beautiful holiday tale about love and family that would be revisited by his readers every Christmas. Early reviews were stellar, and word of mouth carried it the rest of the way.
The movie would be out in time for next Christmas.
Jane glanced at the table filled with signed copies of the book, and couldn’t help the pride and love that welled up in her chest. At times it felt like there was no room for all the love she had for him. He’d taken what could have been one of the darkest moments in her life and shined a light on all the riches hiding in the background. He made Jane see what she meant to everyone in Angel Harbor.
“Mom?” Jane turned and saw Tara rounding the corner from the café with a plate piled with goodies. “You have got to try these.”
“Mmmm.” Looking at what her daughter offered, Jane eyed the small flaky puff pastries. Pinching one in her fingers, she brought it toward her mouth. The smell of the crust, combining with garlic, wine, and beef was heady. “Is this the beef Wellington?”
“Uh-huh.” Tara nodded. “It’s so good. Taste it.”
Jane sank her teeth into the hors d’oeuvre, and felt a burst of flavor across her tongue. The seasonings were blended perfectly, the meat tender, the sauce rich and flavorful. It literally warmed her insides.
“That looks good.” Jane felt Danny’s warmth slide across her back. One of his large hands settled at her waist, while the other reached out and took a Wellington from the plate. This time, it was Danny’s turn to be impressed. She could see it with the first bite.
“Oh, wow. That’s incredible.” The bliss rolled across his face. “Please tell me there are more of those.”
Tara smiled. “Plenty. There’s enough food to feed the entire town. Twice. This is going to be an amazing party.”
Tara went off to offer her grandmother a taste, and Jane happily leaned back against the hard wall of her husband’s chest. “I’m glad she made it home.”
A snowstorm that sped across upstate New York and New England had dumped feet of snow near Tara’s small college in Vermont. “Did you think I’d let her miss this?” he asked.
“No. Thank you for making the drive.” He’d rented a big SUV to retrieve Tara and two of her friends from their snowbound dorm.
Her girl had decided against school in Dublin…for now. There was always the chance she would study abroad, or head to Europe for graduate school, but for the foreseeable future, she’d be four hours away. Tara was happy, and so was Jane.
Friends started to arrive, filling the store with all the people Jane cared about. Viti, Claire, and Gina had been the best cheerleaders. Truly, she couldn’t ask for better friends. And Tracy? Well, her old friend took Jane’s vision and made it happen. Working with Greg on the renovations, they put their heads together and created a magical space that wasn’t just about books, but about celebrating their community.
There were antique maps, framed nautical artifacts, newspaper articles, and histories of people and places that Jane had pieced together through research. She had an entire area dedicated to the indigenous tribes that lived in the area before the land was sold to Dutch and English settlers. She found great joy putting her skills as an archeologist to work in her hometown, and it didn’t escape the attention of the local university who was now sponsoring an archeology lecture series in the store every month.
“You are glowing,” Danny said, dropping a soft kiss on the side of her neck.
“It’s what happens when you’re happy, I guess.” It was the truth. Never in her life had Jane felt this content. Always on edge, wondering what bump in the road was coming next, had consumed her for so long. It was a new thing to feel such peace.
Turning her to face him, Danny leaned in for a kiss. “You look beautiful. Have I told you that?”
Jane smiled. “I think that makes an even dozen.”
Tucking her arm in his, he walked with her through the different sections. They stopped by different groups of people, the crowd that had gathered almost the same as the one from the year before—all the people who pledged to keep Harbor Books alive.
They’d put their faith in her and she wouldn’t let them down. How could she when love had her back?
Once they reached the large open space that housed the café and the children’s room, Danny handed her a