Page 129 of 15 Summers Later

Madi reached for her sister’s hand, moved by her sister’s happiness. Ava deserved this joy and more.

More than a year after publication,Ghost Lakewas still showing up on bestseller lists, this time in paperback form. She imagined when the movie came out the following summer, it would only generate more sales for her sister.

Ava had slowly managed to come to terms with her unexpected success. She quit her teaching job at the end of the school year, right before she had Sophia. To Madi’s joy, her sister and her husband and baby had moved to Emerald Creek for the summer while he worked at the dinosaur dig again. Madi knew that in between caring for her newborn as well as their two rescue dogs, Beau and Gracie, Ava was writing another book.

She wouldn’t share much about it yet, except to say it was fiction this time and would have suspense, danger and a healthy dose of romance, naturally.

Luke came over then, in search of his new wife.

“Here you are. I should have known you would be holding the baby.”

“Either that or playing with a dog somewhere,” Ava said with a smile. “Here, let me take her back. You two should go dance. What’s the point of booking the Rusty Spurs to play at your wedding if you can’t enjoy it? You can hold your niece anytime. How often do you get to dance with your brand-new husband on your wedding day?”

“Good point.”

After kissing the baby’s forehead that smelled of innocence and dreams, warm milk and whispered lullabies, Madi handed her back to Ava.

Luke pulled her to her feet and straight into his arms, where he kissed her with that stunning tenderness that still took her breath away.

As he led her out to the dance floor amid the laughter and the lively notes of the band, Madi savored the magical summer night, surrounded by all those they both loved, in this garden aglow with fairy lights and small lanterns hanging in the trees.

As she gazed into her husband’s eyes, Madi knew their story would endure far beyond this dance under the stars.