The question came at her like a fastball. She opened her mouth to shut her sister down, but she found herself struggling to speak. A few other painters looked over at them. Why had Lucy been talking so loudly?
“Shhh. You’re practically screaming. Do I have to remind you that gossip never sleeps in this town?” Stella slightly jerked her chin in the direction of the other patrons.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” Lucy apologized. “You know how I can’t control my volume when I get excited.” She narrowed her gaze as she stared at Stella. “You didn’t answer my question. Are you in love with Luke?”
The question settled over Stella like a warm, cozy blanket. For so long the wordlovehad made her feel afraid and insecure and uncertain. Now, it made her think of all the possibilities stretched out before her. Loving Luke felt as natural as the waves crashing to the shore on Blackberry Beach. He made her believe that anything was possible. And suddenly it was near impossible to imagine her life without him.
“I-I think I am,” Lucy said in a halting voice. She felt a bit tentative to voice her feelings out loud, as if she might be jinxing things. Not so long ago she’d vowed to never go down this road again, and yet, miraculously, she was here. She’d fallen head over heels for the most amazing man in the world. Sweet, tender Luke. Her own very special Navy SEAL.
Lucy let out a little squeal. “Youthink? Girl, that is not something you think…it’s something you know in the deepest regions of your heart.”
Stella rolled her eyes. “Okay. Iknowthat I’m in love with him.” Saying the words out loud made her soul soar into the stratosphere. She felt as if she had wings.
“Crazy in love?” she asked, referencing their favorite Beyoncé song.
Stella threw back her head and let out a hearty laugh. “Yes! If you must know that’s exactly how I feel. Crazy, madly, deeply, passionately in love with the man.”
“Oh, Stella. I’m so happy for you.” Lucy closed the distance between them and enveloped her in a huge bear hug. Six pairs of eyes were focused on them like laser beams.
“It’s nice to know we’re never truly alone in Mistletoe. There’s always someone watching,” Stella quipped as she turned her focus away from the curious glances and back on her masterpiece in progress.
“Nothing to see here, people. Nothing to see here,” Lucy said in a gruff voice before turning back toward Stella and grinning.
For once, Stella didn’t really care about the stares and whispers. No one could take away this amazing feeling fluttering around inside of her. She was in love. And it was a magical, surreal, and wonderful state of being. She hoped this feeling wouldn’t ever fade away.
Chapter Twenty-One
Later that evening, Luke picked Stella up for their movie date. He couldn’t think of the last time he’d sat down and watched a film in an actual theater, so the very idea of doing so filled him with excitement. After grabbing some lobster rolls and fries from the Lobster Shack, they headed over to the marina for a preshow picnic. After settling down on a blanket, they dug into their food and Luke pulled out the bottle of sparkling cider and plastic flutes they’d been given at the restaurant.
“Funny how I’d almost forgotten how special this town is,” Luke remarked as he bit into his lobster roll and watched the boats drift by. “I’ve really missed being here. For so long I tried not to think about it, but it’s been glaringly obvious ever since I came back.”
“I always hated the saying that you can’t go home again,” Stella said, making a disgruntled face. “Because it’s really not true. Look at Dante. He stayed away for almost nine years, yet he was welcomed back with open arms. Coming home to Mistletoe was the perfect decision for you, Luke. I can’t even express how happy I am that you’re here. It’s hard for me to imagine a world where we didn’t get the chance to reconnect.”
“I feel the same way. Now I have to admit, I wasn’t totally sold on living here permanently,” he said with a grin, “but it’s really growing on me. Where else can I get the best lobster roll in New England and watch classic movies on the big screen?” He tapped his chin. “Oh, and I can’t forget about the infamous Holly Hill Lighthouse and Blackberry Beach and the Chowder Fest.”
“Is that all?” Stella asked with a mischievous look stamped on her face.
“Not a chance,” he drawled, moving closer so he could give her a kiss. He only intended for it to be a little peck, but once his lips were on hers it went from light and leisurely to a full-on blaze in seconds. Luke placed both of his hands on either side of her face to anchor her to him. He brushed her hair away from her face with one hand, enjoying the feeling of her silky strands between his fingers. Stella returned his kisses with equal measure.
As the kiss ended, Luke placed his forehead against hers. They stayed like that for a few moments, neither of them wanting to break apart. Was this it? he wondered. That feeling of all being right with the world simply because you were with a certain someone. He just knew he’d never felt this way before. As much as it scared him senseless, he found himself wanting to dig in and build something solid with Stella so he could go on feeling this way.For a lifetime?
“You’re the biggest draw this town has by far, Stella Marshall,” he said in a husky voice. “Don’t you ever forget that.” And he meant it. Stella was by far Mistletoe’s star attraction.
“Now that’s what I like to hear,” she responded with a smile.
Luke threaded his fingers through hers, loving the sensation of their hands and skin touching. He couldn’t recall experiencing all these euphoric emotions before. Not even as a teenager.
“I need to ask you something.” He’d been waiting to clear the air with Stella on a certain subject, but he’d been putting it off. Frankly, there was no time like the present.
“Okay. You can ask me anything,” she answered, her brown eyes wide with curiosity. He wondered if Stella would change her mind once he asked his question.
“Are you still in love with Rafe?” he asked, spitting the question out before he chickened out. It was a difficult thing to ask, but he was falling for Stella, and he needed to know what he was up against.
Stella hesitated and his heart twisted as he awaited her answer. So much was riding on her reply. It was hard to build something solid if her heart rested with someone else. But the way he felt for Stella was so powerful he knew he would do whatever it took to win her heart. His own heart was beating a mile a minute and his palms were moist. He had it bad.
“No, Luke, I fell out of love with Rafe a long time ago.” She met his gaze head-on without wavering. “I think most of my feelings that have lingered were based on my own dreams that got crushed. I always thought at this point in my life I’d be settled down, but life has a way of throwing you curveballs. Lately I’ve been working hard to learn from what I went through, and I think I’ve acquired some invaluable lessons. Not just about love and commitment, but about myself.”
Luke exhaled a deep breath that instantly caused his tension to dissipate. “I can’t pretend that I’m not relieved.”
