First thing in the morning was much earlier than she was used to. And despite the fact she'd been terribly exhausted all day, she found that she couldn't get to sleep. Every time her eyes began to droop, she'd think of Vance Montgomery. He was so young when he'd died. Zeke's age. So young to die, and yet could he have survived long enough to leave behind a living legacy? She really hoped Vance was the answer to all their questions. And yet part of her, a part she didn't dare share with anyone, secretly dreaded the answer. If Vance was Zeke's dad, then that was it. Their summer quest was over. No more laughing together in the graveyard. No more deep conversations about family and loss. She would move on her with life. Get a job. Start earning money. And Zeke... he'd have a family to get to know. He wouldn't have time for her anymore.

She fell asleep at around three in the morning after spending hours tossing and turning in her bed. And roughly three and a half hours later, her alarm went off, and she was so tired she felt sick to her stomach. For a brief moment, she considered turning her alarm off and going back to sleep. But she had a mission to accomplish, and she wanted to get it done before Zeke came back from whatever he was doing in the city. So she got out of bed, took a hot shower, dried her hair, caked on her makeup in the hopes that it would cover the bags under her eyes, and changed into a white cotton peasant dress with a pair of jean shorts underneath.

At 7:30am, she hopped in her grandma's old car and began making her way to Oak Harbor. There was a tiny tick under her left eye, like even the nerves in her face were exhausted. She let out several yawns in the car by herself as she left Coupeville, sucking in oxygen in the hopes that it would rejuvenate her tired brain. It worked somewhat, but she still couldn't wait to get her hands on a nice cup of coffee. She desperately needed the caffeine, and wished she'd made some before she left her house. But she wanted to get to the bakery the moment it opened. Hoped to talk to Sal before the place grew too crowded.

She pulled into the bakery parking lot just as a very petite woman with short blonde hair and a nose ring was unlocking the front door. Turning the ignition off, she jumped out of the car and ran to the door at the exact moment the blonde woman flipped the closed sign to open. Emersyn pushed the door open, startling the woman, who was clearly not used to a customer coming in so early. Her surprised eyes quickly morphed into friendly ones as she smiled at Emersyn and said, "Good morning! Welcome to Sal's Cake Corner. Can I help you with anything today?"

The smell of sugar was so strong that Emersyn felt like she could fall into a sugar coma at the mere scent. She could almost taste the powdered sugar and chocolate on her tongue as she walked up to the counter, staring down at all the delectable treats behind the glass. Her mouth watered as she stared down at a chocolate croissant. But she shook her head, breaking the sweet spell as she gave the woman a polite smile and said, "Yes, actually. I was wondering if you knew what time Mr. Montgomery would be in?"

She didn't know what she'd do if the woman said he wasn't coming in until later. It would ruin her whole day. All her plans. But thankfully, the blonde woman, who Emersyn just now realized was named Yvette based on the nametag she wore on her chest, smiled and said, "Oh, Sal's here now. He gets here at about four in the morning to get started on the baked good for the day. I can go grab him if you want." Emersyn nodded her head, pleased to find her plan was working perfectly. "Great. Um, can I get your name?"

"Oh, um, yeah. Emersyn. My name is Emersyn Collins." Yvette nodded her head before disappearing in a back room Emersyn assumed was the actual bakery. She looked back down at the baked goods, telling herself she'd order a chocolate croissant and a coffee before she left. It seemed like she was waiting for a long time, but really she was only standing at the counter for a couple minutes when a man with thick curly hair pulled back in a manbun and dark brown eyes stepped out of the bakery. His hands were covered in dust that she assumed was flour, and he had a streak of what looked like cream on his right cheek.

"Good morning," he greeted, and Emersyn was startled by how deep his voice was. Not at all what she was expecting. "My name is Sal. Can I help you with something today, Ms. Collins?"

