LITMIR.BIZ

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voice, a kind of exasperation. She wondered if there was an issue between her and Harry.

      But there was no time to discuss it now. The Morey family was in full action mode, Chantelle hurrying off in search of the dogs’ leashes, Daniel flinging open cupboards and pulling out bags, juice boxes, and snacks.

      Emily touched Amy’s hand across the counter. “We’ll talk later,” she said.

      Amy nodded, her expression a little downcast. Then Emily was swept up in the chaos of her family, like a tornado spinning around her pulling her in.

      “Let’s go! To the beach!”

      CHAPTER TWO

      The beach was stunningly beautiful in the sunshine. Emily could hardly believe it was so sunny at this time of year. It was as warm and bright as any summer day.

      They strolled along together, letting both the dogs off their leashes so they could run ahead and bark at the breaking waves.

      Once they’d found a good spot to settle, Daniel helped Emily down to the ground. She sat crossed-legged, her pregnant bump nestled comfortably within her legs. Chantelle bounded off, filled with exuberance for what felt like their last chance to enjoy the beach this year.

      Daniel reached over for Emily’s hand and stroked it tenderly.

      “How do you feel about my promotion?” he asked. “Are you worried about the extra hours taking me away from home?”

      “Well, how much time are we talking?” Emily asked. She was ready now to know more of the intricacies, to consider the challenges that they may face.

      “Jack opens the store at eight,” he began. “That’s not the issue, really. I’m used to early starts and it will fit in with the school run. It’s the woodworking shop that’s the bigger issue. There are times when we get a big order and not a lot of time to do it. Before, when I was just a worker, I’d be one among many and at most it would add an extra hour or two to each work day. We could share the burden. But since I’ll be the one supervising the equipment use and be solely responsible for quality assurance, I’m going to need to be on site through each order, seeing everything through to completion, just like Jack used to. You know how long the hours could get anyway. Well, now I won’t be part of the shift pattern anymore. I’ll be in charge of it, and expected to be there during the busy periods.”

      The more Daniel spoke about it, the more Emily could feel her anxiety increasing. The promotion was pretty bad timing. The thought of Daniel not being there when she went into labor worried her. And what about paternity leave? Would he even be able to get any?

      But more than her anxiety, she was bursting with happiness for him. She was also extremely proud of Daniel and didn’t want to bring down his mood in any way. He had achieved so much since she’d known him. And besides, she had Amy there to catch the slack.

      “I’m just so happy for you,” she said. “You deserve it, after all your hard work.”

      “We could certainly do with the raise,” Daniel replied, his spare hand touching Emily’s stomach gently. “Since we’ll soon have more mouths to feed.”

      Emily smiled and sighed with contentment. Despite the hardships she was facing, she was still looking forward to the future, to meeting Baby Charlotte.

      When Daniel spoke again he sounded a little melancholy. “More responsibility means more stress. I hope I still have enough energy to spend time with the kids.”

      “You’ll do amazingly,” Emily encouraged him. “I know you will.”

      Though able to play the role of supportive spouse on the outside, Emily was still quite anxious about Daniel’s changing role. He had a tendency to let stress affect him, or to feel weighed down by perceived expectation. It was something she admired in him. But it could also be to the detriment of the family, because sometimes it felt like he’d put everything else in the world first before them. It wasn’t always easy for Emily to remind herself that the very reason he sometimes put other things first was for them – for her, and Chantelle, the inn, and of course, Baby Charlotte.

      “I do wonder why Jack didn’t promote one of the others,” Daniel wondered aloud. “I’m relatively new there compared to some of the old hats.”

      “Probably because you’re young,” Emily said. “Because you’ll work hard for your family. Or maybe because he knows that you have the talent to make it on your own.”

      Daniel frowned. “What do you mean?”

      “I mean that you could easily open your own wood shop. It’s not like we don’t have the space for one on site somewhere. We could convert one of the barns, after all. And now you have tons of expertise with making furniture. I mean, you made the crib for Charlotte in your spare time and it’s phenomenal! People would pay loads for something like that, a unique crib for their baby. You only have to look at the price tag on my nursing stool to see that!” She laughed, remembering the thousands of dollars Amy had splashed out on the rocking armchair and footstool for her.

      Daniel, on the other hand, was quiet. His expression was sort of dreamy and far away.

      “What are you thinking?” Emily asked him.

      He snapped back to attention. “I’m just thinking that you might be right about Jack promoting me to keep me there instead of losing me.”

      “Might be right?” Emily joked. “I’m definitely right! You could run a bespoke kids’ furniture business. Or you could even make boats if you want. You have the talent to do anything you put your mind to.”

      It was so obvious to Emily but Daniel looked stunned, as though the thought had never crossed his mind.

      “I never really thought about it that way,” he said. “It’s just a job to me, you know.”

      “Just a job! You’re too humble for your own good sometimes,” Emily continued. “How many people do you really think have that kind of skill? You have a talent, Daniel. You just have to think bigger sometimes.”

      Instead of her words encouraging him, Daniel seemed to retreat then.

      “I do think big,” he mumbled, defensively. “I’m just not as good as you seem to think I am.”

      “It’s not just me,” Emily told him, gently. “Jack clearly thinks so, too.”

      She hadn’t meant to push so hard. She’d only meant for Daniel to understand he had a talent and that it could take him far. But he seemed to be shrinking, deflating under the weight of her perception.

      Quietly, he turned his face down to the sand, picking pebbles up and throwing them across the beach.

      Just then Emily’s cell phone began to ring. She sighed, on one hand relieved to have been saved by the bell but on the other frustrated to be robbed of the chance to get to the bottom of Daniel’s apparent mood change.

      She rummaged in her purse and plucked her cell phone out. With surprise, she saw that the caller ID was the real estate agent for the island. It flashed at her like a beacon.

      “It’s them!” she exclaimed aloud, feeling excitement warble in her chest.

      Daniel looked up sharply from where he’d been flinging pebbles. From the shoreline, Chantelle turned at the sound of Emily’s voice.

      “It’s the broker!” Emily called across the beach to Chantelle.

      The two dogs mirrored Chantelle’s movements, all three pelting across the beach toward Emily, kicking up clouds of sand behind them.

      Once Chantelle reached Emily, she skidded to a halt, and the dogs ran around them in circles, salty sea water clinging to their fur, yapping with their instinctive understanding that something exciting was about to happen.

      With uneven breath, Emily answered the call and put it straight onto speakerphone. The family crowded forward, looking down at the cell phone expectantly. It was as if the little block of plastic held their entire futures in its power.

      “We’re

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