“I guess.” Bree didn’t sound so sure, and a flicker of hope ignited within Caleb. Would she consider giving all that up? To stay in Starlight Ridge? With him? But then her posture changed—stiffened. “You’re right. I suppose I should do it.” She paused. “But what about your store? They won’t let me wait until the end of the season. They want me back as soon as possible.”
Oh, that was another problem to add to the mix. His feelings aside, Caleb really did need Bree as his store’s manager. But even if they would let her wait a couple of months before coming back, he didn’t think he could work with her every day, kiss her, knowing that she’d soon be gone. It would be torture. At least when Kayla had left, it had been without warning. Ripping off the bandage, so to speak.
“I’ll be fine,” Caleb said, his voice soft. “Your future awaits.”
But what about his future?
24
Bree stared up at the building she used to spend ten hours in every day. She was back. And Caleb hadn’t even tried to stop her. If he’d made any attempt at all, she wouldn’t have left. But it was like he was pushing her towards this bland existence. He apparently thought this was where she belonged.
She knew he was wrong. And yet here she was again. Living a cowardly life. Too afraid to tell Eric what she really thought of his job offer. Not brave enough to tell Caleb how she felt about him and that she never wanted to leave him, even if it meant being unemployed for half of the year.
Bree had suggested doing the long-distance thing for a while, see how things went. Caleb wasn’t interested, though. It seemed he expected her to be all-in or all-out.
And then she’d walked away from it all. From him. From Starlight Ridge. From everything that had made her happy over the past few months.
Dread filled her stomach at the thought of having to walk through those front doors. Walk across the tiled lobby and to the elevators. Ride them up to the twelfth floor, where her little cubicle awaited her.
There would be no salty scent to greet her. No birds or ocean waves. Bree hadn’t even had a chance to see the turtles. Caleb had promised to take her once things slowed down a bit.
Five days. Less than a week. That was how long it had been since she had left Starlight Ridge. And she’d been unhappy ever since. Even her parents had noticed something was off.
Bree took a step backwards, away from the building. Then another, as if she and the building were two magnets flipped so they repelled each other. It was another couple of steps before she just turned and ran the two blocks to where her car was parked in a side lot. Other pedestrians on the sidewalk quickly moved out of the way, giving her dirty looks as she sped past. Bree muttered apologies as she swerved around them.
She couldn’t do it.
She couldn’t stay and work for people who didn’t care about her and, frankly, didn’t need her. She was just a cog in their machine, and if she got rusty or didn’t work as expected, they wouldn’t hesitate to throw her out.
It had felt like Caleb had done the same to her, practically pushing her out the door.
But she saw it more clearly now. Whatever he’d said, whatever his reaction had been—he did need her. Maybe he could handle his girlfriend leaving, but he at least needed her as his store manager. Bree couldn’t imagine what the past few days had been like for him, trying to juggle everything. She hoped he’d at least asked for some help from Jessie or someone who had a more flexible schedule like she did.
Though even as she thought it, Bree doubted he had.
Caleb was stubborn. He didn’t know how to ask for help. His stubbornness was why he hadn’t stopped her from leaving, even knowing what it would mean for his business.
Bree cursed herself as she jumped into her car. She knew him well enough, she should have known that he’d never stand in the way of an opportunity if he thought it was what she wanted. That was the kind of guy he was. He always took the back seat, as if he didn’t matter.
But Caleb did matter. He was the only thing that mattered. The job—money—she’d figure all of that out. There were plenty of ways to earn a living. But there was only one person she had fallen in love with.
Once back at her parents’ house, where she’d been crashing until she could get into her own apartment, she ran through the door and downstairs to the guest bedroom. Her parents had moved from her hometown of Amor and to the big city a few years earlier, leaving her sister in charge of the family diner. This new house might not hold Bree’s childhood memories, but she could still consider it home—a place to escape to. Sort of. She realized now that when she thought of home, she immediately thought of ocean waves. Sand. A handsome scuba diver.
“Is everything okay?” her mom called down the stairs as Bree shoved all her clothes into her suitcase.
She didn’t answer right away, instead scanning the room to make sure she hadn’t missed anything. Most of her stuff was still in storage, so it wasn’t like she had a lot.
Bree’s mom appeared in the doorway. “I thought today was your first day back at work.”
“It was,” Bree said. She should probably call Eric to let him know the change of plans—she wouldn’t be returning to the company after all. She could do that on the drive, though. She had thirteen hours ahead of her to listen to him rant and rave about how this was going to look—how it was going to reflect on him. That was all he had ever cared about, looking good for upper management.
Her mom watched as Bree zipped up her suitcase. “I take it you are going back to that little shop you told me about. The one in Moonlight Crest?”
“It’s Starlight Ridge, Mom. And yes, I am.” She scanned the room again. Shoot. She had forgotten everything that was in the bathroom. She ran out of the room and across the hall to grab her toothbrush and other essentials.
“Are you sure this is wise?” Her mom had followed her, calmly watching Bree’s panicked movements. “It doesn’t seem like there’s much job mobility in the tourism industry.”
