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The morning sun cast a golden glow over the tranquil waters, the gentle sound of waves lapping against the shore a constant companion to the quaint boarding house nestled on the edge of the California coast. Ed and Patty moved about their morning routine with a practiced ease, the air between them filled with an unspoken love and understanding.
“Looks like we’re expecting a full house this weekend,” Patty remarked, setting a fresh pot of coffee on the stove. The aroma filled the kitchen, mingling with the salty sea breeze that drifted through the open window.
Ed, wiping his hands on a towel, glanced over the list of reservations. “Seems like word about your famous blueberry pie has traveled far and wide,” he teased, earning a light swat from Patty with her dish towel.
Their laughter was interrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps on the gravel path outside. A shadow fell across the doorway, and they turned to see a figure silhouetted against the bright morning light.
Their laughter was interrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps on the gravel path outside. A shadow fell across the doorway, and they turned to see a figure silhouetted against the bright morning light. The sun, already high in the sky, cast a golden halo around the visitor, momentarily obscuring their features and adding an air of mystery.
“Morning!” the figure called out, stepping into the threshold where the shadow gave way to reveal a man of medium build, his face weathered but friendly, with eyes that twinkled with a mixture of curiosity and something else—perhaps a hint of recognition.
“Good morning! Welcome to Seaside Haven,” Patty greeted, her innate warmth making the words more of an embrace than a mere salutation. “I’m Patty, and this is my husband, Ed. How can we help you today?”
The man removed his hat, a gesture of respect, revealing a mop of graying hair. “Name’s Thomas,” he introduced himself, his voice carrying a gentle rasp. “I was told by a passing traveler that this was the place to find rest like no other. I hope he wasn’t exaggerating.”
“Not at all,” Ed replied, stepping forward with a hand outstretched. “We do our best to make sure every guest feels at home. How long are you planning to stay with us?”
Thomas accepted Ed’s handshake, his grip firm yet friendly. “A few nights, perhaps longer. The road’s been my companion for a while, but I’ve been seeking a place to pause, reflect, and maybe find a bit of peace.”
“Well, you’ve come to the right place for that,” Patty said, leading Thomas into the main area of the boarding house. “Let me show you to your room. I think you’ll find it quite comfortable.”
As they settled Thomas into his room, a cozy space with a view of the sea that stretched endlessly toward the horizon, Ed couldn’t shake off a niggling sense of familiarity. There was something about Thomas, something in the way he carried himself, that stirred a memory just out of reach.
As the day gave way to evening, Thomas proved to be a quiet but appreciative guest, keeping to himself but always polite and considerate. Yet, Ed and Patty couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to Thomas’s visit than just a need for rest.
It wasn’t until the third night, as the stars began to pepper the dark velvet sky, that Thomas found the courage to reveal his true purpose. He found Ed and Patty sitting on the porch, watching the waves under the moonlight, and approached them with a hesitant step.
“May I join you?” Thomas asked, his voice carrying a weight that immediately caught their attention.
“Of course,” Patty said, moving over to make room for their guest.
They sat in comfortable silence, the vastness of the ocean before them a reminder of life’s endless possibilities and its unpredictable nature.
“You seem to carry a lot on your shoulders, Thomas,” Ed ventured after a while, the ocean’s rhythm encouraging honesty between them. “If you don’t mind my saying so.”
Thomas sighed, a sound of a man unburdening his soul. “I suppose I do. I’ve been many things in my life, seen many places. But it’s the paths not taken, the choices made, that weigh on me the most.”
Ed nodded, understanding more than Thomas knew. “I believe it’s never too late to find peace, to make amends for the past.”
“That’s what I’m hoping for,” Thomas admitted, turning to Ed with a look of earnest inquiry. “This place, it has a feeling of redemption about it. Did you find what you were looking for when you settled here?”
“In a way, yes,” Ed said, his thoughts drifting back to their time in Blackthorne, the challenges they faced, and the decisions that led them here. “We found a new beginning, a chance to create a life filled with the peace we sought. It wasn’t easy, but it was worth every moment. But I do want to ask… how do you know we settled here?”
Thomas seemed to hesitate for a moment, caught off guard by the question. He let out a sigh, a soft chuckle escaping him as if he found humor in his own predicament.
“I suppose it’s only fair to be honest with you,” Thomas began, setting his coffee mug aside. “My knowledge of you and Patty, and your journey here, isn’t as coincidental as I may have led you to believe.”
Ed’s interest piqued, leaning forward slightly. This was the moment the air seemed to thicken with anticipation, the ocean’s gentle roar a steady backdrop to a revelation that felt poised on the horizon.
“I’ve been…let’s say, loosely following your story for quite some time. Thomas turned to face them, the moonlight casting shadows across his face. “I’m from Blackthorne. Or at least, I was, many years ago. I knew of you, of your deeds, and the changes that came after you left.”
Patty’s hand found Ed’s, squeezing it tightly as they listened.
