by Dori Lavelle
“Come on over to the kitchen, Kelsey,” Melisa called. Heat steered Kelsey in the right direction.
When she entered the kitchen, Melisa hugged Kelsey like an old friend. The scent of vanilla surrounded her. “It’s so great to see you again.”
“You too, Melisa. Can I help you with anything?” Kelsey asked, running her gaze around the large kitchen. Decorated in a combination of beige tones and stainless steel accents, Melisa’s kitchen was a chef’s dream.
“Yes.” Melisa smiled.
She was one of the most beautiful women Kelsey had ever seen. According to Shaun, Melisa had endured a lot of hardship in her life, including the death of her ex-husband. Kelsey registered the shadows the pain had left behind, but Melisa must have learned to live with it. She had found a way to be happy.
“You’ll help me out a lot if you sit down and make yourself at home,” Melisa continued. “I’m just making dessert. Heat did all the cooking.” She pointed at a couple of covered bowls on one side of the kitchen counter. “Want to hear something funny?”
“Sure.” Kelsey pulled out a chair.
Melisa reached for a dishcloth and wiped her hands. “I may be a professional baker, but I’m really not much of a cook. I think cooking and baking are two completely different things.”
Kelsey laughed. “I guess they are. And here I was thinking I’d be able to learn a lot from you, both in the cooking and baking departments.”
Melisa laughed too and turned to the stove, turning the knob to switch the oven off. “I’m sorry to disappoint you. I can teach you a lot about baking, but you better find someone else to help you with the other stuff.” She paused. “I guess I have to start embracing my cooking side more at some point. I’m thinking of moving into the restaurant business.”
Kelsey perked up. “Is that so? How do you intend to do that without any cooking skills?” she teased.
Melisa pulled out a chair. “Hey, you misunderstand me. I said I’m not much of a cook, but my husband and kids actually love my cooking. Their taste buds must be broken or something. I want to widen my horizons. And besides, you don’t have to know how to cook to open up a restaurant. You just need to hire a great chef.”
“I can attest to that,” Kelsey said, wanting to encourage her new friend. “I opened a restaurant five months ago, and the only cooking skills I had were from attending one cooking course for two or so months. I hired three awesome chefs, and I’m able to take care of the business side of things even from a distance.”
“We should toast to you and your jump into unknown waters.” Melisa stood and opened the fridge. She pulled out a bottle of mineral water and one of sparkling white wine. From the shelf she removed two glasses. She poured the wine into one, which she handed to Kelsey, and filled the other with water.
Kelsey frowned as she raised her glass. “I used to be an alcoholic,” Melisa said, as if reading her mind. “But water is my best friend now.”
Kelsey nodded. She resisted the urge to ask about Melisa’s past. “Congratulations on overcoming it.”
“And congratulations on your success.” Melisa raised her glass and tipped it against Kelsey’s.
“And yours.” Kelsey smiled and took a sip.
Melisa drank her water and waved a dismissive hand. “That’s nothing. You, on the other hand, went into something you didn’t know much about and succeeded.”
“Listen to my humble wife.”
Kelsey turned; Heat entered the kitchen with Shaun close behind him.
“Don’t listen to her. She can bake like an angel, but she’s also a kickass businesswoman. You should see her when she visits one of her bakeries in the big cities like New York.” He went to the other side of the table and kissed Melisa on her neck. “When she puts on one of her Chanel suits and her killer stilettos, she really turns it on. But when she comes home, she’s just my Melisa. The mother of my children.” He drew her close and kissed her on the lips.
A twinge of jealousy panged in Kelsey’s stomach. She wanted that forever connection for her and Shaun. Of course it was tricky, wishing for what someone else had; you never knew what they went through to get it. But hadn’t they paid a high price to get to where they were? They deserved their happily-ever-after.
Shaun placed a hand on Kelsey’s shoulder and squeezed it.
“Heat,” Melisa said, gently pushing away her husband, who was now stroking her hair. “You’re making our guests uncomfortable.”
