Page 21 of Love Takes A Tumble
"How convenient," Audrey murmured, a smile playing at the corners of her mouth.
"Very," Harrison agreed, his arm sliding around her waist. "I'll take it."
The evening settled over Palmar Island like a gentle sigh, stars appearing one by one in the darkening sky. On the wraparoundporch of the Pelican Inn, the string lights had been turned on, casting a warm glow over the gathering. Harrison sat beside Audrey on the porch swing, their shoulders touching, a simple point of connection that felt both new and somehow familiar.
Across from them, Elise and Jacob occupied the wicker chairs, wine glasses in hand. The conversation had flowed easily through dinner—served right there on the porch at Audrey's request—and now continued in the comfortable aftermath, the empty plates stacked neatly on the side table.
"I can't remember the last time we had an impromptu dinner party," Elise said, leaning back in her chair. "We should do this more often."
"Especially when there's something to celebrate," Jacob added, raising his glass in their direction.
Harrison felt a pleasant warmth that had nothing to do with the mild evening air. He'd spent the afternoon moving his things into his new room and each time they'd passed in the hallway, exchanged glances, or brushed hands, the reality of their new beginning had settled more firmly into place.
"So," Jacob said, breaking into Harrison's thoughts, "what's next for the two of you?"
Harrison glanced at Audrey, who gave him a small nod of encouragement. "Well, I've been thinking about staying on the island for a while," he said, the idea becoming more concrete as he spoke it aloud. "I was originally just passing through, but..."
"But now you have a reason to stay," Elise finished, her smile knowing.
"More than one, actually." Harrison set his wine glass down. "I've been considering getting back to what I'm good at. Working with my hands. Not firefighting, obviously, but there's plenty of old buildings on this island that could use someone who knows their way around a toolbox."
"A handyman?" Jacob asked, interest clear in his voice.
"Something like that." Harrison's gaze moved briefly to the inn's porch ceiling, to the original beadboard that had been carefully maintained over decades. "I've always appreciated a sense of community."
"Folks around here would love that," Elise said. "They're always looking for people who restore rather than rebuild."
"And what about you, Audrey?" Jacob asked. "Will you be heading back to Ohio once your novel is finished?"
Harrison felt a moment of tension, realizing they hadn't actually discussed this part yet. Everything was still so new, so fragile.
"I'm not sure," Audrey said thoughtfully, her shoulder warm against his. "I've been thinking a lot about what comes next. I still have about two months left on my stay here to finish the novel, but after that..." She paused, her fingers fidgeting slightly with the stem of her glass. "I've been considering my options."
"Options are good," Elise said diplomatically, though Harrison caught the glance she exchanged with Jacob.
"The truth is," Audrey continued, her voice growing more confident, "I didn't really have anything to go back to in Ohio. I sold my mother's house after she passed. My job at the library has already been filled. I came here to find myself, and I think..." Her hand found Harrison's, her fingers intertwining with his. "I think maybe I've found more than I was looking for."
The simple honesty of her words touched something deep in Harrison's chest. He squeezed her hand gently, a wordless affirmation.
"Well, we'd be happy to have both of you stick around," Jacob said, raising his glass again. "To new beginnings."
"And second chances," Elise added.
"And finding home in unexpected places," Audrey said softly, her eyes meeting Harrison's.
He lifted his glass with his free hand, unwilling to let go of hers. "I'll drink to that."
As the conversation shifted to lighter topics—the upcoming island festival, Elise's plans for the garden, a fishing trip Jacob was organizing—Harrison found himself settling into a sense of peace he hadn't experienced in years. Not since before his heart problems, before his retirement, before the slow unraveling of his identity that had sent him wandering.
Later, as the night deepened and Elise and Jacob excused themselves to clean up the dinner dishes, Harrison and Audrey remained on the porch swing, gently rocking in companionable silence. The distant sound of waves provided a rhythmic backdrop to their thoughts.
"Did you mean what you said?" Audrey asked finally. "About staying on the island?"
"I did," Harrison replied, his arm now draped comfortably around her shoulders. "I've been drifting for months, trying to figure out what comes next. Maybe it's time to put down some roots again."
"Because of me?" Her voice held a note of uncertainty.
Harrison considered this, wanting to give her an honest answer. "You're part of it," he admitted. "A big part. But it's also about finding something that matters again. This place, Palmar Island, it’s something special." He smiled. "And the fact that it would keep me close to you? That's not exactly a hardship."
