Page 38 of There’s Trouble Brewing

Applause filled the church, and so did her sense of belonging. She finally found a place where she belonged, and the desire to always be moving didn’t appeal to her anymore.

She blinked against the tears she’d told herself she wouldn’t shed. She had just one response to Mark’s bravewords, one thing she knew with certainty she had to do. She stood up and waved to everyone. “I just have to say, I’m so glad to have found all of you, to find a place where I truly belong. I’m happy to announce that I will be staying in Faith Valley permanently.”

Birdie’s clapping was fast and louder than everyone else’s. It seemed Emily had finally won the busybody over. The rest of the room caught up to her, applause like nothing Emily had ever heard. There was cheering, and there were a few tears, and she watched Mark lock eyes with her through all of it. It was the kind of belonging she’d never imagined possible, a connection and a promise and a road that now lay brightly illuminated ahead of her with Mark firmly by her side.

As the applause gradually settled down, Pastor Gary stepped forward again, his voice capturing the quieting room. “Let’s take this moment to pray, to thank God for bringing us together through adversity, and to ask for His guidance as we rebuild not just our structures but also our bonds.”

Everyone bowed their heads, and in the collective silence, Emily felt a profound sense of peace wash over her. It was as if the entire town was breathing in unison, their hearts beating as one. As Pastor Gary concluded the prayer with a gentle “Amen,” Emily squeezed Mark’s hand tighter.

After the meeting, the crowd slowly dispersed under the soft glow of the church's exterior lights, exchanging hopeful words and hearty pats on the back.

“If you need anything, just let us know,” Macy told her as she left with her boyfriend.

“Same goes for us,” Layla echoed with a smile, pulling her own boyfriend behind her.

Mark leaned over, whispering in Emily’s ear, “See? They’re all rooting for us.”

“Yeah, it feels right,” Emily whispered back, her heart swelling with pride and affection. “It feels like I’m finally home.”

“Speaking of home, I found out from Sue, who lives in the same apartment building, that it was one of the few structures that wasn’t damaged. You can stay with me at my place.” When her eyebrows rose in question, he quickly added, “I’ll sleep on the couch, and you can have the bed until you find your own place.”

“Good, we wouldn’t want tongues to wag,” she teased. “We barely got them to stop gossiping about us because of the storm.”

Mark nodded. “Exactly. We don’t need any more trouble brewing.”

“We got enough with the work ahead,” she told him with a smile.

“But it will be worth it in the end,” he told her, leaning forward and placing a kiss on her lips.

Together, they could face whatever challenges awaited with faith and love at their core—an indomitable team backed by an entire town. Their journey wasn’t just about rebuilding a place; it was about creating a life filled with laughter, love, and endless cups of coffee—a testament to resilience and community spirit.

Chapter Fourteen

The coffee shop gleamed with brand-new chairs and floors along with freshly painted walls. Every person in Faith Valley seemed packed inside, voices excitedly chatting around the cheerful decorations. A mural dominated the back wall, exploding with color, and even Mark had to admit that Macy West had done an exceptional job. He stared at it until it all blurred together, but the image held. It was a giant thank-you card to the town. There had been people painted onto it, even him and Emily, and though their backs were turned, you could see they were holding hands. He thought it might have been his favorite part of the whole shop.

And out of the corner of his eye, he saw her. Emily and her contagious, easy-going laugh that had kept him on his toes ever since the day she had walked into his life and never left. He had looked for her among the crowd earlier, wondering where she had been hiding, probably watching him get buried under all the Wests. He moved further into the space, passing under a congratulatory banner that strained at the tape holdingit in place.

Mark grabbed some streamers that had fallen and set them back where they belonged, grateful that everything was going as planned. Grateful for the kind of people who had come out for the grand opening of a coffee shop and its charity event for the local search and rescue team. He hung the last streamer and surveyed the place, his eyes moving between the mural and the guests. There were too many to count, which was good for the shop and the event but maybe not for his sanity. The noise was getting to him when he heard a cheerful voice over the chaos.

“Mark,” Layla West called as she waved and came over, dragging her boyfriend, Trevor Farland, with her. “This is so awesome. Congratulations.”

Mark smiled as he shook their hands. “Hey, you two,” he said, then, looking at Trevor, “Not busy saving lives today?”

“Not busy enough to miss this,” the local police officer replied. “Big day.”

“Best party of the year,” Layla added, her words quick and full of energy.

Emily joined them. “Glad to hear you say that.”

“Macy did that mural, right?” Layla questioned as she looked over at it.

Mark nodded. “Can’t miss it, huh?”

“It’s fantastic,” Layla praised, practically bouncing on her feet.

“You always did like my work,” Macy teased as she came up to the group with her boyfriend, Detective Grant Rogers, by her side.

“I’m just glad it all got done in time for the opening,” Emily stated with a smile.

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