He was trying to make me laugh; he succeeded. But his words turned out to be prophetic too. Because, much to my shock, there was room for Elliott and my three dead husbands. And my niece. And her three children. And the various and sundry other families who had been a part of ours. The man was not only a saint, he was also fun. He was light and free in a way I envied. He didn’t worry all the time, didn’t sweat the small stuff. He was five years my junior and mid-divorce from his high school sweetheart. He, like me, had no biological children. His wife, however, had gotten pregnant. With a baby that wasn’t his. He had his ghosts, I had mine.

Why did I throw that away? I asked myself now. I remembered something about protecting him, about saving him from me, but none of that seemed important as I felt my pulse speed up at his mere presence.

“Elliott,” I said, his name tasting like honey in my mouth. I was going for a scolding tone, but it didn’t quite take.

He stepped closer to me, and I felt a familiar thrumming in my chest that only Elliott could produce. “No. I hadn’t forgotten how beautiful you are. I just thought that I must be remembering you with rose-colored glasses. Because no one could be as beautiful in real life as I remembered you.”

I shook my head, reminding myself. I hadn’t seen him a week ago. It had been almost a year. “What are you doing here?” I asked. I knew what I wanted him to say. But how could he when I had discarded him?

He gave me his amused look, my favorite one. “Well, see, I came back here for you.”

Yes. That was what I wanted him to say. But why? Hadn’t I felt almost relieved when he left?

“But Juniper Shores Socialite said you had something going on with Father Matthew, and considering that you’re here before sunrise, I have to wonder if she might be right.”

I rolled my eyes. “Yes. I’m so glad you put serious stock in an anonymous Instagram account.”

He nodded. “It’s the only place I get my news. All facts. All the time.”

I laughed.

“So, Father Matthew?”

I put my hand to my heart. “As you can see, Father Matthew, the grumpiest, quietest man alive, and I are in the middle of a torrid affair.”

He laughed. “So that’s a no, then?”