-Epilogue-
July 2024
Lighthouse Cove, Maine
It's hard to believe how quickly things can change in only a year's time.
This house at Lighthouse Cove has seen its fair share of life; the tidal ebbs and flows each person brings with them and leaves on the shore as they find respite in the gentle sand dunes and salt air.
People have come and gone from this shore, hearts broken and healed, souls lost and found.
The magic that was found one year ago has persisted, grown, and deepened. Where there once were three, six now come to the island, hearts relieved to be back together.
The house creaks as if in greeting as familiar feet climb up the porch, sandy toes brushing against the weather-worn wood planks. Some have traveled near, and others oh so far, but all have made it back.
Their voices are a symphony mixed with the sound of the lapping waves and the soft breeze coming off the sand dunes; a chorus of laughter and love that fills the house with the best soundtrack it has ever had.
The door unlocks with a soft sigh, welcoming them home.
They stop to take inventory, recognizing the familiar, unchanging aspects of the house, while noting the new additions, the small things that hint at the house's new handyman.
There is a new set of hands to work and love on this house; another life has become a part of its story.
And in the kitchen, on the white-board, is a rendering of the last quote written before they left, this time in Carmen's neat script.
"No matter where life takes me, I'll find my home in the horizon."
Upstairs, as clothes are unpacked into old familiar rooms, three women privately take a moment to reflect on the changes this year. These rooms have housed them for eight years now, but this time each room will hold additional occupants this year.
One of them, standing on the edge of her balcony window, stares at the ocean, and reflects on the year she has spent away from the island. Filled with ups and downs, she looks over at one of the main sources of her overflowing happiness. Staring at the man who has never left her side, she welcomes the security and warmth he brings, no longer shying away from the way her heart swells when she looks at him.
Up in the attic room, another gazes at the sea from her window, her heart already missing the boat she's called home for longer than she has realized.
The worry she had carried in the deep recesses of her heart starts to ebb as she turns from the water and gazes at the captain who guided her here. This steady man who has shown her the horizon and so much more.
The Compass may be docked nearby, safe in Lighthouse Cove's small harbor, but her true north points to him.
Back down on the porch the third woman slips outside again, her eyes on the sea, her lungs taking deep breaths of the air that has gone such a long way in reviving her. Around her waist, an arm settles, and she leans into the man who helped bring her back to life only one year ago. It feels infinitely longer than just a year, but she knows better than anyone how the concept of time – how long one measures time, to be exact – differs from one to the next. All she knows is that having the opportunity to share time with him is not, and never will be, something to go to waste. This place, this magical and rejuvenating place, marks the beginning of their lives together. Lighthouse Cove will always be their safest place to hide.
Days bleed together, filled with laughter and memories made that will last a lifetime.
They build upon the relationships they started only a year ago until they're as close as family.
Events from the year before turn into new traditions for the group during their time on the island. Game night, karaoke, a fresh lobster dinner. One couple's late-night trip to see the bioluminescence, another's to the ice cream shop, and the third's to the record store where they all stockpile memories like seashells in the sand.
Despite how much they yearn for time in their oasis to halt, it marches on, until they are left again with only one more day in their island paradise. This year, conversations are less uncertain though, for each one knows where their heart has a home.
One will be returning to the road to follow wherever the band may take her with her heart by her side. Together, they will soak in all the good things she now knows she is worthy of. For now, she enjoys the ride, knowing in a year's time she'll have graduated with her second degree. She takes her strength from knowing the only direction from here is up, and she has five beautiful humans to take the journey with her.
Another will be setting sail, back down to far off lands where she will spend the next three days packing up her belongings and selling them off until she has just what she needs to move onto their boat, the best home she's ever had. They don't know it yet, but in a week's time, he'll get good news for his budding career, and they will celebrate naked under starlight.
But for now, they sit at the table on their favorite back porch, the sunset on the other side of the island washing the land in soft pink and wisping the clouds into pulls of purple. The table is full of the same foods they had shared for their first meal together, with steamed lobster and fresh raw oysters caught that morning. Their favorite game is already out of the box and waiting to be played together.
There is love.
There is life.
But there aren't just six of them this year.
A seventh has arrived just for tonight, just for one specific moment.
He can't do this without her.
