you would be too stubborn to ask for help, even when you needed it.”
Oh, Lili. She had known Juliet so well. She gave a small laugh, even as she felt more tears trickle down. “I miss her so much.”
He rubbed his thumb against her tears. “So do I. But here’s the thing. She didn’t want me to spend the rest of my life mourning her. She made me swear. She wanted more than anything for me to keep living. She hated that the damn cancer was winning but said it was more important than ever that I squeeze all the joy and happiness out of life that she would have to miss out on now. She said I owed her.”
Juliet sniffed, feeling as if her heart was going to break and overflow at the same time.
“We both owe her,” Henry said. “I fought falling in love with you. I fought it hard. I told myself your friendship was enough for me, that I wasn’t strong enough to let myself love someone again, especially after I read about what you might be facing down the road.”
She slid away from him. “I understand, Henry. I do. It’s too much.”
“I didn’t say that.” He came closer and pressed his forehead to hers, their gazes locked.
“And then I realized that your MS doesn’t matter to me. I love you and I want a life with you, no matter what.”
“You can’t be sure. We don’t know what might happen.”
“I know that whatever time I have with you will be worth anything that might come. Remember that bare patch of ground at Hidden Creek? Together, we created something amazing. Is it perfect? No. It will always have a few problem areas that will need special care. But the result is a beautiful thing that brings beauty to the world.”
Henry loved her, was willing to embrace a future with her, no matter what might come. How had she been so blessed to be loved so deeply by two wonderful men?
“You really knew, all this time.”
“I’ve been waiting for you to say something. I thought for sure you would tell me after your accident. You’re not planning on climbing any ladders again, right?”
“No. I promise. I’m a woman who learns from her mistakes.”
“Good. I hope that also means you won’t shut me out ever again.”
“Never,” she promised.
As he kissed her again while the storm raged outside and his sweet old dog stretched out in front of the hearth, joy and relief flooded through all the cold, empty places in her heart.
35
COOPER
He had a daughter.
Hours later, Cooper still hadn’t adjusted to the news. None of it felt real, like some surreal dream that came out of nowhere. He had a feeling he would be pinching himself to make sure he was awake for a long time to come.
Caitlin was his and Natalie’s, created in a moment that should never have happened but one he would never again regret. He had a child and felt as if his entire worldview had now changed.
Melody had been shocked, of course, but once that wore off, her reaction had been exactly as he’d expected, sheer delight.
“I have a niece. And it’s someone we already love,” she had exclaimed, looking dazed and happier than he’d seen her in a long time. “What an unexpected miracle.”
She was right. Finding out the truth about Caitlin felt like a gift, one last precious piece of the friend he had loved and lost. He couldn’t explain all the emotions in his chest as the reality began to filter through.
He couldn’t wait to get to know his daughter in the coming days. At the same time, his happiness in discovering his connection to her was tempered by the knowledge that in finding Caitlin, he had lost Olivia.
He had wanted to tell her his feelings earlier when they were out on the porch of Sea Glass Cottage, then had realized how totally unfair that would be to her.
She had a life in Seattle. When his own life had suddenly become so much more complicated, how could he ask her to give up everything to come back here, the place she couldn’t wait to leave?
Lightning flashed outside, followed by a clap of thunder. Normally he loved these dramatic storms over the ocean, but right now he yearned for a little calm in his world, a chance to catch his breath and figure out where to go from here.
Jock, his retired fire dog, wandered to the front door and stood beside it