Chapter 4
CHAPTER 4
A rcher stood in front of the mirror at the inn and adjusted the collar of his button-down pale pink shirt. The invitation to Serenity's opening celebration sat on the dresser, its elegant script glaring at him from a few feet away. Julie had hand-delivered it yesterday, giving him a look that showed no argument was necessary about his attendance.
"Well, you clean up nice," Dawson said from the doorway. "Although you might want to do something about that scowl. It's a party, not a funeral."
"Remind me again why I have to go to this thing?" Archer grumbled, running a hand through his hair.
"Because my wife asked you to. And when she asks you to do something, you just do it. It's also the polite thing to do. And maybe, just maybe, it won't kill you to be a part of this community again. You did grow up here, after all."
Archer turned to face him. "I saw Luna on the beach the other morning."
"Oh?" Dawson's expression remained carefully neutral, but Archer could definitely see the interest in his eyes.
"She was different, I guess, than I expected." Archer picked up the invitation and ran his thumb over the embossed lettering. "She didn't try to push anything on me. We just talked about breathing, of all things."
"Imagine that," Dawson said dryly. "A therapist and wellness expert talking about breathing? That's revolutionary stuff."
"You're real funny," Archer said. "I just don't know what I'm supposed to do at this thing."
Dawson put his hands on Archer's shoulders. "You show up, be pleasant, eat some of SuAnn's food. It's really not that complicated, man."
It sure felt complicated. Everything he did felt complicated these days.
"Look," Dawson said, leaning against the doorframe. "I know this isn't easy for you. Being back here, seeing everybody, watching them walk on eggshells around you, which I'm not going to do, by the way."
"They don't all walk on eggshells," Archer muttered, thinking of Dixie's direct stares and SuAnn's not-so-subtle comments whenever he stopped by Hotcakes.
"True, but some of them just hit you over the head with their concern, and they mean well. This is a celebration for Luna and the community. It's about welcoming someone new, someone who might actually be good for this town."
Archer thought about Luna at the beach and the quiet strength in her voice when she talked about breathing. There had been no judgment there, no pressure. She was just making an observation, but it was still an invitation he wasn't ready to accept.
"Julie says she's different," Archer said, adjusting his cuffs. "Says she's not just another outsider trying to come in and change Seagrove."
"And what do you think about that?"
Archer met Dawson's eyes in the mirror. "I think maybe she understands more than I gave her credit for at first."
A knowing smile spread across Dawson's face. "Well, would you look at that? The mighty Archer Hawk admitting he might have been wrong about something."
"Don't push it," Archer warned. "Let's just get this over with."
As they headed downstairs, Julie was waiting in the foyer, looking elegant in a flowy sundress. She gave Archer an approving nod.
"You look nice. Very ungrumpy."
"Thanks, I think," Archer said.
The sun was starting to set as they made their way toward Serenity, painting the sky in shades of pink and gold. Archer could see the glow of fairy lights in the distance strung along the yoga deck and hear the soft murmur of voices carried by the ocean breeze. He took a deep breath, remembering Luna's words about breathing being the bravest thing sometimes. It made him feel a little better.
Maybe she had a point after all.
* * *
L una stood on Serenity's front porch, looking at the transformation SuAnn and the others had created. Fairy lights twinkled overhead, casting a warm glow over the gathering crowd. The ocean breeze carried a mingling of scents—from the appetizers SuAnn had insisted on preparing to the salty air that hung there naturally. There was a mix of healthy food and irresistible comfort food that somehow managed to please everyone.
"Well, this is just gorgeous," Julie said, walking up to her with a glass of sparkling water with a strawberry floating in it. "You've created something really special here, Luna."
"Well, I had a lot of help," she said, smiling as she watched Dixie talking to a group of people near the yoga deck. It appeared to be a very animated story.
"Still, it takes a lot of vision to see what this place could be," Julie said. "I mean, look how many people came."
"I don't think I expected such a big turnout." Luna nodded, her throat tight with emotion. The turnout was even better than she had ever hoped for. She was sure some people were skeptical and just curious about this new addition to the community. It was her job to educate them and make them realize that she could be of help in their lives.
Her eyes caught movement at the edge of the crowd, and then her breath hitched slightly when she saw Archer standing off to the side with Dawson. He looked very handsome in his crisp button-down shirt and dark jeans. He looked less guarded somehow.
