by Olivia Miles
“Do you have anything here related to photography?” Hannah asked, and Sarah was about to say that she hadn’t seen anything, when Chris nodded.
“There’s a trunk of old photos in the attic,” he said, catching her eye briefly before looking away.
Sarah waited until her friends had gone up the stairs in search of these tempting items before pulling Chris aside. “I thought you got rid of those.”
“I kept the ones that I should,” he said, and she left it at that. She’d opened a wound the other day, but maybe, just maybe, it was starting to heal, at least a little.
“Well, I’d like to see these photos! Some of them might be old, and show some history of the town,” piped in Dottie Joyce, who seemed to have a knack for eavesdropping on every conversation.
“Certainly,” Chris said. “Take the stairs all the way to the top. And mind the mice,” he added in a whisper so low that only Sarah could hear.
“You’re terrible,” Sarah said, laughing. “Besides, that mouse was in the bedroom, not the attic.”
He cocked an eyebrow. “Where do you think it came from?”
She felt the blood drain from her face until she realized he was joking. She swatted his arm, giving him a rueful look, but just when her heart started to flutter it turned over just as quickly.
Today was it. The last day. And tomorrow…No thinking about that, she told herself firmly, as she went upstairs to the attic to make sure that Chris was indeed only joking, and that Dottie Joyce wouldn’t be scared out of her wits by the sight of a rodent who may or may not bite.
***
By the time the estate sale was over, Sarah calculated that close to half the town had come through. “Likely for a look-see,” Chris said, giving her a look.
It was true that not everyone had left with something, and some, like Jim McDowell and his wife Trish, came in support.
“This house has been a part of Oyster Bay for generations,” Sarah said. “Can you blame people for wanting to get a peek behind the iron gate?”
“I guess that Marty did cut himself off,” Chris admitted.
“Besides, we did pretty well,” Sarah said, walking through the rooms. They were still furnished, but most of the clutter had been cleared, between the trash pickup and the sale. Most people left with a smile on their face. “There may have been a perspective buyer in the group, too.”
For some reason, Chris didn’t look as thrilled by this prospect as she’d expected. Was he still disappointed that a few oversized oil paintings hung on the walls?
“Jim seemed pleased with the house,” she pointed out, thinking of his remarks about the quick improvement.
“He did love the wall colors.” Chris admitted. “I think that calls for a celebration. Dinner on me? You pick the place.”
It’s not a date, it’s not a date, she told herself over and over again, but this time, she couldn’t push that thought away. This time, it was different. This time, if she didn’t know better, it was a date.
“Let’s go someplace where we can sit outside. We’ve been cooped up a lot these past few days. Not that I minded,” she added, lest she inadvertently imply that the past few days had been some sort of hardship. They’d been surprisingly pleasant, eye-opening, and wonderful really. And now, they had come to an end.
“I haven’t minded either,” he said, holding her gaze.
She dropped hers to the floor, feeling a flush heat her cheeks. “Right. So. Dinner. French, Italian, or seafood? I don’t know if you’ve heard about the Main Street expansion. They’ve opened some new places recently.”
“You pick,” he said as they stepped outside into the late-afternoon sunshine.
“Okay, then, seafood,” she said. “Hannah’s dad owns The Lantern. It’s one of my favorite places in town.” She was craving a good lobster salad and she no longer felt the need to feed into a cliché of a first date at a cozy French bistro with a candle flickering on the table. Love wasn’t all about flowers and chocolates, she’d realized these past few days. It was about companionship. Partnership. Maybe even a little perseverance.
What was she saying? She didn’t love Chris. And this wasn’t a first date.
But she could love him, she knew, and that…well, that was bittersweet, wasn’t it? He’d opened her heart again. And that might just have to be enough.
She turned, trying to fight the weight in her chest when she looked back up at the big house. “Is it okay to say that I’m going to miss this place?”
“You’ll be back again in two weeks, though,” he cajoled. “For your friend’s wedding.”
“True,” she said, but it did little to lift her spirits. “But it won’t be the same.”
He looked over at her, really looked at her, and she could tell that he was searching for more, for a hint into what she had meant. But there wasn’t an answer, not a simple one at least. She would miss this past week. The hard work. The simple thrill of a goal being achieved. The teamwork.
But most of all, she’d miss him.
“I’d like to think that this isn’t good-bye,” he said, his voice low and gravelly, and even though the old Sarah would have analyzed that comment a hundred ten ways four times over again, she knew there was no mistaking what he meant.
He’d miss the house, too. What it was. What it had become. What they’d shared.
And maybe, just maybe, like her, he wasn’t quite ready for it all to be over quite yet.
Sarah rode her bike home with enough time to change into something for dinner. She swapped out her shorts and tee shirt for a sundress. Her hand lingered on the hanger of the dress she’d bought for the online date that had never happened, and she pondered just how much had happened in such a short period of time—and how much could change so quickly.
She set the dress aside, deciding she would give it to Abby as a gesture to return all the clothes and accessories that Abby had lent or given to her over time. She wanted tonight to be a fresh start. A new chapter.
