Page 188 of Key West Homecoming

Jake sat beside her, took out his phone and looked at the screen.

Then he handed it to Emma.

The email was four paragraphs long.

Hello Nancy,

It’s been a while since I’ve sent you an update about what’s going on here in Key West.

There’s a house here. It’s small and pale blue, on a street with a lot of trees. It’s been empty for two years, and the garden needs someone to take care of it. There’s a lignum vitae in the side yard that’s older than the house. You know how much I love those trees. I’ve walked past this place for three years and never paid much attention to it until recently.

I want to buy it with the money you gave me. I want to be honest about that because you’ve always been honest with me. The money has been sitting in an account in Marathon for three years, and I haven’t touched a dollar of it. I never thought I would. For a long time, using it felt too much like letting go of something I wasn’t ready to let go of.

There’s something else I want you to know. I’ve fallen in love again. Her name is Emma. She came to Key West because of her grandmother’s house, and somehow she became part of my life before I understood what was happening. I haven’t told her I love her yet. I’m going to do that after I send this to you.

None of this changes what Nora meant to me. It never could. I’ll carry her with me for the rest of my life, and I know you understand that better than anyone. I hope you also understand why I need to keep living. I think Nora would want that for me.

Jake

Emma read the email twice.

The second time, she slowed down when she reached the part about Nora.

Jake had once told her that Nancy gave him money after Nora died. He had never used it because spending it felt wrong. Emma understood now that the money had become one more thing he had kept untouched because moving forward felt too much like leaving Nora behind.

The pale blue house changed that.

So did Emma.

Her eyes filled before she reached the end again.

When she looked up, Jake was watching her.

“Are you sure?”

“I’ve never been more sure.”

Emma handed the phone back to him.

Jake didn’t send the email.

Not yet.

He held the phone loosely in one hand and turned toward her.

“I realized something the morning I found that house. I’d spent three years telling myself I’d already had the love of my life. I thought whatever came after Nora would always be less than what I had with her.”

Emma’s throat tightened.

“I was wrong.”

Jake reached for her hand.

“I love you, Emma.”

She closed her fingers around his.

For all the time Emma had spent wondering what she would feel if Jake ever said those words, the answer was surprisingly simple.