“Not in the least,” Shaun said, his hand still on Kelsey’s shoulder. “Carry on, we see too much war in the world. It’s refreshing to see love.”
Kelsey looked up at him and their eyes met. For a moment, he spoke to her without words, telling her with just a glance how much he loved her.
Heat moved away from Melisa anyway and picked up one of the bowls from the counter. “Shaun and I have already finished laying the table. We’ll take these in.”
Shaun picked up another bowl and followed Heat out of the kitchen.
Melisa leaned forward toward Kelsey. “By the way, I know all about your restaurant. It’s become quite a sensation in a short time.” She paused. “I just want to put this out there. Feel free to say no—I’m a hard person to offend. But what would you say about us going into business together? You could open another restaurant in Serendipity. Its marriage of elegance and small-town charm would make it a great fit.” Melisa winked and picked up the bottles. “I think we would make a great team. Thanks to technology, you could manage things from a distance, and I’d be able to keep an eye on things over here.”
Kelsey swallowed hard. The offer took her by surprise. Despite her recent success, she was still a novice, but perhaps their combined experience could make them the dream team Melisa envisioned.
“Wow, I’m honored, Melisa. I will definitely give it some thought.” She would be visiting Serendipity more than a few times a year if Shaun decided to stay. “Thank you for asking.”
Melisa smiled. “You’re welcome. Now let’s go eat.”
***
Over dinner, Shaun and Heat regaled the women with stories of their time working for the Serendipity Fire Department. Heat and Melisa spoke proudly of their two children: their son Ben and their baby daughter Hope. Hope was in Austria at the moment visiting Melisa’s best friend Carlene, her godmother.
The laughter died when they opened up to Shaun and Kelsey about what they had gone through before they got married. Kelsey could hardly swallow her sponge cake as Melisa talked about her ex-husband showing up after she—and the rest of the town—had believed him to be dead. It was straight out of a movie.
“How did you make it through all that?” Kelsey asked. She had abandoned the cake and was leaning forward against the table.
Melisa gave a small smile. “I’m not going to lie. It was damn hard. But I guess our love was stronger than all the trials and tribulations.”
Kelsey nodded and glanced at Shaun. Melisa glanced over at him too, then back at Kelsey. “I heard you went through a few trials of your own.”
Shaun nodded. “I wouldn’t have made it back to life without Kelsey,” he said. “She turned me inside out.” He held Kelsey’s hand and told their story then.
When Shaun was done, Heat raised his glass. “Here’s to true love.”
They all raised their glasses and tipped them against each other. Then they finished their desserts while talking about happier, more ordinary aspects of life.
When they parted, it was with the promise to meet again soon. And Kelsey promised Melisa that she would think more about her proposal.
Chapter Seventeen
On their third Friday in Serendipity, Kelsey went down for breakfast to find Rachel at the foot of the stairs with two large baskets hanging from her arms.
“Morning, sweetheart,” she said. Her smile was bright and warm as always. “Shaun mentioned that he wanted to take you to the Rose Petal Festival tomorrow night. Thought you and I could visit Patty’s Petals to get our roses.
Tomorrow morning, every flower shop in town will be overcrowded.”
“Yes, I’m very excited,” Kelsey said. She reached for one of the baskets. Shaun had told her about the festival, and despite feeling a bit uncomfortable about being surrounded by people who hated him, she was excited to be a part of the romantic Serendipity tradition. At midnight, they would sprinkle flower petals on Serendipity Lake, wishing for luck in love. Who knew, maybe the residents would take a one-day break from hate and show them some kindness.
Thirty minutes later, they were in Rachel’s car.
“How old is this tradition?” Kelsey asked as she fastened her seat belt.
“About a hundred years, give or take. The winters in Serendipity at the time were extremely harsh, so people had a reason to celebrate on the first real day of summer. The mayor back then made it official,” Rachel explained, pulling out of the garage and turning onto the quiet street.
“That’s beautiful. I can’t wait.”
“I’m really glad you and Shaun found each other. But one never runs out of wishes. Tomorrow night is the perfect time to release them out into the universe.”
