Page 150 of The Havenport Collection

Prologue

Josh

I was pining for my wife.

It was an incredibly romantic evening. The fall air was crisp and cool, and the setting sun made Maggie’s skin glow and her green eyes sparkle. I could stare at her like this for hours. She was smiling, and her perpetually hunched shoulders had finally relaxed.

Her navy bridesmaid dress highlighted her long neck, and I yearned to drop a kiss on her collarbone. There had been a time in my life when I could spend hours happily exploring her body and making her laugh. Sadly, that was long ago.

She carried the weight of the world on her elegant shoulders and made it look easy.

Somehow, she juggled her career, motherhood, family, and home with the kind of grace that mere mortals dreamed of.

She did everything and was everything. And I was the schmuck who hadn’t seen it, didn’t realize until it was too late. I had ruined everything.

“The sunset is beautiful,” she said, looking out over the apple trees toward the ocean.

It was, but I couldn’t take my eyes off her.

This was the closest she had let me get to her in over a year.

I hadn’t kissed her, hadn’t held her in so long that every cell in my body ached for her.

I kicked myself for all the years I had taken her for granted, all the years I was too distracted to see what was right in front of me.

A goddess. The mother of my children. My wife.

The reception was fantastic, but I expected nothing less. Havenport knew how to celebrate, no matter if it was a first birthday party, a retirement, or a wedding. We took our milestones seriously.

I wasn’t born or raised here, but I had lived here for almost eleven years.

This community had adopted me, had embraced me, and had nurtured my children.

And I was so grateful for it. For the first time in thirty-five years, I could see through all the bullshit and realize what a lucky bastard I was.

The joy of her sister’s wedding had clearly affected Maggie. She was less closed off, less defensive than usual. It was hard not to be swept up in the romance of it all. A perfect fall evening on a gorgeous farm, surrounded by friends and family.

I checked my watch. It was go time. I offered her my arm. “Care to dance, gorgeous?”

She gave me a sheepish smile and nodded.

I drew in a deep, calming breath to keep myself from outwardly celebrating this minor victory and risk scaring her off.

The dance floor was crowded with couples swaying under the lights of the old barn.

We danced, and I twirled her around, earning a few giggles.

I missed her laughter. I missed seeing her like this—eyes lit up with excitement and love.

The song ended, and she pulled back.

“One more,” I begged, refusing to release the hold I had on her.

The guitarist played the first few chords of a familiar song. “Is this…” she asked, eyes wide.

I nodded. “I made a special request.” She didn’t need to know that I’d pestered Cece for the name of her wedding band weeks ago and had emailed, begging them to learn this song and add it to their set list just to have this moment with her.

She smiled one of her big, toothy, genuine smiles. They were few and far between and had to be earned. A smile from her was evidence that I’d done well. If there was one thing I loved about Maggie, it was how she valued herself and set high standards.

I pulled her back into my arms, closer this time, and breathed in her scent.

It was clean and crisp and somehow perfectly Maggie.

She hummed along as the lead singer crooned the lyrics to “You Are the Best Thing” by Ray LaMontagne—our song.

We’d danced to it at our wedding and many times since.

Usually in our kitchen while small children clung to our legs.

I missed those moments. Feeling exhausted but still so in love. I would make it up to her—I had to.

Her eyes were closed as we moved around the dance floor, and her entire body relax in my arms. This was my moment. I carefully tucked a wisp of her raven hair behind her ear.

“I’m not giving up, Maggie,” I whispered. She tensed at my admission, but before she could go anywhere, I gently rubbed her lower back, pulling her closer.

She looked up at me, her eyes filled with confusion. “I know you’re trying, Josh, but—”

With a finger pressed to her lips, I stopped her, then took the opportunity that moment gave me to bend low and kiss her gently. The feel of her lips against mine after all this time lit me up inside like a Christmas tree.

I pulled away, enjoying the dazed expression on her face. I had to tread carefully, take things slowly, earn her trust again. Sticking my tongue down her throat in public would only hurt my chances.

“I have been trying. And I’ll keep trying. There is nothing I won’t do for you and our kids, Maggie. Nothing. I know I fucked up, and I’ll wait as long as you need. But I want you to know that I’m just getting started. I will win you back.”

Her eyes filled with tears. I hated myself for ever hurting her. The need to beat myself up in that moment was overwhelming. But I had learned in therapy to keep my focus on the future and moving on.

So I cupped her face and rubbed a thumb over her cheek.

“And when I come home, things will be so much better than they’ve ever been.

I’ve learned a lot over the last year. And I’m never going back.

I’ll never be the guy who took you for granted again, who went through the motions every day without realizing just how fucking lucky I was. ”

Her body tensed. “But Josh, so much has happened.”

I wanted to soothe it away, make everything better. But I couldn’t fix the past. I had to accept what I had done and do better.

“But this is you and me, Maggie—we are epic. Always have been. I’m ready to fight for our family. And I’ll never stop fighting for us.”