Page 31 of Serenity at Seagrove
"I think we’ve all been there. It’s easy to get lost in our own storms."
"How do you do it?" he asked, genuinely curious. "Stay so steady, even in the midst of all this chaos?"
She traced the rim of the mug with her fingers, considering his question. "You know, I guess I’ve learned that the only way out of chaos is by going through it. That sometimes the only thing we can do is just breathe and be present—not run away, even when everything around us is falling apart."
He’d been learning that in her classes—that strength wasn’t about pushing harder, but about yielding to what was and getting through it.
"I’m starting to see that," he said softly, "though I’m not always good at it, as you can tell."
"We’re all just practicing every single day. Life is one long practice. None of us ever master it.” She set her mug down and picked up the guitar. "When I’m struggling, music helps. It gives me something to focus on, something I can channel all of that restless energy into."
She began to play a soft, haunting melody that seemed to weave itself into the rain. He watched her, mesmerized. There was just something so intimate about seeing her like this, lost in the music and unguarded. She closed her eyes and swayed like he wasn’t there, and it was one of the most vulnerable and strong things he’d ever seen.
The last notes faded away, and she looked up, meeting his gaze.
"Luna—" he trailed off, unsure of how to put whatever he was feeling into words.
She seemed to understand and set the guitar aside as she reached for his hand. It felt like an anchor in the storm. It felt like a lifeline, a tether to something real. Archer found himself tracing small circles on her palm with his thumb, marveling at the softness of her skin.
"I'm glad you're here," Luna whispered. "I didn't realize how much I needed this until now."
"Me too," Archer admitted. "I've been so used to weathering storms alone all these years that I forgot how good it can feel to have someone beside me.”
Luna's eyes met his. "We all need reminders sometimes that we're not alone, even when it feels like we are."
Suddenly, she leaned in and rested her head on his shoulder. Archer's breath caught at the way her body seemed to fit so naturally against his. He let his cheek rest against her hair, breathing in the smell of strawberries and something that was just uniquely Luna. Suddenly, he felt like he had just come home.
They sat like that for a long time, just listening to the rain and the wind, drawing comfort from each other, and Archer felt his muscles loosening, the knot of tension he'd been carrying for years falling away.
When Luna finally sat up, she had a softness in her eyes. "Thank you," she said, "for being here. For caring."
He reached up and brushed a strand of hair from her face, and his fingers lingered on her cheek.
"Anytime."
Outside, the storm continued to rage, but inside, in the cocoon of candlelight and shared understanding, they had found a different kind of peace.
CHAPTER9
The morning after the storm was bright and clear with a blue sky. Archer had gone home after the rain had stopped. Actually, it was in the wee hours of the morning, Luna supposed.
They drank tea, talked about life, and spent way too much time looking into each other’s eyes. She didn’t know what was going on, and she couldn’t think about it this morning. She was slightly embarrassed, to be honest. She had never become so close to a client, and it certainly was not something she intended to do.
Of course, Archer was not working with her for therapy. He was using her services to learn about yoga and breathing and meditation, but the lines were still blurry in her eyes. Being a professional therapist, she shouldn’t have let it go so far to where she put her head on his shoulder. What was she thinking?
Either way, she had more important things to focus on when she stepped out onto Serenity’s porch and surveyed the damage. Tree branches littered the yard, and debris from the beach had washed up nearly to the steps. But she noticed something even more important—the signs of the community coming together. She could see neighbors out in force, clearing branches and checking on each other.
"Luna!" Julie called, waving from the road. She was wearing work gloves and had a determined expression on her face. "Are you okay? How’s Serenity?"
"Still standing," Luna said, smiling. "Just needs a little cleanup. How did the inn do? And Down Yonder?"
"Same. We were lucky on both counts, but some of the shops on Main Street got hit pretty hard. We’re all heading over there to help out. Are you in?"
Luna nodded. "Yeah, let me go grab my gloves, and I’ll be there in a few minutes."
She turned back inside and nearly collided with Archer, who was somehow already at her house and carrying a stack of fallen shutters.
"Whoa, easy there."
