Beach Rose Path, page 21
“Do you think Hannah ever suspected you were Annabelle’s biological father?” Charlotte only knew Hannah as Colin’s mother, and she never suspected there was a child before Colin.
“If she did, Char, she never told me. Hannah would kid me every now and again that it was amazing that Annabelle reminded her so much of me—the way she squinted her blue eyes when she laughed, and the little dimples in each of our cheeks.”
“Dimples!” Charlotte laughed. “I’ve never seen you without a beard!”
“No, you haven’t. I’ve pretty much had a beard since Annabelle came to live with us. I grew it intentionally, to try to mask any other similarities between us, silly as that may sound.”
Hamish looked down into his now empty cup. “I think that Hannah knew, but I was too much of a coward to talk to her about it.”
“You are not a coward, Hamish,” Charlotte said quietly, now moving closer to her old friend and taking his hand.
“What you did was noble and it was evidence of your greatness of character that allowed you to do such an unselfish thing. You were able to give Hannah what she wanted most, and I’m sure a huge burden was lifted from Tatiana as well, knowing that her daughter would be raised by her very own father instead of strangers. You were no coward, Hamish Falconer.”
“Thank you, Char,” Hamish softly said, as Charlotte could see the clear film of tears in his eyes.
“I have something for you,” she said, getting up. Charlotte descended the basement stairs and retrieved the plastic container labeled Annabelle.
She sat on the chair next to Hamish who removed the top and pulled out the aprons. The one that Annabelle was wearing in the portrait was carefully folded on top. He pulled it out, and Charlotte saw a look of grief in his eyes.
Charlotte watched as Hamish gently touched the soft cotton of Annabelle’s smock, his finger carefully gliding over the silk pink ribbon still tied in the center part of the chest.
“I found these in the basement, with some of Violet’s other things. I thought they were hers, and that she and Rory may have lost a child, as there are matching ones in an adult size. But when Tatiana put the portrait of Annabelle up in The Blue Hydrangea, I thought there was something so familiar about the painting. I realized it was the smock, but there was something else familiar about her that I could not put my finger on. And now I know—you and your daughter have the same exact eyes, Hamish.”
Hamish brought the smock up to his nose.
“I can still smell her, Char. The clean scent of her soap and shampoo that Hannah was always bathing her with. It’s still here.”
“Oh, Hamish.” Charlotte gripped her friend’s hand tighter.
“Hannah made me promise to donate everything of Annabelle’s to charity when she died. She couldn’t live with the constant reminders, but I couldn’t part with these. Hannah made them herself, and it always warmed my heart when I came home and saw the two of them wearing their matching frocks. I sent these up to Rory and asked him to save them.”
“No wonder we were such kindred spirits, Hamish. You knew what it was like to lose someone you cherished with all of your heart. You knew exactly what I was going through when I lost Landon. But you never made it about you—it was just me you were concerned about—and my wellbeing. But you knew.” Charlotte was overwhelmed with emotion at the selflessness of her friend and father figure. Hamish was the only one who could reach her during those dark, dark days in the aftermath of Landon’s and Peppe’s deaths. And now she understood how he was able to do that.
“We’ve had ourselves quite the lives, haven’t we, Char? We’ve both loved and lost, and made it through the storms of life. We both have faith that our lives still hold hope for better days, which we have certainly seen, and I think we are at the point where our lives are only going to get better. What do you say?”
Charlotte smiled at Hamish, thinking that he was absolutely right—the best days of their lives were right around the corner, and Charlotte couldn’t wait to see what these days would bring.
“Who would have thought that little Lobster Claw, Maine held the keys to your past, and now to my future? Thank you, Hamish. If it weren’t for you and Rory, I don’t know where I’d be.”
“That’s another thing I wanted to talk to you about, Charlotte. Rory.” said Hamish.
“Oh, no,” Charlotte said, a sudden panic now filling her stomach. “I hope he’s happy with what I’ve done. The store’s been very profitable and…”
Hamish’s generous laugh interrupted her. “That’s another thing I haven’t been honest about, Charlotte. The shop.”
“I don’t understand, Hamish.” Now Charlotte could feel true panic rise, making her heart beat faster.
“The property doesn’t belong to Rory. It belongs to me.”
“Okay, Hamish, now I really don’t understand what’s going on. This is yours?”
“Rory did originally own the place,” Hamish began. “But he and Violet were having financial issues, which Rory didn’t want her to know about. A year after Annabelle was born, Rory asked if I would buy into the store at 50%. I agreed as he was a good friend, and I didn’t want to see his young family experience financial ruin. But I also bought into the store so I could have a piece of Lobster Claw always with me. It was where Tatiana was from and Annabelle too. Anyway, when Rory decided to move to Halifax, I bought him out and by this point in time, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. I knew I wanted to return to Scotland, and when Castle Loch went under new management, this became the perfect situation for you. And it looks like I was right!”
“Why didn’t you just tell me it was yours?”