She'd been up most of the night waiting for this moment. Pictured it in her head several times. But not once did she ever consider what she would say to this poor stranger who had no idea what she really wanted. No clue that she was about to bring up his dead brother. Swallowing hard, she gave him an anxious smile before saying, "Actually, I think maybe you can. Um... I was wondering... what you could tell me about Vance?"

He was probably expecting her to ask him about a cake order. That's what she would've thought, if she'd been in his shoes. But she could tell the words she spoke were not what he'd been expecting at all. His mouth fell open in surprise, and his eyes filled with something haunted and sad. She recognized that look. She saw it every time she looked in the mirror. That was the thing about grief. It wasn't temporary. It was like a permanent stain on the soul. Sure, it might fade with time, but it was always there. And it just took someone to point it out to remind you of how it got there to begin with.

She saw Sal's Adam's apple bob up and down as he gulped, and she felt awful for bringing up what she knew must've been a painful subject. "Vance was my older brother. And I don't know who you are, dear, but I'm sorry to say he died over twenty years ago in a car accident. Is there a reason you're here asking about him now?"

Emersyn had no idea how she should bring it all up. But she figured it would probably be best for her to just spit it out. "I'm here for my friend. He's been spending the last couple months on the island looking through gravestones. Hoping to find his father, who passed away before he was born. I've been helping him. And yesterday, I stumbled upon your brother's gravestone. The dates matched my friend's timeline, and so I did some research and found you. I thought you might be able to help my friend."

Sal blinked a few times, his face filled with confusion, as if he didn't understand how her story about gravestones and her friend linked to his brother. Then his eyes widened, and he held up his hands. "Whoa, young lady. I think I get where you're going with this, and... there's no way. Vance wasn't seeing anyone when he died. Not that I know of anyway. He was just starting to get his life on track after being discharged from the military due to a shoulder injury. There's no way my brother was your friend's dad. You've got the wrong guy."

Emersyn's heart pounded as Sal took a step away from her, and she frantically tried to think of anything she could say or do to get him to stay and listen to her for just a few moments. Then she thought of her mom and the journal, and how sometimes you really didn't know someone as well as you thought you did. "Did you tell your brother everything about your life, Mr. Montgomery?" she asked, and she was surprised by how desperate her voice sounded. He froze and stared at her, waiting to hear what else she had to say. "Because I know I don't tell the people I'm closest to all my secrets."

Sal sighed and shook his head, but she could tell he was starting to come around. "Listen, Emersyn... that's your name, right?" She nodded her head. "I understand what you're saying. And no, of course I didn't tell my brother everything about my life. But that's neither here nor there."

"Please, sir," she said, begging him to listen. He closed his eyes, and she felt guilty for all the pain she knew she was causing him. "Please. Just meet my friend. That's all I ask. Give him the chance to tell you about himself."

She winced as Sal's polite demeanor began to melt away. "Young lady, I don't know what you expect me to do. It's not like my brother had any money when he died. And I'm certainly not going to give some stranger anything just because he claims he might be my brother's son."

Emersyn shook her head. "No, sir. You've got it all wrong. He doesn't want money. He just wants to know his dad. To know his family. I promise you this isn't about money at all. This is about connection." Sal's anger dissipated at her words, and she knew she was getting somewhere with him. "Just talk to him. Please."

Behind her, she heard the front door of the bakery open, and vaguely she heard the unmistakable sounds of people coming into the building, probably to order some breakfast treats. Yvette gave Sal a look that said she had everything covered. Sal sighed and gestured for Emersyn to follow him into the back. Probably so they could continue their conversation in a place where his patrons couldn't hear. She followed him, walking past large mixers, ovens, and a counter with sticky white dough still sitting on a bed of flour. He leaned up against the counter and stared at her, and she knew he was sizing her up. Gauging how honest she looked.

"Vance was my best friend," he said with a small frown etched on his face. She gave him a sympathetic smile. "We talked on the phone every day about everything. He was just getting his life together. When I got the call from my mom about the accident...." His voice trailed off, and he didn't have to explain any further. She knew the pain of losing a loved one.

