Page 266 of The Romance Adventure

“So many blessings, darling.” Dad winks at me.

“It’s hard to believe Harper and Heather’s husbands are game to move onto the island. They work in the online world and can be remote. Plus, I think the Plundering Pelican brings out the kid in everyone.”

Dad takes another box from the bed of the Ford. “Which has always amused me because real pirates aren’t exactly kid-friendly.”

Ryan’s story about Chip’s will drifts into my mind.

“What I want to know is how are y’all going to fit into this house. It was already loaded back in the day with your aunt and uncle, Brando, and the four of us. Add nine more and that’s not just a full house, it’s packed to the gills.”

We both laugh.

Then I remember Ryan offering me a place at the rental. “Dad, don’t finish unloading just yet. Unless you need the truck this afternoon.”

“I’m ashore for the rest of the week, then I head back to ‘Bama.”

“I’ll miss you. Luke will too.”

“I’ll be back before you know it. In the meantime, y’all have your hands full, and I’m hoping that when I get back, it’ll be to the sound of wedding bells.”

I give my daddy another big hug, then find Luke with his auntie and cousin. After lunch, we head to town, where I told Ryan I’d meet him.

He stands squarely in front of the Sip & Scoop building, hands hammocked behind his head, and his back facing us. My, what a fine specimen of human strength. He’s fit and lean and a feast for the eyes. It’s no wonder he has so many female fans.

“Da! Da!” Luke calls.

Ryan turns around and his eyes light up. As if he’s done this a hundred times, he unbuckles the belt on the stroller and lifts Luke into his arms. “There’s my favorite little man in the world.”

Compared to our relatively quiet life in Alabama, except when Dad was ashore, this kid is going to overdose on love.

After a happy reunion for my big and little boys, Ryan’s focus returns to the Sip & Scoop.

I follow his gaze to what was once a standard wooden storefront with a striped awning and the option to order from a window or go inside. It was a staple throughout my childhood and I imagined it would always be here. In fact, I’d hoped it would be part of Luke’s core memories of Coco Key. Now, the wooden structure is splintered and rotten, the paint stripped, and the big glass window cracked and covered with plywood. The metal poles from the ripped awning groan in the wind. The missing letters from the sign read ip & oop.

“Hurricane Howie did a number on it.”

“It looks terrible. Kind of like us when we showed up on this island,” he says.

I slug Ryan in the arm. “Speak for yourself, Hot Shot. I was wearing wedding attire.”

“Yeah. You looked really good. Any particular reason you avoided me that night?”

“Because I was afraid of what would happen if I didn’t.”

He rocks into me with his hip. “Didn’t turn out that bad. But I meant emotionally. We were like this building, tearing each other down.”

That’s surprisingly insightful. “I suppose you’re right. But now we’re building each other back up and we can do the same to the ip & oop.”

Ryan laughs and his eyes light with renewed hope that it’s possible, even if he can’t see it. Even if he doesn’t know the first thing about running an ice cream parlor. Me neither.

“Do we dare go in?” Ryan asks.

“Do you have a small hard hat?” I ask, pointing to Luke.

Ryan’s eyes grow and his lips part at the novel idea. “That would be so cute. A tiny hard hat for the little guy. What about a small football helmet? I bet they make miniature everything.”

I can’t help but be tickled by how amused he is by Luke’s size and accompanying accouterments. “You do realize that someday he’ll grow up and use regular-size things.”

“Yeah. He’ll someday be big and strong like me. Won’t you, little man?” He bounces Luke.