Harlequin Heartwarming March 21 Box Set

by Claire McEwen

  “I listened to Becks. Now it’s time to listen to you.” Diane continued the same low, rhythmic sound, careful not to disturb Pippa, who mirrored Diane’s facial expressions. “I heard you on the phone a couple of minutes ago.”

  “I’m signing over full custody to Aidan. Danny belongs with him. You were right.” Doesn’t every parent want their child to admit that? “I bit off more than I can chew.”

  That’s me to the core. Dive in and hope for the best. Her hometown would help her heal. She counted on the residents to shelter her and provide her enough room for her big ideas and bigger dreams.

  Diane moved Pippa to her car seat and carried it over before opening her arms to Natalie. A hug never felt so good.

  “Darling, that’s your personality. Becks is cautious and independent. Mike’s funny and driven by duty.” Diane leaned back from Natalie and chucked her under the chin. “And you’re the one who created a beautiful float that was my favorite yesterday. You’re my dreamer who brings energy to everything and everyone around her.”

  Natalie hiccupped and squeezed the bright purple pillow, her new best friend. “Danny laughed at Aidan, not me. Danny needs Aidan more, and Aidan needs his plans more than he needs…”

  More than he needs me. She lowered her gaze, not wanting to look into her mother’s wise eyes right now.

  Her mother tapped her arm. “Those aren’t exclusive things, you know. You can like plans and be in love with someone who’s a dreamer at the same time. Once I almost gave up on your father.”

  Natalie froze. Her parents were an institution to her, one of her anchors. They’d just celebrated their fortieth wedding anniversary. “But you didn’t.”

  “Actually, I did. He wanted to go on a trip around the world, get away from Hollydale. I took that as a rejection of our life, a rejection of my desire for children after my miscarriages.”

  Natalie glanced at Pippa, her eyes closing as she rested in her car seat. Then she inched toward her mother. “I can’t stay away from Hollydale. I tried. I really did, but everything I love is here.”

  “I think that was true a year ago, but I also think you’re stronger than you realize.”

  “What are you saying?” Natalie failed to grasp her mother’s meaning.

  “If you love Aidan, and I believe you do, you have to decide where your heart lies.”

  Becks staggered into the living room, her eyes bloodshot and tired. “Did I hear the word love? You want my opinion?”

  “Later. Much later.” Diane rose and guided Becks into the kitchen. “After a nice cup of coffee.”

  “Coffee is full of caffeine and chemicals, and I’m breastfeeding Pippa.” Becks narrowed her eyes. “Herbal tea is much better for a person. Someday, not today or tomorrow or next month even, I’ll look back and realize I stayed true to myself. That’s the only way I’m going to get through this.”

  Her gaze connected with Becks, her usually unperturbable sister adrift but still her twin. Becks scooped up her daughter and left the room. Someday she’d have her ducks lined up and when that happened, the world had better watch out.

  Staying true to myself. Home was family, and family was home, no matter the location. She loved Hollydale, but dreams and people mattered more. A year ago, she’d been homesick something awful for the town, for the people, for her family and friends.

  However, family wasn’t just the people related by blood, and dreams weren’t tied to a geographical core. She kissed her mother on the cheek, and something shivered inside of her. “Mom, I might be jumping off the high dive.”

  Her mother patted Natalie’s cheek and smiled. “That’s the Natalie I know and love. And whether Becks realizes it or not, she’ll have to jump off the high dive someday. It’s the only way to live.” A small crash came from the kitchen. Diane stopped halfway there and looked back, rolling her eyes. “Becks, let’s get you that herbal tea.”

  Her mom strode into the kitchen. Natalie understood her mother. When Becks finally absorbed the shock of the water when she dove off that board, it might be the biggest belly flop of all, but she’d survive. Meanwhile, Natalie had performed her own disastrous dive this morning. She gritted her teeth. She might not be in Hollydale to help Becks out of the pool.

  Then again, that was what video calls were for.

