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Nothing had been completely figured out yet. There were still miles between here and the life they were talking about building.

But she was here.

She was choosing this.

Choosing him.

And as he held her hand, Reece realized he wasn’t afraid of what came next anymore.

fourteen

The following afternoon, Alesha sat in her usual spot in the bookstore loft, staring at her calendar for January.

Work wasn’t going to slow down just because she was planning a cross-country move. If anything, she needed structure now more than ever. A plan. A schedule. Something to make all of this feel manageable.

Below her, the bell over the door chimed again and again. The Lit Loft was just as busy as it had been before Christmas—something that surprised her at first. But her father had explained it simply: gift cards, holiday cash, and people wanting to linger a little longer in a place that felt warm and welcoming, and where they could pick up some of the things Santa forgot.

Over the past month, she’d come to understand just how important this place was—not only to him, but to the entire community.

Sometimes you have to choose yourself. I regret how I handled things in the past, but not where it led.

His words lingered.

It had led him somewhere good. Somewhere fulfilling.

She could only hope the same would be true for her.

Because she knew this decision wouldn’t be easy—especially for her mother. A part of her already understood how it would look: another person choosing Harbortown over her. But she couldn’t let that stop her because this was where she wanted to be.

It’s time to choose me.

And she’d have to hold on to that when she went back to Oregon next week—when the hard conversations began.

Movement on the stairs caught her attention.

“I hope I’m not interrupting,” Marlene said, peeking up into the loft. “Your father said I’d find you here.”

Alesha smiled and waved her up. “Not at all. I’ve been staring at the screen without actually doing anything.”

“Oh, good.” Marlene sat beside her but didn’t speak right away.

Alesha tilted her head slightly. “Is something on your mind?”

For a moment, she hesitated, then said, “Reece told me you’re planning to move back.”

Alesha nodded slowly.

“We’re thrilled,” Marlene continued. “Truly, but…” She paused, choosing her words carefully. “When you left twenty years ago, Reece was devastated. He cried for days. And as his mother, there was nothing I could do to fix it.”

Alesha’s chest tightened.

“Do you know what he told me?” Marlene went on softly. “He looked at me with those big brown eyes and said, ‘Mom, I was going to marry her.’ He was nine years old… and that’s how strongly he felt about you.”

Alesha blinked. “He never told me that.”

“Well, of course not,” Marlene said gently. “But I never forgot it. And when you came back… I knew those feelings hadn’t gone anywhere.”

Emotion swelled unexpectedly in her chest. “It’s incredibly sweet,” she said carefully. “But I’m not sure why you’re telling me this.”