Page 45 of Easton Island: A Wedding to Remember

Instead of making their way toward the ferry, Wyatt veered off along one of the smaller side docks. He stopped in front of a catamaran anchored a few feet away.

A couple in their forties, if Morgan had to guess, greeted them and invited them to board.

Clearly, Wyatt knew the couple, calling them by name and introducing them to her.

“You remember the tips I gave you earlier,” the man said.

“Every one of them.” Wyatt tapped the side of his forehead. “We’ll be back in a couple of hours.”

“No rush. Take your time.” Working together, the couple untied the boat from the docking posts and gave the vessel a firm nudge out into the open water.

Morgan waited until they were on their way. “Our date night is a boat ride?”

“Not just any boat ride, but a dinner cruise. Aiden owed me a favor. I figured a romantic dinner on the water would be the perfect way to spend our evening.”

Morgan quietly stood by his side as he tested out the controls. The evening sun was setting, casting Easton Harbor in a soft glow. She could feel the tension leave her body, sucking in a deep breath as they put distance between them and the island.

The boat skimmed along the shoreline, and she knew exactly where they were headed. “You’re taking me past Easton Estate.”

“And a few other places that may look familiar,” he teased. Keeping one hand on the wheel, he pulled her closer. “I hope you’re not disappointed.”

“Disappointed?” She arched her eyebrow. “I love it. It’s been so long since I’ve seen the shoreline at night.”

Wyatt consulted the gauges. “According to the GPS, we’re parallel to Easton Estate. Look up toward the bluff.”

Morgan craned her neck, scouring the cliff for a glimpse of the family home. Finally, she spotted it—or, more accurately, a clear outline. It sat on top of the hill, ablaze in all its glory. “It looks so…”

“Majestic?” Wyatt prompted.

“Majestic and almost castle-like.”

“It’s an impressive place,” he said. “The estate’s beach is impressive as well.”

“Up next is Looking Glass Cottage.” Morgan eased onto the padded bench seat, her eyes glued to the shoreline, eager to see her beloved home.

Wyatt turned the wheel, bringing them closer.

“I see our beach.” Morgan pointed excitedly at her Adirondack chairs facing the water. She spotted the firepit where she and her friends had gathered only days earlier for an evening bonfire.

Sudden tears burned the back of Morgan’s eyes. She could still make out Easton Estate and see Looking Glass Cottage at the same time. “Everything I love,” she whispered.

She promptly removed her cell phone from her jacket pocket. Clicking on the camera app, Morgan zoomed in and snapped a photo of Easton Estate first and then one of Looking Glass Cottage. “It’s still a little small and far away.”

Wyatt steered the boat toward the shoreline. “This is about as close as I can get without running aground.”

“We don’t want to do that.” Morgan was able to make out the front of the cottage, almost crystal-clear. It reminded her ofone of her mother’s paintings. She grew quiet, taking it all in. The cottage she loved. The beach she and Chester walked almost every day. Easton Estate, home to Elizabeth, a woman she loved as much as she had her mother.

“The island is magical,” she breathed. “Even though I’ve seen it before, the change in seasons makes it look different…new.”

“It has a way of drawing you in,” Wyatt said. “So I did okay?”

“More than okay.” Morgan bounced on the tips of her toes and kissed his cheek. “You hit it out of the ballpark.”

“We’ll take a spin by Locke Pointe and the Lilac Inn whenever you’re ready.”

“Ready.” Morgan eased onto the seat again, soaking it all in, mesmerized by the twinkling lights dancing off the water. High above on the bluffs, the towering trees stood majestically against the setting sun.

Home.Laura’s voice echoed softly. Morgan could feel her mother’s presence so close, she could almost reach out and touch her.

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