“Luella, congratulations!” A silver-haired lady came up to us, her arms opened wide. The two embraced and chatted excitedly.
I stepped back to give them space just as Vicki stood and walked to the dance floor with Mac. When he took her in his arms, I told myself not to watch. Just go. Staying here is bad for your soul.
“Seth Watson,” a friendly voice behind me said.
“Hey, Bianca. I hear congratulations are in order.”
She beamed and showed me her ring. “Can you believe it? I’m engaged.”
“He’s a lucky guy.”
Bianca patted my arm. “Aren’t you sweet.”
My eyes drifted back to Mac and Vicki on the dance floor. She pulled away and stared at him as if he said something she didn’t like.
Bianca snapped her fingers in front of my face. “When are you going to do something about that?”
“Something about what?”
She rolled her eyes. “Vicki. You’ve been in love with her for how long?”
I exhaled, thinking it was ironic that Caleb had asked me the same thing. “Too long. Way too long.”
“No kidding. Let’s fix that, okay? Let’s fix it right now.”
Before I could protest, she dragged me onto the dance floor, marching us right up to Mac and Vicki. Releasing me, Bianca looped her arm through Mac’s. “Come on, Mac. Come dance with the future Mrs. Daniel Serrano.”
Mac glanced at Vicki, expecting her to object. When she didn’t, he had no choice but to allow Bianca to cart him off.
Alone with Vicki, I hesitated a beat. Then, I stepped toward her and took her in my arms. Custom-made for each other, our bodies fit perfectly together.
At first, we just swayed to the music, neither one of us talking. I closed my eyes and pulled her a little closer, inhaling her familiar scent. For a brief moment, life was perfect.
Then she pushed away so she could see my face. “What do you want from me, Seth?”
I looked right into her eyes. “I want you, Vicki. I just want you.”
“You want me?” Glaring at me, she shook her head. “How can you say that? You’ve barely spoken to me since we went to the concert. You haven’t come into the bakery in ages. You never acknowledge me in church anymore, and when I saw you at the bookstore the other day, you turned away.”
“I’ve been trying to give you space.”
“That’s not how someone acts when they’re in love with someone else.”
I swallowed hard. “Maybe not, but that doesn’t change my feelings for you. I’m still in love with you.”
She lifted her chin. “You’re not in love with me, Seth. You aren’t.”
“I am. I know I’ve hurt you in the past, and I’m truly sorry. But I’ve never stopped loving you.”
Her eyes filled with tears. “How can you say that?”
“Because it’s true. I thought time and distance would change things. I thought I could get over you by sheer will, but I can’t. I still love you.”
She shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. I’m not changing my mind about—”
“You don’t have to.”
“You’re going to sacrifice what you want most in the world?”
“Yes. I’ll give up whatever it takes so we can be together.”
Her tears overflowed, and she shook her head. “Why would you do something like that?”
“Because—”
Turning, she ran off the dance floor, leaving me standing there, completely alone.
Chapter 34
Vicki
He loved me and wanted to spend the rest of his life with me? He loved me so much he was willing to give up anything for me? How could he say those things? After ignoring me, how could he storm back into my life and disrupt it like that?
Outside on the beach, I sucked in gulps of air, trying to breathe. Trying to sort out everything Seth had just said.
“Vicki?” Mac strode toward me. “What happened?”
I stared at the boats bobbing on the water. “Nothing. I’m fine.”
“Did Seth say something to upset you?”
I clenched my jaw so hard my teeth hurt. Forcing myself to relax, I exhaled slowly. “Sort of, but it’s not important.”
Mac widened his stance and folded his arms across his chest. “What’s the deal with you and Seth anyway?”
“What do you mean?”
“I watch you, Vicki. I watch how you avoid looking at him, yet at the same time, you never take your eyes off him. He watches you even more intensely. Are you . . .” Mac’s eyes narrowed. “Are you in love with him?”
“No.”
“Do you know what I do for a living?”
