Chapter 51
It was the perfect spring evening to be out on the water as the sea was calm and still. The April sun had just sunk below the horizon, leaving both the clear sky streaked with shades from raspberry all the way to the darkest orange.
‘It goes like a dream,’ Noah told Walter, who was on the other end of the phone.
The boat slid across the smooth water, graceful and elegant. Its classic lines were highlighted after the lengthy refurbishment which he had taken such care to accomplish. He was immensely proud to have given the boat, his boat, a new lease of life.
‘Told you it would be smashing,’ replied his uncle.
Noah smiled. He cherished the special relationship that he and Walter had, bonded over their love of woodcraft.
Each day they grew closer but he was also grateful to have been given a second opportunity to get to know all of his family properly.
He was learning to open up a little to them and trying not to close himself off to everyone all the time.
They weren’t going to hurt him, that much he knew now.
He trusted them and would never let them down.
He could feel all the wounds of his past beginning to heal at long last.
In this new spirit, he had even made contact with Michael from the boatyard to thank him for giving him that first encouragement all those years ago. Michael had been thrilled to hear from his teenage apprentice so many years later and Noah had already sent him photos of his own renovated boat.
He was starting to allow trusted friends and family into his life now. He was growing especially close to Ben day by day. More than cousins, they were now best friends as well as custodians for the future of the Jackson family at Maple Tree Lodge.
The lodges were finished and he was proud of the work that he, Ben and Walter had put into them. He felt as if he had contributed to the history of the place that Walter had always talked so proudly about.
He could also see his future mapped out clearly for the first time in his life.
Having finally put down roots with a home of his own, he could now help plan for the future of the hotel.
There were a number of dilapidated barns around the forest that needed renovating and he and Ben had big plans for their use in the upcoming years.
Not that he was finished with boatmaking either, as Alex had asked him to make some canoes for use on the lake that summer.
Noah had even had the idea to run a couple of boatmaking courses, teaching others how to build a wooden kayak or canoe.
Just like Walter, he wanted to pass on his knowledge to others.
Every day reminded him of the power of togetherness and what could be achieved with both friendship and love.
‘I’m very much looking forward to my birthday trip on the Beth next month,’ said Walter.
‘Me too,’ Noah told him. ‘See you in a couple of weeks.’
After saying goodbye, Noah looked out to the horizon. In the far distance was the island of Jersey. He had always wanted to see the Channel Islands and enjoy their beauty. And now he had two weeks to explore them as well as the perfect companion to share it with.
‘Two cheese sandwiches, Captain,’ announced Beth, climbing up the steps from the cabin below.
‘Excellent work, Cadet,’ he replied.
‘I thought I’d been promoted to Lieutenant,’ she told him, putting the plate down next to him and snuggling into his arms. ‘Especially after last night.’
He grinned and pulled her close with his spare hand, the other on the wheel. ‘Mmm,’ he said, as she kissed him. She had made him happier than he had ever realised a person could be. He was whole, because of her love.
With Beth at his side, the future shone as brightly as the stars she so adored.
* * *
Beth looked across the sea at the kaleidoscope of colours that the setting sun had painted onto the water and sky. She didn’t think the wonder of her own planet would ever be outshone even by the other ones in the solar system.
Not that she would ever give up on astronomy, such was her love for it. And, thanks to her recent success, she didn’t need to.
The stargazing evenings were so popular that they now had waiting lists and Lily had persuaded her to put on more events each month.
She knew it benefitted the hotel, of course, but Beth had found that it was she herself who was profiting the most from the success.
She loved sharing her knowledge with anyone who was willing to listen to her.
She had spent so long feeling a failure but these days she felt buoyed up by the knowledge that she was making a difference to people’s lives.
Only the previous week, she had managed to show a sullen and disengaged teenager the Milky Way through a telescope and watched as his face had lit up, triggering many questions that he had about the universe.
She hoped it might have ignited the same spark that had lasted for her too.
It made her want to keep inspiring many more people for years to come.
Her blog was also a huge success and she was able to earn a relatively good living from it.
Not that she wasn’t happy living modestly in any case.
After all, she had everything she had ever wanted.
She had a gorgeous lodge that she shared with Noah, living amongst the Jackson family at Maple Tree Lodge, her favourite place in the world.
She had a job where she could share her love of the stars.
Best of all, Noah had shown her that she didn’t need anyone else’s love but her own. That she herself had always been her own happy ending. She’d just been too blind to see it.
Not that she wasn’t grateful to have found the man of her dreams. She woke up each day with a new sense of purpose and, with Noah’s love, she could achieve anything.
She had the love of a good man and loved him in return.
She had learnt that romance could never be perfect but with the right partner, they were a team that together would survive any storms.
She looked out, ever more entranced by the view. The expanse of the sea and the darkening sky above was magical.
Beth leant back against Noah, feeling his arms wrap around her, just as the first star appeared in the night sky.
* * *