"Well, one of the reasons I moved back here was to be closer to my family. I missed out on a lot of precious time with them by living in California after school. I can't get the time back, but I can start being more intentional about spending time together before it's too late."
Ethan was right. Our folks were growing older, and the family dynamic had changed over time. Looks like he had more depth to him than I was initially giving him credit for.
"Then there's my personal hobbies. I like to play golf to help me unwind. It's kind of fun getting out there and working on improving my game whenever I have some downtime."
"That's nice."
"Do you have any hobbies?" he asked.
"Not really. I like to work out to relieve stress. That's about it. Lately, I've been thinking about getting into property investment, but for now, it's just another avenue I'm exploring. Nothing really definitive."
"That's the go-getter, I know. Lawyer by day and real estate mogul by night."
"Now that you put it that way it sounds exhausting just thinking about it."
"I bet you it is exhausting." He teased. “If you don't mind me asking, are you seeing someone?"
Ethan picked up a shell to trace in the sand as he waited for my response.
"No. My options are looking kind of scarce these days."
“You’re kidding me. The guys used to follow you around Pelican High like you were a celebrity. To this day, I'm surprised that I ever had the privilege of calling you my girlfriend. You could've easily chosen to be with anyone. What happened?"
"Your guess is just as good as mine. Perhaps I'm too independent, or too much of a go-getter. I'd like to think one's success wouldn't influence their relationship status, but I don't know."
"Maybe you just haven't met the right one."
"Now you sound like my mother. She's always talking about how he's out there preparing himself for me. And how I need to be focused on becoming the best me I can be for him. That sounds good and all, but the bottom line is marriage may not be for me. Sometimes you just have to be willing to accept the facts and call it what it is."
"Interesting," Ethan said.
"What's interesting?"
"I've battled with similar thoughts, especially with the possibility of remaining single because I haven't met the right one. However, my version is slightly different. I like to think more like your mother. She's out there, it just has to be the right timing. Everything I'm experiencing during the "in-between" time is preparation, that's all."
"Do you think you'll be saying the same thing if you're still single ten or twenty years from now?"
"Guess I'll have to cross that bridge when I get to it."
Ethan kicked a bit of sand over my feet in a playful manner before suggesting that we take a walk to grab something to drink.
"So, tell me about how things are going with the family. Do your parents still own the Inn?"
"Sadly, they sold it last year. My parents had to retire. Mainly due to my dad's health."
"Is he okay?"
"At the time of his retirement, he had what they considered to be early signs of dementia. It's progressed since then, so of course, my mom is always worried."
"Man, I'm sorry to hear that."
"Thanks, he still lives at home with Mom. Some days are better than others. He refuses to allow her to get extra help, and at this point, mom still listens. I often wonder how long they can keep that up, but for now, it works."
"Please give them my regards. I always felt like your family was my family. Your parents always welcomed me like I was one of their own."
"They sure did."
My parents never stopped loving Ethan and always hoped he would return home. If I'd let her, mom would go on and on about how wonderful Ethan is in her eyes. The family had a deep affection for him and treated him like he was one of the Matthews.
"As for my sisters, I'd say they're doing rather well for themselves as well. Payton opened a new photography business recently. It's just a few miles from here. And Abby stays at home with my niece, Maggie, and my nephew, Aidan. Her husband, Wyatt Holden, works in our building. You may have come across him a time or two."
"The name sounds familiar. I think I remember Wyatt. Wasn't he and Abby there at your house the night of our prom?"
"Yes, they were as a matter of fact. You have a pretty good memory."
“Are you and Abby still at odds all the time?"
"I'd like to think we've learned how to get along better, but sometimes we still have our moments. Hey, for somebody who's been gone a long time, you sure did remember a whole lot."
Ethan was like the kid you grew up with since elementary school who knew everything about you and could tell all of your family stories.
"How could I forget?" he said.
I refrained from saying anything further but our bond was so tight. I wondered how he could just leave it all behind. We grabbed a couple of cool beverages from a nearby stand before he walked me back to my car.
"So, what are the odds that I might see you again?" he said.
"The odds are very high. We work in the same building, remember?"
"Come on, you know that's not what I meant."
I knew what he meant, but I wasn't convinced that hanging out with Ethan was a good idea for my emotional well being.
"I'll think about it," I said.
He stopped walking.
"Seriously?"
"Yep. You'll have to take it or leave it."
"You were always one to drive a hard bargain. Let me guess. You don't want to be seen around town with me? You're probably afraid it will stir up something?"
"No. I'm just not certain I want to give you an immediate yes. At least it's not a no."
He took a sip of his water.
"Good point. I told my mom you were going to give me a hard time."
"You told your mother we were meeting today?"
"Sure, why not? She was so excited to hear that we had a chance to reconnect. You know she'll never stop being fond of you."
Hanging out with Ethan felt just like old times. We fell right back in synch as if we hadn't missed years of being together. That made me nervous.
"Guess who I ran into the other day?" he said.
"Who?"
"Do you remember Tommy Sacks?"
