Page 19 of Sea Glass Serenade

“I love you too.”

“Bye!”

“Bye, Hazel.”

The moment she hung up the phone, he felt a lump rise up in his throat. He wished he could tell her what was on his mind, but he didn’t want to ruin her happy moment. Besides, he needed to figure out how he was going to tell his family. Dropping a bomb on Hazel suddenly over the phone didn’t feel like the right way to break the news.

He closed his eyes for a few moments, and then let out a long sigh. He told himself firmly that everything was going to be all right, and that he could get through his new situation.

But I don’t know how on earth I’m going to handle this, he thought, swallowing and feeling another wave of worry.

He knew that soon, he needed to tell his family. He would need their support in the days ahead. But for the time being, he just couldn’t bring himself to do it.

He started the engine of his car, telling himself that he needed to drink some water and lie down quietly for a while. Maybe he could read a book or go for a nice walk along the beach. As tired as he was, he felt that might refresh his spirits.

He pulled out of the parking lot of the doctor’s office, feeling scared of the days ahead but keeping a tight hold on his courage. He knew that keeping his chin up was the best way to move forward in the face of what he had learned.

CHAPTER NINE

Alexis knocked her shoulder against Dean’s as they strolled down the sidewalk of Rosewood Beach’s Main Street. Around them, cozy shops were filled with customers, and the wind rustled the leaves of the small flowering trees that bordered the road.

“Penny for your thoughts.” Alexis smiled at her brother. Privately she thought that he was looking much too tired, and a little pale. There were dark circles under his eyes and his shoulders seemed to be drooping a little, which wasn’t like him. She thought to herself that he definitely needed a woman to take care of him, and she should pick up her efforts to find him a match.

Dean turned to her with a smile. “Oh, I don’t know. I’m feeling pretty tired today.”

She reached a hand out sympathetically and rubbed his shoulder. “I can imagine. Things have been nonstop since Dad died. The funeral, and then the fundraiser, and now we’re all helping out at the pub as much as we can. We could all use an extended nap. Too bad people can’t hibernate like bears.”

He laughed, and she grinned at him.

“I bet I know what you’re thinking,” she said slyly.

“What am I thinking?”

“You’re thinking we should stop at Ocean Breeze Café and get some coffee and a couple of the doughnuts they always have on hand from Seaside Sweets Bakery.”

“Wow, how did you know? I’m so glad I had that idea. I love it.” He shot her a wink, amusement glinting in his eyes.

They strolled down the sidewalk a few more yards, and then reached Ocean Breeze Café. The bell on the door jingled overhead as they stepped inside the familiar coffee shop. It smelled fragrantly of ground coffee, and Alexis took a deep breath, feeling excited about purchasing a beverage.

Dean ordered a black coffee and a lemon-filled doughnut, and Alexis ordered a honey and lavender latte along with a chocolate éclair. They took their purchases out to the little café tables that were placed on the sidewalk outside the coffee shop.

“Mm, this doughnut is heaven,” Alexis said, closing her eyes as she savored her first bite. “I’ve missed these eclairs. There’s some great food in L.A., but none of it tastes quite like this.”

Dean smiled at her. “This is probably my favorite doughnut in the world. A lemon doughnut from Seaside Sweets Bakery.”

“I wonder if that’s because we grew up with them, or because their bakery is just that good?”

“Probably both.” He chuckled.

A Jeep with the top down drove past them on the road, and Alexis noticed that the driver was an attractive young woman with strawberry-blonde hair. She made a mental note that there were even more eligible young women in Rosewood Beach than she knew about.

Dean didn’t seem to be paying any attention to the girl, even though she was driving slowly and the Jeep was a highly noticeable lime-green.

“So, Dean.” Alexis leaned forward, placing her elbows on the table as she fixed him with a serious expression. “I think that maybe you should consider stepping into the dating scene.”

Dean blinked at her, and then coughed lightly. He took a sip of his coffee, clearly avoiding answering the question.

She laughed. “You can’t avoid all these attractive women your age forever. There are so many nice women here in Rosewood Beach. Why not try going on a few dates with some of them?”

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