An hour later, she was back on Main Street, this time by foot, a lightness in her step when she considered that in just a few minutes she’d be seeing Chris again. The Lantern was at the end of the street, and she didn’t even flinch when she passed Bayside Brides which was closed by now, of course. Still, she thought she saw a light on in the back room. No doubt Chloe was still working hard. This time tomorrow, Sarah would be back inside those four walls, the classical music playing softly over the speakers, surrounded by beautiful gowns.
She’d missed the place, but she’d miss Chris more, she thought sadly.
She was just coming up to Books by the Bay when Trish was closing up shop. “Hey, Trish,” she said, stopping for a moment to chat. She was running early, and there was no sense in sitting at a table by herself for ten minutes. The old Sarah was eager like that. It hadn’t gotten her anywhere.
“That was quite an estate sale!” Trish said, dropping the keys into her handbag. “I managed to get some gorgeous brass bookends. They’ll look great in my next window display.”
“I found something too, actually,” Sarah said. “Some beautiful antique jewelry.”
“Chloe will be impressed!” Trish said, giving her a knowing look. They both knew how difficult it was to impress Chloe.
Sarah said, “Actually, it’s for me. It was a thank you from Chris. For helping him out.”
“And that you certainly did!”
“I’m on my way to meet Chris for some drinks right now,” Sarah said, and rolled her eyes when Trish gave her a knowing look. “It’s not like that. He’s going back to Boston tomorrow,” she said firmly, not just to Trish, but to herself.
“So Chris was pleased with the turnout then?” Trish joined her as they began walking down Main Street toward The Lantern.
Sarah nodded. “Hopefully it helps Jim show the place,” she said. She could only imagine what the commission on that would mean for their family.
“Well, you’re not the only one celebrating tonight. I’m pr
obably the first to know, but Jim just presented Chris with an offer.”
Sarah’s pulse skipped. “A buyer? So soon?”
Trish was beaming as she nodded her head. “I know! Jim was just as surprised as the rest of us. But someone came through the sale and saw real potential in the place. I doubt they would have a week ago.”
No, probably not, Sarah thought.
“Wow.” Sarah’s mind was spinning, and it was only then that she realized that up until now she’d been holding out hope, just like she’d promised herself not to do anymore. She’d romanticized it in her mind, a fantasy of Chris keeping the house, staying in town. Having a change of heart.
Opening his heart.
She almost didn’t dare herself to ask the question she really wanted to ask, the one that would cement herself in denial. Did he accept the offer?
The question played over and over again in her mind until she forced it away, along with the hope. Of course he had said yes! He’d come to town to sell the house. He had never implied otherwise.
Instead she asked, “When does the sale close?”
“They want possession as soon as possible, apparently,” Trish said. “It’s a cash offer, so if everything proceeds smoothly, it should all be finalized by next week.”
“Next week?” But Hannah’s wedding was a week from Saturday. Chris would never have agreed to that, surely! He was a man of his word; he’d said that over and over, and she’d finally believed him.
But he’d said other things, too. Things that didn’t fit with what her heart wanted to hear.
Her heart was pounding so loudly that she was sure that Trish could hear it, but Trish seemed completely pleased, and perhaps she expected Sarah to be too. But how could she? Now Hannah wouldn’t get her wedding venue. Now Sarah might not be able to keep her job.
She’d believed in him. She’d opened her heart.
And he’d broken it.
“I’m sorry, Trish, I have to run.” Her voice was shaky and she could barely even look her friend in the eye. She didn’t know where she had to go or what she could even do, but she had to get away, to think. “It was good talking.” It wasn’t good. It was only good to know. And even then, she wasn’t sure she wished that she had ever known.
She hurried away, down the sidewalk, past Bayside Brides, looking to cross the street before she approached the Oyster Bay Hotel, but it was too late. There was Chris, coming out the front door, his hands in his pocket, a smile on his face.
Anger swelled within her.
“Sarah!” He was grinning, ear to ear, his eyes shining with more happiness than she’d seen all week. “I was just coming to meet you.”
“Coming to gloat?” Her heart panged when his expression dropped, but she pushed away the guilt and doubt she felt when she saw the confusion in his eyes. “I heard all about the offer from Jim’s wife. We’re friends. Everyone in town is friends, really. That’s what makes it such a great place to live.”
Chris sighed heavily and looked down at the pavement. “I was going to tell you.”
“Oh, I’m sure you were. Because you’re a man of your word.” She was blinking back tears, but she would be damned if she cried over another man who didn’t deserve her. “And I was stupid enough to believe you. Believe in you. I thought… I thought we had something.”
He looked at her sharply. “We do have something, Sarah. If circumstances were different. In another time, another place.”
She stared at him, trying to understand what he was saying, and the pain in his expression told her everything she needed to know. He did like her. But he just wasn’t willing to start anything between them.
“There is no other time or place,” she said. “There’s just today.”
He shook his head, and her heart felt like it broke just a little bit more. “But it doesn’t change the facts.”
“And what are the facts?” she asked, crossing her arms over her chest. Her eyes burned into his and she waited to see if he would waver, maybe even held out hope to see what he would say.
