Page 48 of All You Need Is Love

With shaking fingers, she lifted the phone to her ear and listened to the message. “Hi, Ms. Baker, thank you for your call a few days ago.” A woman’s pleasant but tired voice echoed across the line. “I apologize that I’m just now getting back to you, but it has been a busy week. Regarding your questions, you have no need for concern. Mr. Peters is notoriously … well, even though he wrote up a few marks of concern on your file, you passed your interview just fine. I’m sending details about next steps to your email today. Thank you for your commitment to becoming a foster mom. Please let me know if you have any questions.”

Shannon couldn’t help but squeal. Three women glanced up from the garland they were twisting around the banister of the outdoor staircase. Jenna Wakefield was one of them, and after a word to the other two, she stepped away.

“Good news?”

“I didn’t bomb the interview like I thought. I’m still able to move forward so I can adopt Noah.”

“Yay!” Hopping on the balls of her feet, Jenna pulled Shannon into a quick hug. “That’s amazing. Congratulations.”

“Thank you. It’s such a relief, honestly.” Although it definitely meant a busy schedule was on her horizon. There would be classes every week she’d need to attend, a room to finish decorating, and lots of other steps that would take up her time, especially after she returned to work once school started next month.

How would she ever make time for a long-distance relationship too?

“Uh oh, what’s that frown for?” Jenna tapped a finger against her chin, her dark bangs falling across her eyes for a moment till she flipped them back.

It might feel nice to get someone else’s opinion about the whole thing and verbally process what she was feeling. Shannon nodded toward the beach. “Walk with me?”

“Of course.”

They stepped out of the courtyard, through the gate, and onto the path leading down to the inn’s private beach, where tomorrow a team of volunteers would set up chairs and anchor a simple arch to the white-brown sand several feet from the spot where the water met earth. For now, though, the beach was deserted.

Turning, they headed down the beach toward the B&B on the north side of the Iridescent Inn. Over a year ago, a developer had purchased both of the surrounding inns but eventually sold them, one to a local proprietor and the other—the Barefoot B&B—back to the town.

Jenna’s gaze fixed on the Barefoot, which grew closer with every step. “Did you hear someone bought this old place?” Even from here, the weather-worn paint and patched roof were visible. Though she hadn’t been inside, she’d heard the same earthquake that had damaged the Iridescent Inn last year had also wreaked havoc on the Barefoot B&B.

“I wonder who.”

“No one knows. It’s a regular Walker Beach mystery. I’m sure Carlotta will sniff it out soon enough, though.” Jenna stuck her hands in the back pockets of her jean shorts, her long muscular legs proof of the hours she spent surfing. “So …”

“So.” Shannon stopped. “Marshall kissed me.”

“Whoa. Details!”

With a smile that she couldn’t help, Shannon plopped down on the ground and filled Jenna in on everything that had happened.

“You’ve had a busy few days.” Picking up some sand, Jenna let it filter through her fingers before lying on her back.

Shannon laughed. “I really have.”

“So what happens now? I mean, he goes home in a few days, right? And the whole town still thinks he’s dating your sister.”

“Don’t remind me.” Shannon lay back too, and the warmth of the midday sand soaked through her clothing into her skin. “I don’t know what’s next. He might extend his trip. And I might go out for a visit. Eventually. But long term …”

“Have you talked long term?” Jenna was up on her elbow, staring down at Shannon with an arched brow. “You barely know him.”

“Not exactly.” But they hadn’t needed to say the words aloud, had they?

“Shannon. This … it feels …”

“I know.”

Shannon stared up at the clouds that had moved in. When they were really little, she and Quinn used to make a game out of finding shapes in the sky. Naturally, Quinn had always been the master, finding the best ones—elaborate elephants, graceful-looking girls in tutus, a heart within a heart.

“The clouds tell us our future, you know.”Quinn had said it in her most grown-up voice. And, no questions asked, Shannon had believed her.

Of course, now she knew it wasn’t true, but back then … she’d been sure her sister had put the clouds in the sky herself. Shannon had never been able to see what Quinn had seen anyway, but the fact Quinn insisted she saw them made them real.

“This is your first real relationship, isn’t it?” Jenna’s voice brought Shannon back to the present.

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