Page 78 of Serenity Harbor

“I would think parking is an issue at an event like this, where everybody in town wants to be in the same place at the same time.”

“It can be,” she acknowledged.

“Let’s not add to the congestion, then. We’ll take one car. If I need to leave, I can always walk back here. It’s not that far, and it should be a nice day.”

So much for his good intentions to stay out of her way until she left. When it came to Katrina Bailey, every plan he made seemed to disintegrate.

“There. That’s the last of the supplies,” she said as she zipped up her backpack. “We’re ready whenever you are.”

“Go,” Milo said as he jumped up from the floor.

“We’re going. Don’t worry.”

Bowie didn’t miss that Katrina’s smile to his brother didn’t seem to extend to him.

* * *

ASTHELASTfloats in the parade went by, Bowie looked around, more interested in the parade watchers than he was in the actual event itself.

So this was what being part of a community meant. He saw fathers with children on their shoulders, older men helping their equally aged wives fold up blankets and lawn chairs, giggling teenage girls whispering behind their hands while a couple of guys who looked to be about sixteen casually posed with their chests out and their scrawny biceps flexed while pretending not to pay any attention to the girls.

“What do you think, Milo? How was your first parade?”

His brother lifted his gaze to Bowie at the question. He didn’t smile with his mouth, but Bowie could see happiness beaming out of his sparkling eyes. Only the most hardened of hearts could have resisted smiling back.

“That good, was it?” he asked.

Five minutes into the event, it was obvious Milo had never seen a parade before, just as Bowie had suspected. He had been hypnotized from the moment the flag had marched past, carried by a local wounded veterans group followed by the scraggly high school marching band playing “The Star-Spangled Banner,” to the last patrol car driving behind a float filled with what looked like youngsters from the local 4-H group showing off their baby goats.

For the first ten minutes or so, Milo hadn’t even budged, had sat on the curb staring with wide eyes, enraptured by the entire spectacle of a small-town parade.

Bowie’s brother hadn’t even moved when those riding the float that advertised the local grocery store started throwing out handfuls of taffy for the kids. One piece of candy even hit him in the arm, but he still didn’t pick it up until Katrina explained that the taffy was for anybody who wanted it, as long as they could move fast enough to grab the flying pieces.

He couldn’t blame Milo for not knowing what to do. What kid wakes up expecting candy to be pelted at him out of nowhere? Still, Milo didn’t race out until a sweet little girl in the group next to them brought a piece of candy over for him. Then it was a mad scramble as he filled a plastic shopping bag Katrina had thoughtfully provided.

“What about you? What did you think?” Katrina asked him. “I know as far as parades go, it’s not much, but we like it.”

“I’m glad I came,” he answered truthfully. “I would have hated to miss the riding lawn mower brigade and their fancy tricks, riding in formation. I do believe my life is complete now.”

She made a face. “Be careful. They’re always looking for new recruits.”

Before he could answer, Katrina looked over his shoulder and shrieked. He jerked around instinctively and came face-to-face with her sister, heading toward them.

Katrina rushed to Wynona and threw her arms around her as if she hadn’t seen her in months. “You’re back! I thought you weren’t coming home from Banff until next week.”

Wynona gave a rueful-sounding laugh. “You know Cade. He couldn’t bear the thought that the Haven Point Police Department might have to run crowd control without him during the busiest weekend of the year.”

“That was a short honeymoon,” Katrina said.

“I know. But he’s promised to make it up to me with a longer trip when things slow down after the first of the year.”

A honeymoon lasting less than a week wouldn’t have been nearly long enough for Bowie. He would want to keep Katrina to himself for weeks—and he had a feeling that still wouldn’t be long enough.

Maybe he would take her to some gorgeous secluded beach in Tahiti, all sun-kissed skin and lazy afternoons, or a ski lodge in the mountains, where they could hole up together while a blizzard raged outside...

Where the hell didthatcome from?

Aghast, Bowie jolted his thoughts away from that dangerous direction. He wasn’t having a honeymoon—with Katrina or anyone else. Long ago, he had figured traditional happy-ever-afters weren’t meant for guys like him.

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