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Maggie wondered whether or not Theo knew such a thing could happen as she watched him process the answer seriously, his chin resting near his collar. “Was that sad?” he asked her.

“It was hard for a long time.” Maggie thought back to those long years when her body had refused to give her the thing she’d wanted so badly. “We both loved children, and we hoped for a house full of laughter. But when we realized it wasn’t going to happen, we decided to share the love we had inside of us with the rest of the town instead. That’s why I joined the school library committee, the Christmas Wish Society, and helped organize the holiday events.”

Ben sat quietly beside his grandson, his thoughtful gray eyes locked onto Maggie with a deep look of respect. She wondered if he saw how grateful she was that she hadn’t allowed disappointment to turn into bitterness back then. Instead, she’d poured her love into every child and family in Cranberry Cove.

“It sounds like Mr. Bennett was really nice, like you,” Theo said, dipping a spoon into his extra cup of whipped cream.

Maggie’s heart swelled with affection. “He was wonderful,” she said, a smile crinkling her eyes. “Tom had a loud, cheerful laugh that you could hear from two blocks away, and he sang made-up lyrics to every song on the radio just to make people laugh along with him. But he was completely hopeless when it came to home repairs.”

Ben leaned forward slightly, resting his forearms on the table, seeming fully invested in her stories. “Hopeless in what way?”

Maggie chuckled. “One time, he tried to fix a squeaky bathroom door,” she recalled. “He had spent a few hours in the hardware store buying brass hinges and specialized oil. By the time he finished the project, the door wouldn’t open at all. He’d accidentally locked himself inside the room until the neighbor brought a crowbar.”

Ben let out a low, rumbly laugh, his chest shaking as he shook his head. “A man should know his limits with a door frame.” He cringed at himself as he added, “And his limits when it comes to the culinary arts…”

“Hopefully you’ve learned yours by now,” Maggie teased Ben, earning a giggle from Theo at his grandpa’s expense. “But, no. Tom never learned his limits.” Her mind filled with the memories of the life she shared with Tom, and for once, the memories didn’t hurt as much. They warmed her heart. “He tried to build a wooden birdhouse for the backyard pine tree, and it ended up tilted so far to the left that only the local squirrels could climb inside.”

Ben shared a grin with her from across the table. The initial awkwardness of talking about their late spouses had completely vanished, replaced by a comfortable, shared understanding. “Ruth would have liked him,” Ben said, his rough voice full of sincere conviction. “She always appreciated a man who could laugh at his own mistakes. I wasn’t always so good at that.”

Maggie met his gaze and held it. “I think Tom would have liked her too,” she agreed. “And you.”

Ben’s breath seemed to catch, and at the same moment, Theo yawned, his eyelids growing heavy as the warm ambiance of the diner and his full stomach caught up with him. He leaned his head against Ben’s arm.

Ben reached over, wrapping a steady arm around the boy’s shoulders. “Looks like someone’s ready for bed.”

Maggie smiled, gathering her coat and scarf from the booth seat. “Let’s get him home before he falls asleep right here sitting up.”

The short walk back from the Cove Diner was peaceful, the spattering of winter stars lighting their way. Theo walked between them again, holding their hands tightly as his small boots crunched on the gravel.

When they reached the house, Ben unlocked the heavy oak door and ushered them into the warm living room. The cast-iron wood-burner in the corner was still radiating a pleasant, steady heat from the evening coals. Ben added two split logs of red cedar to the grate, and within minutes, a yellow glow flickered across the wide pine floorboards.

Theo pulled off his jacket, leaving it on the wooden bench near the hall before letting out another long yawn, his eyelids growing heavier by the minute.

Ben eyed his grandson with adoration as he stroked the boy’s dark hair. “He’s had a big few days. Working with me in the shop, picking out a Christmas tree, yesterday at the square for the Mistletoe Market, and eating a pancake meal larger than his head.” He looked up at Maggie, a sparkle of humor in his gaze as his voice dropped into a quiet whisper. “I should carry him upstairs so he doesn’t collapse in the living room.”

Maggie nodded as she smiled at the sleepy boy. “That would probably be for the best. Good night, Theo.”

Ben slid his arms carefully under Theo’s back and legs, lifting him with practiced ease. Theo murmured something unintelligible as he rested his head against Ben’s shoulder, his eyes closing instantly. Maggie watched them turn away, preparing to head out into the cold toward her own bed, but Ben paused and twisted back around.

“Would you mind helping me with him, Maggie?” he whispered.

Her heart jolted, and she nodded, wanting nothing more than to stay longer, even though that thought confused her. She followed Ben up the stairs and down the hall toward Theo’s room. It was under the eaves, where a low twin bed sat beneath a dormer window facing the harbor. The room smelled of clean cotton and pine.

Maggie pulled back the thick hand-quilted blanket, making space as Ben laid Theo down gently on the mattress. She pulled off the boy’s shoes, setting them neatly beside the bed, before pulling the colorful quilt up to his chin.

Ben leaned over, kissing his grandson’s forehead tenderly before straightening up. He stood beside Maggie near the foot of the bed, watching the boy’s peaceful breathing for a long moment before they turned and walked quietly down the hall.

They descended the pine stairs together, returning to the warm living room. Ben opened his mouth as if to speak, but Maggie cut him off, her nerves ramping up now that she and Ben were entirely alone.

“I should be going. I have an early morning tomorrow,” she told him in a rush.

Ben paused, then he nodded with a sigh and walked her to the door. “Thank you for coming tonight,” he said, standing near the doorway as she waited for him to open the door. “Even with the scorched chowder, it turned out to be a very nice evening.”

Maggie fixed her knitted scarf around her neck, smiling up at Ben in the tight space. “I should be the one thanking you for dinner,” she told him. “I had a wonderful time. The diner food was far better than whatever was at the bottom of that pot, and seeing Theo so happy was the best part of all.”

Ben let out a short, soft laugh as he stepped closer, his hand resting on the smooth brass handle of the front door. He watched her closely, his expression serious, thoughtful, and deeply earnest. “I wanted to tell you something before you go.”

Maggie swallowed, her eyes fixing on his, the gray in his irises much darker this close up. “What is it?”