“Where’s the kiddo?” Julie asked as she walked into the dining room. She’d been working long hours lately, trying to manage the bookstore and planning Meg’s wedding. Each time he’d offered help, she’d declined, not wanting to put anybody out. That was his wife. She tried to do it all, and eventually she’d realize she couldn’t. He was just waiting for that moment so he could swoop in and help her. It was their pattern, and he’d grown to expect it and love it.
Dawson hugged her and kissed the top of her head. “Math overcame him, so he’s helping Lucy with dinner.”
Julie laughed. “Math does that to me too.”
“Ditto.”
She looked up at him. “And how is my handsome husband this evening?”
“He was missing his wife, but he’s all good now.”
“Good. What’s for dinner?” she asked as she walked over to the chair and sat down, dropping her purse strap over the back of it.
“Lucy said we’re having meatloaf, mashed potatoes and salad tonight.”
“Yum. That should hit the spot after a long day.”
“Was the store busy?”
“Getting busier now that tourists are arriving. Spring has officially sprung.”
“Yeah, bookings are up too. We got three new ones today alone. Of course, those aren’t coming until June.”
She smiled, tiredly. “I’m glad people are booking, though. Gotta keep this place full.”
He nodded. “True.”
“Mommy!” Dylan said, running out of the kitchen. He wrapped his arms around her neck and hugged her. Dawson loved watching their interactions. Even when Julie was tired, she always had energy for their son. It was often hard to imagine what life was like before he was a father. These moments, small and often lost on others, meant the world to him after losing his first child. He thought he’d lost his opportunity to be a dad, but then God had stepped up and given him something more amazing than he’d ever expected - a family of his own.
“Hey, buddy! How was school today?”
Dylan grumbled. “Third grade is impossible, Mom.”
She looked up at Dawson, stifling a laugh. “Is that so?”
He stood up and sat in the chair next to her. “We had three math worksheets for homework tonight. Can you believe that?”
“Wow. That’s a lot of work, but I know you’re so smart that you’ll knock that right out.”
He looked at her for a moment. “I guess so.”
“And I told him if he finishes, he gets cherry cobbler after dinner,” Lucy said, breezing into the dining room with a bowl of mashed potatoes in one hand and a pitcher of gravy in the other. If there was one thing Lucy could make well, it was her homemade gravy. Dawson had loved it for years, and he’d asked her for the recipe many times. She always said that it was her job security and she’d only leave to him in her will.
“Yum… cherry cobbler….” Dylan said, rubbing his stomach. Dawson often looked at his energetic son and wondered what his life had really been like before they adopted him. What had he seen? What had he experienced? He couldn’t think about it for long without his blood pressure rising and his eyes filling with tears.
Lucy brought the rest of the food to the table as everyone got settled into their chairs. This was Dawson’s favorite time of day, when his family was all there together.
“So, how was the bookstore today?” Dawson asked.
“It was busy. Dixie was very excited about this author’s books and set up a big display. Almost takes up the whole front entrance,” Julie said with a laugh.
“Which author?” Lucy asked as she placed a cloth napkin in her lap.
“Charlotte McLemore.”
Lucy smiled and clapped her hands. “Oh, she’s my favorite! Her books have so much emotion that you end up staying awake all night to read them!”
“That’s what I hear.”
“So, what else?”
“Mom came to the store today,” Julie said as she took a sip of her tea.
“Uh oh. What’s my mother-in-law up to now?” Dawson asked, smiling. SuAnn was a loose cannon, for sure. Sometimes she was as sweet as sugar, but she could cut you really quickly with her words and actions. He found it was best to stay in her good graces and keep himself out of the line of fire if he could. So far, that had worked well.
“She needed to tell us the latest gossip that we have a new resident in town who will be running the lighthouse now that renovations are complete. There will be tours and everything.”
Dawson had been in the lighthouse many times having grown up on the island. It sat at the tip of the island and had long since been out of commission, but seeing it repaired and working again was a good thing in his mind. Still, any time someone new moved to their little paradise, everyone worried. Would the person be a problem? Would they get along with everyone? Would they be a contributing member of the community or take away from the culture there?
“Do we know who it is?”
“Nope. My detective of a mother had shockingly little information. I’m sure she’ll dig something up soon like the bloodhound that she is,” Julie said, laughing as she scooped up a spoonful of mashed potatoes.
“Oh, you can bet on that.”
Chapter 2
Emma stood at the bottom of the lighthouse circular staircase and looked up to the top. She was in good shape, especially considering her former job, but nothing had prepared her for this.
As she looked at Roger, the man tasked with training her on all things lighthouse related, she wondered how he’d drag his chubby frame up the steps. What if she had to do mouth-to-mouth on him at the top? That would certainly be a terrible introduction to her new job.
Roger took a handkerchief out of his pocket and