With the help of her grandparents watching from afar, their first official guest to the house, is a brown-haired pint size version of her mother, whose eyes widen at the sight of her suddenly appearing from down the beach. She looks back and forth from her daughter to the rest of the people at the table, confusion stunning her almost speechless.
But he knows exactly what to say.
He waits until the little girl is standing next to her beautiful mother, and he drops down to one knee in front of the two of them and all of their friends standing behind them.
He doesn't care who is there to see.
The only thing that matters is that the two most important ladies in his life say yes.
On his knee, he reaches for the little girl's hand and promises her that although he missed her first steps and her first word, he will never miss another first in her life. He promises to honor her father for the amazing man he was. He promises to be fair and to protect her and to love her as fiercely as he loves her mother.
Her mother, standing next to the girl, can barely see the tiny ring he slips onto her daughter's finger.
But she knows it's there because now it's her turn.
It's her turn for him to take her hand in his own. It's her turn to listen to him share how their life together was a literal match made in heaven. How each moment with her, and not just the time they spend here on the island, is paradise itself.
How being her husband would be the biggest honor of his life.
He promises her that he'll always be there to love and support her. He promises to celebrate life with her, and be by her side when she needs to remember how to be.
He promises the man she first gave her heart to, that he will love and cherish and protect his family with every breath in his body, until they all meet him once again, beyond the horizon.
She can barely catch her breath enough beyond her sobs to say yes.
Around them, tears in their eyes, their friends cheer as the couple embraces with a kiss. They watch as a new family is formed, and the love in their hearts swells.
When the small family breaks apart again, they are swarmed in hugs by their loved ones. The little girl is swept into the arms of her aunties, her ring admired under the twinkling porch lights.
The house is bursting with love so bright, it feels as if it can outshine the lighthouse itself.
Nothing will ever be the same at the house at Lighthouse Cove. New lives have formed, new bonds forged.
The three women make plans to come back, making the promise once again that no matter life's journey, they will return.
And when it comes to these three, they know no truer words have ever been spoken.
The End
So much went into planning and writing this story. When we were finally ready to put thought into words, it became no surprise to us when this story took on a life of its own. There is so much we want to share about this story, the characters, and our writing process. We hope you'll be able to join us this Friday, September 1st at 3:00pm PST/6:00 EST for our facebook live! You don't have to participate – feel free to listen with your cameras off as we answer some Q&A's about Taking the Horizon, what Chasing the Horizon will look like, and potential sequels!
But first, we wanted to share some thoughts individually with all of you.
Jillian of Lily Jill:
Our intent was simple, really.
The same feeling came over me when we were toying with the idea of writing our Christmas fic, The House on Sycamore Lane a few years ago. We wanted to write a story that could be read again each year, with characters and seasons that filled us with a sense of nostalgia no matter time or distance. Timeless.
Summer was the perfect backdrop — livin' is easy and the weather is beautiful. Throw in the opportunity to weave our story around a quiet beach town with old friends and new love? The story almost wrote itself.
Our goal was to write a short and sweet, quick and easy summer fic, and we realized along the way that Team Nerdy doesn't know how to do that. Short, sweet, quick, or easy! While it was a refreshing summer story filled with new love, it wasn't as light as we had planned on, and we discovered that we absolutely loved that about each of these six characters. These characters spoke to us and we simply wrote their words down. Fortunately for us, it all came together to create a beautiful world that all three of us are sad to leave behind.
While it's bittersweet to let Alice and Jasper go, I don't think their story is over yet. I can see glimpses of them and Bree in the future, and I'd love the chance to get to live in their world whenever I can. Don't be afraid to shoot me some ideas on what you see down the road for these three! I truly enjoyed writing their story and your support for them truly inspired me. I can't thank you enough for that!
I also have to thank Pamela for letting us infiltrate her inbox and texts. You're an amazing prereader and even better friend!
As for my Nerds, well, you two already know. We'll always have our July.
Dani of DaniDarlingXX:
I count myself as one of the luckiest ladies in the world to have the kind of connection the three of us have. Best friends is one thing, but the experience of collaborating with two people that have such wildly beautiful minds is a kind of intimacy I'll never have with anyone else. These girls are more than my best friends, and more than my family, they're pieces of my own heart.
