Page 95 of When We Are Complete

Kelly

I walk slowlythrough the Founder’s Day Festival, taking in the booths and decorations, a layer of snow still dusting the ground like powdered sugar. The festival may be scaled down, but there’s a quiet buzzing through the crowd—a mixture of relief and excitement, people happy to gather together after all we’ve been through this winter.

I pause, glancing toward the lighthouse. A grin tugs at my lips, memories of that night with Jake flashing through my mind. I’ll never look at the lighthouse the same way again, not after the storm and the night we spent together.

Just as I’m reliving the memory, Dot McLellan ambles over, her tiny chandelier earrings swinging. A cloud of floral perfume reaches me before she does. “Well, Kelly, look at you! Just the girl I wanted to see.” Her voice is loud, each word drawn out.

“Hey, Dot,” I say, bracing myself.

She leans in conspiratorially. “So, I heard a little rumor about you and a certain Mr. Jake Tanner… Are you two finally official,or am I just wasting good gossip on wishful thinking?” She gives me a pointed look, one eyebrow raised expectantly.

“Dot,” I laugh, shaking my head, “it’s not as juicy as you might hope. Let’s just say life is good.”

She gasps, placing a hand on her chest. “Good? Kelly Charleston, I need more thangoodto tide me over!”

But before I can respond, the mayor’s voice echoes through the speakers, calling everyone to gather near the main stage.

“Gotta go, Dot,” I say, squeezing her arm and quickly weaving through the crowd.

Her curious eyes are on my back, but I keep walking, searching the sea of faces for Jake. Finally, I spot him near the back, standing tall in his leather jacket, the collar turned up against the chill. I make my way over, and he turns, face lighting up as he reaches for my hand. His fingers thread through mine.

Mayor Elaine Roberts stands on the main stage, her auburn hair haloing her face, voice filling the air as she talks about the spirit of Harbor’s Edge, how resilient the community has been, and how everyone came together despite the rough winter. Her words echo through the crowd, and people clap when she mentions the cleanup efforts by the Valiant Hearts and the volunteers.

“And a special thank you,” Elaine says, her voice rising above the chatter, “to Kelly Charleston, whose hard work and determination made this Founder’s Day Festival possible—even when the odds were against her.”

A sudden round of applause erupts, and my cheeks flush as people turn to look my way. The noise swells and I’m caught off guard, blinking at the crowd as they clap and cheer. Jake squeezes my hand, his grin wide and proud, lighting up his face in a way that makes my heart flip.

“You’re amazing, Kel,” he whispers. But his gaze holds mine a beat longer, a silent promise that I’m more than enough in his eyes, even without the applause.

I look up at him, my heart swelling with a sensation of wholeness.

The applause quiets and the crowd parts suddenly, a low murmur rippling through everyone. I turn to see Blake clutching her belly, her face twisted in pain. She’s gripping Ethan’s arm with her other hand, her knuckles white.

Ethan looks completely unraveled. His face is pale, eyes wide with a kind of helpless excitement I’ve never seen on him. He’s holding Blake’s arm as though it’s the only thing keeping him standing.

“Her—our—baby’s coming!” he shouts, his voice a mix of joy and pure panic. His gaze darts around the crowd, as if he’s hoping someone else might know what to do, and his free hand rakes through his hair, leaving it a mess.

Blake lets out a breathless laugh, squeezing his arm. “Ethan, chill. Breathe. I’ve got this.We’vegot this.”

But he just nods, laughing and tearing up all at once, turning to the crowd as if to reassure everyone else. “We’re having a baby, everybody! Our daughter! She’s coming!”

Jake squeezes my hand as Ethan wraps an arm around Blake, helping her navigate through the throng of onlookers toward his truck.

“Good luck!” I call out, waving at them as they head off, Blake throwing me a thumbs-up.

Jake wraps his arms around me and looks down, his eyes so soft. “You know, I hope that might be us one day. Maybe we can give Adele a little brother or sister.”

The words hit me with a surprising surge of emotion, and I find myself picturing it—a tiny bundle cradled between us, Adele taking a turn to hold the baby, Jake beside me, his hand in mine.My heart expands in my chest, and I reach up to pull him into a soft kiss.

“That sounds like a beautiful dream.” The two of us, building a life together, a family that’s ours.

Before I can say anything more, a frail but familiar voice pipes up behind me. “Kelly?”

I turn, and there’s Mrs. Fraser, the elderly lady who used to live on the same street as my family, the same one who overheard me talking to Mom. Her eyes crinkle, her mouth widening in a toothy smile as she reaches out to clasp my hands.

“Mrs. Fraser! Oh, it’s nice to see you again.”

She squeezes my hands with a surprising strength, peering at me over her glasses. “I’ve been looking for you all over, young lady. I had to tell you something, but you left so fast when I ran into you at your old house.”

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