Page 54 of April Flowers

But he was terrified that he would make a fool of himself in front of the Colemans and thus show Margot that he wasn’t good enough for her.

He was still reeling in shock that she was back in his life. He didn’t want to chase her away. Even if she planned to go back to Boston, eventually. He couldn’t think about that yet, although he had googled her flower shop, going on twenty times to learn that, yes, it was immaculate, beautiful, and award-winning. How could she give it up?

When the night in question rolled around, Avery and Noah dressed up in their best clothes and drove out to the Coleman Estate. It towered over them like a fortress. When Avery knocked on the door, she put a scowl on her face, maybe meant to announce to the Colemans that she wasn’t frightened of them.

It was no small miracle that Sam opened the door. “Welcome!” she cried. “I’m so glad you could make it.”

They were brought into the warmth of a beautiful and family-oriented home. Someone handed Noah a beer and Avery a soda. Avery was beckoned into the fold of several teenagers, all of whom were chilling in a back room, listening to music and gossiping about high school and eating pre-dinner snacks made by Estelle, the matriarch of the family). Avery didn’t glance back once at Noah, not even when one of the Colemans said, “Avery! I remember you from before you moved away. Is it good to be back?”

Noah filled his mouth with beer and turned away. He had to let her be herself. He had to let her fly.

Suddenly, Sam’s brother Charlie stood before him, introducing himself and launching immediately into a discussion about the upcoming season of March Madness. It was another miracle. Finally, someone wanted to talk to Noah about college basketball!

“My niece hates when I bring this up,” Noah said with a laugh. “I have to keep my sports love on the down-low.”

“Not around here,” Charlie promised him.

Noah fell into the conversation fluidly, his heart opening. Maybe these Colemans weren’t so bad after all.

“But Gonzaga looks great this year,” Charlie was saying, dipping a cracker into a bowl of hummus. “Who are you thinking you want to put in your bracket?”

Noah grinned. “It’s been years since somebody asked me that.”

“You should watch the games with us. My son and I get really into it.”

Noah could hardly believe it. He’d spent years on Nantucket with very few friends, nursing the wounds from his previous life.

It was like his life was opening up again.

Sam approached soon after, wearing a big smile and carrying a glass of wine. “So glad you could make it,” she said under her breath. “Avery looks good. Happier, at least a little.”

Noah followed Sam’s gaze to Avery, who was laughing at something one of the Coleman kids said.

“I hope you’re right.”

“Lillian seems better, too,” Sam said. “She’s been in the kitchen with my mother all afternoon, talking about recipes. Margot mentioned the doctor upped her medication. I hope it sticks. But I know it’s all about experimentation with these things. It’s all about looking at the long-term.”

Noah nodded, although he didn’t know anything about Lillian’s medication. “Is Margot with her?”

“She’s with my sister, Hilary,” Sam said. “They’re talking about all things wedding and flowers.”

Noah’s heart lifted. He remembered that once upon a time, he thought he and Margot would be married.

How strange to imagine that maybe, if he played his cards right, that could still happen.

Maybe.

For the briefest of moments, Noah allowed himself to imagine a future wherein he, Margot, and a baby—their baby—sat on a blanket in the sun.

He imagined Avery there, too, smiling happily and eager to help.

Don’t get ahead of yourself, Noah thought.

Noah followed Sam through the dining room to find Margot and Hilary bent over what looked to be fifteen weddingmagazines, scouring bouquets and new wedding season trends. Margot’s cheeks were pink, and she was talking animatedly, her hands waving. Hilary hung on her every word. It took Margot a full minute to realize Noah was watching her, and when she did, she put her hands on her cheeks and said, “Oh no. I probably sound insane!”

Noah’s smile hurt his face. “You sound passionate.”

Margot got up and hugged Noah as though they saw each other all the time and it wasn’t only the third time they’d met in twenty years. Noah’s heart threatened to blast straight through his shirt. He could feel all the Colemans watching them.

---