Maggie woke the next morning feeling happier than she had in a long time. She still had a few minutes until she needed to wake up Alex for school, so she made a pot of coffee and sat at the kitchen table to drink her first cup of the day. It may be weird to be dating her brother-in-law, but it felt right. Then she glanced at the calendar, and ice slammed into her. It was December eighteenth. This would have been her eleventh wedding anniversary. She leaned back in her chair.

How had she forgotten her wedding anniversary? She’d been busy with Dahlia’s wedding, the catering business and shopping for Christmas presents, but she’d never forgotten her anniversary before. She walked into the living room and picked up the picture of Brian and her on their wedding day. As usual, he smiled at her from inside the frame. Her eyes teared up. He’d been gone for five years. Was she forgetting him? She didn’t want to forget him. Dating Jake had seemed so natural, but was it the right thing to do?

She heard Alex moving around and set the picture back on the table.

“What’s going on, Mom? Why are you crying?”

She swiped at her tears. “It’s nothing, honey. I was just thinking about your dad. We were married eleven years ago today.”

“Oh,” he said. “Are you okay?”

She hugged him. “Yeah, I’m okay. I just miss him sometimes.”

“Me too. Well, I miss what I think it would be like to have him around.” He was quiet for a moment. “But it’s been nice to have Jake around. It’s almost like having Dad here.”

She could only nod her head for fear of breaking out in a fresh round of tears.

“Why don’t you go get ready for school? I laid your clothes out in the bathroom. How about I make pancakes today for breakfast?”

“Cool, pancakes!” He ran off down the hall.

As soon as he was out of sight, she allowed the tears to fall freely for a minute before drying her eyes and putting on a brave face for her son. She took him to school after he finished his pancakes and then went to work, intent on not thinking about her anniversary again until that night.

However, when she was alone in her office at the café, memories of Brian kept flashing into her head. She tried to focus on the next week’s staffing schedule, but it was too boring to compete with her obsessive brain. She clicked on the real estate website she’d looked at before. There had to be something else out there that wouldn’t be as expensive as the Sorensen farm. After all, she didn’t need the farmhouse, only the event space.

An abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of town caught her eye. It wasn’t as picturesque as the barn, but it could work. Maybe seeing the property would take her mind off of her wedding anniversary. On impulse, she dialed her friend.

“Hey, Gretchen, I have a favor to ask.”

“Sure, what’s up?”

“I found another property online that might work for the event center. It’s that old warehouse out on the highway. Any chance you could show it to me today?”

She held her breath as she listened to Gretchen clicking away on her computer.

“You’re in luck. It’s got a lockbox, so I don’t need to contact the owner first. Let me check my schedule.” More clicking. “I’ve got an opening in an hour. Can you meet me at my office then?”

Maggie looked around her office. Her to-do list was piling up, but she wasn’t getting much accomplished there. “Yep, I’ll see you then.”

She tried to stay on task as much as possible for the next hour, but excitement over the prospective event space kept her from fully focusing. When there were only five minutes to go until their appointment, she couldn’t wait any longer. She gathered up her belongings and informed her staff she was going out.

Gretchen drove them to the warehouse. The parking lot and exterior were bleaker than they’d appeared. The area was surrounded with empty lots and lacked charm. It also lacked any exterior scenery, so she’d only be able to have indoor events. Perhaps that was good, because she couldn’t go overboard with plans in the startup phase. Besides, maybe the inside would be better.

It wasn’t.

The windows were high off the ground and cracked, letting in very little natural light. Dirt coated the floors and walls. An odd smell permeated the building.

“What was this place?” Gretchen wrinkled her nose. “It stinks.”

“I don’t know. The listing didn’t say.” Maggie tried to ignore the odor, but Gretchen was right, the inside smelled funky. There was no real comparison to the Sorensen farm. She’d decided not to put in a backup offer on the farm property because of the high cost. Had that been a mistake? Would another comparable property ever come up?

She sighed. “Let’s go.”