"I understand how you're feeling," she said gently, and he looked at her with suspicion in his eyes. "My dad died when I was little. And I just lost my grandmother last year. We were very close. So I know how you feel. But if there was a chance, even a little one, that I could have a piece of them still alive with me, I would want to know. If my friend is Vance's son, then that will be a piece of your brother. Your best friend. And I didn't know Vance. Obviously. But I bet he'd want you to know his son. If he had one."

Sal considered her words for a few moments as he stared at the ball of dough on the counter. A million thoughts flashed through his eyes all at once. And then he gazed back up at her and said, "Okay. Bring your friend here to meet me tomorrow when the shop closes. We'll talk." Relief washed over her, and she couldn't wait to tell Zeke about all of this. "This better not be some weird scam."

She shook her head. "It's not. I promise." She gave him a big smile, and she was pleased when he returned it. "Thank you so much, sir. I will be back here tomorrow with my friend. You have a wonderful day."

Sal nodded his head as she made to leave the kitchen. "Thanks. You too."

She wanted to start dancing she was so excited. But she kept it all under control. All she did was give Sal one last smile, before she turned to leave, and as she got into her car and started heading back to Coupeville, she couldn't stop smiling. Maybe this was it. The end of their mission. Maybe this would answer all of Zeke's questions. She prayed for it all the way home, begging God to let this be it. She just kept thinking that, if she couldn't be with her family anymore, maybe Zeke could. And she hoped He would listen.

Just after she pulled into the driveway of her house, she sent Zeke a text to stop by as soon as he could and told him she'd leave the door unlocked for him. Then she stepped out of her car and made her way to the couch. The excitement from the morning was wearing off, and now all she felt was exhaustion. She thought she might be able to make it to her bedroom, but the couch was so much closer. And it looked so warm. She fell onto it, allowing her head to hit one of the cushions, and fell asleep fast.

She dreamed of cupcakes and croissants, and it was all so vivid that she could practically taste them. The sweetness of the chocolate teased her tongue as she floated through clouds of flaky golden pastries and swam through lakes of thick vanilla custard. And then it all faded away as she woke up to a soft sensation on her cheeks. Her eyes fluttered open, and she saw Zeke crouched down beside her, his fingers stroking her face. His lips curled into a soft smile when he saw her, and she grinned sleepily back at him.

"I hated waking you," he whispered, as his fingers brushed her ginger hair out of her freckled face. "You looked like you were having such a great dream."

She let off a loud yawn, smacked her lips slightly, and chuckled. "I was having a delicious dream. There were pastries everywhere. Mountains of chocolate and lakes of cream. It was like the world was made out of sweets."

He laughed softly. "That does sound like a nice dream. Did you get to eat any of it?"

She shook her head as she sat up on the couch, stretching her arms out wide and allowing the oxygen to flow straight to her brain. "No. But I'll be able to eat some tomorrow." His brow furrowed a little in a combination of amusement and confusion. She wiped her cheek and found a little hardened drool pooled at the corner of her mouth. Normally she'd feel embarrassed, but she felt so comfortable around Zeke. At peace. "I have something to tell you," she said, unable to hide the excited smile on her lips.

"What do you have to tell me, Emersyn?" he said, and as always, her heart skipped a beat when he said her name. She wondered if he knew how that made her feel. If he knew that uttering her name that way made her feel like she could sprout wings and fly.

"I like the way you say my name," she said, and he gave her one of his light up the room smiles.

"Emersyn," he said, and she giggled tiredly as her stomach did a little flip. "What did you want to tell me, Emersyn? Because I know it's not how much you like the way I say Emersyn, Emersyn." He was such a tease, and he knew it. She bit her lip, unable to handle the flirting.

"I think I found him," she said, deciding to just spill it out rather than stall any longer. His smile faltered slightly, and for a moment he didn't seem to know what she was talking about. "In the graveyard. I think I may have found your dad."