  “Wish me luck. I’ll be online,” Natalie called out.

  Her mother ducked her head into the living room and winked. “Any school in Seattle will be lucky to have you.”

  * * *

  AIDAN WALKED DOWNTOWN hand in hand with Danny. The familiar storefronts welcomed them, Timber River Outfitters, Miss Louise’s Ice Cream Parlor and A New You hair salon. Though he’d memorized the layout and security details of each retail establishment within a day of his arrival, they’d become more than bricks and mortar in the past couple of weeks.

  This sense of community, prevalent in the military, had never centered in one place for him before, since his service was spent in Texas, California, Germany and Iraq, among many other spots. In a short amount of time, however, Hollydale had imprinted itself on his heart.

  So had a certain redhead, whose bangle bracelets, cowboy boots and sundresses matched her personality.

  Shelby once warned him that nothing could prepare him for meeting Natalie.

  Shelby had been right.

  Danny squeezed his hand. “You make good pancakes. Not as good as Aunt Natalie, though, cause hers are in the shape of dinosaurs and flowers. She knows I like the dinosaurs better. She makes both, but she always laughs when I bite the head off the T. rex first.”

  He giggled at the memory before his face scrunched up, almost like he was in pain.

  Aidan squeezed his hand in return, understanding what Danny was feeling. “Your mom wouldn’t want you to second-guess yourself every time you laugh. She loved you, and she’d want you to be happy. To live life to the fullest without holding back.” He could say the same about his mother, too.

  They arrived at the storefront that would have been Snickerdoodles had Shelby lived. Would he have made time to visit when his half sister opened the restaurant?

  Deep down, he knew the answer was no.

  The Realtor insisted he had to come right away as he’d never believe who’d made an offer this morning for the property. Robin herself didn’t believe it, and Aidan had shaken his head at that. Realtors should be prepared for every contingency.

  He and Danny walked into the establishment, and his jaw dropped. He didn’t believe it either. Next to Robin stood Hyacinth and Belinda in the same room. Hyacinth noticed him and clapped her hands together. Her free-flowing dress, a kaleidoscope of color, contrasted with Belinda in her navy capris and matching T-shirt.

  “Major Murphy! How delightful to see you again so soon. Isn’t it wonderful!”

  Robin stepped forward, her black leather portfolio in hand. “I thought he needed to see both of you ladies in the same room when I filled him in on the details.”

  Belinda folded her arms and pursed her lips. “How was he supposed to make a decision without the pertinent information?”

  “Because it’s going to be beautiful, and the fall crowds are going to be utterly delighted with our new tea room.” Hyacinth went over and hugged Belinda. “You were so right, suggesting we turn professional.”

  “Tea room?” Aidan echoed, still getting over the shock of Hyacinth embracing Belinda as if they were old friends instead of sworn enemies.

  “Sweet Shelby’s Tea Room,” Belinda blurted out before her gaze softened. “With your permission, of course.”

  Hyacinth hooked her arm through his. “It’s our way of honoring your sister.”

  Danny shifted his weight, and Aidan removed the backpack from the boy’s shoulders. “Why don’t you go over to that corner where I can keep an eye on you?”

  Danny didn’t need a second invitation
. He accepted the bag and darted to the corner.

  Robin opened her portfolio and glanced at the papers. “I’ll email you everything, but the two of them arrived at my office with a reasonable offer. You can take your time to look it over, and we can discuss it at your leisure.”

  Aidan hesitated. Leisure was the one thing he didn’t have since he’d be leaving for Seattle tomorrow. His afternoon meeting with the lawyer loomed large. And he still hadn’t told Danny of his impending departure.

  Natalie was right. Danny was flourishing here. He couldn’t take his nephew with him. Danny’s best interests had to come before his own.

  How could he go into Penelope’s office, though, with Natalie’s rejection stinging worse than the knife wound had? How could he ever face her again?

