BooksBarbecue
Back The Lighthouse
Chapters (50)
  1. PART ONE
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. 3
  5. 4
  6. 5
  7. 6
  8. 8
  9. 9
  10. 10
  11. 11
  12. PART TWO
  13. 12
  14. 14
  15. 15
  16. 16
  17. 18
  18. 19
  19. 21
  20. 22
  21. 23
  22. 24
  23. 25
  24. 26
  25. 27
  26. 28
  27. 30
  28. 31
  29. 32
  30. 33
  31. 34
  32. 35
  33. 36
  34. 37
  35. 38
  36. 39
  37. 40
  38. 41
  39. 42
  40. 43
  41. PART THREE
  42. 44
  43. 45
  44. 46
  45. 47
  46. 49
  47. 50
  48. 51
  49. 52
  50. EPILOGUE

“Speaking of which,” he added, “when do you want to head back? We can get going as soon as we’ve grabbed our bags, or we can stay another night and head off in the morning. Depends how you’re feeling?”

“I’m all right if you want to leave today,” she said.

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah. I can handle sitting in the car for a few hours.”

“I do have to make one quick stop on the way, but it shouldn’t take long, fifteen minutes or so. We’ll be back in Portland before dark.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. “Do you want to call anyone? Your phone is back at the hotel—I forgot to grab it, sorry.”

“Not right now, but thanks.”

“Not even Sam?”

Amy shook her head. “Sam’s gonna freak out when she hears about this. I’ll call her soon, but that’s a conversation I need some time to prepare for.”

He swung his arm over and gave her a hug. “Sounds like we’re in the same boat, then.”

“Yeah,” she said with a smile. “Sounds like we are.”

•••

The town square in Seabrook was cordoned off for a festival, which meant they had to be dropped on a side street two blocks away from the hotel. As soon as they were back in the lobby, there was a raucous shout and Amy was set upon by a large, redheaded, apron-clad woman.

“Jesus, Mary, and Joseph! Just look at you, all in one piece, living and breathing. What a beautiful sight!”

Amy was swallowed up in a rapturous hug before she even had a chance to speak. She looked to her dad for help.

“This is the bartender, Amy. This kind lady helped and called 911.” His voice trailed off at the mention of last night. “Sorry, I don’t think I remember your name?”

“Peggy’s the name, but don’t you go worryin’ about that. I’m just mighty relieved your precious girl is standing on her own two feet and got color back in those beautiful cheeks. I’ve been so worried, me and the entire staff.”

“I appreciate that,” Amy said. “I’m okay now.”

“Wonderful. Wonderful. And don’t concern yourselves over the room,” she added, looking at Kevin. “Everything’s been tidied up, floor mopped, good as new.”

“Thank you,” he said. “We just need to collect our belongings, then we must be moving on.”

“Of course.” Peggy fixed her eyes on Amy once more. “You be takin’ care of yourself, now. Gave your old man quite the fright.”

“I will,” Amy said. “Thank you.”