"The kid who used do weird things like eat mud pies when everybody dared him to?"
"That's him. He owns an auto shop on the north side of Pelican Beach."
"Really? How's he doing?"
"He appears to be doing very well. He's married with kids, and best of all, it looks like he survived all of those disgusting dares."
We laughed and carried on some more about Tommy's dares until we arrived at our cars.
"It's a wonder that kid didn't have to make any visits to the E.R." he said.
"I know, right?"
Our laughter trailed off and we found ourselves in an awkward moment of silence.
"Well, here's your car, and I'm parked right behind you."
Ethan tapped on the hood of my car.
"This was nice. Thanks for inviting me,” I said.
"The pleasure was all mine. Do you have big plans for this afternoon?"
"Not really. I'm going to swing by Payton's store and see what she's up to. I need to talk to her if she's not too busy."
"That's nice. Well, enjoy the afternoon, and if you should ever change your mind about going out again, I hope you call me."
"Bye, Ethan."
I waved goodbye and drove off. It was hard not to spend the entire drive thinking about our afternoon get together. Who would've ever imagined in a million years that I would go anywhere with Ethan again? Now, the real question I had to ask myself… would I go out with him again?
When I arrived at Payton's, there was barely enough room to get in the store.
"Excuse me. Hi. Coming through. Hi. Excuse me."
When I made it to the counter, a girl stood behind the counte
r, looking frazzled and overwhelmed.
"Welcome to Picture Perfect. How may I help you?"
"Hi, is Payton here? I'm her sister, Rebecca."
"Hi, Miss Rebecca. It's nice to meet you. I'm Natalie."
I extended my hand across the counter.
"Natalie. You must be Payton's new assistant."
"That's me. Payton is in the back, finishing up a photo shoot. She should be out soon."
"Great, do you need help out here? It's looking kind of crowded."
"They're all apart of the same party. They took a group photo, and now Payton's just working on the last individual photo."
"Oh, okay, that's great. It looks like business is booming. How's the assistant role working out for you?"
"So far, so good. I still have a lot to learn about placing orders and organizing inventory, but overall I'd say it's going pretty well."
Payton returned and announced that everyone's photos were done. She was such a professional. I don't think I've ever seen Payton, the businesswoman in action, but the role suited her well.
"Rebecca, I didn't know you were here."
"I just got here. Natalie and I were getting acquainted while you were taking your last picture."
"Natalie, Rebecca is my youngest sister. She's by far the craziest of the bunch, so don't listen to a thing she says or pay attention to anything she does,” Payton said.
Natalie stood there looking uncertain about what to say.
"Thanks, Payton. Now I know how you really feel about me."
I pretended to put my head down and cry just to play around with Natalie. Poor thing looked at us both like we were crazy.
"Natalie, we're just joking around. Lighten up, girl,” I said.
"Speak for yourself, Becca. You might've been joking with the fake crying, but I'm serious about you being crazy."
Natalie finally cracked a big smile.
"Is that how you treat me in front of your new assistant? I'll remember this moment."
"Quit goofing around, Rebecca. What brings you by here today? "
"I was hoping I could talk to you for a little bit if you weren't too busy."
"Sure, why don't you come hang out in the back with me so I can multi-task."
She checked in with Natalie. "Call me if you need anything, okay?"
"No problem," Natalie said.
I pulled up a stool in Payton's back room and put down my purse.
"So, what's on your mind?"
"Where do I begin?"
"Uh, oh. That doesn't sound good."
"It's not terrible. I just have a lot to think about these days."
"Well, are you going to tell me about it, or are you going to just sit there?"
"Okay. Let's start with the most recent event."
I decided to share my thoughts even though I knew I would probably regret it later.
"I just left the beach before I came to see you."
"I thought you looked a little rosy on your cheeks." Payton was digging in her filing cabinet while listening.
"I was at the beach with Ethan."
She stopped what she was doing.
"How did that happen?"
"What do you mean, how did it happen? He invited me to hang out to catch up on things, and I accepted his invitation."
"So, you went on a date?"
"No. I wouldn't call it a date at all. We met at the beach. Took a stroll, talked for a little while, and left."
"Okay, so a semi-date."
"Payton, come on."
"Okay, okay. You don't have to be so uptight about it."
I balled up a piece of paper and flicked it at her but missed.
"First of all… you have terrible aim. Now, can you get back to telling the story? How was the conversation with Ethan?"
"Surprisingly, it was nice."
"You mean to tell me you didn't try to bite his head off? I'm impressed."
"Today was more of an opportunity to catch up, that's all. He knows that I wasn't very fond of the way he left things between us. But honestly, that was so long ago. It seems a little ridiculous to carry on about it now."
"Oh, so this is the second time you're getting together?" Suddenly Payton didn't seem to be as interested in her filing cabinet.
"Not really. The first time he followed me out to the parking lot at work, but we're losing focus here. The main point is we talked about everything, he explained that he never meant to hurt me, and we had a chance to get past that and just catch up. That's it."
