Page 25 of Serenity at Seagrove
"Speaking of romance," he nodded toward the window where he could see Luna walking past, carrying fresh flowers from the florist.
"They'd be perfect together," Julie said, "if Archer would just let himself heal."
"Give them time. Some people take a scenic route to happiness."
Julie turned to face him. "We sure didn't. We were together from the moment we met each other."
He laughed. "Well, again, I wasn't going to let you get away. I've never met a woman like you. I was just a contractor with a bunch of sawdust in my pockets and a closed inn. I knew what I had, and I was going to fight for it."
"Well, I appreciate that, honey, because the man I had before you certainly didn't," she said softly. "And you're the best thing that has ever happened to me."
"And you," Dawson said, brushing a kiss against her temple, "are the best thing that's ever happened to me and this town. You help everybody. You run the bookstore, write your own books, and you make everyone feel welcome in the process."
"Wemake them feel welcome," Julie corrected, "and that's what I love about us. We're partners in everything. I never had that before."
She didn’t like to bring up her ex-husband, Michael, that often. She couldn't even remember the last time she'd heard where he was or what was going on in his life. He didn’t have a relationship with his daughters anymore, and she knew that probably hurt them, but Dawson had stood in the gap, and they loved him with everything they had.
Dawson looked down at the stack of papers in Julie’s briefcase against the chair - her latest manuscript. "And even if I'm just a guy who brings you coffee when you're up late, you'll still love me?"
"Especially then," she smiled. "You know, between the store, the writing, and all the town events, sometimes I worry I'm spreading myself too thin."
"Well, you're amazing at all of it."
"But I never want to take us for granted," she said. "I see how Luna looks at life, like every moment is precious and every chance for a connection is important. It reminds me to slow down sometimes."
"Speaking of connections," Dawson nodded again toward the window where he could now see Archer walking past.
"He's so different around her," Julie said. "More present."
"Yeah, like he's waking up," Dawson agreed. "Reminds me of someone else who needed a second chance at happiness."
She squeezed his hand. "Everyone deserves that chance. Sometimes they just need a little help seeing it."
"Or a lot of help in Archer’s case," Dawson said, chuckling.
"Good thing we're experts at helping people find their happy endings," Julie said, standing up. "Now, help me with these books before my writing group arrives."
Dawson stood, pulling her close for a moment. "I love you, you know that?”
"I know," Julie smiled. "I love you too, even when you try to distract me from my work."
"Especially then," he echoed her earlier words, reaching for a stack of books.
* * *
Luna prepared for her first meditation workshop. The morning had brought a steady stream of curious locals, some enthusiastic and others clearly skeptical but willing to try something new. She was adjusting the last cushion when a movement caught her eye. Archer stood at the edge of the property, pretending to stretch but clearly watching. Their eyes met briefly, and then he looked away, focusing on the ocean.
"First time doing a group meditation?" Margaret asked as she sat on one of the cushions.
"In Seagrove, yes," Luna said, trying not to be obvious about her awareness that Archer was standing nearby. "I used to lead them all the time in Austin."
More participants arrived, a mix of tourists and locals. Tom, the fisherman, was there once again. As much as he complained, he seemed to be enjoying the process. Luna began the session, guiding them through some basic breathing exercises, but she noticed that Archer had moved a little closer, now leaning against a nearby tree.
"Let’s start by finding our center," she said, her voice steady. "Sometimes the hardest part of meditation is just allowing ourselves to be still."
Through the session, she kept catching glimpses of Archer’s reactions—the way he unconsciously matched their breathing patterns, how his stance would gradually relax. When she talked about finding peace in the stillness, his expression shifted to something more thoughtful.
"When we resist stillness," Luna continued, "we often resist healing. Our minds want to stay busy, to keep moving, because movement feels like progress."