With her arms full, Bree hurried back across the hall and dumped everything onto the bed. “There isn’t. Actually, there’s none.” She unzipped her suitcase and shoved in her curling iron and blow dryer. The little things could fit in the cracks.
Her mom laid a hand on Bree’s arm, stilling her. “Then why are you doing this? What are you in such a hurry to get back to?” And then the answer—the real answer—dawned on her. “There’s a man involved, isn’t there?”
Bree felt heat rush into her cheeks and knew that was all the answer her mom would need. She pulled away and threw her deodorant on top of her clothes. That was the last of it.
“I appreciate that you have feelings for this person,” her mom said. “But is he really worth all of this trouble? I mean, you were engaged just a few months ago, and it’s normal to seek out connection—”
Bree spun to face her mom. “Please don’t psychoanalyze me. This wasn’t exactly part of the plan, okay? But neither was getting fired.”
“Laid off,” her mom corrected.
“Same difference,” Bree said. “They didn’t care about me. And I found someone who does.” If Caleb even wanted her back. She hadn’t considered the possibility that he wouldn’t. Bree should have, considering he hadn’t called since she left. Hadn’t tried to get in touch.
Adeline had, and she’d tried to convince Bree to come back, but Bree doubted Caleb knew about those phone calls.
Her resolve weakened.
Until her mom handed Bree a picture she’d picked up off the dresser. It was the selfie Bree had taken of her and Caleb on her last ocean dive. They were huddled together, giving the camera a thumbs up. Even though their faces were covered by masks, their body language said it all.
They were meant to be together.
“Is this him?” her mom asked.
“Uh-huh.”
“Who is that with him?” Her mom pointed to the masked Bree, clearly not thinking it could be her daughter.
“It’s me.”
That got her mom’s attention. She knew Bree’s fear of water better than anyone. “You didn’t tell me you went scuba diving.”
No, Bree had avoided all questions that related to Starlight Ridge. And Caleb. “Seeing as my certification is pretty much useless here, I didn’t see the point,” she said.
Her mom didn’t pry further. She instead said, “Go into work for a week. See how it is. Who knows, you might decide to stay.”
Just the prospect of going into that building, even for one day, made her nauseous.
“I’m sorry, Mom, but this is something I’ve got to do.” Bree finished zipping up her suitcase. “Why don’t you come out in a month and visit? I know you’d love the ocean. Maybe we can even go diving together.”
Her mom seemed to scrutinize Bree, like she’d never seen her daughter before. “I had thought this was all about that man you took a liking to, but something else has changed about you.”
Bree smiled and stood taller, realizing that her mom was right. “I’m not afraid anymore. Or at least, I’m not going to let fear stop me. Not anymore.”
“And that includes returning to Starlight Ridge.”
Bree nodded. “I never should have left in the first place.”
Her mom released a long sigh, but she pulled Bree into a tight hug. “Make sure you call at least once a week to check in,” she said as she pulled back. “And answer the phone when that boss of yours calls, wondering where you’re at. I don’t want to have to be the middleman anymore.”
Bree laughed and picked up her suitcase. “I will.”
After one last hug and a wave goodbye, Bree threw her suitcase into the trunk and started on her one-way, nonstop journey to Starlight Ridge.
Bree pulled over to the side of the road, the same place she’d stopped several months before. She took in the sign in front of her, then grabbed her camera off the passenger seat and got out. The first time she’d taken a picture of it, she had only been planning on staying for a couple of weeks. But Adeline had promised Bree that those two weeks would change her life.
Adeline had had no idea how true that would turn out to be. Those two weeks had turned into two months, then eventually four months.
And now?
Hopefully forever.
The moon’s light reflected off the welcome sign. The lighting may have been different than the first time, but it still signified a new beginning. Bree was much more nervous this time, though. No, more than that. Bree was afraid. She and Caleb had only dated for two or three months, after all, and he hadn’t even attempted to keep her from leaving. He hadn’t come after her. Caleb seemed like he was doing just fine without her.
But she wasn’t fine without him. She was a mess.
As it turned out, she was in love with Caleb. She’d known it for a while now, but hadn’t admitted it until about three hours into the trip that day. That in itself was terrifying.
The difference this time was that she wasn’t going to run away. Feel the fear, then do it anyway. It was something her father had taught her. She’d always figured it applied to other people.
Bree returned her camera to the car without taking a picture and grabbed her phone instead. She snapped a photo of herself smiling in front of the sign, giving a thumbs up. It gave her the courage and motivation she needed to get back behind the wheel and drive the familiar coastal road into town. She forced herself to not look at the dive shop as she drove past but couldn’t help stealing a glance. The windows were dark. The shop had closed up hours earlier. Not even the upstairs apartment showed signs of life.
Bree pulled into Adeline’s driveway but didn’t get out. She sat there, guilt gnawing at her. She shouldn’t have left. She glanced at the lit windows of Adeline’s home, then back at Caleb’s place. Neither of them knew she was coming.
But she knew which one she needed to see first.
Leaving her suitcase in the trunk, Bree hurried across the road and toward the path that would lead her to the back of the dive shop. And then, much too soon, she found herself at Caleb’s door. She stared at the doorbell. It seemed to taunt her, looking both innocent and menacing. It dared her to ring it, while at the same time mocking her because it knew she couldn’t.