"He cleans up pretty nice, doesn't he?" Julie said with a knowing smile.
"I didn't expect him to come," Luna admitted.
"Well, Archer surprises people sometimes, though usually not in good ways lately."
Luna laughed, but before she could respond, she spotted her first official client arriving. She moved over to greet the woman and noticed Archer watching her from across the deck. Their eyes met briefly, and she offered a small smile before turning to her client. It was a woman in town who had signed up for some therapy sessions after a particularly devastating loss in her life.
As the evening flowed smoothly, Janine led a short sunset yoga demonstration that even seemed to intrigue some skeptics. Of course, Janine taught yoga classes at her own studio, and Luna would never want to do anything to take away from that, but Janine had pointed out that many people would probably sign up for classes here because it was overlooking the ocean, and she was happy to do it.
Luna moved through the crowd, answering questions about her programs and services and sharing her vision for what Serenity could be. Later, she found herself alone on the open deck, just taking a moment to breathe and center herself. The partygoers had moved inside, taking tours of the place and eating some of SuAnn's new lavender lemon cupcakes .
"Nice turnout," a familiar deep voice said from behind her.
She turned around to find Archer standing there, his hands in his pockets, looking slightly uncomfortable.
"Thank you for coming," she said softly. "It means a lot to have the community's support. Even from the resident skeptic."
His lips moved in a way that might have been the beginning of a smile, but it quickly dropped back down. “You like having comments from skeptics?”
"Especially from the skeptics. They keep me honest."
Archer moved to stand beside her at the railing, both of them looking out at the darkening ocean.
"You know, I've been wondering about something," he said after a moment.
"Just one thing?" she asked.
He looked over at her, and in the soft glow of the fairy lights, she could see the ghost of a smile on his lips.
"One thing for now. Why Seagrove, out of all the places you could have chosen?"
Luna smiled. "Would you believe I only came here once when I was a little kid? My parents saved for years to take that vacation."
"Just once? And it made that much of an impression?"
She nodded. "Some places just speak to your soul, you know. My abuela , my grandmother on my mother's side, used to say that about Puerto Rico. I spent summers with her there when I was young. It was the most beautiful place. The beaches, the culture, the food—everything was alive with color and music."
"So why not open Serenity there instead?" he asked.
She was quiet for a moment. “Puerto Rico was my mother's home, her history. But Seagrove—it was the first place I chose for myself. It was one childhood vacation to everybody else. And it wasn't about heritage or family obligations. It was just peace to me. Pure, simple peace. The kind that settles into your bones and never leaves."
She could feel Archer studying her. "You remembered Seagrove that clearly?”
"Oh, I remember everything. Making sandcastles that the tide would take away. Looking for shells in the morning mist. Watching the sunset paint the sky in colors I'd never seen before. The smell of the marsh, the sound of the birds. My parents couldn't afford a fancy hotel or any of the touristy stuff, but it didn't matter. Seagrove was magic all by itself."
The breeze picked up, carrying the sound of laughter from inside. Luna wrapped her arms around herself.
"I get that," he said, his voice quieter. "The magic part. Before everything happened, there was nothing better than being on the course at dawn when the dew was still fresh on the grass and everything was quiet except for the birds."
Luna turned to him, a bit surprised by the vulnerability in his voice. "You miss it."
It wasn't a question, but he answered anyway. "Every day, every minute."
"Well, sometimes the things we miss the most are just the feelings they gave us, not the things themselves."
His jaw tightened. "You sound like a therapist again."
"Funny how that keeps happening," she said with a small smile. "Must be because I am one."
Before he could respond, SuAnn's voice rolled outside. "Luna, honey, you've got to come try these empanadas I made! I had to call my friend three times to get the recipe right."
Luna laughed and shook her head. "That woman is unstoppable."
"Julie would say you have no idea," Archer said. "Better not keep her waiting. I think she's known to track people down."
As Luna turned to go inside, she paused. “I’m glad you came tonight, Archer. I hope you are, too.”
She left him there on the deck and could feel his eyes following her. She wondered if maybe, just maybe, they had taken a small step toward understanding each other.
