me, sprawled in the sand with a twisted ankle. You, appearing out of nowhere to rescue me.”
“I wasn’t rescuing you,” Harrison corrected gently. “I was finding you.”
He drew her into his arms, the sound of waves providing a perfect counterpoint to the distant music from the reception.
“Did you ever imagine,” Audrey asked, her arms looped around his neck, “that morning when you found me on the beach, that we’d end up here?”
Harrison thought back to that day. Thought back to the woman with the stubborn chin and wary eyes, to the unexpected jolt he’d felt when he’d lifted her into his arms. Had he known, even then, that something significant had shifted in his world?
“No,” he admitted. “But I think part of me recognized you anyway. Not as the woman I’d marry, but as… someone important. Someone who mattered.”
“I felt it too,” she said softly. “Even while I was busy pushing you away.”
The moon climbed higher, casting their shadows long across the sand. In the distance, their wedding guests continued to celebrate, but here on the beach, it was just the two of them. As it had been in the beginning, as it would be in all the moments that mattered most.
“I love you, Audrey Tate,” Harrison said, the words simple but profound in their truth.
“And I love you, Harrison Tate,” she replied, rising on her toes to bring her lips to his.
As they kissed beneath the stars, with the lighthouse beam in the distance and the sound of waves marking time like a heartbeat, Harrison knew with absolute certainty that he had found his true north, his guiding light, his home.
Not in a place, but in a person. Not at the end of a journey, but in the beginning of one they would take together.
The best story, it turned out, was the one they were still writing, one day at a time.
*** The End ***
I hope you’ve enjoyed reading Love Takes A Tumble and this little bonus epilogue. Ready for more? I recommend you check out the Later In Life Love At The Pelican Inn series. You’ve met a few recurring characters like Miss Doris already. Book one is all about Elise and Jacob and a second chance for the Pelican Inn.
Next up is the second book in the series, aptly named A Second Chance at Pelican Inn. It’s a fun story of two people returning to Palmar Island and the inn for a second chance at finding their happily ever after.
And if you’re ready for more sweet and swoony romances that take place on Palmar Island (and include Miss Doris), check out the Love on Palmar Island series.
Happy Reading!