Miracles Retold Page 6

  Then Annie said, “I don’t know why we don’t come to the beach once a week.” She looked at Lon. “We wouldn’t even have to load up the cooler with a lot of food.”

  “But we could!” Grace said.

  “Yeah!” said Ryder.

  Benji bounded into the group and trotted up to Grace. Hannah and Maia weren’t far behind.

  “And here’s my little hero,” Grace said. “Did you smell food?” She rubbed Benji behind his ears. “I don’t know if we will get to keep you or if someone will claim you, but you’re with us for now.”

  “He has to be ours by now,” Carter said.

  Not to be left out, Lola sat up. She had been sleeping next to Lisa. Maia scratched Lola’s chin, and Lisa gave her a treat.

  “Do you think the dogs know how to play fetch?” Hannah asked.

  All the kids ran off to try to find out.

  Lon put his arm around Annie. “This is the best Christmas our family has had,” he said in her ear. “We needed this, to slow down and relax. You’re right, we should come back to the beach more often. After all, it’s where our family started, when I asked you to marry me on the beach. Good things happen on the beach. You and me, our family Christmas, and this.”

  Lon pulled Annie’s missing engagement and wedding rings out of his pocket and put them on Annie’s finger next to her grandmother’s sapphire.

  Annie gasped. She shook a little. Then her eyes started to tear up. She opened her mouth but couldn’t speak. She looked from Lon to the rings and back again.

  “Ryder found them in the attic hidden inside an old toy, when we were putting up the lights,” Lon said. “We wanted to keep it a surprise for you.”

  All Annie could do was nod and wipe away tears.

  “Who knows what other good things will come when we make time to spend together?” Lon said.

  Annie kissed Lon and nuzzled into his neck. “Let’s find out.”