Chapter 14
Chapter Fourteen
Keri
“What is this photo on your screensaver?” Beverly asks, pointing at my phone.
We’re sitting under a shade tree, enjoying the evening in her backyard.
She sits right next to me at the outdoor table, resting her hand on the table’s edge, while Adam and the others go back for a second helping of chicken hot off the grill.
I stay seated, sipping on iced tea and waiting for a slice of Miss Jenny’s famous strawberry cake.
“Adam took that picture of us with his fancy camera on a timer,” I reply, my heart thumping hard as the memory of our romantic evening camping beneath the stars flares up inside me. Heat rushes to my cheeks, and I can almost feel the electric magic of that night all over again.
“He really is talented,” Beverly says, studying the photo for a moment. She keeps her eyes on the image before glancing up. “You should get this one framed.”
I watch George and Madison in the distance, carefully swinging two-year-old cousins, Roman and Joey, on a fat tire securely fastened to a thick branch of the old oak tree, their boyish giggles infectious.
The scent of grilled meat and magnolia flowers wafts through the air, along with the subtle beat of a yacht-rock tune.
“I already have. It sits on my desk at work.”
I look at the photograph he gave me from our first campout.
It’s casual, private, and unposed. We’re embracing, and there’s an intimacy in the image that’s almost uncomfortable to witness.
Not sexual, but deeply private. Two people finding a moment of peace and connection amid the storm of being human.
I love him anyway. Not in a martyred, self-sacrificing way, but with a clear-eyed understanding that love means embracing someone’s past and what you can’t change, and sometimes choosing that person despite their fragile feelings.
Beverly hands my phone back to me and grins. She props her chin in her hand, resting her elbow on the table. “So tell me, what makes Adam interesting? What first attracted you to him?”
I smirk, remembering seeing him dining outside at Miss Jenny’s café. I don’t tell her I thought Adam was a homeless man at first. She’d laugh and tease him for sure. Instead, I pause and share how I really feel about the long-haired California photographer who’s captured my heart.
“He’s genuinely sweet. Like too-much-sugar-in-your-sweet-tea sweet.”
Beverly giggles. “Yeah, Ridge has told me he’s a real sweetheart, and a total joy to work with.”
The thought of Ridge and Adam working together makes me smile. I can imagine Adam coaching the Hollywood actor as he did for me in the lavender fields. Gentle. Encouraging. Professional.
“He is a sweetheart. He’s also a deeply private man.”
“I get it, especially after losing his family.”
My throat tightens as I force myself to slip my phone into my purse. Dread prickles in my chest; I didn’t expect to talk about Adam’s family and his loss, but I’d known the moment might still come.
“He seems happier now that you’ve come into his life. Your eyes light up when you talk about him,” she adds, effortlessly changing the subject to something more positive.
Her comment immediately lightens the mood, and I look over at Adam, standing near the grill. He’s gleefully gnawing on a chicken bone. “He’s made me happier too.”
Our gazes snag. They always do. The world shifts, and it’s just me and Adam.
I adore his tawny eyes and the way little lines crinkle at the corners when he starts to smile.
Adam and his sun-streaked hair, board shorts and tight tees.
Adam and the small surfing scar near his temple that I like to trace with my fingertips when we’re lying in bed.
Adam and the way he calls me his Angel Face with his gravelly voice in the early mornings.
“He’s a total romantic too. He loves to bring me flowers he picks off the trees or the wild ones growing in the meadow.”
Beverly swoons. “I once dated someone who pulled over to the side of the road and picked wildflowers for me. It was the most romantic thing a man has ever done.” She points at her husband Ridge. “And he’s standing right over there.”
I smile. “Sounds like you hit the jackpot.”
Beverly places her hand over mine on the table and gives it a squeeze.
“I did. And you did too. You deserve a happily ever after, Keri. We all do.” She looks around at everyone, her focus landing on Ridge again.
“I mean, if you would’ve told me a year and a half ago that this was going to be my life, I would’ve thought you were crazy. ”
I laugh. “But it’s your reality now. You’re a lucky woman.”
“I’m blessed for sure.” She looks right at me again. “And you are too.”
I nod, unsure of what to say.
She stands. “How about I start serving that decadent cake you brought?”
“Sounds good. Let me help.” I start to rise, but she quickly holds up her hand, gesturing for me to remain seated.
“You stay put and enjoy the evening. Lord knows this perfect weather isn’t going to last very long with the summer heat coming in fast.”
“You got that right.” I relax and watch her walk away. She stops at the grill and kisses Ridge on the cheek. Adam leans over to say something to her, making her laugh, before turning his focus back to me, his handsome face beaming with a smile.
I instinctively smile back.
I didn’t realize falling in love could be so simple. Dancing to a Willie Nelson tune at the Tipsy Daisy. Fairy lights illuminating the back end of a camper. Lazy weekends watching Adam work in my father’s tool barn with his tight tee stretched across his shoulders.
I want him to stay with me here in Heartsboro.
I told him he could have fresh salsa anytime, as long as he didn’t say a word about me stealing his favorite blue flannel.
We’ll camp near the creek with fairy lights glimmering, our toes wiggling on the mattress as our bodies cool in the evening breeze.
Wildflowers on the kitchen windowsill. His eyes glowing at me across the table over coffee, knuckles under his chin in a sexy stare.