“I was afraid if I did, and knowing you as well as you know I do, you’d think I was just trying to take care of you—instead of you taking care of yourself. I knew your perspective would be different if I told you it was a friend’s and not mine. Am I correct?”
Charlotte shook her head in amazement at Hamish’s uncanny ability at knowing her. “You are ever so correct, Hamish. I guess I would have felt it was more charitable than me achieving something on my own and helping a friend.”
“I knew you’d pull off another miracle, Charlotte. Wait here.” Hamish got up and went into the dining room where his suitcase was. He opened it and pulled out another colored folder—this time a blue one.
He sat back down in the chair with a thud.
“No one has ever known this is mine. Not Hannah, not even Colin. This was my special connection to Lobster Claw. My connection to Tatiana and Annabelle. But I no longer need that connection, and I have signed the deed over to you.” He handed Charlotte the blue folder which contained all the legal documents making her the lawful and official owner of The Shop at Beach Rose Path.
“I don’t understand, Hamish. Why?” Charlotte felt tears in her eyes that she was unable to stop.
“You deserve to be happy, Charlotte, and from what I can see, you are,” he said quietly, taking Charlotte’s hands in his own.
“You’ve done a magnificent job here, and on your own. You’ve earned it, Charlotte. And the plain fact is that I want this little piece of paradise to be yours. It’s that simple.”
“I don’t know what to say, Hamish,” Charlotte whispered, the folder trembling in her hands. “Thank you.”
“You’re very welcome, Char. We can go over all the details tomorrow. I’m not leaving for Scotland until the end of the week. I moved my flight back so I could have more time here.”
“That makes me just as happy, Hamish.” Charlotte got up, as did Hamish and she felt his fatherly embrace about her shoulders.
“I think we have a party to get to as well, don’t we? And you need to fill me in more on that Duncan of yours. I am done talking about me.”
“Duncan,” Charlotte whispered. “You’ll have all the time you like with him at the party. I think it’s going to be a Labor Day party like no other.”
“Aye, Char, that’s for sure.” Hamish laughed as they cleared their tea things into the kitchen and got ready for the last official night of summer.
CHAPTER FORTY
A surge of happiness and contentment filled Charlotte as she and Hamish walked along the dock toward the Beach Block. She didn’t think she ever saw a sunset as beautiful as tonight. The evening sky was the color of cobalt, with crevices of fuchsia and rose winking in the twilight. The silhouette of sailboats peacefully floated on the late summer sea, tranquilly gliding toward the bay to be docked for the evening. Charlotte was especially comforted by the beacon of Sea Star Lighthouse, as she now considered it a dependable friend—it became a vestige of safety for her, especially on those sleepless nights, when all she needed to do was look out of her window and the light would be shining across the ocean, her own guiding light of optimism and faith.
Little Lovey trotted ahead of them, once again, curiosity getting the better of her, scampering a little too close to the piping plover sanctuary.
“Come, Lovey,” was all Charlotte needed to say, and her best friend was quickly by her side.
“That’s a good dog you have there, Charlotte,” Hamish said, reaching into his pocket for a little treat.
“I don’t know what I’d do without her, Hamish,” Charlotte smiled. “And I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“You’d do just fine, and you have, Char.”
“Thanks to you, Hamish.” Charlotte would be forever grateful to her friend and benefactor.
“You’re welcome. Now, enough of the sentimentalities. Let’s party,” he grinned, as the laughter of the crowd on the beach grew louder with every step they took.
Lovey ran ahead and sat stock still in front of The Blue Hydrangea, her head going back and forth as she watched the movement within the store.
“Tatiana has her favorite treats—she bakes them herself, pumpkin cookies” explained Charlotte as they joined Lovey outside of the store.
“Not surprising,” Hamish quietly said. Charlotte followed his gaze watching the lissome movements of Tatiana gathering up a tub of ice with champagne bottles.
“You pretty much pulled an all-nighter, Hamish. As you are a guest in my home, I think an explanation is necessary,” laughed Charlotte, full well knowing where he was and who he was with.
“Aye, Char, haven’t done that in decades.” He turned to his friend, a smile of joy widening across his sunburnt face.
“We had a lot to catch up on, as you can imagine. And it was a wonderful evening,” he concluded, turning his head back toward the door and waving at Tatiana, who now had a smile just as happy and as big as Hamish’s.
Tatiana put the bucket down and waved them in, grabbing a cookie from her special cookie jar for Lovey, who gratefully took it from her.
“Might we be of service, madam?” Hamish laughed, as he loaded more bottles of champagne into the overflowing bucket.
“Thank you, kind sir,” Tatiana answered, and kissed Hamish gently on the cheek.
Charlotte watched as Tatiana pulled a trolley from the back of the gallery, and the two of them loaded several buckets onto it, as if they had been a couple for their entire lives. To Charlotte it was pure magic to see both of her friends happy and wondered what the future had in store for them.
Charlotte then turned as she felt the cool night air upon her back as the door to The Blue Hydrangea opened.