“I’ll show you,” she muttered, and she jammed her finger into the bell. Even though Bree didn’t hear the ringing, she knew it was there, upstairs, announcing her arrival.
Bree waited a minute before pressing the button again.
Nothing. No answer.
She glanced at her phone. Eleven o’clock. It was late, but not so late he’d be in bed. He usually stayed up, reading. The irrational side of her wondered if Caleb had a security camera she couldn’t see—if he wasn’t answering because he knew it was her.
And then the door swung open so fast, it caught Bree by surprise. But it wasn’t Caleb who stood there.
“Oh my gosh, Bree,” Jessie said, nearly bowling her over. She managed to stop in time, but held a hand over her heart, her breaths quick. “I was just heading home. How long have you been standing there?”
Bree placed a hand on Jessie’s arm to steady her. “Sorry, Jess. I came by to see Caleb.”
“He’s not here.”
“Oh.” All of that courage for nothing. But if Caleb wasn’t home, what was Jessie doing there so late? Bree’s gaze searched beyond Jessie, wondering if Caleb was really there but had instructed her to get Bree to leave.
As if reading Bree’s thoughts, Jessie added, “He needed to take care of some things, so I volunteered to stay late to finish up paperwork and lock up. Did you try calling him?”
Nope. Bree hadn’t. But she realized now that she probably should have.
“I…kind of…forgot.”
Jessie gave Bree a kindly smile and said, “I thought you had left town.”
“I did.”
Jessie’s smile didn’t slip as she asked, “Are you back?”
Bree was unsure how to answer that question. “Maybe. I hope so. I need to work out some things first.”
“Which is why you are looking for Caleb.” Jessie said it so matter-of-factly, like Bree was basing her entire future on one conversation—one man. Which was true, and when she thought about it that way, she didn’t like it. The whole point of coming to Starlight Ridge had been to figure out how to be her own person, making her own decisions, without trying to please someone else all the time.
And now, she was back to square one.
“Maybe this was a mistake.” Bree stepped away. “Thanks anyway.” She turned to leave.
“Caleb needs you,” Jessie said, bringing Bree to a stop. “And there’s no mistake about it, you need him too.”
Bree faced Jessie. “I know I shouldn’t have left so suddenly, leaving him short-handed to run the store—”
“I’m not talking about the store,” Jessie interrupted with a small laugh.
Bree was silent for a moment. “I don’t want to need him,” she said, though it came out as nearly a whisper.
“Funny, he was just telling me the same thing.” Jessie paused. “It’s okay to need someone. It doesn’t mean you aren’t your own person, or that you’re vulnerable.”
“Actually, yes, it does,” Bree said, finding her voice again. “It means that I rely on another person, never able to stand on my own two feet.”
Jessie folded her arms, fixing her gaze on Bree. “Then why are you here? Why did you come back?”
“Because—” That was a really good question, and it had all made perfect sense as Bree had been stuffing everything in her suitcase and flying out the door to drive thirteen hours to see the man she had fallen in love with. “Because I don’t know how to stay away.”
“You love him.”
Was it really as simple as that? Did those other things not matter, just because she loved the guy? “Yes, I love him.”
“Well, why didn’t you say so? I’ll help you grab your gear.”
Bree stared blankly. “I’m sorry?”
“Caleb
went out diving. You’ll find his car out by the cove.”
Bree looked past Jessie into the shop. “But it’s late. By the time I get out there, it will be nearly midnight.”
“It’s one of Caleb’s favorite times to dive.”
There was still so much she didn’t know about Caleb, and she wondered if all of this was a big mistake. Besides, there was no way Bree could go diving right now. She had finally gotten comfortable diving when she could see—but in the dark? No way. “I-I can’t.”
“Sure you can.” And then Jessie hurried back inside the shop. “Do you have any of your own equipment, or will you need some of everything?” she called over her shoulder.
“I told you, I can’t dive at night,” Bree said, following Jessie into the back room, where she was pulling out a pair of fins.
Jessie turned a stern look on Bree. “If you want to talk to Caleb, you will.”
“Why can’t I just come back tomorrow?”
Jessie released a sigh and dropped the fins to the floor. “I didn’t want to say anything, because I like you, Bree. A lot. But—Caleb’s leaving. Tonight. After he gets back from his dive.”
Bree’s breath caught. That didn’t sound at all like the man she knew—the one who had told her how he’d stayed in Starlight Ridge, even when everyone else had left him behind. “For how long?”
“I have no idea. As far as I know, maybe forever.”
25
Caleb wished he could stay at the bottom of the ocean forever. But unfortunately he’d been in a hurry and hadn’t grabbed one of the oxygen tanks that were recently filled. He still had half a tank, but that meant he was only able to spend about forty-five minutes in the water. Disappointing for his last night dive, but he was grateful for the time he had.
With a final look at the nightlife that had come out to join him, he ascended to the surface. As his head broke through, he turned his headlamp off. But as he swam to the large rock that he’d left his things on, something felt off. Like he wasn’t alone.
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