“That house has bad memories for me.”
“And good ones, too,” she pointed out.
He lowered his eyes, as if he still couldn’t admit that, or focus on it. “I can’t keep holding onto the past,” he finally said.
“But that’s exactly what you’re doing,” she told him, her voice starting to shake with emotion. “Selling that house won’t help you move on with your life. That house is just a thing, a place. It doesn’t change how you live or how you feel.”
He glanced up at her, saying nothing. “I don’t want to end up like Marty, alone in that house, mourning the past.”
She shook her head. “But you’re just like Marty,” she said softly. She didn’t know why she hadn’t seen it before. It was so obvious, all along, and she’d reverted to her old ways, dared to be a dreamer instead of a realist. “You’re alone, fixated on the past, unwilling to move forward or let people in. That house has nothing to do with it.”
“Maybe you’re right,” he surprised her by saying.
“So, you’re going to turn your back on your uncle and all your memories, just like you turned your back on me and our deal?”
“It’s not that simple,” he said, his jaw setting.
“Actually, Chris, it is that simple. Sometimes in life, you have to make a choice. You can sit at home, all by yourself, locked in the past, afraid to live, or you can open your mind, and give something new a chance.”
But it didn’t always work out, she thought to herself. There was no guarantee.
She’d taken a chance. Not just on working out her professional life. She’d taken a chance on her heart, even though she hadn’t planned on it.
“I have to go, Chris,” she said, turning away, and this time, she didn’t look back.
Chapter Fourteen
It was a typical Monday morning in Oyster Bay. The sun was shining. The gulls were swooping down over the Atlantic. Tourists had flocked back to their hometowns, leaving the streets quiet and sleepy. Shop owners on Main Street tended to the flowers that flanked their front doors, taking their time in turning their signs, the start of a new week brewing just as quickly as the coffee she could smell from the paper cup from Angie’s that she clutched in her hand.
But there was nothing typical about this Monday to Sarah, she thought as she stood outside of Bayside Brides and took a deep breath. There was no avoiding it. Today was the day she was meant to check in, and it was the day she would learn her fate.
The shop wasn’t open yet, of course. There was the Monday meeting to get through, if she made it that far. She’d considered calling Melanie last night, crying over a drink with her, telling her everything that had transpired, how close she had been, but it didn’t seem fair to ruin Melanie’s weekend that way. That was something the old Sarah would do.
This was her mess to clean up. She would deal with Chloe, alone. She would walk out of here today, either in an hour, or seven hours, but she would still walk. She’d done her best. She had no regrets.
Well, almost none.
Chloe was arranging the jewelry in the case when Sarah entered the store. The jewelry. Sarah had nearly left what she’d taken from the estate sale at home, but the sight of it was a painful reminder of how quickly things could turn, and not always for the better. No, it was better here, in the display case, rather than stuffed inside her top drawer. Someone would come along, buy it. It would bring them happiness. They’d make new memories from it.
“Good morning!” Her tone was nearly cheerful but not quite. She looked around for Melanie. No sign of her yet.
“Sarah!” Chloe’s tone held just a note of surprise, but she was pleasant when she smiled. “How did the rest of the sale go?”
Anxiety came in waves as she managed a tight smile. Had Chloe remembered their arrangement? Was she expecting her today? Or did she assume Sarah had too much pride to fight for what she wanted?
Fight for what she wanted. Tha
t’s what she’d done all week. Before that even. She wasn’t a quitter.
“I actually brought something from the Crestview estate sale,” she said, reaching into her tote for the small cloth bag she’d set the items in this morning. “They’re vintage. Costume jewelry, of course. But some are really unique.” She set the earrings, bracelet, and two necklaces on the glass cover, her heart panging as she released the last earring from her hand.
“These are stunning!” Chloe leaned in to admire them. “Are you sure you don’t want to keep them for yourself?”
Sarah wondered if the strain showed in her eyes as she forced a smile. “Oh, I don’t really have a reason to hold on to them. These would be perfect for one of our brides.”
“They would,” Chloe agreed. She gave her a smile that almost passed for apologetic, but definitely felt sincere. “Thank you.”
Sarah nodded and swallowed hard. That had been the easy part. The hard part—the part where she told Chloe that she hadn’t secured the Foster estate for Hannah’s wedding after all—was still looming.
Chloe locked up the case and slid the estate jewelry into her palm. “I’ll clean these and tag them, too. I might have a chat with Bob down at the antiques shop to see if they’re worth anything first, although I imagine that they would have snagged them first if they were.”
“Chris actually gave these to me before the estate sale started,” Sarah said, hoping to gloss over the details of that exchange. “They were in the safe, so you never know. But, I really think they’re costume jewelry.”
Chloe eyed her with interest. “You and Chris seem to have become close.”
“There’s nothing going on between the two of us,” Sarah told her.
Chloe didn’t look convinced, but she turned and walked toward the back room, and Sarah, staving off a fresh bout of nervous energy, set a hand to her stomach and closed her eyes. This was it. The moment where she revealed her latest disappointment. The moment where she might be fired, once and for all.