“Aww, Betty. You’re an old softie,” his father said as he placed his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close.
“Who you calling old?” she asked with a frown. “I’m two years younger than you. Be careful you don’t squish the baby.”
“I’m not going to smush my grandbaby,” Willie said in a raised voice.
Nick and Luke exchanged a glance as their parents began to fuss at each other. They loved each other like nobody’s business, but their marriage wasn’t perfect. There had been bumps and hiccups along the way, but they were still together, fighting the good fight. His parents had once told him and Luke that they wanted no less for the two of them.
He’d had it once before. Did lightning strike twice in a lifetime?
“Just a reminder that we’re having a small do at the house Saturday after the baptism,” Stella said. “Nice and intimate.”
“We can’t wait to celebrate Jade,” his father said.
Nick appreciated the reminder. Luke and Stella had asked him to be Jade’s godfather, which was an incredible honor. Stella’s sister Lucy was godmother, so he’d half expected them to ask her husband, Dante, to serve as godfather.
“Dad!” Miles waved to him from the field, jumping up and down to get his attention. In his black-and-orange uniform, black cleats, and knee guards, he looked like the quintessential soccer player. His son hadn’t always been super athletic, but he’d made great strides since last year. Extra practice time and participating in a few leagues had helped him immensely. Nick knew it was Miles’s most ardent wish to make a goal today. Nick remembered all too well the feelings of wanting to be successful on the field. As he’d suited up for football games, Nick had prayed to make touchdowns and lead his team to glory.
“Hey, Miles. Get it. Chase that ball down!” Nick yelled as his family cheered on Miles. As the game kicked into high gear, Nick kept his eyes glued to number 10. With his lanky frame and long legs, Miles was fast on his feet but a tad hesitant. The action ensued with possession of the ball going back and forth between the teams as the score tightened. Nick winced when an opponent knocked Miles to the ground.
“He’s all right,” Luke said, clapping Nick on the back. “I think he was just winded.”
Nick relaxed as Miles stood up and demonstrated that he was fine. Seconds ticked by, with the opposing team making a shot that tied up the game. Nick and Luke let out groans as they watched the clock tick away precious seconds. Suddenly, Miles had the ball and he was making his way down the field, where he passed it to another teammate.
“Way to go, Miles. Teamwork,” Nick shouted. “C’mon, Hawks.”
Luke grabbed his arm as Miles once again had the ball. Nick watched as his son positioned himself in front of the goal and lifted his leg up to take a shot. Time seemed to stand still as the ball flew into the air and landed in the netting.
Pandemonium ensued as Miles was swept up by his teammates in a swarm of celebration as the crowd cheered. Luke and Nick began to scream their lungs out as Stella covered the baby’s ears. Miles’s grandparents were jumping up and down and high-fiving each other.
Nick waited on the sidelines, watching Miles experience one of the major highlights of his young life. His son deserved this golden moment of victory. Life was too short not to cherish the good times. If it were up to him, Miles would have hundreds of moments like this his whole life long.
***
Harlow stood in front of the full-length mirror and studied herself from all angles. She hadn’t been to many christening parties, but she was excited about going to a social event in Mistletoe. Malcolm had just gone back to Boston yesterday, and she was already experiencing withdrawal. Having her brother in town had been wonderful. Nobody got her the way Malcolm did. Although she wasn’t a big fan of marriage, Harlow had always told herself that if she could find a man who deeply understood her, she might just have found a life partner.
Since she was stuck in Mistletoe for one solid year, Harlow needed to socialize and develop a network of folks here in town. Harlow couldn’t expect Stella to be her constant sidekick, because she had a newborn to take care of.
“I think this works,” Harlow said out loud as she admired the bright red dress against her dark brown skin. A pair of tan low-heeled pumps would round out her attire. Her curls were a little bit out of control today, but she poured some product into her palms, then ran her hands through her hair. A light application of foundation, along with red lipstick and eyeliner, completed her look.
Harlow left her lakeside home and followed her GPS directions to a gorgeous coastal road that overlooked the waters of Blackberry Beach. A beautiful gold-and-azure sign highlighted the beach area, which was visually stunning. All Harlow could see for miles was a large expanse of ocean and sand. The beach was devoid of people, most likely due to the chilly temp of the ocean in fall. It was easy to imagine swimming here in the summertime. It was definitely something for Harlow to look forward to in the coming months.
As her vehicle wound around twisty roads, she let out a gasp as she reached a portion of road where she could look down and survey all of Blackberry Beach. A few minutes later her GPS alerted her that she was approaching her destination. After parking her car, Harlow stepped out of the vehicle and soaked in her surroundings. She walked over toward the edge of the property so she could get a glimpse of the ocean.
Stella and Luke’s seaside home sat right next to the beach. The house itself was a charming cottage that seemed to have come straight from a fairy tale. Beautiful flowers in brightly colored pots sat on the front porch. Marigolds and sunflowers, and Harlow spotted what looked like mums. Everything she knew about flowers had come from her mother, who’d nurtured a garden when she and Malcolm were small. That had all changed when they’d left Chestnut Ridge in disgrace.
The sound of a car’s tires crunching over the pebbles in the driveway garnered her attention. A man stepped out of the car and began walking toward the house.
No, it wasn’t. Seriously?Surely there couldn’t be more than one man in town who was as gorgeous as Nick Keegan. Dressed in a navy-blue suit and a crisp white shirt, he looked impossibly handsome and debonair.
This was wild!She’d been thinking about Nick so hard lately that she’d conjured him out of thin air. She was gazing at him so intensely that she noticed the very moment Nick spotted her. He stopped on the path and simply stared at her as if he couldn’t believe his eyes.
His entire face lit up, and he quickly made his way to where she stood on the porch steps.
Nick let out a low whistle. “You look incredible, Harlow.”
The compliment went straight to her head, making her feel practically giddy. “You clean up very nicely yourself, Mr. Keegan.”
“Thanks. It’s been a hot minute since I’ve put a suit on,” Nick said, smoothing down his tie.
