12. Chapter 12
Chapter 12
Victor
When I reach the beach, I’m surprised to see a few people are already there. My eyes find Cara immediately. She’s standing in the surf, letting the water lap over her feet. I creep up behind her, wrapping my arms around her waist.
She turns to face me, circling her arms around my neck. “I knew you were there.”
“How?”
“I don’t know. I just did.”
I smile down at her. Her brunette strands glimmer in the dim glow of the sun. “You’re so beautiful.”
She glances away. “I was planning to ask you to move back to New York today.”
My throat grows heavy with emotion. When I speak, my voice cracks. “I want to be with you, Cara. But I can’t leave Friendly. Not yet. Not while there’s a chance…”
“I know,” she says.
“Do you think you could stay here?”
Her eyes snap up to mine. “What?”
“Stay here. In Friendly. With me.” Please…
“I-I hadn’t considered that,” she says.
I smile at her. “Maybe you should consider it, then.”
“I’ll consider it,” she promises.
“Good.” I place a hand beneath her chin, lifting her face for a kiss.
In my peripheral vision, I see someone approaching. I glance over to see Jared shuffling from foot to foot.
“Sorry to interrupt,” he says, glancing at his feet.
I wrap an arm around Cara. “No worries. What’s up?”
“I was wondering if you and Cara would maybe want to work with Sean and me today. Um, join forces for an epic sandcastle?”
Jared’s seeking me out? My chest fills with hope. “That sounds great to me.”
“Me too,” Cara chimes in.
For the next few hours, the four of us work together, building a sandcastle fit for a king. When the judges make their rounds, they gush about how great the castle is.
“But people were supposed to work in teams of two,” one of the judges says. “So, I think we have no choice but to eliminate you.”
I shrug. “I already have a Hank Heron t-shirt.”
“Me too,” Jared and Sean say in unison.
“I don’t!” Cara complains.
The boys and I laugh. “I’m sure we can get you one, sweetheart.”
At that moment, Hank Heron swoops down from the sky and perches atop our castle.
A slow grin stretches across Jared’s face. He claps me on the back. “It looks like we’re winners in Hank’s book.”
“Hank’s a smart bird.” I don’t know exactly what the future holds for me, but in this moment, I’m completely content just to spend the day with Cara, my son, and a great blue heron.