He stared at her unblinkingly, and she knew he wasn't expecting her to say that to him. "I... are you serious? Because you can't joke about this, Em. It wouldn't be funny."

She smiled and shook her head. "I'm not joking. I mean, obviously I'm not sure. I was working in the graveyard yesterday, and I found one that said Vance Montgomery. The dates fit, so I did some research and found he has a brother named Sal who owns a bakery out in Oak Harbor."

"Hence the pastry dreams," Zeke said, and she grinned and nodded her head. He ran his fingers through his curly hair. "Okay. So the next step, I guess, would be to talk to this Sal guy."

"I already did that," she said, and he blinked in surprise. "I got up extra early this morning to meet him at his bakery. It was a tough sell, to be honest. He seems pretty sure his brother did not have any kids. But he's also willing to meet you. Wants to get together with us tomorrow evening after the bakery closes. Does that sound okay to you?"

The expression in Zeke's eyes was something she'd never seen before. They glazed over as if he was about to cry. She watched him with concern as he nodded his head, and then, in a shaky breath, he said, "This could change... everything. If Vance was my dad. Emersyn, you have no idea. This means... the world to me. Thank you for everything you've done. I can't repay you enough."

Tears burned in her own eyes as she placed her hand on his face, feeling bits of stubble under her palms. He pressed his hand against hers, holding it in place, and allowed a single tear to slide down his cheek. It brushed against her hand softly, cool and warm at the same time. He reached for her other hand and pressed it to his lips, and they were so soft against her knuckles. And it was in this moment that it hit her. It wasn't a crush. She didn't just like him a lot. She was in love with him. Deeply, maddeningly in love with him. And it was seeing him this happy that sealed the deal for her. She would do anything for him. Anything in the world if it meant he would stay on the island and love her back.

Not for the first time, she caught his eyes falling to her lips. She was silently begging him to do it. To kiss her. His teary eyes flickered back up to hers, and she tried to convey what she wanted to him. He had to know. It was obvious. But as usual, he shook his head, and she felt a bubble of disappointment in her chest as he gently pulled away from her. It was so unbelievably frustrating for him to get so close all the time just to pull away. She knew why, and she understood. But every time he did it, she felt the pain all over again.

"What time do you want to meet up tomorrow?" he asked, averting his gaze from hers like he was afraid he'd get lost in her eyes if he looked back up.

"Um," she said, trying to remember the bakery's hours. "I think it closes at five o'clock. So you want to meet me here thirty minutes before?"

He nodded his head, still not looking directly at her. "Sure. That sounds fine." He got to his feet, and once again she felt disappointed. Part of her hoped he would stay with her. That they could have dinner and snuggle on the couch. Maybe watch a movie. But they weren't a couple, no matter how much Emersyn wanted them to be. And it didn't look like it was going to go that way. "I should get back home. Kiel said he has dinner ready. Trying out a new salmon recipe. Guess he's feeling inspired."

She gave a playful shudder. "Are you scared?"

He threw his head back and laughed. "Honestly, yeah. A little. But I want to encourage this behavior. So I'm going to give it a try."

She smiled as he headed toward the door. "I'll pray for you."

He grinned. "Thanks. And... I'll see you tomorrow? 4:30pm?" She nodded. "Okay then. Tomorrow evening it is. Have a good night, Em. And thanks again. For everything."

Before she had a chance to respond, he exited her house, leaving her feeling a bit sad and confused. She stared at the door, as if willing him to come back. But he didn't, and after a couple minutes she realized he wasn't going to. So she fell back on the couch and stared up at the ceiling, watching the popcorn dance as she tried to convince herself she wasn't in love with him. How could she love someone so much who could never, and would never, love her back? Tears burned her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. Instead, she got up from the couch and headed into the kitchen, searching for something small to eat. After a quick peanut butter sandwich, she headed back to her bedroom, hoping her feelings for Zeke wouldn't bleed into her dreams.

Chapter Twenty-One

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