12. Linda #2
When he swung the door open, the salt-rimed breeze of the gulf swept over him, and he froze in surprise.
Baxter and Gill were standing on the wide porch steps, their figures silhouetted against the gold-dusted twilight sky.
"Hi," Darius said, and as the simple word left his lips, he realized that for the very first time in decades, he was actually, genuinely glad to see his cousin standing on his threshold.
The old, sharp barriers of executive suspicion and bumbling corporate rivalries had melted away, leaving only the solid, unshakeable bond of family.
He looked at Baxter's relaxed shoulders, a quick wave of nostalgia moving through his chest.
"Hi," Baxter and Gill greeted him in unison, their voices relaxed, and fully devoid of the tense, defensive weight they had carried during their exhausting weeks in South Carolina.
Darius studied the two of them for a second, his eyes narrowing slightly as he noticed a distinct, change in their demeanor.
They both wore wide, goofy smiles that made them look light-years away from the stress of the past year.
But the thing that really caught his attention, and made his dark brows rise in amusement, was how tightly their hands were clasped together between them.
Their fingers were laced securely, Baxter’s thumb tracing a slow, protective line over the back of her knuckles as if he had no intention of ever letting her go.
Gill was dressed in a simple, elegant cream summer dress that caught the gentle sea breeze, her long dark hair falling over her shoulders.
"Is everything okay?" Darius asked, his voice carrying a light, suspicious edge as he looked between the two of them, though he couldn't hide the smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “You look… different.”
"Couldn't be better," Baxter said, his deep voice rich and steady. He looked down at the woman beside him, and Gill smiled adoringly up at his face, her dark eyes shining with a beautiful devotion that made Darius's chest tighten with a quick, powerful wave of happiness.
"Okay," Darius said, leaning his shoulder against the doorframe as he gestured toward their joined fingers. "But, what is all this sugary sweetness about?"
"Are you jealous?" Baxter's grin grew even wider, his eyes sparkling with a playful, boyish energy that Darius hadn't seen in him since they used to run barefoot along the shoreline as children. "And are you actually going to let us inside?"
"Oh, yes," Darius said, letting out an easy chuckle as he stepped back, holding the door wide to let them walk into the cool foyer. "Come on in. You're just in time; they are about to start the toasts to welcome George home from the hospital."
Baxter guided Gill through the threshold with a protective hand on her waist, their steps unhurried as they looked around the high-ceilinged hallway.
The house had the citrus scent of the furniture polish Rosa had used earlier lingering in the cool air, a stark contrast to the lively, hum of the party waiting for them on the back lawn.
"So, I hear tonight is the night of announcements and confessions," Baxter said, turning back to face him with a knowing, happy smile.
"I don't know about confessions," Darius stated, a small, genuine smile touching his own lips as he closed the heavy front door behind them, sealing out the humid evening air.
"But I do know there are a few major announcements scheduled for the evening.
Some of our friends are officially sharing their news. "
"Do you think when everyone else is finished with their announcements, I can make one of my own?" Baxter asked, his gaze holding Darius's with a steady anticipation.
Darius looked at his cousin, instantly picking up on the hopeful excitement in the younger man's eyes.
His suspicion deepened, but it was an incredibly hopeful kind of suspicion that made his pulse beat a little faster.
He looked at Gill, who offered him a reassuring nod, her eyes sparkling under the foyer lights.
Seeing the two of them standing here, their lives finally cleared of the toxic shadow of the Winebergs, made him feel an immense pride in his cousin's resilience.
Baxter had carried a heavy burden for months, acting as a disgraced outcast while secretly working alongside him to gather the necessary evidence, and he deserved every ounce of the happiness he had found with Gill.
"I don't see why not," Darius said, his smile growing as he reached out to clasp Baxter’s shoulder in a supportive grip.
He turned a welcoming look toward Gill. "In fact, I think the timing is perfect.
The table is fully set, the food is ready, and the whole family is gathered together.
Come on, everyone is out back. I'll introduce you to George, the heart of Sweet Blossom Bay. "
Reflections of the dying light of day danced across the gentle shuddering ocean, casting long, shimmering beams of amber and copper across the grassy park.
Darius stepped out of the back doors of the house, guiding Baxter and Gill onto the festive grounds where the community gathering was in full swing.
Everywhere around them, the atmosphere was alive with the bright, cheerful trill of laughter, the light clinking of glasses, and the high-pitched squeals of children chasing each other near the shoreline.
Darius adjusted the cuffs of his shirt, a settled contentment in his heart as he scanned the crowd.
The heavy, suffocating humidity of the midday heat had finally broken, leaving behind a refreshing breeze that seemed to carry away the final remnants of the day's stress. He spotted his younger sister, Isabel, standing near the food tables with Owen, both of them sharing a comfortable conversation that made Darius’s chest tighten with a protective tenderness.
He was glad to see her looking so relaxed, her face free of the heavy worries that had shadowed her features for the past few weeks.
He watched the way her hand lightly brushed Owen's arm as they spoke, noticing how the typical, guarded lines of her shoulders had melted into an easy, happy posture.
He turned back, offering Gill a reassuring smile as he guided her and Baxter toward the spot where George and Anna sat.
The deck was slightly crowded with locals from Sweet Blossom Bay who all knew George and his family.
As they neared the tree-shaded spot, Darius’s eyes locked onto the two figures sitting quietly near the front veranda steps.
George was sitting in a padded armchair, his walker resting within easy reach.
Sitting close beside him was Anna. They were holding hands openly, their fingers laced together in an unyielding show of devotion that spoke of decades of unspoken love finally finding its way back to the start.
The simple peace radiating from them was almost physical, casting a protective boundary around their corner of the deck.
Darius felt an emotional shift in the air, and he looked down at Gill. Her eyes had turned sparkling with a deep, silent emotion as she watched the two older love birds sitting together in the fading light.
"Are they back together?" Gill whispered, leaning closer to Darius’s shoulder so her voice remained private.