Page 20 of Hibiscus Heights (Crown Island #4)

Grant pointed to an inlet beside it. “That’s a sweet private little beach there.”

Jen laughed. “Everyone called it Lover’s Beach.”

When Mason looked surprised, Grant said, “Ask your aunt how she knows that.”

“You went there, too.” His sister swatted him, and Daniel looked amused.

Kitty put her arms over the boys’ shoulders, pointing out landmarks as they passed.

His sister joined him at the rail. “I wonder when Mom is going to scatter Dad’s ashes?”

“Soon, I suppose.”

Jen rested her head on his shoulder. “The boys are in better spirits than I’ve seen them in a long time. You’re thinking about Nicole, aren’t you?”

Grant nodded. “Hard not to. I see her in them every day.”

“The boys are so much like her, each in their way. You gave Nicole your whole heart. She knew that.”

His gaze landed on the canvas bag that sat on a bench near their mother. “Mom said letting go doesn’t mean forgetting.”

“Maybe it’s time for a new chapter. Look at me.” She wiggled her ring finger, and the diamond sparkled in the sunshine.

“What a rock that is. Is Daniel still treating you well?”

Jen smiled, her face lighting with happiness. “Best decision I’ve ever made. Don’t be afraid to take a chance again.”

After about an hour of cruising along the coastline, Captain Craig slowed the engine, and Kitty nodded her approval.

“This is where we used to drop anchor,” Kitty said, her eyes misting.

They overlooked a pristine stretch of coastline at the far end of the reserve. The water here was a deep, clear blue, with the cliffs of Crown Island rising dramatically in the distance.

The captain glanced around. “This is a good spot. The currents here will carry far from this point.”

With the wind to their backs, Grant and his family gathered on the deck.

Captain Craig cut the engine, and the boat drifted, bobbing in the ocean. Waves lapped against the hull, and seagulls squawked overhead, just as Jock would have liked it.

Kitty opened the bag and withdrew the bronze urn. “Who would like to offer a few words of remembrance before I turn him loose?”

Her voice was steady despite the emotion in her eyes.

Jen cleared her throat. “Dad, you taught me to find beauty in nature and look for the story in everything. That gift made me who I am.” She paused, her lip quivering. “I’m writing a new play set on an island. I think you would have liked this one.”

Daniel went next, speaking of Jock’s acceptance of him and the friendship they’d forged. After Jock was too ill to take his sailboat out, Daniel and Grant would take him out when they could.

Then Mason, hesitant at first, spoke up. “Hey, Gramps. I’ll always remember fishing with you. You showed me how to be patient.” He reached for Teddy’s hand.

With a solemn expression, Teddy took his turn. “You could fix anything I broke, and you always made me laugh.”

Grant thought of the formidable man who had shaped his life.

“You pushed me hard, Dad. Sometimes in directions I wouldn’t have chosen.

But you always believed I could succeed, and with your support, I did.

Now, I’m trying to be the kind of father to my boys who gives them the will to soar, just as you did. ”

Jen rubbed his shoulder in solidarity. He put his arm around her, and they leaned together for a few moments.

“It’s time to set him free.” Kitty nodded at Grant, and he helped her lift the urn to the railing.

His mother’s last words were private, whispered before she tipped the vessel. Jock’s final remains lifted on the ocean breeze and drifted onto the waves, quickly disappearing into the sea he’d loved.

Grant closed his eyes and tipped his head back, setting Nicole free in his heart as well. A few moments later, he felt Teddy’s hand slip into his. When he opened his eyes, he saw Mason on his other side.

Teddy looked up to him. “I think Grandpa sees Mom.”

“She’s not out there,” Mason said. “I sort of wish she were. She’d like to be free.”

Feeling Nicole’s spirit surrounding and reassuring them, Grant wrapped his arms around his sons. “Her spirit is free, and I believe she and Grandpa are looking out for you two. Let’s send them our love and say a silent prayer.”

Nodding her approval, Kitty put her arm around Mason. After a few moments of silence, she nodded at the captain.

When the engine started again, a sense of lightness filled Grant. Mason and Teddy also wore peaceful expressions. It was as if Nicole had urged them on to live their lives. Perhaps it was time, although they would never forget her.

Kitty raised her face to the breeze and smiled. “I’ve made a decision you should all know about.”

“What’s that?” Jen asked.

“I’m buying a beach house here. I met with a real estate agent this morning, and she showed me a perfect place. It’s move-in ready, even though the furnishings are desperately outdated. I signed a contract right there.”

Jen looked stunned. “You’re moving to Crown Island?”

Kitty shook her hair back. “I needed a fresh start in a place I’ve always loved. I hope you’ll want to spend summers and holidays here. There’s room for all of you. I’ll keep a small condo or townhome in Tiburon to be close to these two.” She put her arms around Mason and Teddy.

Grant was surprised but pleased for her. She needed a change. “When do you close the deal?”

“In ten days. We’ll have such fun and make such lovely memories.” Kitty smiled and hugged each one.

As they cruised around the island, Kitty pointed out landmarks and shared stories from their past. “Jen, you learned to ride a bike on that boardwalk. And Grant, that’s where we used to swim.”

As she spoke with renewed excitement in her voice, he considered his mother’s words. A fresh start. Maybe that’s what he needed, too.

This holiday had already been good for the boys, taking them away from the daily reminders of what they had lost. Here on the island, they seemed carefree, more like the children they should be.

If only the boys could be like that at home in Tiburon again.

Between the mother they missed and the bullies that cast shadows over their school days, Grant suddenly questioned their environment.

It had once seemed so important to him for everything to remain exactly as it had been when their mother was alive.

That had been soothing to all of them in the first years after her death.

But now? The fresh glow on his mother’s face was genuine. He hadn’t seen that in a long time.

Teddy had been talking about Deb frequently, and even Mason seemed to have formed an attachment to her. His kids were perceptive; they recognized kindness.

As they watched the boys lean over the rail, trying to spot dolphins, Kitty asked, “Will you and the boys stay with me for the rest of the summer? There’s plenty of sights on Crown Island for you to shoot.”

That was true, and he’d planned on doing that. “What about the house in Tiburon?”

“I don’t need to finish the sorting and packing right away. Everything will still be there when the boys return for school.”

He gazed out over the sparkling water toward the colorful neighborhoods with their murals and artist colony vibe. There was plenty here he could photograph.

Nodding, he said, “We could all use some island time. I’ll help you get settled.”

A smile touched his mother’s lips. “I have just the project for you.”