Chapter 18
Ted
The warm afternoon sunlight cast long shadows across the lawn as the final tally of funds raised from the auction was announced. My chest swelled with pride as I glanced at Amelia. She radiated happiness.
“…we’ve raised over $10,000 today,” Sarah announced on the makeshift stage. The crowd clapped loudly. She continued to talk, but I zoned out and wandered closer to Amelia.
“Good job, seems like your visually appealing approach helped secure some great donations.”
“Thank you.” Her hazel eyes sparkled like gems. “You’re so gracious in your defeat.”
“Oh, ho,” I laughed. “Yes, I can admit when I’m wrong. Excellent work.”
Her sleek blonde hair caught the sun's light, making her seem even more radiant than before. She was truly stunning, and my heart raced at the thought of spending more time with her. The moment felt right, and I mustered up all the courage I had within me.
“How about we celebrate your victory with a date tonight?” After that kiss earlier, I wasn’t willing to waste any more time. “I mean, a real date—not just a friendly outing as neighbors.”
Her eyes widened in surprise, and for an agonizing second, I feared rejection. After that hot kiss, I didn’t think I’d misread the situation. But then her lips curled into a warm, genuine smile that sent my heart soaring.
“I'd love that,” she replied, her voice filled with enthusiasm.
Relief washed over me and mixed with excitement. “Great, how about we head home now, clean up, and I’ll pick you up at seven.”
“Sure.”
At seven o’clock sharp, I knocked on Amelia’s door with a bouquet of wildflowers.
“Right on time, as always,” she said answering the door. “Wow, these are beautiful. Let me put these in some water real quick.”
She grabbed the bouquet from me and walked to her kitchen. The memory of her place during the snowstorm flashed in my mind. That could’ve ended up worse than it had.
“Okay,” she said, putting her purse back on her shoulder. “Where are we headed?”
“Only the best restaurant in Moonridge,” I said, leading the way out of her place.
“Let me guess, the restaurant at the Starry Night Inn.”
“Yep.” I laughed. “I hope that’s okay.”
She smiled. “Yes, I’ve been dying to try that maple apple pie I keep hearing about. I didn’t even get a chance to taste it at the Christmas dance, and I missed the Maple Days festival the weekend I arrived in town.”
“Well then you’re in for a real treat.” I said. Cookie’s famous pie brought people from as far as Quebec to the town.
As we stood in the foyer waiting to be seated, a familiar voice pierced the air. “Ted? Is that you?”
I turned to see Kelly, my ex-girlfriend, standing just a few feet away, her arm linked with that of her fiancé. My chest tightened as a mix of emotions flooded through me—unexpected memories of our past together, guilt over the pain we had caused each other, and the lingering sting of heartache. Kelly had dumped me more than two years ago. I did my best to avoid her at all costs. In a small town, avoidance was a work of art.
“Kelly,” I said with a nod, doing my best to maintain a polite smile. “It's been a while. How are you?”
“Doing well, thanks,” she replied, her gaze shifting between Amelia and me with curiosity. “Amelia?”
“Kelly, you look beautiful,” she said warmly. I had no idea they knew each other.
“Mark, this is our contact for the wedding venue,” Kelly said.
Amelia smiled up at me. “Kelly is our first wedding at the Inn.”
“Congratulations,” I offered, attempting to sound more enthusiastic than I felt. Amelia and Kelly excitedly discussed some of the details for the wedding.
“I am so glad we ran into you. I just love you, Amelia.” Kelly said, grinning broadly. “Hey, why don't we get a picture together?”
“Sure, why not?” Amelia agreed, her voice steady despite the awkwardness of the situation. We positioned ourselves for the photo, Kelly and Mark beaming next to Amelia and me.
As the camera clicked and captured our uneasy expressions, I felt a renewed sense of determination to pursue a relationship with Amelia. She was everything I had been searching for—strong, intelligent, compassionate, and undeniably captivating. The past no longer held any power over me.
The next morning, I was in my office going over some case files when the door burst open with a bang. There stood Blake, his face red and his eyes blazing with anger.
“Teddy,” he growled, showing me a picture on his phone. “Care to explain this?”
It took me a moment to recognize the picture from last night—Amelia and me with Kelly and her fiancé.
“Where did you get this?” I asked, my heart racing.
“Leah saw it online and asked if you and Amelia were dating,” he replied, his voice dripping with contempt. “Are you dating her? Or just using her to get back at Kelly?”
“Blake, it's not like that,” I tried to explain, but he wasn't having any of it.
“Stay away from my sister, Teddy!” he barked, his protectiveness toward Amelia clear as day. “She’s been through enough. She doesn’t need her heart broken when you decide you’re too bored to keep dating her.”
“Blake,” I began. “You don't understand. I’m in love with Amelia."
He laughed. “Yeah, right. Just like you loved Kelly before she dumped you?”
“Amelia is different,” I insisted, trying to make him see reason. “My feelings for her are genuine, and I want to build a future with her.”
He glared at me, sizing me up. Tension filled the room.
“Fine,” he grumbled after a tense silence. “She’s a grown woman. She can do what she wants, but if you hurt her, Teddy, I swear—”
“I won't,” I interrupted, my voice firm and sincere. “I care about Amelia too much to ever hurt her.”
“Good,” he said, his anger subsiding but not completely disappearing. He nodded curtly.
“Hey, before you leave,” I said. “There's something else I need to tell you. I had planned to meet with you this week to discuss the land dispute lawsuit. I spoke with Sam, and I managed to convince him to honor the notarized letter we’d found and drop the lawsuit against your family.”
For a moment, he was speechless. Then, slowly, a smile spread across his face. “That's incredible news. Thank you.”
Our animosity seemed to be dissipating, replaced by a mutual understanding and respect.
Blake extended his hand, his expression earnest. "Truce?"
“Truce,” I agreed, clasping his hand firmly. Our hands met, the grip a symbol of newfound unity and respect.
“We don't have to be best friends, but we can at least move forward with mutual respect.” Blake wasn’t a man of many words, but his words had depth.
“Agreed,” I said, feeling an unexpected surge of camaraderie with the man who had once been my nemesis.
“I’ll have the paperwork drawn up by the end of the week, and we can put this whole mess behind us,” I added.
“I appreciate it, Teddy,” Blake said. He then turned to leave, pausing at the door. “And good luck with Amelia. I mean it.”
The door closed behind him, and I exhaled a long breath. That was the closest I was going to get to Blake giving me his blessing. Finally, the past was behind us. Now, it was time to focus on my future—with Amelia.