Page 32 of Serenity at Seagrove
"Sorry," Luna said, steadying herself with his arm. "I didn’t know you had come back over here. I guess I’m in a little bit of a hurry to get over to Main Street. Julie said it’s all hands on deck."
"Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go."
They walked together to the heart of town, joining the throng of residents already hard at work. Luna saw SuAnn directing traffic, a tray of sandwiches in hand. Dixie was helping sweep up glass from a broken storefront along with her husband. She was wearing one of her usual colorful outfits with hot pink capri pants and a white t-shirt that had a sequined flamingo on the front.
Luna and Archer jumped right in, helping in the efforts to clear debris and salvage what they could from the damaged shops. Luna also got to meet some people she hadn’t yet met. Janine’s husband, William, who ran marsh tours in town, introduced himself, as did both of Julie’s daughters, Colleen and Meg. Colleen had a brand-new baby, so she wasn’t able to help out too much, although she did have the baby attached to her in a sling, while her husband, Tucker, helped hang an awning that had fallen down in the winds. Meg’s husband, Christian, helped corral their daughter most of the time, while Meg handed out food with her grandmother.
Luna couldn’t believe how the community had come together so quickly, like they were one big family. Archer and Luna worked in tandem easily. They hauled a waterlogged bench out of the florist’s shop, and Luna couldn’t help but marvel at the way everyone had rallied so quickly. Nobody was a stranger today. They were just neighbors, friends, and a community united.
"Quite a sight, isn’t it?" Archer said, as if he could read her mind. He nodded toward where Tom, the once-gruff fisherman from class, was replanting flowers alongside others in the community.
"This is amazing. I’ve never seen anything like it. Everybody came together so quickly. I mean, they’re already planting flowers," Luna said.
"That’s Seagrove for you. We take care of our own."
Luna smiled. "We? So are you calling Seagrove your home again?"
He shrugged his shoulders. "I don’t know. I wouldn’t say that, necessarily. I don’t really know what the future holds at this point, but right now, Seagrove is my hometown. Always will be."
The sun started beating overhead, and it seemed like the storm from the night before hadn’t even happened. They all worked through the morning, pausing only to eat sandwiches and lemonade from SuAnn’s seemingly endless supply. By afternoon, Main Street was looking a lot more like itself—a bit battered but not broken.
As they surveyed their handiwork, Archer put his arm around Luna’s shoulders unexpectedly, a gesture that made her heart literally flutter.
"Not bad for a day’s work," he said, squeezing her gently.
She leaned in a little too much, savoring the warmth of his presence. "Yeah, not bad at all."
Around them, the town came back to life. Shopkeepers swept their stoops, and neighbors made plans for shared dinner meals as children chased each other through the streets. Seagrove, once again, had proven itself unshakable.
Standing there, surrounded by the hum of neighbors chatting, Luna realized that she had proven herself unshakable, too. With Archer by her side and this community at her back, she felt ready to weather whatever storms might come. And the fact that she was even thinking that way scared her.
* * *
Archer stood at the first tee, his hands holding the club like a lifeline. The familiar green expanse stretched out before him, but today it felt like a battlefield instead of a playground.
"Are you ready?" Luna asked softly from beside him.
He looked over at her. When she'd offered to come with him today to guide him through some breathing techniques they'd been practicing, he'd been hesitant at first. The golf course had always been his sanctuary. It was a place where he could escape the craziness of the world and focus just on the game. Bringing Luna into that space felt like a risk, like he was exposing a part of himself that he liked to keep hidden. But as he stood there, he felt the tension coiling in his shoulders like a rattlesnake. He knew he needed her steady presence more than he ever did.
"As ready as I'll ever be," he said, trying to sound lighthearted even though he didn't feel that way.
She nodded and stepped back to give him space. "Now remember, it's not about the score today. It's about finding that peaceful connection again, that joy in the game."
He took a deep breath and focused on the word joy. When was the last time he felt that on the course? Golf had always been about perfection, about pushing himself to be better, faster, stronger. But now, with the injury and the weight of uncertainty pressing down on him, he had to find joy in a different way.
He set up his shot, feeling the old familiar motions come back to him. As he drew the club back, he felt the twinge in his shoulder and his breath hitched, signaling pain.
"Breathe," Luna murmured from behind him, "just like we practiced."
He closed his eyes and focused on the rhythm of his breath—in and out, slow and steady. He pictured the tension flowing out of him like water, leaving his body. As he exhaled, he swung and felt the club connect with the ball in a satisfying thwack. The ball soared down the fairway. It certainly wasn't his farthest drive ever, but it was straighter and truer than he'd managed in months. He couldn't help himself and felt a grin tug at his lips.
"Beautiful!” Luna said. When he turned to her, he could see the pride in her eyes. "How did that feel?"
"Like a beginning," he said. "Like maybe there's still a place for me out here after all."
She reached out, her hand finding his. "There will always be a place for you, Archer. On the course, in Seagrove, and in my life."
The words hung between them. He felt his throat tighten. What did that mean, exactly?