  “Major M.?” Only Hyacinth called him that, and he looked her way. “Do we have your permission to use your sister’s name? When you visit Danny in Hollydale on your leave, you’ll have to come by and make sure we served her memory with honor.”

  “And for some of the best pie you’ve ever eaten.” Belinda nodded firmly. “It’s always about the pie.”

  “And the ambience. A hot pot of soothing tea, cute little finger sandwiches and…” Hyacinth giggled and shrugged. “Maybe we’ll create a special corner for little boys and girls to dream and create.”

  He’d miss seeing these strong women butt heads. “I don’t know when I’m coming back.”

  Hyacinth moved with him toward the large front window, smudged, but clear enough to see out onto the street. “Of course you’re coming back soon. You’ll be flying home the first chance you get. Many come in the fall to see the gorgeous display of color with the oaks and maples showcasing their glorious red, yellow and orange foliage. For them, Hollydale is just one day, a temporary respite from their everyday lives. You, however, have put down roots here. You’ve found your heart, and I daresay you’ve claimed someone else’s heart. You’ll be back.”

  For so long, he’d depended on the rigor of schedules and planning as those were a constant in a world of change, a world of emotion. Now he wasn’t sure of anything. Even something as scheduled and planned as the military came with no guarantees, a built-in danger in its very existence. He’d seen too many casualties to not realize the truth in that statement. His own arm proved that.

  “Natalie walked out on me.” He stared out the window at the bustling sidewalk of Maple Drive, a hive of activity on this gray day. “She doesn’t want to come for Danny at the end of the summer. She won’t meet me in the middle.”

  Hyacinth tapped his shoulder, and he faced her. “For so long, Belinda and I made everything about competition, trying to one-up the other. Last night, she came over to my house with this plan for a tea house that sounded preposterous, but it was genuine. It captured my heart. When something’s right, competition flies out the window. This is about us coming together and bringing something fresh to Hollydale. If you search your heart, you’ll find the truth. You and Natalie will be a family, not just for Danny, but for you and her as well.”

  The mayor and Hyacinth both believed he had something valuable to contribute to the town, but what about his country? For fifteen years, he’d served his country, and he wanted to continue doing so in a vital way.

  He glanced at Danny in the corner, playing with Aidan’s tablet, laughing at the screen. It might seem like that change had happened in him overnight, but Aidan knew so much of that groundwork was laid while he was overseas, with Laurel, Toby and especially Natalie pouring a solid foundation.

  Natalie. Everything always came back to her. Two weeks ago, life was simple, comforting in its predictable pattern. She’d turned his life upside down with her spirit, kisses and heart.

  Did he have the capacity to be so much more if he didn’t hold back? His parents had given up on him because he’d mistakenly given up on them. This time, he wasn’t going to give up on love, because he loved her.

  He loved Natalie.

  What?

  He couldn’t love someone he’d just met. He didn’t have “fall in love” circled on his calendar for this month or any other month, and he wouldn’t have chosen someone who had big dreams and a hug for every situation, someone who brought a room to life, someone who made the world better with her rays of sunshine.

  Until now.

  The thought of going to Fort Lewis without telling her they should turn this fledgling relationship into something substantial tore at him. This time, he wouldn’t make it sound harsh and cold but make it what it really was about: home and stability and a purpose. This time, it would be about love.

  Danny might be the reason they first connected, but what he felt for Natalie went beyond that. It was about finding his family, his home, a love that spread light in those dark times.

  He always thought he had to have an exact strategy to make a family, yet what he wanted was so much more than any idea. He wanted a future and love and a warm, gregarious redhead who would remind him about spontaneity in a world where control could only go so far.

  Natalie provided all that, and so much more. He had to talk to her about her and Danny waiting here at home for him, a permanent base at the end of his service.