Gretchen nodded and put her arm around her. “Don’t worry, something else will come up. We’ll find you the right space.”

Maggie hoped so. At least touring the warehouse had been a good diversion. She returned to work and tried to stay off the internet. She needed to keep up-to-date on café business if she ever wanted a chance to expand further into catering.

That night, after Alex was in bed, she poured herself a glass of the leftover wine from the night before and allowed her mind to wander back to Brian. She’d been thinking a lot about how she’d felt that morning. It wasn’t that she felt guilty about dating Jake. She knew Brian would want her to move on. It was just that she didn’t want to lose her memories of their time together. He’d been a big part of her life and she wanted to keep his memory alive. She looked down the hall at Alex’s closed bedroom door and smiled. Brian would always be alive through his son. She lay back on the couch. Every year since Brian’s death, their anniversary date stung, but every year it affected her less and less. Life moved on, as it should.

The phone rang. I hope that’s not Jake, she thought.

It wasn’t Jake, but even worse, it was her mother-in-law. She loved her mother-in-law, but she wasn’t sure how she was going to get through a conversation with her without breaking down.

“Hi, Maggie,” Barbara said.

“Hi.” Maggie sat up, bringing her knees to her chest.

“I was thinking of Brian today and remembering how lovely your wedding was, so I thought I’d call you. I hope you don’t mind.” She sounded teary.

“Thanks for thinking of me.” Maggie choked back her own tears. A thought struck her. What would Barbara say if she knew that Maggie and her son were dating? Would she think it odd? Had Jake already told her? She didn’t want to ask.

“I’ve been thinking about Brian a lot lately too. I miss him.” She had to reach for the Kleenex box.

“Us too.” Barbara was quiet for a moment. “Let’s talk about something happier. Are you and Alex still coming down to Portland after Christmas?”

“Yes, we’re still planning on it. Probably around the twenty-ninth. Fingers crossed nothing goes wrong at the café before then. Alex is looking forward to seeing you.”

“And how’s Jake doing? He’s sounded in good spirits when I’ve talked with him on the phone. I have to say I’m surprised that he decided to settle in Candle Beach.”

“You and me both,” Maggie said. It probably had something to do with her, but she wasn’t going to tell Barbara that. “He seems to be enjoying it here. I think he likes the small-town atmosphere after moving around so much.”

“You’re probably right. And having you and Alex around is good for him. I get the feeling he didn’t have much time for close relationships when he was in the service. It’s a hard life.”

“Yes. It is.” Maggie knew that all too well. Being a childless Army wife hadn’t made making friends easy. While she’d loved Brian, she hadn’t loved the loneliness of being away from all her family and friends. She’d never considered it from the soldier’s perspective. It must have been a lonely life for Jake too. No wonder he’d quickly become attached to small-town living.

“Maggie?” Barbara’s voice sounded hesitant.

“Yeah?”

“You know it’s okay to move on, right? Brian would have wanted you to be happy and remarry. Not only for you, but for Alex.”

Maggie had to cover the phone to blow her nose. “I know,” she said shakily.

“I’m sorry, honey, I didn’t mean to upset you. I just wanted to remind you it was okay to live again. I’ll let you go. Maybe we can talk in a few days?”

“Don’t worry about it. I’m fine. Thanks. I’ll talk to you later.”

She hung up. Her mother-in-law was right. She knew it was okay to move on, but was she ready? And did Barbara know she’d started a relationship with Jake? This was all so confusing, but she knew she’d have to figure out soon what she wanted.

* * *

After the stress of her wedding anniversary and losing out on the Sorensen farm, Maggie needed to relax a little. A girls’ night was exactly what she needed.

She waved at Charlotte and Gretchen, who were already seated in a booth at Off the Vine, the town’s wine bar. She scooted onto the seat next to Charlotte and reached for the menu. “I’m starving. Did you guys already order?”

“Not yet.” Charlotte shoved the menu at her. “We’re thinking about the stuffed mushroom caps and the fig and chèvre flatbread to start.”