“You’re in the army.”
“Yes. My specialty is intelligence, so I have a lot of experience questioning insurgents. In other words, I know how to identify someone who’s not telling the truth.”
I tried to keep my chin still, but it wavered. “I’m sorry, Mac. I don’t want to hurt you.”
A vein in his neck twitched. “I know you don’t. You’re a good person, but if you’re not available to date, I’d like to know about it.”
I pushed out a slow breath. “It’s complicated.”
He nodded and dropped his arms. “Do you want to talk about it?”
“No, but thank you.”
He glanced back at the pub. “Are you going back to talk to Seth?”
I shook my head. “I can’t. Not tonight anyway.”
We both stared out at the ocean, not speaking. Finally, Mac said, “Would you like me to drive you home?”
“Yes. Thank you.”
“Come on. Let’s go.”
Like a perfect gentleman, Mac drove me home, promising not to tell anyone what happened. He also assured me that he harbored no ill will toward me.
Once in my apartment, I paced the living room, trying to make sense of everything. Over and over, all roads led back to Seth. But Seth and I . . .
Being with Seth meant he’d have to give up so much for me. Unless—
A loud knock at my door startled me. Was it Seth?
“Let me in,” Bianca demanded. “I know you’re home.”
Reluctantly, I opened the door. “What’d you say to Seth?” she asked.
“What do you mean?”
“On the dance floor. You just left him. He was really upset about it.”
“Did he say something?”
“No, but I could tell he was deeply hurt.”
My heart ached, remembering the pain in Seth’s eyes when I rejected him.
“I know he just needs to get over you,” Bianca said. “Obviously, you’re not interested in him. I just feel bad for him. He’s such a sweet guy and such an incredible father.”
Nodding, I swallowed hard, afraid if I spoke, I might start crying.
“I’m sure he’ll be fine,” Bianca said. “He left right after you did.”
“He did?”
She nodded and gazed down at her ring, something she couldn’t seem to stop doing. “Can you believe I’m engaged? Daniel’s taking me to Hawaii for the honeymoon. He said I could choose the island. You’ve been there before. Which one do you recommend?”
“Maui’s nice. So is Kauai.”
She wrapped her arms around herself and squealed. “I don’t really care where we go. I’m just so excited we’re getting married.”
“I’m excited for both of you. And for Joy. It’s amazing how it all worked out.”
She nodded. “I’m worried about Claudia. Will you please keep her in your prayers?”
“I will.”
“Thank you. And . . . will you be my maid of honor?”
Tears pricked my eyes. “Oh, Bianca. Of course. I’d be honored.”
She hugged me hard. “Thanks.” When we pulled away, we swiped at our tears and laughed. Obviously, she was crying tears of joy while mine were from a mixture of happiness, sadness, and complete confusion over Seth.
What am I supposed to do about him
, Lord? Is he the man for me? He said he would give up having kids to be with me. Is that really fair to him?
But how can I have a baby when I can’t even hold one without remembering Allie and her brothers?
*
After Seth’s grand proclamation on the dance floor, I thought about him constantly. I half expected him to come into the bakery, but he never did. Absolute fear kept me from going to see him.
On Friday evening, I joined my sisters at Anna’s beach house for our monthly scrapbook get-together. As usual, we began the evening by walking along the shore to the Pelican Pub for dinner. Going back to the Pelican Pub was the last thing I wanted to do, but there was no messing with tradition when it came to scrapbook night.
As we sat at our usual table, I couldn’t stop thinking about Seth. Was he serious about sacrificing children for me? If we got back together, would he regret it?
Bianca dipped a chip in salsa. “Girls, I have a big announcement to make.”
“What is it?” I asked, thinking what could possibly be bigger than getting engaged and discovering your fiancé’s daughter had been kidnapped and was actually your long-lost daughter.
“Daniel and I have decided to move our wedding date to December twenty-sixth.”