“I wasn’t a good man back then. Lost, you might say. But the stories that followed you, the tales of courage and change, they… they made me think. Made me want to be better,” Thomas continued, his voice barely above a whisper. “After you left Blackthorne the changes you brought about, they became somewhat legendary,” he confessed, his eyes locking with Ed’s, a mix of respect and a hint of something deeper, perhaps gratitude, shining within them. “And when I heard about Seaside Haven while I was traveling, about a couple who turned a new leaf by the ocean, it wasn’t hard to put two and two together.”
A silence settled between them, not uncomfortable, but filled with the weight of unspoken stories and shared understanding. Ed processed this, the flicker of surprise giving way to contemplation. It was a small world, indeed, if their actions in Blackthorne had rippled outwards far enough to touch this man’s life.
“Thomas, I won’t pretend to understand everything that’s led you here, but know this,” Ed said, his voice firm yet open, “Seaside Haven is a place of new beginnings, not just for Patty and me, but for anyone who needs it. If there’s redemption you’re seeking, or simply peace, you’re welcome to find it here, alongside us.”
Thomas nodded, a genuine smile breaking through, one that seemed to lighten the burden he carried. “Thank you, Ed. That means more to me than you might realize. I’m not sure what I was expecting to find when I came here, but what I’ve found is something much more profound.”
His words hung in the air and for a moment, the trio lingered in a comfortable silence, each lost in their thoughts, reflecting on the serendipitous twists of fate that had led them to this moment.
“It’s funny, isn’t it?” Thomas finally said, breaking the silence with a reflective tone. “We set out on these paths, thinking we know where we’re going, only to find the journey has its own ideas. I came here seeking quiet, perhaps a place to hide away for a while, but I’ve found… clarity, instead. A sense of direction I didn’t realize I was missing.”
Patty smiled, her eyes softening with empathy and understanding. “Sometimes, it’s the places we least expect that offer us the answers we’ve been searching for. Seaside Haven has been that place for many, a sanctuary not just from the storms of the world, but from the storms within.”
Ed nodded in agreement, his gaze shifting from Thomas to the vast, dark ocean stretching out before them.
With a gentle sigh, as if releasing the weight of years, Thomas rose from his seat. “Thank you so much for the company tonight. I think I’ll turn in now. The road still calls, but thanks to you, I’m answering it with a lighter heart.”
Thomas excused himself as the night deepened, claiming a need for rest before the long road ahead. Watching him retreat to his room, Ed and Patty exchanged a look that carried an entire conversation within it—a shared acknowledgment of the impact Thomas had made on their lives, however brief his stay.
With Thomas gone, Ed took Patty’s hand, leading her to their favorite spot on the porch. The world around them was bathed in moonlight, casting a serene glow over the sea. They settled into their chairs, the familiar comfort of each other’s presence enveloping them like a warm blanket.
“You know,” Ed started, breaking the comfortable silence, “meeting Thomas… it reminded me of how far we’ve come since Blackthorne. All the chaos, the struggles, and the choices we made to get here.”
Patty leaned her head on Ed’s shoulder, her voice soft and reflective. “It feels like a lifetime ago, doesn’t it? But I wouldn’t change a thing. Those hardships, they brought us here, to this peace, to a place where we can help others find their way, just like we did. The ocean, the boarding house…it’s out little heaven on earth.”
Ed nodded, squeezing her hand gently. “And to think, all the paths we’ve taken, all the decisions we’ve made, led us to each other, to this life. I can’t imagine being anywhere else or with anyone else but you, Patty.”
A tear glistened in Patty’s eye, caught by the moonlight. “Ed, I feel the same. Every day with you is a blessing, a reminder of what we’ve survived and what we’ve built together. Our love, this home, it’s more than I ever dreamed of.”
They fell into silence, letting the sounds of the night and the gentle caress of the ocean breeze fill the space between them. The stars overhead twinkled, a celestial tapestry that seemed to echo their thoughts and feelings—a universe of possibilities, yet here they were, exactly where they were meant to be.
Finally, Ed broke the silence, his voice barely above a whisper. “Patty, with you by my side, I feel like I can face anything. You’re my strength, my heart, my home. I love you more than words can say.”
“And I love you, Ed,” Patty replied, turning to meet his gaze, her eyes shining with love and gratitude. “Here’s to us, to our past that shaped us, and to our future, whatever new adventures it may bring. Together, we can weather any storm.”
They sat there under the stars, two souls intertwined by love and shared experiences, their hearts full of gratitude for the journey that brought them to this moment. There, on the porch, wrapped in each other’s love, the watched the world go by in perfect contentment, for this was their new adventure now-life itself.
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OFFER: A BRAND NEW SERIES AND 2 FREEBIES FOR YOU!
Grab my new series, "Guns and Justice in the West", and get 2 FREE novels as a gift! Have a look here!
Hey everyone! I hope you enjoyed my new western adventure story as well as my extended epilogue! Let me know what you think below.
Thanks for another excellent story! It’s good to have access to well written books and you never fail to provide a compelling story.
Thank you, Cheryl!
I enjoyed your new ebook.
It kept my interest. I would read late into the night.
I always know I’m going to enjoy your ebooks.
Thank you for another good read.