Amber had given up on love but sparks fly when she meets her father’s old friend, Steve, at a BBQ. Their whirlwind romance leads to marriage, but on their wedding night, Amber discovers Steve has an unsettling secret that changes everything.
I pulled into my parents’ driveway, looking at the line of cars parked across the lawn.
“What’s this about?” I muttered, already preparing myself for whatever surprise was waiting inside.
I grabbed my purse, locked the car, and walked towards the house, hoping it wasn’t anything too chaotic.
The smell of grilled meat hit me as soon as I opened the door, followed by the sound of Dad’s booming laugh. I walked into the living room and peeked out the back window.
Of course, Dad was hosting an impromptu BBQ. The backyard was crowded with people—most of them from his auto repair shop.
“Amber!” Dad’s voice cut through my thoughts as he flipped a burger, wearing the same apron he’s had for years. “Come on, grab a drink and join us. It’s just the guys from work.”
I tried not to groan. “Looks like the whole town’s here,” I mumbled, slipping off my shoes.
Before I could join in the usual chaotic family atmosphere, the doorbell rang. Dad tossed the spatula down and wiped his hands on his apron.
“That must be Steve,” he said, almost to himself. He turned to me as he reached for the door. “You haven’t met him yet, right?”
Before I could answer, Dad had already opened the door.
“Steve!” he boomed, giving the man a hearty slap on the back. “Come on in, you’re just in time. Oh, and meet my daughter, Amber.”
I looked up, and my heart skipped a beat.
Steve was tall, with graying hair and a rugged handsomeness that made him seem both approachable and a little mysterious. His warm eyes met mine, and I felt an unexpected flutter in my chest.
“Nice to meet you, Amber,” he said, offering his hand.
His voice was steady, calm—something about it made me feel instantly at ease. I shook his hand, trying not to be self-conscious about how disheveled I probably looked after the long drive.
“Nice to meet you, too.”
From that moment on, I couldn’t stop glancing at him. He had a way of making everyone around him feel comfortable, always listening more than talking. I tried to focus on the conversations around me, but every time our eyes met, there was this magnetic pull.
It was ridiculous. I hadn’t even thought about love or relationships in so long—not after everything I’d been through. I’d convinced myself I was better off on my own, focusing on work and family. But something about Steve made me reconsider, though I wasn’t ready to admit it.
As the day wound down, I finally said my goodbyes and headed to my car. Of course, when I tried to start it, the engine sputtered and died.
“Great,” I groaned, sinking back into my seat. I thought about going back inside to ask Dad for help, but before I could, there was a knock on my window.
It was Steve.
“Car trouble?” he asked with a smile, as if this kind of thing happened every day.
I sighed. “Yeah, it’s not starting. I was just going to ask my dad, but…”
“Don’t worry about it,” he said. “Let me take a look.”
I watched him work. His hands moved with practiced ease, and within minutes, my car roared back to life. I hadn’t realized I was holding my breath until I exhaled in relief.
“There you go,” he said, wiping his hands on a rag. “Should be good now.”
I smiled, feeling genuinely grateful. “Thanks, Steve. I guess I owe you one.”
He shrugged, a look in his eyes that made my stomach flip. “How about dinner? We can call it even.”
Dinner? Was he asking me out?
A flicker of doubt crept up—the little voice in my head reminding me of all the reasons I shouldn’t say yes. But something in his eyes made me want to take the chance.
“Yeah, dinner sounds good.”
And just like that, I agreed. I never could’ve imagined then that Steve would turn out to be exactly what I needed to heal my heart… or how deeply he’d hurt me later.
Six months later, I stood in front of the mirror in my childhood bedroom, staring at myself in a wedding dress. It felt surreal. After everything I’d been through, I never thought I’d get here.
I was 39, and I’d given up on the fairy tale long ago. Yet here I was—about to marry Steve.
The wedding was small, just close family and a few friends—exactly what we wanted.
I remember standing at the altar, looking into Steve’s eyes, and feeling a deep sense of peace. For the first time in a long time, I wasn’t second-guessing anything.
“I do,” I whispered, barely able to hold back my tears.
“I do,” Steve replied, his voice thick with emotion.
And just like that, we were husband and wife.
That night, after the hugs and congratulations, we finally had some alone time. Steve’s house—our house now—was quiet, unfamiliar in its stillness. I slipped into the bathroom to change into something more comfortable, my heart light with excitement.
But when I came back into the bedroom, I was stopped in my tracks.
Steve was sitting on the edge of the bed, his back to me, speaking softly to someone… a someone who wasn’t there.
My heart skipped a beat.
“I wanted you to see this, Stace. Today was perfect… I just wish you could’ve been here,” his voice was low, full of emotion.
I stood frozen, unsure of what to do or say.
“Steve?” My voice came out small, uncertain.
He turned slowly, guilt flashing in his eyes.
“Amber, I—”
I stepped closer, my heart racing. “Who… who were you talking to?”
He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, his shoulders slumping. “I was talking to Stacy. My daughter.”
I stared at him, the weight of his words sinking in. He had mentioned he had a daughter—one who had died in a car accident, along with her mother. But I hadn’t known about this… this moment.
“She died in a car accident, with her mom,” he continued, his voice strained. “But sometimes, I talk to her. I know it sounds crazy, but I just… I feel like she’s still here with me. Especially today. I wanted her to know about you. I wanted her to see how happy I am.”
I didn’t know what to say. My chest felt tight, and the air in the room felt thick. Steve’s grief was palpable, filling the space between us.
But I didn’t feel afraid. I didn’t feel angry. Just… sad. Sad for him. Sad for the loss he’d carried alone for so long. His pain made my heart ache as if it were my own.
I sat down beside him, my hand finding his. “I get it,” I said softly. “You’re not crazy, Steve. You’re grieving.”
He exhaled shakily, looking at me with such raw vulnerability that it nearly broke me. “I’m sorry. I should’ve told you sooner. I just didn’t want to scare you away.”
“You’re not scaring me away,” I said, squeezing his hand. “We all have things that haunt us. But we’re in this together now. We can carry this together.”
Steve’s eyes welled up with tears, and I pulled him into a tight hug, feeling all the weight of his grief and love and fear.
“Maybe… maybe we can talk to someone about it. A therapist, maybe. It doesn’t have to be just you and Stacy anymore.”
He nodded against my shoulder. “I’ve thought about it. I just didn’t know how to start. Thank you for understanding, Amber. I didn’t know how much I needed this.”
I pulled back just enough to look him in the eyes, my heart swelling with a love deeper than I’d ever known. “We’ll figure it out, Steve. Together.”
And as I kissed him, I knew we would. We weren’t perfect, but we were real. And for the first time, that felt like enough.