Page 28 of Wisteria Winds
“Yes, of course,” he said. “I’ve always wanted a family. But I wasn’t sure if you still… You know, with your career and on the island…”
“I do,” Danielle said, meeting his eyes. “I always assumed I’d have children one day, but my career took priority. And then my ex…” She shook her head. “Let’s just say I stopped planning for it. With him, anyway. But being here and seeing how much you care about everyone on this island and how you’ve created a community… I want to build a family with you, Bennett.”
His heart swelled. He pulled her closer, pressing a kiss to her temple.
“You’re going to be an amazing mother.”
“And you’ll be a wonderful father. Can you imagine raising little ones here on the island, surrounded by a hundred grandparents? I think we might need to get a bigger house, though. The cottage is perfect for me, but a baby?”
“Well, we could build something new or expand your place. Whatever you want.”
Danielle smiled. “We have time to figure that out.”
“Well, not as much as you think,” Bennett said. “I mean, if we’re getting married next month and starting a family soon after…”
“Hey, let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” Danielle laughed. “One major life event at a time, if you don’t mind.”
The rain started to ease slightly.
“Sounds like the storm might be passing,” Bennett said.
He made no move to get up. Spending this alone time with her was perfect, and these times together without somebody popping in were few and far between. She seemed to feel the same, curling in closer to his side.
“Oh, a few more minutes won’t hurt,” she said. “I’m comfortable right where I am.”
He tightened his arm around her, filled with a contentment that had nothing to do with where they were, but everything to do with the woman sitting beside him.
Here in this ratty construction trailer with rain drumming on the roof, he had everything he could ever want - Danielle, a plan for their future, and a certainty that no matter what storms might come, they would weather them together, side by side.
Clara stood at the edge of the water and watched as the sun rose over the Atlantic. She loved taking these early morning walks along the shore. There was something about the rhythm of the waves and the gradual lightening of the sky that gave her solace.
Two weeks had passed since her impromptu performance at the talent show. Two weeks of small, steady steps back toward the living. She’d played at three of the sunset gatherings on the beach and brought her husband’s compositions to life. She continued working with the Wisteria Philharmonic, guiding them towards greater cohesion, and she’d started working on wedding music with Danielle and Bennett, choosing pieces that would be complementary to their ceremony in the nearly completed gazebo.
The gazebo. Clara smiled when she thought of the structure taking shape over on the bluff. Despite the early rainstorm delay, Miguel’s crew had worked quickly and efficiently, and now the framework stood proud against the sky with its clean lines and graceful proportions. Yesterday, they had started installing the roof, and soon all the finishing details would transform it from a construction site into a wedding venue.
She saw some movement down the beach that caught her eye, another early riser taking advantage of a beautiful morning. Then she recognized Bennett’s frame as he jogged along the water’s edge. He waved when he spotted her and stopped as she approached.
“Good morning, Clara. Beautiful sunrise today, isn’t it?”
“Absolutely stunning,” she said, “although I didn’t expect to find the island’s owner out running at dawn. Don’t you have people to do that sort of thing for you?”
Bennett laughed. “I’ve always been an early riser. There’s something about seeing the island wake up that just centers me for the day ahead.”
Clara nodded. “The gazebo’s coming along nicely. Cecilia really added some beautiful design elements to make it elegant.”
“She has excellent taste,” Bennett said, “and a surprising knowledge of architectural details. The wedding’s in less than three weeks, you know. We moved up the date once we realized how quickly the gazebo would be completed.”
“So I’ve heard. Morty is in an absolute tizzy trying to speed up all his planning.”
“Oh, Morty exists in a permanent state of tizzy from what I’ve seen over the years,” Bennett said. “But his heart’s in the right place.”
They turned and watched a pair of sandpipers darting along the water’s edge.
“Listen, I wanted to thank you,” Bennett said, “for agreeing to play at the wedding. It means a lot to Danielle, well, to both of us.”
“Oh, it’s my pleasure. Music for a wedding should be as unique as the couple themselves, and it’s giving me a purpose.”
“You seem a little lighter these days, if you don’t mind me saying so.”