"No, Ma'am. That's not it. If that were it, you wouldn't be sitting here at my place of business, telling me you have a lot on your mind. It sounds like you're intrigued by the time spent with Ethan, and you just don't want to admit it."
"It's not like we spent a long time together. I was just surprised at how easy it was to talk to him. Just as if we never lost time together."
"I would imagine it's because the two of you were always best friends. That kind of bond is hard to break."
"Yet, he still managed to break it," I said.
"Rebecca, he was young. I could go on and on telling you all the reasons why he made the right choice, but I think deep down inside, you know that already."
"So, what are you trying to say?"
Payton walked over and placed her hands on top of mine.
"I'm saying if he's back, and the two of you want to spend time catching up, just enjoy the journey. Life's too short to be stressing over every little thing."
After returning to her filing cabinet, she added, "Besides, what are the odds the two of you would still be single after all these years?"
The last comment was cause for me to make another paper snowball and throw it at her. I realized there may be repercussions for doing so, but what kind of younger sister would I be if I didn't stir up a little trouble?
"Rebecca, will you quit! I'm only going to allow you to be back here with me if you can be civilized so I can get some work done. Now, what else was on your mind besides Ethan?"
"You're not going to want to hear this, but I'm sharing anyway."
"I'm listening," Payton said.
"I followed up and did some research on the property in Savannah."
"And?"
"Turns out the property sits on eight acres of land. It's a cape located on Grove Point Road. It has about five bedrooms with a total of 4,000 square feet."
"Okay." Payton still didn't seem excited.
"I was able to get in touch with a neighbor who was good friends with Uncle Samuel. He says his family keeps an eye on the company that cuts the grass. Apparently, one of the sisters is paying for basic yard work to help keep up the appearance of the neighborhood."
"What about the condition of the house?"
"He said the house needs a lot of work. Upon first glance, it looks like a lovely home from the road, but when you get closer you can see greenery growing out of the gutters, it needs a new roof, and it smells like mold on the inside."
Payton perched her eyebrows. "Great. And you want to take this on as a fun project?"
"I don't know how fun it would be, but I know it would be rewarding. I called a realtor after just to learn about the neighborhood comps. The realtor seems to think this house could easily sell for 750,000, and maybe even higher if it's renovated properly."
"Rebecca, am I missing something here? I thought the whole issue for the daughters is they didn't want to take on the project, and they wanted to honor their father's wishes of not selling the place?"
"That's right," I said.
"Well, the way you're talking, it sounds like you’re looking to fix up the house to sell it. Isn't that going against Uncle Samual's wishes?"
"The clause states that we would have to keep and maintain the property for a minimum of five years. Afterward, we'd be free and clear to do as we please."
"Oh, for goodness, sake. No. I'm sorry, Rebecca, but I think we'd be biting off way more than we can chew. It sounds like too much of a headache if you ask me
."
"The house is paid for, Payton. Do you realize what we could do with a 4,000 square foot property located on eight sprawling acres of land? Who cares if we have to keep it for five years. We could rent it out. Maybe even target high-end renters and hire a management company to keep the place up. Or maybe we could even turn it into a bed and breakfast. I can just see it now. A small-town B&B located in Savannah, Georgia. I get excited just thinking about it."
I held up my hands imagining a beautiful sign on the front that read 'Small Town B&B' or 'Matthews B&B.'
Payton looked irritated.
"I'm starting to think you've lost your marbles, Rebecca. This is no different from when we were little kids. You always had all of these amazing ideas, you'd get everyone involved, and then would be the first one ready to move onto the next thing once you were bored with it."
"Name one time that happened, Payton."
"Where shall we begin? There was the time you were going to start your Herbal Care business. That was a hoot. No one could tell you anything. You had all of us going around town, putting up signs to order your products. That was short-lived when we found out that hanging up the signs was against the town ordinance. Then, you bribed Abby and me to drive you to your multi-level marketing meetings. You used to come out of those meetings all pumped up and ready to sell products by the box load. All of that quickly came to an end when you realized just how difficult it was to climb the MLM ladder."
"I was nineteen. All teenagers think they have everything figured out. I was very consistent and responsible before that point. You're just not giving me any credit."
"Oh, yeah? What about school fundraisers? Once again, Rebecca comes home all pumped about winning a brand new bike as the first prize. I can still hear you today. "I'm going to outsell every kid at school… weeks later, Mom and Dad were stuck trying to figure out how to get rid of forty plus boxes of assorted candy bars."
"Okay, Payton, you've made your point. The one thing you seem to be forgetting is that I finally grew up and made something of myself. I don't think becoming a successful lawyer is anything to overlook. "
"You do have a successful career. But the way you're acting over this whole property thing reminds me of the old Rebecca that gets excited about an idea without giving it a lot of thought. As I stated earlier, I don't have the money or time to be involved in something like this. Neither of us can be in Savannah to properly oversee everything while managing our lives here in Pelican Beach."
Sunsets At Pelican Beach (Pelican Beach Book 2) Page 8