Page 84 of Meet Me at Sunset Cove

“Your father…he decided not to come home to see you compete. Said he’d show up if you made it to the championships. When you did something…worth seeing. And something in me just snapped.” Her mother’s voice grew stronger. “You deserved a better dad, Daisy. One who didn’t see you as just the sum of your accomplishments. Because no matter how hard you tried, you could never live up to his impossible standards.”

Daisy felt tears rolling down her cheeks, but she remained silent, listening.

“I couldn’t give you a better dad, but I could give you a place that felt safe and special. So I went out and bought whatever I thought we needed to create a home where you could just be you, without the pressure to achieve something great. No blueprints. No plans. Just you.”

“Mom,” Daisy whispered, her voice cracking again.

“I’ve been so proud to see you successful in your career, honey. But do you know what my favorite thing was? When you were just starting out. When you were doing that YouTube channel, helping people turn their average homes into places that felt special and safe. You were doing for others what I tried to do for you.”

Daisy was reminded of the church service Hunter had taken her to that first day they were “engaged.”Fortunately for us, God’s grace is sufficient. He doesn’t tally up our good works. He doesn’t compare them against the saints, or the celebrities, or even our neighbors. He gives life we don’t deserve, out of a love we could never earn.

Daisy wiped a tear from her cheek, her face hot and her throat thick. “I love you, Mom.”

“I love you, Daisy. All of you.”

ChapterNineteen

Get in. Eat Cake. Get out. That was the plan.

Hunter adjusted his suit as he stepped through the heavy wooden doorway of the church. Piano music sifted through the quiet crowd, drawing guests in to sit down. Hunter searched for a quick, inconspicuous path to the pews, hoping to avoid any cousins, aunts, or well-meaning friends of his mother. He just wanted to slip in unnoticed, do his duty as a son, and leave.

Evan gave him a nudge and pointed toward the front of the church. To Hunter’s horror, there was a small sign that read:Reserved for sons of the bride.

Reluctantly, Hunter followed his brothers up the long aisle.

“Don’t—” he started to say as they all filled in the pew, leaving him to sit at the end, exposed.

All right. Now all he had to do was sit here. He could do that.

A quiet female voice cut through the murmurs of the crowd. “Excuse me, I’m looking for Hunter. Does anybody know Hunter?”

He hesitated. He could just sit there. Do nothing. For all he knew, she was asking so she could kick him out. No need to draw attention.

“I’m looking for Hunter,” she said again.

He let out a heavy sigh and rose from his seat. “I’m Hunter.”

The woman, a brunette with a clipboard, let out a sigh of relief. “Oh, thank goodness. Your mom is asking for you. She’s in the bridal suite.”

Hunter exchanged glances with his brothers, a mix of surprise and apprehension on their faces.Miles gave him a slight nod, reminding him that he didn’t have to be in control. Maybe this was just one of those things he needed to trust God about.

So he followed the woman as she led him through the church, their shoes padding across the red carpeting throughout, and down into the basement, to another set of heavy wooden doors.

She knocked gently before opening them. “Ms. Sherman? I found Hunter.”

Hunter stepped into the room, his heart pounding.

The room was quiet; the music from the sanctuary faded into the distance. On one side of the room, a makeup station had been set up along a wide folding table. On the other side, a large screen closed off a portion of the space for changing. Hunter swallowed as she stepped out from behind the screen.

It had been more than ten years since he’d seen his mom. The last time had been his high school graduation. She’d come with a date, and he’d punched the guy…if he was remembering correctly. It hadn’t been his best moment. He’d been a different man then.

And she’d been a different woman.

The woman who turned to face him now wasn’t the broken, haunted figure from his memories. She looked…happy. Healthy. Her eyes held smile lines he’d never seen before. Her hair was a beautiful gray, bringing out the blue in her eyes.

Her gaze met his, and for a moment, neither of them spoke.

“You look nice, Mom,” Hunter finally managed, his voice thick with emotion.

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