As they drove past the Shop ‘n’ Carry grocery store, someone blared their horn at them. Kelsey turned to see the driver just before they whizzed past, and caught the anger in his eyes moments before he gave them the middle finger.
Rachel gazed straight ahead. “It disgusts me how people waste their lives hating someone,” she said after a while.
“It must have been hard for you right after it happened.”
“It was…in the beginning.” She laughed, but there was sadness in it. “They left dead animals on my doorstep for weeks. And a year ago, someone set part of my house on fire. Dustin finished fixing it just a few months ago.”
“God, that’s so terrible. Did you ever feel tempted to leave town, to get away from all the hate?”
Rachel shook her head, and her hair swept her shoulders. “I was married in this town. My boys were born here. My husband is buried here. No one is going to take my home away from me. The only way they’ll drag me out of Serendipity is if they kill me first.”
“You’re so strong. I don’t know what I would have done.”
“Strength is something you develop when you need it. Things happen in life, tough situations that change you and give you no choice but to be strong. My husband was my rock. When the heart attack killed him, I had to be strong for myself, and my four children who needed me. I had no other choice.” She sighed. “Some people may look weak, but when you throw them into a lion’s den, you’ll see their claws come out.”
“I applaud you. I really do,” Kelsey said.
“You’re a sweet girl, Kelsey.” She paused. “Promise me if someone ever wrongs you, you’ll stand up for yourself. Flash them your claws and they’ll never dare hurt you again.”
“I promise.”
They rode in companionable silence until they reached Patty’s Petals, a shop that looked tiny from the outside but was enormous and overflowing with flowers on the inside. Everything was perfectly arranged, as though the shop were Eden itself. Bouquets were tucked into corners, plants climbed on white-washed walls and hung from the ceiling. It was breathtaking.
“There are a bunch of flower shops around here. Patty’s is the largest by far. Tomorrow is Patty’s best day of the year,” Rachel murmured as they approached a short woman with heavy makeup and a tight dress. “Don’t be fooled by the hooker dress. She’s one ruthless businesswoman, and one of the most educated women in town…a Brown graduate.” Rachel raised her voice. “Hi, Patty. Good to see you.” She gave Patty a hug.
“Rachel, darling.” Patty broke the embrace and planted an air kiss at each of Rachel’s cheeks. “It’s been so long. I was in New York for a bit, visiting my son.”
“How’s our Peter doing? How was the wedding?”
“He’s a grown man now. I can hardly believe it. And the wedding was lovely. Of course, I was the flower queen.”
Rachel smiled. “You are the best of the best when it comes to flowers.”
Patty’s gaze drifted to Kelsey. “Who is this lovely young lady?”
Rachel placed a hand on Kelsey’s shoulder. “This is Kelsey, Shaun’s girlfriend.”
“Nice to meet you, Kelsey, dear. Shaun has great taste in women.”
“Thank you,” Kelsey said. “You have a great place here.” She waved at the blooms surrounding them.
“When you do something you love, you do it well.” Patty leaned toward Rachel and said in a loud whisper, “How’s Shaun doing? I’m glad to see he’s moved on.”
Rachel shrugged. She didn’t bother whispering, although a few people were throwing bitter glances in their direction. “My son is amazing,” she said. “He’s stronger than ever.”
“I’m glad to hear that.” Patty took Rachel’s elbow and they walked. “So, you came to pick up some flowers for tomorrow?”
“Of course. Where else would I go?” Rachel laughed.
They spent a whole thirty minutes in Patty’s Petals, and when they left, their baskets overflowed with roses and other flowers. By the time they left, Patty’s Petals was crawling with customers.
While picking out flowers with Rachel, Kelsey had imagined getting married to Shaun and choosing flowers for their wedding.
Shaun had never hinted he wanted to get married again, and Kelsey had the feeling he might never be ready to take that step. Who would want to get married again when the last I do brought tragedy after tragedy?
She loved Shaun enough to be with him without the promise of marriage. She loved him enough to shove her dreams of being a bride—and marrying a man for the right reasons—to the back of her mind. She would give him time to heal. As much as he could.
