Footsteps in the Sand (Rosewood Beach #12)

Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE

“Yes, I think that should be absolutely perfect. That gives us a good variety for people with dietary restrictions, and all of it is delicious.”

Dean Owens smiled to himself as he watched the way his fiancée Noelle Calhoun’s face was shining with excitement.

They were at the caterer’s office together, securing the details of the menu for their upcoming wedding.

It was something that they had deliberated hard over, since Noelle had been careful to accommodate a variety of dietary needs while also wanting to include some of her and Dean’s favorite foods.

Thankfully, the Rosewood Beach caterer they were using was imaginative and flexible and had even created a new menu item of burrito bowls specially for their wedding.

“It really does seem like the perfect list,” Dean said, smiling at the caterer. “Thanks, Jeanie. We appreciate how helpful you’ve been.”

“Oh, of course.” Jeanie nodded emphatically. “We’re all rooting for you two, especially after you had to postpone your wedding the first time.”

Dean and Noelle nodded and shared a smile.

At the time, postponing their wedding had been a difficult and almost painful decision, since they were both impatient to be married.

Dean’s early onset osteoarthritis, however, had gotten in the way of their plans.

Although he’d been doing well after starting physical therapy—where he had initially met Noelle, since she was his first PT before they’d started dating—his symptoms had flared a few months earlier, and they’d come to the conclusion that surgery was his best option.

Although the delay had been disheartening at first, Dean’s healing process had made it all worth it.

He was feeling great, better than he’d felt in years, and the thought of being able to dance with Noelle at their wedding without any pain at all filled him with joy.

“Thank you,” Noelle said, squeezing Dean’s hand. “It’s been a long journey to get here, but we couldn’t be more grateful. We’ve had so much help from so many wonderful people along the way.”

As Noelle chatted with the caterer, Dean thought of his mother with a warm smile.

Vivian Owens had always been his biggest cheerleader, along with his twin sister Hazel and his older sisters Julia and Alexis.

Vivian had supported him with the kind of fierce love that only came from mothers, and when she’d discovered a stash of money upstairs in her attic, she’d decided to split it amongst her children, giving Dean the money that he’d needed for treatments to help speed up his healing process.

He felt a wave of emotion sweep over him as he thought of his father, Frank, who had passed away and left a slew of secret gambling debts that had almost taken down the family restaurant, The Lighthouse Grill.

Frank’s secrets had felt like a betrayal to his entire family, and they’d struggled with processing the news as they dealt with the tragedy of his unexpected death.

The Owens family had pulled together to organize a fundraiser for The Lighthouse Grill, saving it and strengthening their bond as a family.

The fundraiser had proved to the Owens just how much their community in Rosewood Beach cared about both them and their restaurant, and in the end, it had turned into a good situation instead of a bad one.

Months later, Vivian had found the cash in the attic and realized that Frank had been saving up with the intention of paying off his debts.

Although their emotions about the revelation had been complicated, the Owens had come to forgive Frank for everything he’d done, reminding themselves that he’d cared about them a great deal and despite his flaws, he’d been a good father and husband.

Dean felt good knowing that his father was involved in his wedding, in a way. The money from Frank had allowed Dean to go through treatments as well as pay off the bills from his surgery, ensuring that Dean and Noelle still had the budget they needed for their wedding.

“Are you all set with everything else?” Jeanie asked conversationally as she finished typing up notes on her computer. “Decorations and all that?”

“Just about.” Noelle grinned at Dean. “We’ve had so much support, and that makes it all feel fun.”

Dean nodded, grinning back at his fiancée.

His whole family had been invested in making their special day a success.

They had come to the cake tasting to help Dean and Noelle pick out a cake flavor, they’d helped with mailing the invitations, they’d helped organize the place cards, and they’d even helped gather decorations.

Vivian had found two gorgeous antique lace tablecloths and glass candlesticks for them to use at the reception, along with a pair of gold cufflinks for Dean to wear that had belonged to his father.

Hazel had found a gorgeous blue glass cake stand at an antique store and bought it for them, and Julia had given them all of the little bubble wands left over from her wedding.

