Awarm breeze drifted across the darkened lake. Overhead, stars twinkled on a black palette that would soon be filled with bursts of color. A crowd had gathered around the lake, a boisterous mix of locals and tourists. Families clustered on blankets, and couples sprawled across the grassy lawn. Children milled around, sparklers flickering from their fisted hands.
The smell of fireworks hung in the air, bringing back memories of holidays past. Occasionally a firecracker popped and a firework or two sizzled and whistled. They were illegal, but that didn’t stop people from bringing them.
Molly spread her quilt on the grassy slope between Heather and Paul and Lia and Joey. The fireworks would begin shortly, but she had her own fireworks planned, and she could hardly wait to set them off.
“About time you guys got here.” Abby squeezed into a camp chair with Wyatt. “We had to fight the tourists off with Roman candles.”
“Thanks for saving our spot.” Gage pulled the quilt corners and eased down beside Molly.
“I’m so full,” Molly said. “Those char-grilled burgers should be outlawed.” Even now the smell of them wafting over from the picnic area made her want another.
“You only had one,” Gage said.
“Gage had three,” Noah said as Charlie flopped down beside him.
Gage ruffled his hair. “Shh. That was our little secret, big guy.”
“Must be nice.” Heather flipped her blond hair over her shoulder. “I have to watch my figure like a hawk.”
Paul drew Heather close and planted a kiss on her head. “Never mind that. I’ll do the watching.”
Lia elbowed Joey. “Men. They can eat as much as they want. It’s so unfair.”
Joey rubbed his flat stomach. “Hey, what did I do?”
Gage lit a sparkler, and it danced to life in his hands.
“I want one!” Noah reached for the stick.
Gage questioned Molly with a look and she nodded.
“Hold it over the grass, away from your body,” she said.
They were spending a lot of time together lately. Gage would come for dinner or they’d go to his house. Noah loved his property. With a pond and acres of hills, it was a little boy’s wonderland.
Gage was good with her son. Friendly, but not pushy. So authentic. And he was always good to her. Her thoughts turned to their good-night kisses, and her heart squeezed. She was falling more in love with him every day.
Last night he’d taken them out to eat to celebrate. The principal had called and it was official: Molly was the new music teacher. She settled back on her elbows, gratitude welling up in her, overflowing. Thank you, God. You’ve blessed me more than I can say.
A year ago she was a mess. A year ago she’d sat numbly through the fireworks, feeling as if she’d never be happy or whole again. Today she looked at the people God had put in her life and wondered how he’d returned her joy so quickly and completely.
“Should be a good display,” Wyatt said. “Supposedly it’s the most we’ve ever spent.”
Gage lit another sparkler and held it out beside Noah’s. “The town coffers are pretty healthy these days.”
“So are someone else’s.” Abby gave Molly a look. “What are you going to do with all those riches, Ms. Moneybags?”
“She’s already donated half of it,” Heather said.
“No, I haven’t.” She’d been thrilled to turn a hefty check over to the fire department, though. And the library.
“I was over at the firehouse yesterday,” Wyatt said. “The guys are really grateful.”
“I could never repay them for all they’ve done.”
“Well, we at the library appreciate your generosity, let me tell you. I can hardly wait to get the new genealogy wing up and running. We decided to name it after Pearl Chambers.”
“She’d definitely approve,” Heather said.
Gage met Molly’s eyes, raising his brows. He was as eager as she to share the news.
“There’s one more project I decided to fund,” Molly said.
Abby gathered her brown hair into a ponytail and slapped a band around it. “Girl, you better keep some of that money for yourself.”
“This is kind of for me too. It’s for all of us.” She looked at the girls one by one, a brow tweaked, enjoying the moment.
“What have you done?” Lia asked.
Abby narrowed her brown eyes. “She’s definitely up to something.”
“What is it?” Even the waning light couldn’t conceal Heather’s excitement.
“I just wanted to thank you girls. I never would’ve found the gold without you.”
Lia tilted her head. “Oh, honey, you don’t have to—”
“Tell us already!” Heather was ready to pop off her blanket.
Molly met Gage’s eyes, and they shared a smile. Then she looked at her friends. “Girls . . . we’re going to Hawaii.”
“What?” Heather practically screamed.
“No way,” Abby said.
“Are you serious?”
Molly pulled the brochures from her purse and handed them to the girls. “Seven days in paradise . . . I was thinking winter break just after Christmas.”
“I’m so there!” Heather said.
“Do I get to go?” Noah asked, too mesmerized by the spitting sparkler to spare a glance.
“This is just for the girls, big guy,” Gage said. “Maybe you can come to my place. We can go ice fishing on the pond.”
Noah watched his sparkler fizzle out. “Sweet!”
They’d already talked it over. Gage was planning to take some time off while she was gone.
“Charlie will be with his grandparents,” Heather said. “This is perfect!”
“And we’ll both be off school.” Lia smiled at Molly.
Heather grabbed Molly into a big hug. “I can’t believe we’re going to Hawaii!”
Lia joined in. “I can’t wait!”
“Oh, what the heck.” Abby fell onto the huddle, instigating giggles from them all.
“Thanks, Molly!”
“You girls are the best.”
“We’re going to have a great time!” Heather said. “Sun, surf, and sand.”
“I’m bringing a boatload of books,” Abby said.
Lia pulled away. “I’m going to lie in the sun and be lazy for seven days straight.”
“Go ahead and leave us,” Joey said, waving them away martyr-like.
“Don’t worry about a thing,” Paul said.
“We’ll be just fine.”
“Oh, you big babies,” Heather said, laughing. “We’ll come back rested and happy. That will be its own reward.”
A boom sounded and a flare shot up. A red starburst flared over the night sky.
“It’s starting!” Charlie bounced up and down on the blanket.
They hushed as patriotic music drifted across the lake, and another loud boom echoed through the night, a cluster of starbursts filling the sky overhead. The crowd oohed and aahed.
Gage lay back on the quilt and patted his stomach. Molly rested her head there as Noah claimed an open spot, mimicking Gage’s position, right down to the folded arms and crossed ankles.
Molly felt the booms reverberate through her body as she watched the sky fill with color. Beneath her, Gage’s taut stomach moved soothingly up and down with his steady breathing. He reached out and drew his fingers through her hair, and a shiver passed through her.
As excited as she was about the trip to Hawaii with the girls, she was even more excited about her future. About her life, right here in Smitten with the people she loved. Going away was fun, especially when the destination was paradise, but she couldn’t imagine a place she’d rather come home to. Or a man she’d rather find waiting.
She turned and found Gage looking at her, those blue eyes reflecting the colors in the sky. His lips tilted in a private smile, and she couldn’t stop one of her own. No, her treasure, the real kind, the lasting kind, was right here in Smitten.