* * *
T he morning after the opening celebration, Archer was back on the beach for his usual walk at dawn. His mind kept going back to the conversation he had with Luna on the yoga deck. There was something about the way she talked about Seagrove, about how she found peace there, that had struck a chord with him. He'd grown up in Seagrove, so he knew every inch of it like the back of his hand, even after not living there for so many years. And he wondered if now, as an adult, he could recapture the experience that he'd had as a child. The mysteriousness of the Lowcountry—the smells, the sights, the sounds. Could he appreciate them and allow them to find peace for him, that elusive thing that he seemed to be unable to find?
He flexed his shoulder absentmindedly, feeling that familiar ache that always seemed worse in the morning humidity. The physical therapist had, of course, given him tons of exercises to do, but most days he couldn't even bring himself to complete them. What was the point? His career was over, and there was no amount of stretching or strengthening that was going to change that. He felt like such a feeble old man, but Luna's words kept echoing in his head.
Sometimes the things we miss most are the feelings they gave us, not the things themselves.
"Dang therapist," he muttered, kicking at the sand.
"Do you talk to yourself often?"
Archer turned to see Dawson jogging up behind him, already sweaty from his morning run.
"Just thinking out loud because I thought I was alone, but apparently I have a weirdo stalker,” Archer said.
"Thinking about last night?" Dawson fell into step beside him. "Saw you talking with Luna."
"Oh gosh, don't start," Archer warned. "It's way too early in the morning for this."
"Start what? I'm just making an observation," Dawson grinned. "Although I have to say, it's the most I've seen you talk to anybody since you got back."
Archer was quiet for a moment, watching a flock of seabirds overhead. "Well, she's a little different than I expected."
"Different good or different bad?"
"Just different," Archer shrugged and winced as his shoulder protested. "It's like she gets it somehow, about places and things having magic, and about finding peace in unexpected ways or in certain places."
"You mean like on a golf course at dawn?"
"Yeah," Archer said. "Like that."
They walked in silence for a while, the waves providing a steady rhythm to their steps.
"You know," Dawson said after a while, "Julie told me that Luna's going to start some gentle movement classes this week. Not exactly yoga, but something about breathing and mindful stretching."
Archer shot him a look. "Are you seriously suggesting?—"
"I'm not suggesting anything," Dawson interrupted, holding up his hands. "I'm just sharing information. I like to spread the news. But since you brought it up, it might not be the worst idea for you. It's better than walking around with your shoulder locked up like it's in a vice. I swear it looks like it's stuck to your ear nowadays."
They passed Serenity, with its pale pink exterior glowing in the early morning light. Through the large windows, Archer could barely see Luna moving around inside, setting up for the day. He felt a strong pull there for some reason, like he wanted to go up there and have a cup of coffee or just sit and watch her move around. Maybe he was becoming a stalker.
She paused at one of the windows, looking out at the ocean, and for a moment he could see what she meant about finding peace here. He could see it right on her face.
"You know she talked about Puerto Rico last night," Archer said. "About how she could have opened her center there, but she chose here instead because of one vacation when she was a kid."
"Sometimes that's all it takes," Dawson said. "One moment, one place, one feeling that changes everything. Just like when I met Julie. Just like the first time you picked up a golf club."
That memory hit Archer hard. He could feel the weight of his father's old club in his hands and the perfect arc of his first real drive. The feeling that he had finally found his thing that made this world make sense.
“That’s not fair," he muttered.
"What's not fair? Reminding you that you used to love something purely for how it made you feel and not for all those trophies or rankings or titles?”
Archer stopped walking and turned to face him. "What's your point, Dawson?"
"My point is that it's time to find that feeling again, just like Luna said. Maybe that feeling's not going to be in golf but in something else. And maybe,” Dawson glanced back at Serenity, "maybe someone who understands about magic and peace would be able to help you with that."
Before Archer could respond, Dawson's phone buzzed. He checked it and grimaced. "Julie needs me back at the inn. Think about what I said, okay? And maybe try moving that shoulder a bit before it freezes completely."
As Dawson jogged away, Archer stood there at the water's edge, watching the waves roll in. Through the windows of Serenity, he could still see Luna moving around, preparing for whatever her first big day might bring. The morning sun caught her dark hair as she worked, and something in his chest tightened.
Maybe Dawson had a point.
Maybe it was time to try something different.
Maybe.
He shook his head and turned back toward the inn, one step at a time. For now, he was going to finish his morning walk, and his thoughts would have to wait. But he couldn't help glancing back one more time at the pale pink building that actually seemed to hold some possibilities.