Chapters (46)
- Cover
- Other Titles
- Title Page
- Copyright
- Dedication
- Friday
- ONE
- TWO
- THREE
- FOUR
- Saturday
- FIVE
- SIX
- SEVEN
- EIGHT
- NINE
- TEN
- Sunday
- ELEVEN
- TWELVE
- THIRTEEN
- FOURTEEN
- FIFTEEN
- SIXTEEN
- SEVENTEEN
- EIGHTEEN
- NINETEEN
- TWENTY
- TWENTY-ONE
- TWENTY-TWO
- TWENTY-THREE
- TWENTY-FOUR
- TWENTY-FIVE
- Monday
- TWENTY-SIX
- TWENTY-SEVEN
- TWENTY-EIGHT
- TWENTY-NINE
- THIRTY
- THIRTY-ONE
- THIRTY-TWO
- THIRTY-THREE
- THIRTY-FOUR
- THIRTY-FIVE
- EPILOGUE
- ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The next time he talked to Finn was when he told her Kate had gone over Kakabeka Falls in a barrel. And even still she had been reluctant to come home. Maybe rightly so – he is probably the only one who is going to be happy to see her. And even part of him wishes she had decided not to come. Not because he doesn’t love her, or because he doesn’t want to see her, or even because he is worried about dealing with the inevitable twin drama. Twin drama he can handle. But the truth is, Finn’s life scares him – reminds him of something he thought he had given up, brings up a deep ache in his stomach, makes him restless in a way that he knows he does not have the luxury to be. Because Finn’s life reflects his own fears of what a life outside Thunder Bay would mean. It would mean losing the Parkers. And that isn’t something he can afford to lose.
—
Shawn hasn’t told anyone else about the job offer. Not even Katriina. There’s no reason to – he’s not considering it, not for real. Kahvila wouldn’t work without him, anyway. He’s been there so long he’s part of the recipe now: eggs, milk, salt, sugar, flour, butter, Shawn. But lately, when he’s in the kitchen elbow-deep in batter, or sitting in his office at night after everyone else has gone, he looks around and he thinks, Yes, it could work. Even Finnish pancakes would go on without him.
Katriina or Hanna could have easily run Kahvila, but Nik is old school – Shawn remains the closest thing to a son he would ever have. And back then, Shawn didn’t exactly have what one would refer to as prospects. For all of Kate’s encouragement, he had missed too much school while he was on the rails. He was working maintenance for the city when Nik offered him a job on the line, as a favour to Katriina. At the time, it seemed to him the best thing he could ever hope for.
“You can do anything you want!” Kate had told him, but Shawn didn’t know what he wanted. He only knew he wanted Katriina. It was only later – only now, really – that it even occurred to him he could want something more. If this were a movie, he would realize this and then whisk his family off to have great adventures in the city. But this is not a movie. In real life you just realize things and nothing changes.