Page 13 of Our Forever Moment

Of course, things hadn’t turned out the way she’d hoped.Not even close.

She remembered the day that everything had changed as clearly as if it were yesterday.It was the night of the summer solstice festival and dance.It was also her favorite night of summer, but not for the reasons everyone else had.

As the boys had gotten older, she’d gradually bowed out of attending the festivities in favor of spending the night alone.She’d sit on the deck, sipping a glass of wine and allow herself the luxury of remembering.

It was the one night a year when Maureen would allow herself to think of the life she could have had.With Adam.Deep down, she knew it wasn’t fair to her husband or her family to hold any kind of feelings for another man—or another life—at all.But she’d convinced herself that one night a year couldn’t hurt.

Until that night.

The boys had gone to the dance.Their father was late coming from the city, and Maureen had just assumed he’d go straight to the festival the way he always did.If Harold knew why Maureen preferred not to attend the summer solstice festival when she enjoyed all the others so much, he never said.But that night, instead of going straight to town, he’d come by the house.To talk.

It was over.He could no longer lead two lives, and he’d made the decision to leave her and the boys to be with his other family.

Just like that, Maureen’s world imploded, and she knew at once that she was at fault.

She’d never loved Harold the way he’d deserved.Logically or not, Maureen blamed Cedar Springs, the lake, the summer solstice festival, and the memories that she just couldn’t seem to let go for the destruction of her family.

Somehow, Ian had sensed that something was amiss and had returned early after dropping his brothers off at the dance to find her quietly crying on the deck.Her eldest son, the same age as she’d been when she’d fallen so deeply in love with Adam in that very spot, sat with her while she sobbed.

The next day, they’d packed up and returned to the city.Maybe it was to punish herself or maybe it was to protect her heart, but Maureen could never bring herself to return until recently, when Declan convinced her she couldn’t miss Mitch and Jade’s surprise wedding.

Maybe it was the love her sons had all found in the same place that held that magic for her, maybe it was just the passing of time, or maybe she just finally understood that her memories from so long ago weren’t to blame for her husband’s infidelities.Whatever it was, Maureen was long past punishing herself.

“You know what I think?”She put both hands flat on the table and looked around the room.She waited a beat before zeroing in on Jade, who’d shifted the baby to her shoulder to burp.“I think I’ve waited long enough for baby snuggles.”

A few of the women protested, but Jade dutifully handed over the baby.Maureen spent a few minutes cooing over the little girl and dropping kisses on her tiny cheeks.

“I appreciate everyone’s interest in my life,” she said when she looked up again.

“Yourlovelife.”Gwen giggled but Maureen simply shook her head and ignored her.

“Adam is an old friend, and I’m very much enjoying reconnecting with him again.I assure you all that there is nothing suspicious or odd about writing letters back and forth.Not everyone was born in a technical age.Letters are a perfectly normal way to communicate.”

“I think it’ssoromantic.”Milena sighed.“Do you think Cal would write me letters?”

“I think Cal would do whatever you asked him to,” Evie said with a laugh.“That boy is totally smitten with you.”

Milena blushed, but it was true.All her sons were completely taken with their women.It made her feel better about her own decisions that she’d somehow still managed to raise good boys, who’d turned into better men who loved their women fiercely.

“Maureen, will you tell us about him?”She turned to see Amber watching her carefully.“I mean, I know you might not want to tell the guys all the dirty details, and I’m not suggesting you tell them to us either,” she added quickly.“Unless you want to.”Again, she wiggled her eyebrows.“But maybe a few details?”

“Like how you met?”Evie asked.

“Or your first date?”Milena leaned forward.“I bet he picked you up at your front door with flowers.”

It didn’t matter how much time had passed, Maureen remembered those days as if they’d been yesterday.“We met at the summer solstice dance,” she told the girls.

“I’m sorry I’m late!”Chelsea burst into the room in a whirlwind of color and noise.She and her boyfriend Lucas were always on the move, traveling from place to place, and although the nomadic life seemed to suit her, it had also made her perpetually late to…well, everything.She bent to kiss Maureen on the cheek and fussed over baby Clara, who’d fallen asleep in her grandma’s arms.“Are we talking about the dance?”she asked as she moved away to find a seat.“I love the summer solstice dance.”

“We’re talking about the dancefortyyears ago,” Gwen said.“Maureen was about to tell us how she met Adam.”

“TheAdam?”Chelsea’s mouth dropped open.“You met him at the dance?They had that way back then?”

Maureen pressed her lips together and shot an unimpressed look at the youngest of the women.“First of all, it wasn’t quite forty years ago.And, yes.They certainly did.And just like it is now, the festival was the kick-off to summer.”

“And love.”Amber drew out the word and burst into giggles.

“Do you want to hear about how we met or not?”

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