“What? The day after Christmas? Why so soon?” Jillian set down her iced tea. “Christmas is such a busy time. Plus, you can’t plan a wedding that quickly. It’s just a few months away.”
Bianca’s eyes sparkled. “Daniel and I want to get married the day after Christmas because we both think that Christmas weddings are beautiful. Plus, we want to spend New Year’s Eve in Hawaii.”
“New Year’s Eve in Hawaii sounds heavenly,” Anna said. “And Christmas weddings are beautiful.”
Jillian rolled her eyes. “The two of you have obviously watched way too many Hallmark movies. You can’t plan a Christmas wedding in just a few months. It’s not realistic. You’re living in a fantasy world if you think it is.”
Bianca flagged down the waitress for more salsa. “What’s wrong with being unrealistic and living in a fantasy world?”
*
On the walk back to Anna’s house, we kicked off our shoes and strolled along the hard-packed sand. A large crab skittered across Bianca’s foot, and she shrieked, causing everyone to laugh but me. I was too caught up in my own thoughts to laugh.
Jillian’s cell phone rang with a call from Keith. She answered it to hear her baby screaming in the background. Apparently, Keith was parked back at the Pelican Pub, hoping Jillian would come rescue him.
“I’ll be right there.” She hung up the phone. With regret, she apologized for missing scrapbook night again. “If I can get the baby to sleep, I’ll come. Otherwise, I’ll see you later.”
Anna offered an encouraging smile. “It’s okay, Jillian. Some babies are harder than others. Linda Faith will stop being so fussy eventually, then you’ll have all the time in the world to scrapbook.”
“Says the mother with the baby who never cries,” Bianca said.
Jillian groaned. “I hope you’re right. And I hope she stops being so fussy before she leaves for college. Otherwise, it’s going to be a long eighteen years.”
We laughed at Jillian’s attempt at a joke. Then we wished her good luck and continued down the beach without her.
Above us, the stars twinkled. I thought about something Seth told me when we went to the concert together. Sometimes, when Grant spent the night, they slept on the trampoline so they could see the stars. How sweet was that?
“You’ve been awfully quiet tonight.” Bianca hooked her arm through mine. “Are you nervous about your maid of honor duties?”
I smiled. “No. I’m pretty sure you’ll tell me what to do.”
“I will.”
“I’m so excited for the wedding,” Anna said. “The church is going to be gorgeous with the big Christmas tree and the manger scene. And—”
Anna sucked in a sharp breath. “Oh, no.” She covered her mouth with one hand and pointed with the other.
I followed her gaze up the beach to see flames coming from one of the rental cottages. Automatically, I yanked my phone from my pocket and called 911. The dispatcher took my information before telling me emergency services had already arrived.
Sure enough, as we came closer, I saw flashing lights coming from the other side of the house. The ladder from one of the trucks hovered above the roof.
“Look at that.” Bianca pointed to a firefighter who stood on the roof with a large saw. On his back, he wore a black oxygen tank. His head and face were completely covered, and a thin safety cable connected him to the ladder.
The sight of this man caused my heart to slam into my chest. Even though his entire body was covered with protective gear and I couldn’t really see him, something about the way he moved sent chills up my spine.
“That’s not Seth Watson, is it?” Bianca asked.
“No.” I shook my head, desperate for it not to be Seth.
“Oh my goodness,” Bianca said. “It is Seth. Look at the back of his jacket.”
Bile burned my throat when I saw the name Watson. The knot in my stomach hardened. I couldn’t breathe. Seth.
For a moment, time stood still. Then, the worst thing in the world happened.
The roof collapsed, pulling Seth down into the flames.
My sisters screamed. Or maybe it was me who screamed. Next thing I knew, I was sprinting up the beach. My lungs burned as if they would burst. I charged through the dunes, gasping for breath, desperate to reach Seth.
Save him, Lord. Save him. You’ve got to save him.
Something sharp stabbed my foot. A sticker bur. I yanked the barb out and kept running.