When I set out to write this with them, I was terrified. Like Rose, I had pulled away from everyone after my divorce. I hadn't written in over a year and had left so many projects undone. I didn't know if I was ready to write yet or not. Everything was still so raw. But as they always do, the girls pushed me, just when I needed them to, into writing this gorgeous thing with them.
As Jill said, it was supposed to be quick and dirty. Flirty, fun, and sexy, but most importantly…fast. But just as life goes, it quickly unfolded into this beautiful masterpiece that somehow encapsulates everything we could've ever dreamed about.
Somehow I was able to use Rose to tell my story, while also giving her her own voice. Somehow, in all this, she did for me what I've done for her. She has helped heal me. I have my own Emmett now, and he's just as wonderful as he's written (although he's still a man so he can still be a pain in the ass lol). But I know that just like Rose, I'm unstoppable now with this amazing team behind me.
Speaking of team, I can't forget the wonderful and amazing Pamela, our magnificent prereader. We did this story without a beta, but she still kept her eyes on my "and"s and "but"s when she didn't have to, and I'm so thankful for it! I didn't know her from Adam when this started, but she sealed our friendship with one of the warmest hugs at the meet-up in July and now I consider her a permanent fixture in my life. I love you endlessly, lovey!
*deep breath, fans eyes* AHHH!
I don't think any of us are done with these characters. I know I see some pretty beautiful things in Rose and Em's future, and I'd love to hear anything you guys want to see from them! Maybe some spicy tour action?
I've shed a whole lot of tears for this story. And I'm sad to see it go, but if there's one thing the girls have taught us…there's always more waiting for us on the horizon. Xx
Ariel of fanficsR4nerds:
When we first set out to write about three friends who met up every summer, I thought I knew what to expect. I knew, despite our best efforts, that this group of writers couldn't pull off quick and easy, but I wasn't entirely sure what we could do. We'd never written as a three-some, and I didn't know just how many stories we had in us to tell.
Taking the Horizon didn't just tell the story of three—turned six—friends. It didn't even tell the story of us three as friends. What we found at Lighthouse Cove was the feeling of the bonds of soulmates, a feeling that I cried to read about reflected in all of your incredible reviews. Lighthouse Cove spoke to those of us who have been blessed to find soul twins.
I knew Bella would be a somewhat… controversial character from the jump. I knew there would be a lot of people who didn't like her, but that was okay. She had a story to tell, and it was one that is surprisingly close to my heart. Bella and I have a lot in common; we're complicated flawed beings, but we're figuring things out, and through her, I was blessed with the opportunity to reflect on my own journey, examine my own horizon.
I don't know that we've ever sunk into character as much as we three did in this fic. I can't recall how often we wrote messages to each other, calling each other by our character names unwittingly.
As if we were the story.
No one will ever know how much went into this tale. The countless messages, phone calls, video calls, emails… back and forth, across thousands of miles, through countless laughs and tears. We each put parts of our souls into this story, and I am so grateful to everyone reading with us, who left little pieces of themselves behind too.
Edward and Bella are really just beginning. They've started a new chapter in their life, and they are ready to face down new horizons. I've fought with them, cried with them, laughed with them… and now, I'm ready to explore with them as well. I see their future, I know pieces of the paths that lie ahead, and I hope to one day journey across those waters with you all.
Endless thank yous to every reader who stuck with us, especially those who gave us your precious words back. Thank you to Pamela, who morning, noon, or night, and no matter what time zone I'm in, always brightened my day and gave me such helpful reflections to guide Edward and Bella. I know these two wouldn't have been half as strong without your wisdom.
Finally, to my nerds… You know what you mean to me, what you've done in my life, and know that I'll never be able to thank you enough for any of it. Though I wish we were closer, that a whole continent didn't separate us daily, my heart is full and warm and loved at the thought of our own Julys.
From all of us here at Nerdy:
Keep us on alert! Join our facebook group, Nerdy Lil Darlins Fanfic, to see what we're up to. Because when we put our heads together…you never know what to expect! You can also follow the three of us separately as we're all actively working on individual projects:
fanficsR4nerds
DaniDarlingXX
Lily Jill
Thank you all.
Catch you on the Horizon!