“Ooh, sounds yummy.” She studied the menu. “How about the pita and hummus platter too?”

They nodded. The waitress came over and they placed their food and drink orders.

“Dahlia’s missing out,” Gretchen joked.

“Yeah, poor girl. She’s missing out on the beautiful gray weather we’re having and is stuck in sunny Jamaica.” Maggie sipped her water and made a face at the wintry weather outside the window.

“I want to honeymoon somewhere tropical.” Gretchen’s face took on a dreamy expression.

“You’ll need to get engaged first.” Charlotte winked at her.

“True.” Gretchen blushed and peeked at them over her water glass. “Parker and I have been talking about marriage lately.”

“Wow, that’s crazy. First Dahlia, now you.” Maggie shook her head.

“I’m not getting married anytime soon. We’re going to take it slow and figure out what we want out of life,” Gretchen said hastily. “We just wanted to check in with how we were feeling about our long-term relationship goals.” She turned to Maggie. “What about you and Jake? You looked like you were getting pretty cozy at Dahlia’s wedding.

It was her turn to blush. “We’ve decided to try things out between us.” She shrugged. “I don’t know if it will work or not.”

“Well, I’m glad you’re giving him a chance.” Gretchen smiled at her. “He’s a good guy—and he’s crazy about you.”

“I think he’s a good guy too.” An image of Jake playing with Alex flashed into her head. He really would be a good father. Then she stopped herself. What was she thinking? They’d only been dating for a few days and she was already imagining herself married to him? She hastily changed the subject.

“So, Charlotte, how are sales at Whimsical Delights? I refer customers there all the time to get unique souvenirs from Candle Beach.”

“Thanks.” Charlotte patted her mouth with her napkin. “Things are going better than I expected. I thought the winter season would be really slow, but sales have been steady.”

“That’s great.” Maggie sipped her drink. “Gretchen, are you and Parker going to start your real estate business soon?”

“Yes, we’re working on what we want the company to look like and where we want to focus our sales efforts. It should be up and running by early spring.” She beamed. “I’m so excited! I’m finally going to be branching out on my own.”

It was good to see her friends so happy and fulfilled, but it reminded Maggie that there was still so much she wanted to do. The café was still important to her, of course, but she was ready for a new challenge. The farm property may have already sold, but if something else came up, she knew she needed to be prepared.

“You okay?” Gretchen asked, a concerned look on her face.

Maggie focused on her friend. “Yeah, sorry, I was just thinking about the event space I wanted to purchase.”

“Sorry the farm sold. It would have been perfect.” Gretchen frowned. “I’m keeping an eye out for other properties that will work though, okay?”

“Thanks.” It didn’t hurt to keep her options open.

“Hey, did you guys hear about the bank robbery in Haven Shores today? I was down there getting some supplies for my shop and there were police cars all over near the State Street bank.” Charlotte sipped her drink.

“Yeah, one of my clients mentioned it,” said Gretchen. “Apparently one of the bank robbers shot at the police. One police officer was hit in the leg and had to go to the hospital.” She shook her head. “The robbers got away. Scary.”

Maggie’s face blanched and chills shot up her spine. It hadn’t occurred to her that Jake’s job could be dangerous. It should have, but with everything else going on in her life, it was one thing she hadn’t obsessed over. Now, the danger he could face was crystal clear. As a military wife, she’d always had it in mind that something bad could happen to her husband. After having her worst nightmares come true with Brian’s death in a war zone, could she handle worrying about Jake on a daily basis?

“Okay, now what’s wrong?” Gretchen peered into her face. “I swear, I’ve never seen you so distracted. Is this what dating does to you?”

“No,” Maggie said, more sharply than she’d intended. Charlotte stared at her with wide eyes.

She sighed. “Sorry guys. Until you mentioned that robbery, I didn’t even think about how dangerous Jake’s job is.”