At the back of the house, searing hot flames licked my skin. The fire was so loud, popping, whining, and roaring. The smoke sent me into a fit of coughing.
Racing around to the front of the house, I tried pushing open the gate, but it was stuck. I pushed harder. I had to get to Seth.
Please, Lord. Please.
With a final shove, the gate flung open, banging against the fence and ricocheting back into me. I pushed it away and raced to the front yard.
There was no sign of Seth. A bunch of firefighters stood in the front yard, but Seth wasn’t there. Where was he? Don’t let him die, Lord. Please. I’ll do anything. I promise. Just save him.
The firefighters glanced at me.
“Do something,” I screamed. “Do something.”
Sheriff Ravago strode toward me. “Vicki, you need to move to the other side of the road.”
“But Seth is in there. He fell through the roof.”
He nodded. “They’re aware of that. He’s—”
Just at that moment, I screamed as Seth came out of the house! He was limping and leaning on another firefighter, but he was alive! Hot tears burned my eyes. Thank you, Lord. Thank you.
“Seth,” I screamed. “Seth.”
Before he could stop me, I pushed past the sheriff and bolted toward Seth. One of the firefighters stepped in front of me to block my path. With ninja skills I didn’t even know I possessed, I ducked out of his reach and flung myself into Seth’s arms.
Seth caught me. I clung to him with all my strength. He smelled like smoke, but he hugged me tight, filling me with incredible relief.
“Are you okay?” I asked. “Are you hurt?”
He lifted his face shield, removed his breathing apparatus, and grinned. “I’m fine, baby. Just fine.”
“Are you sure?” Tears streamed down my face.
He just smiled again. “Yeah. I’m perfectly fine.”
I tried to feel some sort of relief, but memories of the past assaulted me—Allie, her brothers, the paramedics . . . I saw the twins, their eyes wide with fear, and I heard Mrs. Quinn yelling at me, telling me to leave. To just get out! I remembered walking outside to see lights flashing from the fire truck and ambulance. I remembered feeling so alone and scared.
Seth leaned down to kiss me, b
ut I panicked. “No. I can’t.”
I wiggled out of his arms, stepped back, and covered my face with my hands. “I can’t.”
“Vicki.” His voice was gravelly as he reached for me.
Where were you? Mrs. Quinn yelled. Why weren’t you watching her? You almost killed her.
My stomach roiled. Turning, I bolted.
Seth yelled my name, but I kept running as fast and as hard as I could.
Chapter 35
Seth
A sharp pain shot through me as I ran after Vicki. My captain stopped me by grabbing my arm. “Watson, enough. This isn’t romance time. Let her go. Get that injury taken care of. Now.”
“Come on.” Oscar helped me to the ambulance. “Dude, what was that about?”
I shook my head. “It was nothing.”
Oscar laughed. “Yeah, right. When this is all over, you’re going to tell me all about it.”
He returned to the fire, leaving me with Riggs, a brand-new paramedic. As Riggs attended to my ankle, he asked about Vicki.
I shook my head. “I’m not talking about that right now.”
“Okay, but it looks like you’ve got some more admirers.” He gestured at Bianca and Anna, who were striding toward us.
“Seth.” Bianca ran up to me and hugged me. “You fell through the roof. Are you okay?”
I nodded. “Yeah. I just rolled my ankle. I’m fine.”
She shuddered. “You scared us to death, you know. We were on the beach and saw the whole thing. What were you thinking? What in the world were you doing on that roof?”
“Um . . . my job.”
She scoffed at my sarcasm.
“Where’s Vicki?” Anna asked, scanning the scene.
“I don’t know.” I winced as Riggs turned my ankle to wrap it. “Ouch. Careful. Please.”
He nodded. “Okay.”
“What do you mean you don’t know where Vicki is?” Bianca thrust a hand to her hip. “As soon as you fell through the roof, she charged ahead like she was going to pull you out of that fire herself. She didn’t go in the building, did she?”
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