Page 36 of Beginnings By the Sea

Autumn cleared her throat and when I looked over at her, I could tell there was something she wanted to ask.

“What is it, Autumn?”

She tossed a first aid kit into her last gift bag and piled it with all the others. “Just curious, is all. You haven’t said much about the time you’ve been spending with your ex-husband.”

I finished filling up my last bag and just smiled at her. Autumn jerked her head over to Gina and waved a hand frantically in the air. “Why is she grinning like that? Do you know what it means?” she asked Gina.

Gina chuckled and winked over at me with playful amusement. “I think the doctor has figured out what her heart wants.”

I held up a hand, halting her. “I may know what I want, but I’m not doing anything about it until Cohen gets back in town.”

Autumn squealed and jumped to her feet. “So, you’re picking the sexy firefighter ex-husband?”

As if on cue, the door opened and there stood Miles, grinning devilishly with a pink bakery box in his hands. It was apparent he’d heard what Autumn had said. He looked around, taking in the many gift bags piled on the floor before turning back to us.

“Wow. You guys have been busy. Is this for the festival tomorrow?” I stood to join him, staring at the bakery box curiously.

“We took the afternoon off so we could prepare.” I gestured to the covered floor. “I didn’t realize how much work it would be.”

“If I’d have known you were doing that I would have helped,” he offered.

I waved him off. “It’s okay. We got it done.”

He handed over the pink bakery box and smiled. “Maybe these will help.”

I opened the box and inside were a dozen chocolate-covered cake pops. Autumn came over and smiled like a kid in a candy store when she looked at them.

Giggling, I held the box out. “Go ahead and have some.”

She snatched up two and thanked Miles at least a dozen times. Gina grabbed a couple and even I couldn’t resist. I set the box down on the front desk and bit into the chocolatey goodness, loving how the cake pop melted in my mouth.

“Thank you. This is the perfect afternoon treat.”

Miles sat down on one of the waiting room chairs and smiled. “I ran into Jensen at the marina this morning. He said you and Everleigh love cake pops. Apparently, your friend, Michelle, got you hooked on them.”

“That’s true,” I said, loving the warmth that blossomed through my chest. “What were you doing at the marina?”

He shrugged. “I was walking through town and thought I’d look at the boats. Jensen was out there getting ready to take a group of guys out fishing. He said he’s not taking long jobs again until after Everleigh has their baby.”

I nodded. “That’s right. He doesn’t want to risk not being here when the baby’s born.”

Miles’s gaze dropped to my stomach, and he smiled before meeting my eyes again. There was a time when we talked about having children, but I was too busy with work even to consider it. Now, things have changed; I would love to have a family.

“I would be the same way,” he admitted.

Autumn and Gina smiled at each other as they finished their cake pops.

“You two are more than welcome to go home,” I told them. “The bags are done and there’s really nothing left to do.”

Autumn glanced at her watch and smiled. “You don’t have to tell me twice. It’s still early in the afternoon, too. I might head out to the beach and get some sun.”

Gina chuckled and ruffled Autumn’s blonde hair. “Oh, to be young again. I’m going home to get dinner started early.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow, ladies,” I called out as they disappeared down the hall to the back door.

When I joined Miles again in the waiting room, he stood and gestured toward all the bags on the floor. “Do you need help setting up tomorrow? Luke and Noah just left to return to Boston, but I know they would’ve helped too if they were here.”

“Oh no,” I said, hating that they left without saying goodbye. “I wish I could’ve seen them one last time before they headed out.”

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