Page 78 of The Lighthouse at the Cove
Kaiah pulled him close, planted a quick kiss on his nose, and then loped toward the steps leading to the apartment. “See you tomorrow!” she called while pounding up the wet steps.
Reid stood in the downpour and watched her disappear, oblivious to the rain.
Chapter 19
“I can’t believe the rain finally stopped.”
Kaiah wiped the beads of sweat clinging to her forehead. She and Becca had spent the day tying up loose ends, pitching in where they could: helping vendors set up display tables, coordinating light technicians rigging the stage, answering all kinds of questions from all kinds of volunteers. She’d been moving her body a hundred miles an hour, and she was exhausted. But she scanned the market at the base of the lighthouse and grinned when she found booths filled with handmade crafts, paintings, photography, and jewelry. She took a deep inhale and nearly groaned from the aroma of cinnamon pecans mingling with buttery popcorn and freshly baked pretzels. The air felt moist and humid, leftovers from the band of showers that had made their way through. But when Kaiah peered up at the sky, she saw no evidence of the storm. Instead, the setting sun transformed the blue expanse into bands of oranges and purples melting into each other.
Becca patted Kaiah’s shoulder. “My brother was right. I usuallyhate to say it, but this time I really wanted him to be. This festival’s going to work out after all.”
The nearby stage was set and waiting for the live bands to start. Across the way, Mr. Johnson and a crew from his electrical company buzzed in and out of the lighthouse carrying bags of tools, giving Kaiah a grain of hope. Maybe, just maybe, the lighthouse would shine for the first time in decades.
“Everything looks fantastic,” Mayor Whittington said as she sidled up to them. She held up a handful of note cards. “I’m ready to start whenever y’all are.”
Becca looped her arm around Kaiah’s shoulders. “It’s going to be great.”
“I think you may be right,” Kaiah agreed.
The mayor divided a look between them. “Thank you both for making this day a reality. Truly, it’s a small miracle we’re all standing here right now.”
“It was all Kaiah’s idea.” Becca gave Kaiah’s neck a squeeze in a half hug. “Without her, this never would have happened.”
Kaiah smiled. “It’s been fun.”
The mayor’s assistant took her arm. “We should get you ready for the ceremony,” the young woman said.
“I’d better go,” the mayor told Becca and Kaiah. “I’ll see you after.”
“Miss Kaiah! Auntie!” Piper called while she and Astrid held hands and raced toward them with Becca’s parents, Blake and Sue, following closely behind them.
“Hi, Mommy!” Astrid hugged Becca’s waist.
Kaiah took Piper’s hand. “Are you two ready to see the lighthouse glow? And watch those fireworks?”
“Yes!” Piper and Astrid hollered in unison while bouncing up and down.
Becca and Kaiah shared a smile. Then Becca pointed behind Kaiah. “Look at the crowd.”
A swarm of folks had begun to gather near the lighthouse and the marketplace. The sun had dipped under the horizon, and with darkness setting in, there was a hum in the air. Everyone was waiting for the main event.
“Where’s Daddy?” Piper asked.
Kaiah stared beyond the crowd to where a fire truck was parked, but she could tell that it wasn’t from his station. “I’m sure he’ll be here soon.”
And she hoped so. She couldn’t imagine watching the opening ceremony without Reid at her side—not after all their planning. It only seemed right that they’d experience the festival together.
For the next several minutes Kaiah stood with Becca and her parents, along with Astrid and Piper, while the crowd continued to grow around the lighthouse. Darkness deepened over the cove, and the buzz of the chattering crowd, along with the tide rolling on the shore in waves, filled the air. Piper held on to Kaiah’s hand while they waited for the ceremony to begin.
Once the streetlights began to pop on one after the other, Mayor Whittington took the stage.
“Good evening. And welcome, everyone, to Coral Cove’s first Light the Dark Festival. I’m Susan Whittington, and I’m honored to be the mayor and to have the opportunity to welcome you to our festival. For the next six days we’re going to come together to celebrate our town’s rich history, and whether you’ve lived here your whole life or you’re visiting us for the first time, I’m so glad you’ve come to join us. Many years ago, this lighthouse saved the lives of a group of sailors during one fateful, stormy night...”
A hand on Kaiah’s shoulder startled her, and she turned to findReid standing behind her, clad in his uniform and wearing a wide smile.
“Reid,” she whispered. “You made it!”
“Daddy!” Piper yelled.
