Just when he thought that he’d turned a corner, it all came rushing back to him. The shock. The pain. The guilt. A last-minute change in their schedules had forced them to switch up their regular routine, with Kara dropping Miles off at school while he’d been on a rescue. What-ifs and might-have-beens still tugged at him.
“Dad!” As soon as Nick turned the key in his front door, his son came running down the hall toward him. Nick braced himself for impact, then hoisted Miles up into his arms.
“Hey, buddy. What’ve you been eating? You weigh a ton!” Nick said in an exaggerated manner that caused Miles to grin wildly. He knew it made his son feel like Superman.
“Lots of meatballs and Nana’s corn bread,” Miles said, laughing.
Nick’s mother made incredible corn bread. He and Luke had grown up on it, along with corned beef, collard greens, and banana pudding. To this day, Nick headed over to his parents’ house for Sunday dinner whenever he was craving those particular dishes. Thankfully they had an open-door policy.
Miles raised his arm and pulled up his sleeve, showcasing a skinny arm. “Look at my guns,” he said, flexing his nonexistent muscle.
“Whoa. Pretty soon you’ll be replacing me and Uncle Luke in search and rescue,” Nick teased. This banter about Miles being on the search and rescue team was a running joke among the three of them.
Miles’s grin threatened to crack his face wide open. “You’re pulling my leg,” he said with a crooked smile. “That would be so cool though.”
Miles had a great relationship with Nick’s brother, Luke, who had recently retired from being a Navy SEAL due to an injury he’d sustained while on active duty. Upon returning to Mistletoe, Luke had entered into a faux romance with Miles’s teacher, Stella Marshall, in order to get the local matchmakers off their backs. They’d ended up falling in love before getting married last year.
“I think he missed you.” Van, Miles’s sitter, walked down the hall toward them. Tall and sandy haired, Van was a good-looking college student who was paying his own way through school. Watching Miles after dismissal until Nick came home from work was a sweet gig, especially since he and Miles got along like a house on fire. In a pinch, Nick’s family always subbed in to watch his son. So far, he was making it work.
“That’s only fair, since I always miss him,” Nick said, running his palm over his son’s close-cropped Afro.
“Hey, don’t touch the ’fro, Dad,” Miles protested, ducking away from Nick. “I need to keep it tight for picture day tomorrow.”
Van made a face at Nick and whispered, “I think he might be crushing on someone in his class. Not sure, but he’s been talking a lot about someone named Lily.”
Noooooo!Nick wanted to say. His son was far too young for crushes. Time was flying by way too fast for his liking. Nick just wanted things to slow down so he could savor the moments. Pretty soon he’d be dealing with a tween who didn’t want anything to do with his father.
Sometimes he wished that he and Kara had made the decision to have another kid. That way Miles would always have someone to walk through life with. A sibling. A best friend. The way Luke had played a huge role in Nick’s life. He wouldn’t know what to do without his brother. Honestly, Nick didn’t even want to consider that possibility. He wasn’t sure he could handle losing anyone else. It might just break him once and for all.
Chapter Two
The day after her car accident, Harlow was busy setting up her new digs and reflecting on the last twenty-four hours. Thankfully, she would be getting her car back next week. She’d awoken several times in the course of the night due to nightmares about the crash. She was acutely aware of how lucky she’d been to survive the accident. Chills ran straight through her at the memory of how frightened and vulnerable she’d been while dangling above the water, all the while fearing the worst.
She had to admit that her new lakefront home was full of charm and infinite possibilities. She had spent the morning setting up her bedroom and kitchen with all the items she’d had mailed to her new address. Her rose-colored comforter, a collection of cozy sweaters and boots, framed photographs, paintings, and an assortment of cookware that she hadn’t yet used. And her air fryer. Harlow salivated just thinking about Malcolm making shrimp and grits for her. Anything else Harlow needed she would pick up in town at the local shops.
Her brother, Malcolm, would be arriving in a few days with her Shetland sheepdog, Bear. Malcolm and Bear had been hanging out together at his summer house in Cape Cod for the last few weeks while Harlow resolved things in Seattle with her condo and the veterinary practice where she worked. She’d missed her dog like nobody’s business, as well as her brother. As a successful artist, Malcolm had a lot of freedom with his schedule, so watching Bear for Harlow hadn’t been a burden. Harlow suspected that Malcolm loved Bear almost as much as she did. She’d adopted Bear from an animal rescue when he was barely a year old. Every time she thought about what her sweet dog had been through before they’d found each other she wanted to weep.
A knock on the front door alerted her to the arrival of her afternoon tea date. Harlow rushed toward the door and wrenched it open, letting out a cry as she laid eyes on her old friend Stella.
Stella Marshall, now Stella Keegan, had been one of her college buddies. They hadn’t seen each other in a few years, but they had always remained in close contact. Once she’d accepted the vet position at Paws in Mistletoe, Harlow had reached out to tell Stella the news. Over the course of the next few months, they’d texted, Zoomed, and talked on the phone, quickly becoming as close as they’d been in school. Stella had even helped her find this rental property, which was out-of-this-world gorgeous. Situated right by Pinecone Lake, the views were stunning. Between the lake and the mountains, standing on her front porch provided such an incredible visual. Seattle had its fair share of amazing vistas, but even Harlow could admit that Mistletoe, Maine, had its own mind-blowing sights. If only that was enough to offset all the drawbacks of living in a small town.
Harlow immediately beckoned Stella inside. “Come on in. Don’t stand on ceremony.”
Stella stepped inside and enveloped her in a tight hug. “I’m so happy you’re here in Mistletoe! I’ve missed you.”
“Me too, Stella! It’s great to see you in person after all this time.” Her eyes skimmed over her friend. With mocha-colored skin and big brown eyes set in a heart-shaped face, Stella was lovely. Her kindness radiated from within. “You look amazing. Are you sure you just had a baby?”
“I sure did. It took me twenty-four hours of labor to push out all eight pounds of her,” she said with a laugh. “You look wonderful, Harlow. You haven’t aged a bit since college.”
“You always were too kind,” Harlow said with a chuckle. Stella’s warm personality had drawn Harlow in from the first time they’d met on the quad one warm September afternoon. They had maintained their friendship postgraduation, even though they’d been living on opposite coasts.
“I mean it. You look great,” Stella said with a warm smile. “We’re in dire need of more veterinary services. This town is lucky to have you here pitching in.”
“Let’s go into the kitchen and I’ll make us some tea. Then you can tell me all about your yummy husband.” The little Harlow knew about Luke was intriguing. He was a former Navy SEAL who’d been awarded the Medal of Honor for valor.
Stella looped her arm through Harlow’s and they headed down the hall to the bright, sun-filled room. After boiling the water Stella began to set up the mugs, sweeteners, and creamer. As they sat down, Harlow said, “I’m so sorry that I don’t have any muffins or finger sandwiches. I didn’t get in until late last night, so I haven’t been to the market. Everything I have here was shipped.”
“No worries. Oh, that reminds me,” Stella said, taking a small box out of her oversized purse. “A few scones and mini muffins from a local bakery you’ve got to try. It’s called Wicked Eats.”
