Brando shook his head. “Why are you so stubborn?”
Luke shrugged. “I was just born this way. Blame it on my mama.”
“Oh no!” Brando said, tilting his head back as he laughed. “Not throwing your mom under the bus.”
For a few moments they chuckled just like old times. Being around Brando reminded Luke of all the good things that came with being a part of a band of brothers. He’d missed being a part of something greater than himself. His SEAL team had always operated like family members—standing together through thick and thin. If he ended up sticking around Mistletoe, Luke needed to tap into the aspects of the community that made him feel as if he was using his talents for the greater good. He loved helping people and serving the needs of others. It was one of the reasons he’d sought a career in the military. Search and rescue would allow him to be employed in a career that made an impact.
Luke didn’t want to kill the mood, but he needed to ask Brando something. He’d already put it off for way too long. It was gnawing at him.
“Have you talked to either of the families lately?” Luke didn’t have to reference them by name. Brando knew exactly who he was referring to. They’d talked numerous times about the families of both Kenneth and Aaron over the last six months. Recently, they’d set up a fund site for Aaron’s kids to help his wife, Winona, with expenses. Luke had also been sending the twins gifts and cards over the past few months.
Brando scratched his chin. “Yeah. Kenneth’s mom is in a bad way. Winona seems to be holding it together from what I hear. She’s got the twins to keep her busy and focused. I’m sure it’s difficult, but she seems to be moving forward.”
“And Kenny’s mom? Dorothea?” Luke asked. “What’s going on there?”
His friend sighed. “I don’t know the specifics, but she’s been depressed according to Zach. She quit her job and can’t seem to get out of bed most days. Who can blame her? Kenny was her only child.” Zach Navarro was another member of their SEAL team who’d been with them on the day of the bomb blast. He’d been best friends with Kenny, so he knew the Smith family well.
Luke ran a hand over his face and blew out a ragged breath. “That’s terrible. I really want to reach out to her and the rest of the family. I’ve been trying to give them space so they could grieve, but I want to let them know I’m thinking about them. They might have questions that only I can answer. Do you have her information?” Luke had intended to touch base with Kenny’s parents on many occasions, but he’d been held back by trepidation. But, after witnessing the way Stella had been open and honest about her emotions, he was inspired to connect in person with the Smiths. Bottling up his feelings was gnawing away at him. He needed to man up.
“Sure, Luke. I’ll text it to you. I would wait a bit before contacting her though. I don’t think it’s a good time.” He ducked his head and took a lengthy sip of his coffee.
“What aren’t you saying?” Luke asked. His gut told him that Brando knew something more specific about Dorothea’s situation. Luke wanted to know everything, no matter how damaging it might be to hear.
Brando fiddled with his coffee cup and looked away from Luke’s gaze. “She blames the team for Kenny’s death.”
Luke’s heart constricted. “The team? Or me?”
Brando shrugged. “I don’t know all the details, but it sounds like she’s very anti-SEAL at the moment. It’s understandable though. If you remember, she was never a big fan of Kenny being a Navy SEAL. She never gave him a moment’s peace about it.”
Luke did remember. Kenny used to tell them all the time about how his mother feared that he would never make it home in one piece. On several occasions she’d tried to get him to find another, more predictable profession. Each time Kenny had explained to her his reality—he was meant to be a SEAL. “There’s nothing else I’d rather be doing.” If he’d said it once, Kenny had said it a hundred times. As a mother, Dorothea had feared something awful would happen to her son, and she’d been right. Everything she’d feared had come to pass. And it had to be weighing heavily on her heart.
“Hey, Luke. How’s it going?” His heart did somersaults at the sound of Stella’s voice. She was standing by their table holding a foam tray with two drinks in it. He didn’t know how he’d missed seeing her enter the coffee shop, although he and Brando were sitting on the far end of the patio engrossed in a heavy conversation. With her bright yellow sundress, Stella resembled a burst of pure sunshine. The realization hit him smack dab in the center of his chest. That’s how she made him feel.
At the sight of her, Luke jumped to his feet, as did Brando. “Stella,” he said, immediately going in for a hug. He told himself it would look strange not to hug the woman everyone thought he was dating, but the reality was Luke enjoyed hugging her. She fit perfectly against him, and she always smelled like flowers.
“Stella, I’d like you to meet Brandon Wong, one of the members of my SEAL team and a close friend. We call him Brando,” Luke said. “Brando’s the guy you want on your side when trouble comes calling. He’s visiting for a few days.”
“Nice to meet you, Stella,” Brando said, offering up his hand.
“Likewise,” Stella said as she shook hands with Brando. “Welcome to Mistletoe.”
“Stella is a schoolteacher. She’s on summer vacation and really kicking up her heels,” Luke explained, his tone teasing.
Brando and Stella exchanged pleasantries for a few minutes. It wasn’t long before his buddy was pulling out pictures of Jolene and their baby, David. Stella oohed and aahed over the pictures, her eyes lingering with longing on the child. Luke enjoyed the easy rapport between Stella and his close friend. She was going out of her way to make Brando feel welcome in Mistletoe, and it meant a lot to Luke.
“If you have time while you’re in town, have Luke give you a tour of the Holly Hill Lighthouse and the glass-making shop,” Stella suggested. “And you have to try a Maine lobster. Once you’ve eaten a Maine lobster, you’ll be spoiled for anything else.” She pointed across the street. “You can’t go wrong at the Lobster Shack. Kyle will hook you up. He’s a big fan of Luke’s.”
“I’m only in Mistletoe until tomorrow, but we’ll see what we can fit in. That lobster is at the top of my list,” Brando said. “I can’t leave town without tasting it.”
“Give me a call later,” she said, turning toward Luke. “There’s a clambake and fireworks next week at Blackberry Beach in honor of the Fourth of July. I’m probably going to have some people over to my house to hang out before the festivities.”
Luke had been thinking about the annual Fourth of July bash for some time now. It was his favorite holiday to commemorate, bar none. There was something so heartwarming and special about celebrating the country he loved so much. Stars and stripes. The smell of hotdogs and hamburgers emanating from the grill. The night sky turning into a rainbow of vibrant colors. Family and friends gathering.
What he’d learned as a member of the military was that freedom could never be taken for granted, mainly because so many people around the world didn’t have it. He’d seen it firsthand in many of the hotspots around the globe. Being able to celebrate the Fourth of July back in his hometown cemented the fact that he was fortunate.
What a difference it would be to spend the Fourth here in Maine rather than overseas. Just the thought of it caused him to get choked up. He’d missed the familiar rituals of home and the people who’d known him all of his life. Mistletoe was made up of folks who wanted the best for him. Sure there were gossips and folks who loved to meddle, but it was a tight-knit town full of people who cared about one another.
“That sounds great,” Luke said. “Fourth of July and Mistletoe go hand in hand.”