Charlotte’s face fell. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t think first before I mentioned it.” She smacked her forehead with her palm. “I knew Jake had been hired by the police department here. I shouldn’t have said anything.” She looked at Maggie anxiously. “Are you okay?”

Maggie put her arm around Charlotte. “It’s not your fault. Before Brian died, I tried not to let it get to me that his job could be dangerous. I never watched the news while he was in the Middle East so it wouldn’t make me crazy with worry. And then my fears came true anyways.” Tears streamed down her face.

Charlotte pulled her close and Gretchen handed her a tissue.

“Oh, Maggie. It’s okay. Jake’s a member of the Candle Beach Police department. I don’t think dangerous things ever happen here, so you don’t need to worry.” Charlotte squeezed her shoulder as Maggie dried her tears.

She looked around the wine bar. Nobody appeared to be watching her outburst. She gulped her drink. “So you think I’m silly to worry?”

“No, not silly. But, I don’t think you need to let it affect your relationship.” Charlotte smiled at her reassuringly.

Maggie slumped down in her seat. “But how do I forget that he could be in danger every time he goes to work?”

Gretchen shrugged. “You can’t. But if you want a relationship with Jake to work, you have to accept him, job and all.”

“I don’t know if I can do that.” Maggie was quiet for a moment.

“Let’s talk about something more cheerful,” Charlotte said. “Has anyone seen that huge house going up on Alder street?”

* * *

The next night, Jake showed up at Maggie’s apartment with a bouquet of flowers for her.

“Thanks, they’re beautiful.” She sniffed the roses and disappeared inside her apartment, presumably to put them in a vase.

Jake waited outside for her, excited to go on their first real date. Her parents had invited Alex to spend the night with them, leaving her free for a dinner alone.

She returned to the door and smiled brightly at him. She wore an emerald-green sweater over a gray skirt that emphasized her curves. He wondered again how he’d been so lucky to take her out on a date.

“How does Chinese sound? There’s a place called Lu’s down the street from the B&B.” The smells coming from the Chinese restaurant tantalized him every time he walked past.

“Sounds good. I love Lu’s.” Maggie’s skirt swung with every step she took.

He held his arm out to her and she looped her arm through his.

“I feel so free. I hate the early morning shifts, but it sure is nice to have the evening off.”

The evening was chilly but clear, and they walked the half mile to Main Street. Lu’s was decked out in gaudy Christmas lights, but he had to admit the overall effect of the town’s decorating efforts was charming. He grabbed Maggie’s hand and pulled her inside the restaurant. It smelled even better inside than outside. The restaurant featured red—lots of it. Gold cats and other knickknacks smiled down on him from a ledge near the cash register.

“Maggie.” An Asian man in his sixties beamed at her. “Who’s this with you?”

She looked at Jake with uncertainty.

“This is Jake, my...uh...boyfriend. Jake, this is Mr. Lu, the owner.”

“Ah, I’m glad to meet you.” He shook Jake’s hand.

“Good to meet you too.”

Mr. Lu showed them to a small booth in the back of the restaurant. Maggie slid in on the far side and Jake took the seat across from her.

“So what’s good here?” He ran his finger down each listing on the extensive menu.

“Almost everything. I’m not a fan of the moo shu pork, but I’ve never really liked it anywhere.”

“How about getting a family-style meal? That way we get a good sampling. I’d love to find a good Chinese place up here.”

“Sounds good.” Maggie flagged down Mr. Lu and they ordered.

After ordering, they sat at the table staring at each other. Jake’s heart pounded. What if they had nothing to say to each other now that they were alone?

He searched for a topic, landing on something that was popular at work. “So did you hear about that bank robbery in Haven Shores yesterday? The station’s been abuzz about it all day. Apparently those bandits have been hitting banks up and down the coast.” He peered at Maggie, who appeared lost in thought. He waved his hand in front of her face. “Hello?”

Her eyes finally met his. “Sorry. Yes, I did hear about the bank robbery.” She didn’t say anything else, and he fought to think of another topic of conversation.

“How’s Alex?”

