Handful of Heaven (16 page)

The Sunshine Café’s Reopening Day, Late August.

P
aige pushed through the swinging doors into the brand-new kitchen. The sight of her sister Amy and her husband side by side at the grill brought a smile to her face and happiness to her whole heart. “Are you ready to take a break yet, Amy?”

“Are you kidding? I’m just getting started.” She glowed in her fourth month of pregnancy, now that the tough stretch of morning sickness was past. “It looks like a full house from here.”

“I’m going to open up the patio. Customers are still arriving.” As she spoke, the bell on the front door jangled, announcing new arrivals. She swept four house salads onto her tray. Her two-caret emerald-cut diamond sparkled cheerfully in the generous sunlight from the windows, a constant reminder of Evan’s love and faith.

Life is good, she thought as she drizzled dressing on the fresh greens. She would always be grateful for the blessing of Evan’s love. She’d never been happier. She hefted the tray. “In ten more minutes, you take a break, sister dear. Or I’ll come hunt you down and make you take one.”

“Promises, promises.”

The dining room was cheerful and full of light. Families gathered together, talking and laughing and enjoying their meals. The long row of garden windows on two sides of the building gave the diners lovely views of the park across the street and of the small woods at the side of the property. It had been the right decision to rebuild, she thought as she hustled down the wide aisle. Jodi, who’d been the morning waitress for nearly twenty years and was practically family, was now set to buy the place.

“Hey, Mom. Are you sure you don’t want me to get up and help?” Alex, back from his summer as a camp counselor, looked so grownup and suntanned, even she hardly recognized him.

He grinned at her from the sunny booth where he sat with Westin, Amy’s son. They were playing a game of Battleship while devouring a platter of French fries.

Oh, it was good to have her boy back home again, even if it was for only a few days before she and Evan would be taking him to college. “Are you kidding? You just got home. Relax for a change.”

Over the din of cheerful conversations, Paige hustled down the wide aisle. Brianna was seating the Brisbane family while her twin sister rang up the Whitley family’s ticket at the front counter.

God is gracious, she thought as she served the Corey family their salads. The diner was beautiful, a new start for the building and the business, and although her life was going to take her in new directions, this place would always remind her of sweet memories. She’d grown up here, underfoot as her parents worked. Alex had grown up here, playing his electronic games in the corner or lost in a book while she ran the business.

Everything changed. That was life. And changing brought the sting of loss and the joy of new beginnings.

She promised the Corey family that their New York steaks would be coming soon. The front bell had her looking toward the door. A petite woman, slim and fashionable, stood in the light of the windows, looking too mature and confident to be her other little sister. A little girl with bountiful curls clutched her hand and gazed around wide-eyed.

Rachel! Paige was running, her heart wide open, her vision blurring. She had her sister in her arms and gave her a tight squeeze. “Oh, you’re here. What are you doing here? I can’t believe it! You look gorgeous!”

“I wanted to surprise you. Did I?” She stepped back, sun-browned and trim and happy.

Happy. Paige was so grateful for that. She’d worried so at first, when Rachel had met Jake, that he had ulterior motives for proposing marriage. But there was no mistaking Rachel’s deep contentment. She’d known Rachel was happy and that her marriage was working well, because they talked on the phone every chance they got. But there was nothing like seeing in person that it was true. Rachel had found her happily ever after.

“Jake’s on temporary duty in Afghanistan, but Sally and I decided to fly up and see the new place. Didn’t we, baby?”

“Yep.” Sally nodded, a little shy, and leaned against Rachel’s hip, a clear sign the girl had finally come to trust and love her new stepmother. “I’m real hungry. For a chocolate milkshake?”

Ah, a little niece to spoil, Paige thought. What fun. “With lots of whipped cream on top and chocolate sprinkles? Did you want to go sit with Westin, sweetie?”

“Okay.”

A squeal rang through the restaurant behind them. It was Amy, flying down the aisle to wrap Rachel into a sisterly hug. While they cried and chatted excitedly together, Paige took Sally to Alex’s table with promises to return soon. “With Tater Tots?” the little girl asked, with the cutest grin.

“Hey, beautiful,” a man’s voice murmured against her ear as she slipped Sally’s order to the wheel. “Whatcha doin’ later?”

“I’m having dinner with my handsome fiancé.”

“He’s one lucky guy. Handsome huh?”

“Very.” She turned in his arms, feeling the quiet rush of joy brimming her soul. Her dear Evan. He was her forever love. Her hero of a man. She ran her fingertips against the roughness of his jaw. Because of this good man, she knew what love really was. It was like the mountains she could see from the window, majestic and unfailing. Her life was better because of him. She was better because of him.

He took her left hand and dropped a tender kiss to her engagement ring. “How’s the new engagement ring feel?”

“Like a dream come true. I can’t believe I get to be your wife.”

“Are you kidding? I get to be your husband. December can’t come fast enough.” Evan wanted to be married to her now, but they were going to wait until all the family could be together. The boys would be home from school. Her brother would be back from active duty in the Middle East. His parents were planning to drive up from their retirement home in Scottsdale.

It was right that they say their vows before the witnesses who mattered the most, because this was it. It was forever. A once-in-a-lifetime love that he wanted to celebrate not just on their wedding day, but for every day to come. She wasn’t just the kind of woman he’d never thought he would find, but she was more wonderful than he ever could have imagined. Where once his life had been steady and predictable and his future a long vast stretch of emptiness, now there was her. And she was everything.

He brushed the hair from her eyes, so he could better look into their dazzling depths. Forever with her would not be long enough. “I know you’re busy, but we have reservations for six o’clock.”

“Jodi promised she’d take over at six.”

“That’s in five minutes from now.”

“I know. Don’t worry. I wouldn’t miss time with you for anything.” She brushed a kiss to his lips. “There’s Cal now. I see him driving up. You two go get settled, and I’ll be right out. The Coreys’ steaks are up.”

Evan. He was her life now. Paige finished her shift by serving the Coreys and made sure they had everything they needed, steak sauce and extra sour cream and refills on their drinks. Then she untied her apron, hung it in the office, and left the responsibility of the dinner rush in Jodi’s capable hands.

Her family was waiting for her. Beth, who was off tonight, had wedged into the booth at Alex’s side. They were busy talking across the table to Cal, who sat next to his father. A table had been pulled up to the corner booth, to make enough room for Rachel, who was still talking with Amy. Westin and Sally were beginning a game of Battleship.

“Right here, baby.” Evan had kept a spot for her at his side and he held out his hand, tender as he’d always been and would always be.

She settled at his side, where she would be for the rest of her life. The front bell chimed again, and it was Blake, Evan’s first son, sauntering through the doorway. He waved when he spotted them.

So much in her life was changing. Her son was a man now. The diner would be Jodi’s to run. Her sisters were married and happy. Next month she would start her first two classes at MSU in Bozeman, a thirty-nine-year-old freshman who was planning a Christmas wedding. Finally, she had her fairy-tale ending. Her happily ever after.

And all because of the man who leaned close to kiss her cheek. She shivered down to the bottom of her soul. This was simply another beginning.

The best one of all.

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