  If it wasn’t too late.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  NATALIE CLIMBED THE steps up to the gazebo for the few minutes until she had to be at Penelope Romano’s law office. She sat on the bench and from this vantage point, she had the best view in Hollydale to gaze out at all the storefronts of the town she loved. Mrs. Glisson swept the sidewalk in front of the floral shop where Natalie had worked summers in high school. Miss Louise cleaned her windows, wiping the glass in big circles. Deb made changes to the placard in front of The Busy Bean.

  Her heart swelled, but it wasn’t the town itself she loved so much as the people, her friends. They’d be here when she left, and most would be here when she visited often. She’d carry Hollydale in her heart, same as Shelby, same as Francisco. All this time, though, she’d thought she could only function in Hollydale, yet the past year had given her a wake-up call. It wasn’t that she couldn’t function elsewhere, it was that her heart hadn’t belonged to Raleigh.

  Even a month ago, saying farewell to Hollydale would never have crossed her mind. Now? The two Murphy males made the decision easy—emotional, but easy.

  She’d used the rest of the morning to think through her decision to be with Aidan and Danny, since she’d be leaving her principal in the lurch. Marisa could find someone to take her place. Until that happened, though, Natalie would remain here, packing and getting everything in order.

  That was, if Aidan agreed they had something worthwhile, something rare and precious. She had to hear his feelings for herself to make any of this work.

  Something told her she wouldn’t have to wait long. His familiar form strode toward the gazebo. She glanced around, looking for Danny, but not seeing him.

  “Is everything okay?” She jumped to her feet, the silk of her sundress rustling, her pink cowboy boots clattering against the gazebo floor. “Where’s Danny?”

  Aidan started to roll down his sleeves and stopped in midaction, and she hid her smile at having some effect on him. Then she met his gaze, his gray eyes as tumultuous as the clouds hovering over Hollydale. Her smile faded. More than anything, she wanted him to face every moment with the strength he gave so freely to others.

  “Danny’s fine. He’s at Hyacinth’s.” Aidan settled in the middle of the bench, and she scooted to the far end, not trusting her reaction to him, for good reason. His citrusy scent filled the air, and she longed to inch closer until there was little separating them. However, there was too much on the line for her to waver.

  “Danny’s helping her with birdhouses destined for the children’s area of the new nature conservancy. In her words, ‘Only a child can do justice to those dwellings, which will provide nourishment and edification
to so many of nature’s creatures.’” Aidan sighed.

  In spite of everything, Natalie laughed. “That definitely came from Hyacinth’s mouth, but why? Why is Danny there instead of with you?”

  “Because he might get the wrong idea when I kiss you.” Aidan closed the gap and placed his warm hands on her cheeks. “May I? One kiss and then we’ll talk.”

  She hesitated. Whenever they kissed, she lost track of everything around her. “That doesn’t sound like the stoic soldier who arrived in Hollydale.”

  “I’m not the same person. A certain redhead told me today there’s strength in confronting your emotions. I thought she’d run out on me, but it turns out, I didn’t follow her.”

  “Aidan. I’m going to find a job in Seattle, near Fort Lewis.”

  “Or my heart, but there’s no time like the present to institute plan B.”

  Their words overlapped, and they met each other’s gazes.

  “What?” Once again, they talked in unison, and she pointed to herself.

  “I know you think I run on emotion.” She breathed in deeply as if she’d made a dramatic statement, but that was the simple truth. She did, and there was nothing wrong with that. “And it might seem like a spur-of-the-moment decision to follow you, but there’s no better time, really. My sister can rent my house from me while she adjusts to her divorce, and I’ll come out West as soon as Marisa has a replacement for me and I have a new job lined up. First, though, I need to talk to my boss and post my résumé online.”

  “I can’t let you do that.” His husky voice made her heart sing. “You love Hollydale.”

  “I love you more.” He needed to know this was all about him, someone loving him enough to not let go, someone loving him enough to not hold back or run away. “And this isn’t to do with Danny. I love the solidness of you, the way you concentrate on every task, the way you devote yourself to what you hold dear.” She kept her gaze on him. She needed to know if he loved her.