Page 28 of Serenity at Seagrove
"I get that," Luna said. "You know, after my divorce, I had to figure out who I was without being someone’s wife, or someone’s therapist, or someone’s daughter. Just—who was Luna by herself?"
His paddle stilled. "I didn’t know you were married before."
"Yeah, it was very brief, right out of grad school. He was a surgeon, a very focused guy, super driven—just like I was back then." She guided her kayak around a bend. "And when things fell apart, I threw myself into work. I thought if I could fix enough other people’s problems, maybe I would fix my own."
"So you thought you could fix yourself by fixing other people?"
"Yeah, something like that."
"And did it? The helping others—did it fix things?"
"Not exactly." Luna watched the ripples spread across the water from her paddle. "It just kept me busy enough so I didn’t have to notice just how empty everything else felt. And then my grandmother got sick."
He guided them toward a small inlet where the water opened into a peaceful lagoon.
"Your grandmother from Puerto Rico?"
"No, my father’s mother—the one who left me the inheritance for Serenity. She used to say I was trying so hard to heal everyone else I had forgotten how to heal myself."
"Sounds like you had two really awesome grandmothers."
"I did. And when Grammy got sick, I finally slowed down enough to listen—to breathe. Kind of like what you’re doing now."
Archer’s paddle dipped into the water, creating a tiny whirlpool. "I’m not very good at it yet."
"Neither was I. I’m still not sometimes."
"So is that why you came here to Seagrove? To heal?"
"Partly, but also partly because I wanted to create something real, something that mattered. You know, in Austin, everything for me was about appearances, but here, I feel more honest—more like that version of myself I’ve been trying to find. I’ve been chasing the feeling I got in Seagrove as a little kid for my entire life."
"Well, there’s no pretending in Seagrove. Trust me, I’ve tried. Nobody around here will allow it."
The sun was starting to lower, casting long shadows across the marsh grass. They paddled back through the marsh, the setting sun painting the sky in shades of orange and pink. Luna felt a sense of peace, and it was a feeling she’d been chasing for longer than she cared to admit.
"Thank you for this," she said, "for showing me another side of Seagrove I didn’t even know about."
He guided his kayak alongside hers. "Well, thank you for trusting me to show it to you."
They pulled their kayaks onto the bank and then gathered their things. Luna couldn’t help but notice just how comfortable it was to do things with Archer.
"Same time next week?" Archer asked as they walked back.
"Are you suggesting we make this a regular thing?"
"Maybe," he shrugged. "Everyone needs a break from the ocean sometimes."
"Even you?"
"Especially me. I’m learning it’s okay to need things, and maybe even to want things—other than a golf club."
"So you think you need or want to kayak with me on the marsh?"
"Maybe both." His gaze held hers for a long moment before he finally looked away. "I should get going. I’ve got a very early session with the physical therapist tomorrow."
"Of course. I’ll see you in class soon.”
"Wouldn’t miss it."
