Would her father have approved of the bakery? Her heart said yes. Maybe the reason he’d steered her away from being a fulltime firefighter was that he knew her heart lay elsewhere. Maybe he just wanted her to follow her own dreams instead of his.

Tears spilled onto her cheeks. It was more than the amazing surprise of her dreams coming true. It was learning just how much the people of this small town cared about her. It was like a healing balm upon her heart.

And then there was Ethan—the man who orchestrated all of this. He’d shown her that she didn’t have to do things alone. It was all right to lean on others. It didn’t make you weak. It just meant you were human.

I enjoyed working with you. I’m sorry I missed seeing your expression upon finding the bakery completed. But it was time for me to head home.

I hope all of your dreams come true. You are a special person who brings happiness to those around you. I’ll miss your blueberry muffins.

Ethan

He was gone. A teardrop splashed onto the page. She never got to thank him.

More than that she never took her chance to tell him how she truly felt—how much she’d come to care for him—how much she loved him.

And now it was all a moot point.

Chapter Twenty-seven

He hadn’t wanted to leave.

But it was what Hannah wanted.

Ethan maneuvered his truck southbound along the busy highway. He’d like to say he was anxious to go home, but as he tried to think of something he’d missed about his apartment, he struggled. And then he knew what he missed—his buddies at the fire department. Though he wondered if they’d ever see him as he had been before the accident—the way the crew in Bluestar saw him.

He already missed Bluestar—especially a certain baker.

He knew if he were still on the island—if he were to see Hannah again—his resolve to leave, his determination to retake his life, would dissolve. And he would be left with questions. Could he have been a big city firefighter once more? Could he still do what was asked of him without hesitation? Or could he be happy without being a firefighter?

For most of his life, he’d prided himself on being a firefighter. Firefighting was what defined him. If he walked away from it—and it was a huge if—it had to be on his terms. He wouldn’t let an accident drive him away or let someone else choose what made him happy. Even though being with Hannah made him the happiest he’d ever been.

“You’re quiet.” His father’s voice interrupted Ethan’s thoughts. “You must be tired after all you did while you were in Bluestar.”

Ethan kept his attention on the road. “Actually, I’m not. The work was relaxing and even rejuvenating.”

“I’m glad you got a break. You’ve been through a lot this year. But you must be anxious to get back to the city and the job. I know your mother and I had the time of our lives in Europe, but I can’t wait to get back to my life.”