AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Come on.”
We hopped out of the car and, feeling my breath cool with each step, we walked between two houses.
“This house.” He pointed to the left house in a weathered pale blue hue. “I used to spend my summers here. After I went to university and lived in Vancouver for a while, Eric took it over and now lives here year-round. This house–” He tipped his head toward the right.
It was pink and had the appearance of having been recently renovated. Everything about it looked newer, from the deck to the siding, and even the little notched edging along the peak of the roof.
“Lily and Mona lived there during the summer. It’s now a B&B run they run.”
“Do most Cheshire Bay residents return to live here?”
“Most, but not all.” He winked. “I came back, but the ocean is my life. Lily’s older sister Mona returned, although that wasn’t part of her original plan until she met Jesse. Jesse’s ex-wife didn’t think much of the area and couldn’t wait to leave. You’ll get to meet her.”
“The ex-wife?” I cocked a brow and shifted on my feet.
He laughed; one of the best sounds to soothe my frazzles. “No, no. I forget that woman’s name, but she lives on the other side of the island. But you’ll meet Mona and Lily, both sisters and great people.”
“I don’t know how I’ll remember all of them.” As it was, in my search I didn’t remember those names coming up. Mind you, I was laser-focused on a particular someone.
He put his hand on the small of my back and led me between the houses, out onto the beach. My jaw dropped at the sight stretched out behind Eric’s place. There was a roaring bonfire with a dozen chairs set around it, and at least as many people talking, laughing, and tipping back the beers. The ocean waves lapped at the shoreline thirty feet away, and the scattered trees on the sandy shore were a rare, yet beautiful addition. I wasn’t sure, as it was in the shadow of the setting sun, but I thought I could make out a swing hanging from one of the limbs. No wonder no one left, or if they did, they returned back. This place was amazing.
To my left, at the base of the stairs leading up to Eric’s place, there were a couple of tables propped up with an assortment of food and drinks. Two coolers sat tucked beside them.
My jaw dropped. “They do this all the time?”
Landon shrugged as he searched the group. “It’s a weekly get-together, but it doesn’t look like everyone is here yet.”
My eyes bugged out, and I blinked them back into place.Weekly?I couldn’t even remember the last time I had a huge gathering with so many people. It had to have been back before we moved away from my first commune. Gatherings there were definitely weekly, if not more than that. There were always celebrations to be had; for the solstices, for the first snowfall, for the first sprout in the garden. Seriously, we celebrated everything but never anything like a birthday.
“Come on, I’ll introduce you to those you haven’t yet met.”
There was only one I really wanted to meet, and without too much effort, I spotted her on the other side of the bonfire, head tipped back and laughing at whatever Mitch was saying. Her hand was on his chest in a comfortable, totally in love kind of way.
I followed Landon over to the crowd, my heart pumping in my chest faster than my steps were sifting through the soft sand.
“Hey, Landon.” Someone shouted out behind us. A gorgeous blonde with a child on her hip, and a very round belly, descended onto the beach.
Landon beamed. “Lily, I’d like you to meet my girlfriend Libby.”
Girlfriend?I knew we had talked about it, but hearing it out in the open caused me to take an unintentional step backward.
Lily walked closer and with her free arm wrapped me unexpectedly in a hug until she pulled back. “Oh, I’m sorry. Are you not a hugger?”
I was still reeling from the title Landon had bestowed on me, but that wasn’t going to fly, so I blurted out what I hoped was an acceptable statement. “I just didn’t want to hurt this little guy. Who’s this?”
I squeezed the little baby’s foot, and the boy turned his face and tucked into his mother.
“My son, Henry.”
“Let me take him.” Without waiting for an answer, Landon grabbed Henry and gave him a toss into the air, catching him and snuggling into the giggling child. “How’s my little Henry doing?”
“Unca Dandan.”
“His nickname for me,” Landon said as if I couldn’t have connected the dots myself.
“You look so familiar to me.” Lily walked beside me as we followed Landon to the group.
After a quick glance at Cedar, I tipped my head down. “I work at Sylvia’s Bakery.”