“Duncan!” exclaimed Charlotte as she walked toward him and greeted him with a kiss of her own.
“I thought I might find you in here,” he said, caressing Charlotte’s cheeks. Lovey had sidled up to him, her wet nose nudging for a hug herself.
“And, you too, Lovey,” Duncan quietly said bending and scratching the dog behind her soft yellow ears.
“Duncan!” exclaimed Hamish, walking toward Duncan.
“Good to see the other man in Charlotte’s life again,” he said, extending his large hand which Duncan happily accepted.
“I told you, Charlotte, a good strong handshake is the sign of a good man,” Hamish said, releasing his hand from Duncan’s grip.
Duncan kissed Tatiana on the cheek as she brought the trolley closer to the front door.
“These will have to do,” said Tatiana as she went behind her counter and pulled out paper cups and placed them on the counter.
“Perfect,” Hamish whispered, kissing Tatiana on the cheek. Charlotte’s heart filled with happiness watching the affection Hamish and Tatiana had for each other.
“Everyone ready?” Tatiana asked, grabbing Hamish by his arm, ready to escort him to the party.
“Not quite yet, if you don’t mind, Tati,” Hamish said quietly. Charlotte detected a note of melancholy in his voice, and she couldn’t understand why, as he seemed to be so happy to be reunited not only with her, but with Tatiana as well.
“Before we head down to the party,” he said, taking one of the magnums of champagne from the ice bucket, “I’d like to say a few words.”
“Charlotte,” he began quietly, “you’ve been like a daughter to me all these years, and I don’t know what I would do without you. We’ve been through so much together—love, loss,” and he nodded toward Duncan, “and love again, I’m grateful to have you in my life, Char.”
“Hamish,” whispered Charlotte, as tears formed in her eyes. She felt the strong arms of Duncan enfold about her, providing her comfort and happiness.
“You are Beach Rose Path, my dear.”
Hamish then turned toward Tatiana.
“Tati, to find you again is one of my life’s greatest gifts. And this time, I won’t let you go.” He pulled Tatiana close to him, and tenderly kissed her blushing lips.
“My Hamish,” she whispered and kissed her old love once again.
“And last but not least,” Hamish continued, his own face now the color of crimson, “Duncan. I entrust Char and Lovey to you. I believe I’m a pretty good judge of character, and I know you’ll take good care of both of them.”
Charlotte beamed at Duncan as he lovingly looked at her and tightened his arms about her.
“I give you my word, Hamish. They are my girls, now.”
“Cheers to us!” Hamish announced as the cork from the bottle caused a loud pop, and champagne overflowed into the paper cups.
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
“I hope you know I meant what I said.”
The party had ended and Charlotte, Lovey and Duncan had made their way back to the beach in front of The Shop at Beach Rose Path, sitting in their Adirondack chairs, the warm waves lolling in over their bare feet. It had been a wonderful evening spent with friends, food, and the satisfaction of knowing that Charlotte was now in the comfort of Duncan’s love.
Hamish and Tatiana left the party early, heading back to The Blue Hydrangea to discuss plans for Tatiana traveling to Scotland during Christmas and New Year’s. Charlotte could not have been happier for her two friends and their rekindled love for each other.
Charlotte took Duncan’s hand and held it to her lips, softly kissing it, the roughness and strength making her happy with every touch.
“You said a lot, Duncan,” she smiled. “You said you’ve never been as happy since being back in Lobster Claw. You said you couldn’t wait for next spring to get the boat back on trips. You said you liked my idea of starting a sightseeing business…”
“Okay, okay, yes, I did say a lot of things, and I meant every one you just mentioned.” He rose from his chair and pulled Charlotte from hers, walking her down closer to the shoreline.
He held her in his arms and kissed her passionately, and Charlotte knew, with that kiss, their lives in Lobster Claw would never be the same.
“But I was talking about when I said that you and Lovey were mine. I meant that more than anything, Charlotte. Because without you, I don’t know where I’d be now. Thank you for giving me a second chance at life. At love.”
Charlotte gazed into his hazel eyes, the lines in his sunburnt face making him even more handsome than she ever thought any man could be. Charlotte’s heart surged with love for him, with his arms firmly enveloping her, and she knew their future together would be nothing but brilliant.
“Thank you for my second chance, Duncan. I love you.”
Duncan’s kiss was ardent, passionate and the kiss of love, and that was all Charlotte needed. She knew Beach Rose Path in Lobster Claw, Maine, would be her home for the rest of her life, as the ever-guiding beacon of Sea Star Lighthouse shone over their world that would never be dark again.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Barbara Matteson is a life-long New Englander. She lives right outside of Boston with her husband, son, black Labrador retriever and a leopard gecko.
Barabara’s first novel, The Perfect Mrs. Claus, was published in November 2022, and she has also had an essay published in Victoria Magazine in January 2022.
Beach Rose Path is her second novel, set in one of her favorite places, Maine.
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