“As many of you know, I’m Jamie Hunter and I grew up in Larkin Bay. I’ve been away for the last few years, but when I was young, I helped every year on Volunteer Day. I must admit some years when I was a teen I helped a little less willingly than others”—he paused for a moment while some of the crowd laughed, then continued with a wry smile—“but my mom and dad always made sure I did my part. And after helping again today, I can honestly say there is nothing like leaving something to make you realize how special it was. It’s true what they say; distance really does make the heart grow fonder, and now I realize those were truly the good old days.”

Kara glanced over at Jaycee and rolled her eyes. Jamie did always know how to tell a good story. If she didn’t know him so well, she might even believe all that he was saying.

Her friend smiled sympathetically back at her and then they both turned to look back at Jamie, who cleared his throat before he continued speaking. “And it wasn’t only Larkin Bay’s Volunteer Days I’ve missed since I’ve been gone. It was the people here too. I missed my parents and my bratty but equally adorable baby sister, Elizabeth, but mostly I missed the two people I was stupid enough to leave in the first place—Kara and Maeve.”

Jamie stopped for a minute to shoot a broad grin at Kara, who smiled uncertainly back at him.

“So I thought I would come up here tonight and rectify that mistake. Kara? Can you come up here and join me, please?”

Kara glanced over at Jaycee again, her eyes widening in dismay.

What’s Jamie up to?

Kara didn’t move for a long moment. Finally, a few people standing near her, friends she had known her entire life, began to clap and gently nudge her toward the stage. She reluctantly crossed the room and climbed the steps to the top riser.

“Jamie, what are you doing?” she hissed while forcing a smile to her lips.

Grinning at her, he grabbed her by the hand to pull her forward so she was standing closer to him. As Kara stared at him in disbelief, Jamie slid down to one knee and pulled a Tiffany blue ring box out of his jacket pocket.

“Kara, you were my first girlfriend,” he said into the microphone, looking up at her earnestly, “and I want you to be my last. Will you marry me?” He held out the box toward her as he winked and then grinned broadly at her shocked expression.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Kara didn’t feel like getting dressed up, but she knew it was expected of her, so she was making the effort. Unfortunately, this was the third time this week she’d searched her closet hoping to find something different from her usual uniform of jeans and T-shirts. Today, after searching through to the very back of her closet, she was rewarded when she unearthed a beautiful sweater that Mary had bought her for her last birthday.

It was a light sage, which brought out the green flecks in Kara’s eyes and, when paired with a pair of black boots and pants, gave the impression that she had cared enough to dress nicely for the evening without going too far.

It’s perfect.

“Where do you think Jamie is taking us tonight?” she asked Maeve, who looked up from the picture she was coloring and gave her mother a disinterested shrug.

Kara laughed as she watched her daughter’s actions mimic her own ambivalence. “I don’t know either,” Kara replied, crossing her arms in front of her. “But I hope he remembers you like to eat early and can’t sit still very long. If he doesn’t, both you and me are going to be cranky.”

Looking away from her daughter, she picked up her vibrating phone. She hesitated for a long moment before looking away from the screen.

Scott.

She sighed and set it back down. He had texted her a few times and called as well. He had congratulated her on her engagement and had also wanted to know if they could get together for a glass of wine or coffee.

In one of the messages, he said he wanted to make sure they remained friends.

But was that what she wanted? Just to be his friend? Could she even do that considering how he made her feel?

Kara frowned and returned to tidying up and getting ready to go out.

Perhaps spending time with Jamie will make things clearer.

When Jamie arrived, he had a box of chocolates for Kara and a tin of sparkly crayons for Maeve. They drove to the restaurant in Kara’s truck as it already had Maeve’s booster seat installed in it, and shortly after, they were all seated together at a small pizza parlor.

Dinner went smoothly as Maeve was kept busy drawing with her new crayons on the multiple paper placemats that the server continually provided. Jamie was a talented artist, something Kara had forgotten about, and as they were eating, he easily kept Maeve entertained by drawing her pictures of every animal she could dream up. His talent perhaps explained why coloring books and drawing materials of every color fascinated Maeve for long periods of time, something her nursery teachers had repeatedly told Kara was unusual for a child her age.

After dinner, they stopped at a playground to let Maeve run off some energy, and it was just after eight o’clock when they finally made their way home. Soon, an exhausted Maeve was bathed and fast asleep in bed.

“Well, that was a success,” said Kara. She brought Jamie a glass of wine from the kitchen and sat down beside him on the living room couch. “At least, it was for Maeve. Thank you for showing her such a nice evening.”

“It was fine. She’s a sweet little girl,” replied Jamie. “She takes after her mother, I guess.”

“Well, if she’s sweet, she certainly doesn’t take after her father,” Kara said, shooting him a slide glance.

“Touché,” laughed Jamie, settling back into the couch.

She smiled uncertainly back at him.

“So I guess my proposal the other night caught you off guard,” he said. “I noticed you’re not wearing the ring I gave you.”

Kara took a long sip of her wine and nodded. “Well, I must admit, I did find the whole thing confusing. You haven’t been in touch much since I got pregnant with Maeve, and now suddenly, you show up, spend a few days here with us and then propose marriage? It doesn’t make a lot of sense. What’s really going on, Jamie?” she asked.

He shrugged. “Nothing nefarious,” he replied. “I just realized that I miss living here. And I miss you. I finally realized how stupid I was to walk away from everything. Besides, I haven’t been out of touch all this time.”

“No?”

Jamie shook his head. “Every week my parents call me up and let me know what you and Maeve have been doing, and when I don’t hear anything, I call them and check up on you both. I meant what I said—I’ve realized now that what we had was pretty special all those years ago. So I decided to do now what I should have done when you first told me you were pregnant.”

Kara studied him through narrowed eyes and shifted slightly farther away from him on the couch. Jamie seemed sincere enough, but everything he was saying was so different from what he had told her all those years ago, it was hard to believe.

Before she could formulate a reply, Jamie slid over and leaned in toward her. Kara closed her eyes as he kissed her. It was a pleasant kiss—soft, tender, and not the least bit pushy. But there were also no tremors, no stars flashing, and no butterflies in her stomach.

Kara felt zip, nada, zilch—nothing when his lips touched hers.

She sighed softly and drew back. Jamie smiled at the sound and leaned in to kiss her again.

Frowning, Kara turned her head to one side, put both hands on his chest, and pushed him away. He looked up at her in surprise as she got to her feet and went to sit in an armchair across from him.

“You know, you’ve been pretty specific about what you want since you’ve been home, but you’ve never asked what I want for Maeve and me.”

Jamie looked puzzled and shifted back. “Haven’t I? Well, I suppose I’ve just assumed that what you want is a stable family for Maeve—an involved, caring father in her life, and some peace and security for you both. Am I wrong?”

“No, not really,” Kara answered, her hostility abating somewhat as she considered his words. “But Maeve and I already have a family with your parents, Mark, Mary, and Rachel. And I do well enough running the garden center, so we are financially secure,” she added, mentally crossing her fingers as she lied. She certainly didn’t want to share any of her financial worries with Jamie. “What makes you think we need you back in our lives?”

“Because I’m her father, and every child needs her dad,” he answered. “And you can’t take that away from her. We both know that wouldn’t be good for her.”

Kara’s hands clenched. “Do not tell me what’s best for her. Don’t forget, I’m the one who kept her in close contact with your family.”

“Yes, and we all appreciate that.”

“Your parents have been fabulous. Maeve couldn’t ask for better grandparents. Honestly, it’s just been you and Elizabeth who’ve made life difficult for Maeve and me from time to time.”