I think about this man all the time. Some secret part of me opens up. I’ve been thinking about Adam Woodbury since the day I saw him eating brisket outside Miss Jenny’s café all those weeks ago.
And for me to finally admit I actually want to stay here in Heartsboro? That is a miracle in and of itself. I’ve never truly been happy here in my hometown, always coming up with an exit plan so I can start anew—until Adam came along and shut my escape route down.
I’ve never liked the limited shopping and dining in Heartsboro.
It doesn’t compare to Atlanta. The isolation in my social life made it worse.
The only thing keeping me here is Adam. Not my real-estate job or my childhood home, not the slow pace or friends.
Adam is the reason this place feels special now.
He relishes the unhurried pace of small-town life.
There’s a profound sense of peace when we lose ourselves in the quiet embrace of nature and the warmth of our mutual friends.
Adam reminds me how blessed we are here.
Traffic and crime are distant worries. Every day confirms the joy of escaping the relentless urban rush for a simpler, more connected country life.
Stepping outside feels sacred, as if God’s creation soothes and centers us.
My mind has finally settled, and I’m truly at peace with my choice to stay.
My father once told me that everything in life is a reflection of a choice you have made. That if you want a different result, you have to make a different choice. I choose Adam.
“Hey,” he says, kissing the shell of my ear.
I startle and watch him set two huge pieces of cake on the table before he sits next to me. “Yum, thank you,” I hum. I take the plastic fork and eagerly scoop up a bite of the strawberry cake, instantly moaning. “This is so good.”
He chuckles, sampling a bite of his own. His tawny eyes go wide.
“Told ya!” I laugh.
He finishes his piece in a few big bites. I swear, this man can eat anything all day long and not gain a pound. I continue to savor my dessert in small bites, slowly licking the pink frosting from the fork tines.
His arm loops around my back, his fingers caressing my arm. “I’ve made a decision.”
I stop chewing and turn to eye him with interest. I know exactly what he’s talking about, his decision whether or not to go to Roxy’s wedding in California weighing heavily on his mind.
“And?” I hold my breath.
He nods. “I’m going.”
A part of me is relieved he’s going for Roxy’s sake. The other is ridden with worry about whether or not he can handle the painful memories he’s more than likely to encounter when he returns to the West Coast after two agonizing years.
“When do you leave?”
His sigh is heavy as he pushes his hair back from his face. “I fly out in a few days.”
I lean into him and squeeze his thigh. “You’re doing the right thing.”
“I know.”
We’re quiet. Giggles from toddlers and Elton John music fill the air.
Part of me doesn’t want him to go. I dread being alone in our drafty country house.
I could stay in my old place above my office until he returns.
But what about Molly? She loves the country.
I can’t keep her cooped up in an apartment while he’s gone.
I know that if Adam doesn’t go to his cousin’s wedding in California to walk her down the aisle, he will regret it for the rest of his life. He needs to do this, and I need to encourage him to take this bold step to reunite with his only family who might bring him some closure.
“Roxy wants me to stay with her at her fiancé’s family beach house in Santa Cruz.”
“Hmmm, sounds fancy.”
He chuckles softly and pulls me closer. “It is.”
I remember the surfboard I discovered leaned against the wall in my father’s tool barn after Adam unpacked his entire van. He once told me how he longed to surf again and that he was quite good at it.
“Maybe you can go surfing while you’re out there. You said you used to love it.”
“Yeah. I’ve thought about that. Maybe I will.”
“You should totally do it while you’re there, especially if you’re staying at the beach.”
“You’re right.” He’s quiet for a moment before he adds, “But only if you come and watch me.”
I frown, allowing his words to sink in. “What?” We shift apart, and I look at Adam’s smirking expression. “What do you mean? What are you saying?”
“I want you to watch me surf in California.”
“You… you want me to come with you?” I’m stunned.
He nods. “Yes. I want you to come with me. That’s the only way I think I can get through this, if you’re by my side.”
I blink back at him, my eyes brimming with tears. Adam has no idea what this means to me, his invitation bringing me comfort and validating my worth in his life.
“Don’t cry, Angel Face. You know I’m in love with you, right?”
I blink again, several tears making a slow track down my cheeks. Adam picks up a napkin and gently dabs my face.
“I… I love you too.”
His lips tremble with a smile, his fingers caressing my cheek. “You saved my life.”
“And you saved mine.”
We’re locked in an affectionate gaze, and I don’t even notice Roman until his little hand reaches up and grabs a fistful of my piece of cake.
“Roman!” Beverly shouts from across the yard.
I look down and watch the young boy assert his independence, jamming the squished cake into his mouth. Adam and I burst out laughing.
“He can have it.” I lift the boy up onto my lap, and he happily goes in for more.
“Can I have some?” Adam asks, leaning closer to the toddler. He’s so good with these little boys. I’ve enjoyed watching him play with them all evening.
Roman happily grabs another handful and smashes it against Adam’s open mouth, spreading frosting and cake pieces all over his handsome face.
We’re all laughing, and my heart overflows with joy as he leans across the child and plants a decadent strawberry-flavored kiss on my lips.
This is the feeling I’ve prayed for my entire life. This is what I’ve yearned for.
This is love in real life.