Page 54 of The Marine's Homecoming

Dad stands more slowly but his smile stretches across his face. He shakes Luke’s hand first, then wraps both of us in a bear hug. “A grandchild,” he growls, like he's trying not to let his emotion out. “Well I will be damned. This calls for another toast.”

The entire deck erupts in cheers and congratulations. Evelyn claps her hands and wipes her eyes. Tank lets out a loud whoop that makes everyone laugh. Rico and Colonel Harlan both wear proud grins as they come over to slap Luke on the back. And even Gary steps away from the wheel long enough to find out what's the fuss and offer us a hearty handshake.

Mom pulls me aside as more banter happens around us, and Luke slips his hand around my waist again. “I suspected something when you were so emotional at the salon thatday. You have that glow about you, Hannah. I should've said something sooner but I didn't want to pry.”

I laugh and lean into her. “I wanted to wait until we were sure everything was okay. But yes, the doctor confirmed it. Due in February.”

Luke keeps his arm around me the whole time. When the initial excitement settles, he turns me toward him and cups my face with both hands. His eyes shine with his own unshed tears before he leans in and kisses me right there on the deck in front of everyone. The kiss is gentle but full of promise, and when we pull apart the cheering starts again, louder this time.

I feel my face flush bright red but I can't stop smiling. Luke rests his forehead against mine for a second and whispers, “I love you, Hannah.”

My heart stutters at the words. I've known it in my bones for weeks but hearing him say it openly makes everything feel complete. “I love you too,” I whisper back.

We turn to face our friends and family again. Mom still has tears on her cheeks but she beams at us like we hung the moon. Dad raises his beer again, saying, “To Luke and Hannah. To new beginnings and to family.”

The toast carries over the water as I look around at all the familiar faces. This town has seen its share of hardship. It lost good people like Nick and watched businesses struggle for years. But today it feels like we're finally turning the corner. The festival brought national attention. New businesses want to invest here. And most importantly, the people have remembered how to come together.

I rest my head on Luke’s shoulder asThe Mariahdrifts along the coastline. The sun warms my skin and the breeze carries the clean salt smell I've loved my whole life. Luke’s hand rests protectively over my stomach even though the baby's still so small, and I place my hand over his, feeling perfectly content.

When the party is over and we drift closer to the piers, Mom finds me again and pulls me into another hug. “Your father and I are so proud of you. Not just for the festival or this beautiful party, but for opening your heart again. Luke's a good man. He always was. It just took us all a little time to see it clearly.”

“I know,” I say softly. “He makes me happy, Mom. Really happy.”

She smooths my hair back from my face the way she did when I was little. “That's all I ever wanted for you. And now you're giving us a grandchild. I can't wait to spoil this little one rotten.”

We both laugh, and I feel the last pieces of old pain dissolve completely. The past will always be part of us, but it no longer defines us. Nick’s memory lives on in the love we still carry, not in the blame we once held.

As the marina comes into view, Luke joins me at the railing. He stands behind me and wraps his arms around my waist, tucking his chin into the crook of my neck. I lean back against his chest and watch the town grow closer. The new pier stretches out proudly with its fresh wood and sturdy pilings. Boats bob in their slips and the festival banners still flutter from a few lampposts.

“This is where we belong,” Luke says quietly against my cheek.

I nod and cover his hands with mine. “Right here in the heart of Bandon. Together.”

The Mariaheases into her slip and Gary cuts the engine. People start gathering their things, but no one seems in a hurry to leave. Tank already plans the next gathering at his place. Rico promises to come back for the holidays. Colonel Harlan tells Luke he expects regular updates on the baby.

I step off the boat last with Luke’s hand in mine. The afternoon sun dips lower and paints the water in golden light. My town feels alive again. The people around me feel like family in every sense of the word. And the man beside me is the one I want to build a future with.

Bandon’s golden girl has finally found her way home, not just to this place but to this life. And it is better than anything I could have imagined.

31

EPILOGUE

LUKE

Iwake before the alarm and lie there for a moment, listening to Hannah’s steady breathing beside me. The room's dark except for the faint glow of predawn light filtering through the blinds. I turn my head and watch her sleep with one hand resting protectively over the small swell of her belly. Something in my chest tightens with a feeling I haven't felt since I was a child. It feels like family, and it feels like home.

I slip out of bed quietly, pull on a pair of sweatpants, and start the coffee maker. While it brews I step onto the deck and breathe in the cool late-July air. The water's calm this morning, reflecting the first pale streaks of color creeping over the mountains to the east. I hear Hannah stir, then her soft footsteps pad across the floor toward me. It's nice having her here, though we haven’t fully discussed her moving in, but I'm going to ask. It makes sense, since we're together now and we both work down here at the marina.

She joins me wearing one of my old Marine Corps T-shirts that hangs almost to her knees. Her hair's messy and her eyes are stillheavy with sleep, but she smiles when she sees the two mugs in my hands.

“Sunrise on the dock?” she asks.

“Sunrise on the dock,” I confirm, leaning in to kiss her cheek. We're early enough that most of the fishermen aren't out yet, but she might need to hide in my office before this is all said and done or risk them seeing her in a night shirt.

We walk down together barefoot, and I hold her hand the whole way. It feels so nostalgic of things I used to do with Nick, it's hard to fight back the tide of emotion as I spread a thick blanket and we settle side by side with our legs dangling over the edge. She takes a sip of her coffee and leans her head against my shoulder as the sky begins to bloom in soft pinks and oranges.

The town is still quiet. Only the distant call of gulls and the gentle lap of water against the pilings break the silence. I wrap my arm around her and feel the warmth of her body against mine. This is the kind of morning I never let myself dream about during all those years away. Someone to come home to, who knows me and commits to me fully. Now it's real, and I don't want to waste a single second of it.