“He loved Mary, Mia, and Lila,” Eve defended William. “He still does.”
“I know,” David said, his voice softening. “William is like that with family and his closest friends.”
The word family jolted her.
“Who is William to Lila and Mia?” Eve asked.
“He is their Uncle,” David said. “Their real blood uncle.”
“So he is related to Mary,” Eve said. That explained the locket.
“No.” David shook his head. “William isn’t related to Mary. He is my uncle. My father was William’s older twin brother.”
That stunned Eve into silence.
She gaped at him. “You’re William’s ghostly nephew?”
“I am,” David said. “David Moore, now living as Lawson.”
“Oh!” Eve stared at him. This day had been one shock after another. “I’d like to say I’m someone different, but I’m still just Eve Reynolds.”
“And I love that about you,” David said, his voice dropping low. His eyes held hers, and her heart nearly stopped. “And I want nothing more than to pull you into my arms right now and kiss that shocked expression off your face...” His voice was for her ears only. “But...”
“You have a whole lot of explaining to do,” Eve managed to say, her voice barely above a croak.Had David just said he loved her?
“But we’re coming back to this conversation,” David promised.
Eve could do nothing but nod in stunned silence as his words were still sinking in.
David turned and walked toward the large dining table where everyone was starting to gather.
Eve stood there for a moment, alone, and whispered very, very softly, “Oh, Mary, I’m so sorry. I’ve fallen in love with your estranged husband.”
From nowhere, a soft breeze sprang up and danced around her.
Soft. Gentle. Not even chilly despite the winter night.
It seemed to gently hug her, and her heart warmed as a feeling of contentment engulfed her.
That’s when she knew.
They hadn’t come to St. Augustine by chance but rather by design. They were here to finally put the past to bed and fix whatever it was that David and Mia needed to fix in order to move on with the future.
A future that Mary wanted them to share.
“I promise, I will do whatever it takes to help,” Eve whispered softly. “I miss you, my friend.”
The breeze hugged her once more and then was gone.
“Aunt Eve?” Lila called from the table. “Are you coming?”
“Yes,” Eve said.
She took her place at the long table, suddenly feeling like she was part of an inquisition.
Mia and Nolan brought the beverages and then sat beside each other across from Eve.
David sat at the head of the table. Lila settled beside Eve, and Brian took the seat beside Lila.