Her face brightened and she told him all about Alex’s latest Lego creation. He loved seeing her face light up when she spoke of her son.

Then she stopped, looking embarrassed. “Sorry. I’m boring you, aren’t I? I’ve been talking about Alex too much. We can talk about something else if you’d like. It’s been so long since I was out on a real date, I’ve forgotten how to have an adult conversation.”

He smiled. “No, it’s fine. I like hearing what he’s up to. Now that I’ve started my job, I don’t get to hang out with my little buddy as much as I’d like.”

Their food came and they dug in.

“Mmm. This is really good.” Jake shoveled fried rice into his mouth.

“Told you so.” Maggie hummed softly as she picked up chow mein with her chopsticks, eating faster than was ladylike.

He loved how comfortable she was with him. He’d been out on some dates where his companion only ate a few forkfuls of salad and then claimed they were full. Maggie wasn’t like that. Everything about her spoke of her honesty.

After dinner, they walked down to the Marina Park.

“Hard to believe this was full of tents for Dahlia’s wedding only a week ago.” Maggie grabbed his hand and led him to the swings. “This is one of my favorite places in Candle Beach. I’ve been coming here to swing since I was a baby. I love how when you swing high, you can see the ocean.”

They swung companionably for a few minutes until Maggie jumped off and beckoned for him to walk with her. “C’mon. I’ll show you another of my favorite places.”

She led him over to a bench on a hillside overlooking the water. There weren’t many other people out on this cold winter evening and all of the benches lining the hillside were empty.

They sat down and she snuggled up to him. He smiled and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “It’s beautiful here. I see why you love it so much.”

She nodded and tucked her head against his chest.

Below them, the waves crashed upon the beach, their frothy tips illuminated by the moon. The wind blew slightly, but their heavy winter coats protected them from the brunt of it. He kissed the top of her head and watched as she smiled.

She turned her head up to look into his eyes.

He leaned down and kissed her lightly. As she responded to his touch, he deepened the kiss and she wrapped her arms around his neck. He positioned his hands around her waist.

“I feel like I’m kissing a marshmallow,” he said. “This coat must be eight inches thick.”

She grinned and smacked him on the chest. “Thanks a lot.”

She leaned back on the bench and they stared out at the water together. He began to softly sing an old song that his father used to sing about a girl named Maggie. She bolted upright and stared at him like a deer caught in the headlights.

“What’s wrong?” He could hear the terror in his voice.

She averted her eyes. “It’s nothing.”

She walked away and he jogged to catch up with her. He placed his hand on her shoulder to stop her. “What is it?”

She turned and his eyes widened. Tears were falling down her face. He pulled her close, but her arms hung limply by her side.

“Maggie. Tell me.”

“Brian used to sing me that song. It was kind of our thing.”

He closed his eyes. He’d really stepped in this one. “I didn’t know. It’s something Dad used to sing to us when we were little kids.”

“It’s okay.” Her eyes were red from crying. “Things like this are bound to come up, right?” A haunted expression clouded her face. “You sounded so much like him though.”

He hugged her and this time she reciprocated his touch.

“I should get home,” she whispered. “I have to be at the café at five tomorrow morning.”

“Okay.”

They walked hand in hand back to her apartment. Something about their connection had broken.

He kissed her goodnight and she closed the door. He swiveled with his hands in his pockets. What had happened? The evening had been going well and then a simple song had derailed everything. Was Maggie over his brother? He never wanted to take Brian’s place in Maggie and Alex’s life, but he did want to forge his own place in their family. Would he ever have the chance to do that?

* * *

Maggie closed the door on Jake and slid to the floor. He must think she was crazy after she broke down from a simple song. He’d been very apologetic after she panicked, but he’d obviously been upset by her behavior.

She knew she’d overreacted, but the incident also made her worried that she wasn’t ready to date again. But she really, really liked Jake and he cared about her and Alex. It had been five years since Brian’s death. She needed to put herself out there and allow herself to love again. But with his dangerous job, could she do that?