Chapter Eighteen
To avoid the gossiping crowd, Kelsey, Shaun, and Rachel made sure to arrive at the lake just in time to sprinkle their petals on the water. They decided to risk their neighbors’ ill will and stay a little while afterward, though, to enjoy the music and a midnight picnic.
The lake in front of them looked like a carpet of flowers; the petals glowed in the moonlight and the light of the lamps on the many boats out on the water. It was a magical scene, and one Kelsey would not soon forget.
After they made their wishes, Rachel settled on the picnic blanket. Kelsey wrapped her arms around Shaun, allowing him to lead her as they danced on the grass. She leaned her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes.
“I have something for you,” Shaun whispered into her ear. “It’s in my pocket.”
Kelsey gazed up into his eyes. “You do?” She pushed her hand into his left pocket and removed a small velvet box. Her heart began to pound as she stared at it.
Shaun took it from her before she could open it. “Allow me.” He smiled and opened the box, and then before Kelsey knew it, he had dropped to one knee and was gazing up at her. “I’m ready, Kelsey. I’m ready to love you more than you’ve ever been loved. I want you today and tomorrow. I want you forever. Say you’ll be my wife.”
Kelsey covered her mouth with her hands as tears flowed down her cheeks. Her wish was coming true, just hours after she’d made it. “Yes, Shaun.” Her voice trembled. “Of course I will be your wife.”
Shaun stood up and kissed her while a few people clapped. Probably Rachel, and whichever of Shaun’s brothers had sneaked over while they were dancing. As Kelsey was swallowed by their kiss, a firework went off. Grinning, she pulled her lips from Shaun’s. “Did you plan that too?”
Instead of responding, Shaun’s eyes rolled back in his head and his body went limp in her arms. Then he crumpled to the ground.
Before it dawned on Kelsey what had happened, she heard a voice screaming, “He’s been shot! Call 9-1-1!”
Kelsey’s whole body went cold. Shaking all over, she dropped to her knees beside Shaun. She couldn’t breathe or even think. The words rang in her head. He’s been shot. He’s been shot.
She looked down.
Dark liquid was pooling fast around the man she loved and soaking into the grass. She screamed.
Chapter Nineteen
Kelsey had no idea how she got to the hospital. One moment she was kneeling beside Shaun, watching the blood flow from his body, and the next, she was sitting in a brightly lit waiting room surrounded by Shaun’s family.
Rachel was next to her, her face white as a sheet, and his brothers were scattered around the room. Dustin stood at the window, hands in his pockets. Garrett faced a nearby wall, his fist between it and his forehead. Cole sat on a chair with his head in his hands. No one spoke.
A door slammed and Kelsey jumped. The sound reminded her of the gunshot. Her resolve melted and she started to feel again. Pain.
“Shaun,” she said in a whimper. She tried to stand up but her legs wouldn’t let her. “I need… I have to see him.”
“No, sweetheart.” Rachel took Kelsey’s hand and held it tight. “They’re taking good care of him. The doctor… The doctor will come soon.”
“Someone shot him.” Kelsey’s words pierced their way up her throat.
“What was he thinking, going to the damn festival?” Dustin whirled around, his eyes dark. “I told him to stay the hell away. But did he listen? No. He thought he was some fuckin’ hero or something.”
“Dustin, stop,” Rachel said. “Just stop.”
Dustin turned back to the window, his body rigid.
Someone stood up from a chair near the door, a woman Kelsey hadn’t even noticed. Her whole body was shaking as she cried, and her mascara ran in streaks down her cheeks. She sobbed louder, then left the room.
The room was silent again, and Kelsey cried into Rachel’s shoulder. She only looked up when she heard a shuffling near the door.
Rachel stood. A young doctor hovered in the doorway.
“Where’s the doctor taking care of my son?” she asked.
“I am,” the doctor said, her voice strained.
“How is he? How is my son?”
The doctor shifted her weight ever so slightly. “I’m sorry,” she said. “We did everything we could. He lost too much blood.”