Alexis, who made custom jewelry as a side hustle, had been busily preparing ornate custom necklaces and earrings for Noelle and her bridal party.

“Okay, we should be all set here,” Jeanie said finally with a smile. “I’ll give you a call closer to the big day to check in, but otherwise I think our work here is done.”

Dean and Noelle stood up and shook hands with Jeanie, thanking her for her help. They left her office and stepped outside in the fresh spring air.

Noelle slipped her hand around Dean’s, smiling up at him. “What a satisfying feeling. I love knowing that we’re getting closer and closer to our wedding all the time.”

“I know.” He bent down and kissed the top of her head, which was covered in a yellow beanie because of the chilly air. “I can’t wait to marry you, Noelle Calhoun.”

“Soon to be Noelle Owens,” she said dreamily, and he felt a shiver of happiness hearing her say it.

They strolled along the sidewalk quietly for a few moments, both of them lost in their own thoughts. Dean watched his friends and neighbors strolling around the downtown of the small Maine town, walking their dogs or meandering with cups of coffee and shopping bags in their hands.

“I love spring,” Noelle said, inhaling deeply as she tilted her face up. “Everything just feels so much more alive, you know? Even though it’s still a little chilly, it’s like there’s this electricity in the air. Everyone seems more excited. Don’t you think?”

Dean nodded. He adored her optimism, and it had helped keep his emotions afloat during the difficult recovery period just after his surgery.

Back then, he’d been afraid that he wouldn’t be feeling better at all by the time they got married, and he’d been concerned that they’d postponed their wedding for nothing.

Now, however, it was abundantly clear that it had been more than worth it, both for their wedding and his whole future, and he was so grateful for her for being his guiding light through the entire experience.

“I like the way the wind smells,” he said. “It’s like you can tell that things are starting to grow.”

Rosewood Beach was a coastal town, nestled along the ocean, and the air there was always vibrantly scented with the sea and the surrounding countryside, but the different seasons brought different qualities to the scent of the wind.

Winter gave a cold, perfectly pure wind dusted with snow, fall gave crisp air scented with the spicy aroma of decaying leaves, summer smelled of green grass and flowers, and spring smelled as though there was some kind fresh-scented magic brewing under the soil everywhere around them.

“Look, the Salty Spoon doesn’t seem to be too crowded yet,” Noelle said, pointing to one of their favorite local restaurants. “It’s early for dinner, but I’m feeling pretty hungry, especially after talking about food for so long.” She laughed.

“Let’s get dinner there,” he said, squeezing her hand. “To celebrate being basically ready for our wedding.”

“Finally.” She tilted her head up for a kiss, and he was only too happy to oblige.

They stepped inside the Salty Spoon, and Dean’s stomach growled when he smelled the savory aromas of garlic and potatoes wafting through the restaurant. The Salty Spoon served breakfast all day, and he suddenly felt a strong craving for hashbrowns, bacon, and chocolate chip pancakes.

They were seated at a booth in the corner, and Dean felt butterflies in his chest as he looked across the table at his beautiful fiancée. He could hardly believe that he was going to get to marry her soon, and happiness thumped around in his heart like a brass band.

Once they’d ordered their food—Dean ordered his sudden craving and Noelle ordered crepes with strawberries and whipped cream along with a side of sausages—Noelle leaned back in her seat and sighed.

“It feels like we’re reaching the end of a marathon.

You know that feeling you get when it’s been a long day at work, and you absolutely cannot wait to come home and put on comfy clothes and curl up on the couch and chill?

That’s how I feel.” She laughed. “I feel like you’re the prize after a lot of work, and I can’t wait to just settle into our cozy new life together.

I know it’s going to be challenging but amazing, and I’m so impatient to be your wife and wake up next to you every day. ”

Dean grinned at her. “I feel the same way.” He reached for her hands across the table, feeling overjoyed that his hands felt good and pain-free.

“It’s been a long time coming, and I can’t wait to reach our destination with you.

Although the wedding day itself doesn’t feel like the last hurdle, it feels like the beginning of our goal. ”