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When she opened them again, it was morning.
ChapterTwenty-Four
It had taken some persuasion and possibly the best blow job she’d ever given him, but Beth had finally convinced Wyatt to attend the Fourth of July celebrations in the town center. She’d learned from Leni he’d never gone before, and when she’d asked him about it, he’d told her he and Freya would sit on the front porch and watch the fireworks across the lake.
Which she had no doubt was a beautiful thing to see, but she wanted to be around the people of Silverbell Shore. Her new neighbors, who had come to be more like family to her. She could talk with Leni about books for hours and loved helping out in her store every now and then. Julian had fixed her car and only charged her for the parts and not the labor. Not one person who lived in Silverbell Shore year-round had been anything but warm and welcoming to Beth.
So she wanted to celebrate Independence Day with them. Celebrate her freedom and starting a new life over in this charming little town in North Carolina. Celebrate being able to blossom into the woman she’d become and had always wanted to be.
Celebrate finally being able to live the life she wanted with the man she was desperately in love with.
Humming to herself softly, she swiped the red lipstick over her mouth one last time, then stepped back and examined herself in the mirror. She’d donned a cute pair of capri pants and an off-the-shoulder lace top that highlighted her curves. Her hair had been swept up into a loose bun, exposing her shoulders completely.
Shoulders she knew her man wouldn’t be able to keep his lips off of. Beth shivered in delight. She couldn’t wait to get home and make love to Wyatt all night long, just as she’d promised she would.
When she came down the stairs, he was waiting for her at the bottom, a picnic blanket tucked under one arm and Freya sitting patiently by his side. Her heart skipped a beat. Wyatt looked so handsome in neatly pressed cargo pants and a short-sleeved polo shirt. Freya had been brushed and was sporting a red, white, and blue collar. “My two favorite Kincaids.”
The look in his eyes softened as she joined them at the bottom of the staircase, taking his outstretched hand. “You look absolutely breathtaking.”
Freya barked her approval, and Beth took a moment to give the dog some love before straightening up again. She got up on her toes and pressed her lips to Wyatt’s softly. “Shall we go?”
He led her outside, Freya scooting ahead to stand near the edge of the lake, and Beth watched as he locked the cabin up. She hated he had to do it at all; she knew Wyatt hadn’t normally locked his cabin up before she’d arrived in town. But since she’d seen Miles, Wyatt refused to take any chances and ensured her ex would not be able to gain access to the property.
Wyatt had already had the cameras in place, and he could look at the feed on his phone. His friend, Ben, also had access to the images, just in case, and he’d been made aware of the situation with Miles. She just hoped her former boyfriend had decided she wasn’t worth the effort and had left Silverbell Shore—and her—behind.
They walked hand in hand to the town center, Freya keeping pace next to Beth, as though guarding her. It was only a fifteen-minute stroll around the lake into town, and they talked as they made their way to the large crowd gathered for a barbecue and the fireworks display after.
Wyatt stopped her as they got to the edge of the large park, where everyone was already gathered, and gave her a kiss. “I love you,” he murmured as he ran his nose down the side of hers before pressing his lips to hers again.
“I love you too. Thank you for coming here tonight. I know you would rather have stayed home.”
“I’d do anything for you.”
Her smile was so bright it could have been seen from space, and when she got up on her toes and laid a long, hot kiss on him, they only parted when a loud wolf whistle interrupted their smooching.
“Get a room, you two! There are kids present.”
The deep voice filled with amusement belonged to Asher King, one of Silverbell Shore’s firefighters. He was easy on the eyes, and his equally attractive partner was wrapped in his arms. Kennedy Scott ran Morning Kick, the local coffee shop, with her mother. They were both grinning at Beth and Wyatt, and when Freya trotted over for a pat, Asher obliged.
They were greeted over and over by other Silverbell Shore residents, and Beth felt a true sense of home there in the popular resort town not far from the ocean. There wasn’t anywhere else in the world she’d rather be.
They lined up with everyone else to purchase some dinner. Burgers, steak sandwiches, and hot dogs were on the menu, along with some ice-cold homemade lemonade, soda, and water. Alcohol was also readily available for the adults, but Beth chose some lemonade to go with her burger.
They settled on the blanket, surrounded by the townsfolk, and chatted to those close by as they ate. Freya disappeared into the crowd, and when she came running back a few minutes later with a piece of cooked steak hanging out of her mouth, Wyatt jumped up and headed straight for the grill.
He came back soon after and shared that their dog had not, in fact, stolen the steak, but had been given it by the cook, Lawson Buchanan, who also owned the country club. Wyatt paid for it anyway, and the steak was gone in mere moments.
Beth made herself comfortable sitting in between Wyatt’s legs and leaning back against him. The sun had started to set, and the sky was awash with color. Pinks, oranges, and purples dominated the view, and she smiled as fireflies danced about their heads, the tiny light they emitted giving a certain magic to the night. It wasn’t until the colors faded to dark blue that the fireworks display began.
The crowd oohed and aahed over the lights that streaked through the dark, inky night sky, leaving trails of sparks in their wake. Beth had seen fireworks plenty of times in her life, but something about this night was special.
Magical.
She and Wyatt kissed over and over underneath the lights and the stars. Beth felt a small flare of grief as she thought of her dear mother, who would have loved to have seen this. Would have loved Wyatt and Freya. Would have loved the peace Beth now felt at everything sliding into place. She’d always miss her mom, but now she had a future she was actually looking forward to. She still wished Annika had lived long enough to meet Wyatt, and the smile on her face vanished.
“Thinking of your mom?”
His softly spoken question made her turn her face toward him. “She would have loved this.” Blinking back tears, she kissed him. “She would have loved you. I wish she was here to experience this.”
