Summer by the Sea

by Jenny Hale

  “I wanted to kiss you at my party,” he admitted in her ear after he’d left her lips.

  “Why didn’t you?”

  “I didn’t want to get involved again. It’s too complicated. You know how I feel about what I do for a living and my plans for the Outer Banks. That’s a big deal when it comes to my life. And yet you’re here with me, knowing that. As much as I’d like to be friends—it would be easier—I can’t help how I feel. I love spending time with you and your family and this afternoon with your nan just brought home to me how important it is to find someone to share life with. I know we have our differences but I hope in time I can get you to understand the way I see things.”

  Funny, she was hoping the same, but she was hoping to get him to see her side of things. “I wasn’t terribly happy about being left during the phone call,” she said honestly. If he was being honest, then she should be too.

  “I’d never have done that, but it was an important call.”

  More important than being with me? she wanted to ask, but was afraid to hear the answer. “What was it?”

  “The restaurant owners on Beach Road are ready to sell.”

  She pulled back and moved off to the side of the deck. “What?” So much for nothing being able to ruin the moment. He just had. As quick as a flash.

  “Yep.” He smiled.

  “That’s why you’re so happy tonight?”

  “Yep,” he said again. So it had nothing to do with being with her, enjoying their time together. He was just on a high from having gotten what he wanted.

  “I’m sorry,” she said turning and heading back to their table. Their drinks sat, still full. “I can’t be happy about this.” She sat down and stared at the pineapple wedge and maraschino cherry on the skewer in her drink. “I’m never going to agree with you on this, and it’s always going to come between us. Your job defines who you are, and I’m just going to say it: I am wholeheartedly against your decisions.”

  “I can change your mind.”

  “So, if I want to change and do what you’d like me to do, it’s fine, but you aren’t even willing to entertain my point of view? You only want things to work when they’re on your terms. That’s not fair, Jake.”

  The truth was that, while they had a ton of fun together, when it came down to it, she could see that they were just two very different people. She was never going to change his mind, and he was certainly not going to change hers. She’d better just end things now before they got worse. She didn’t want to spend her vacation arguing, and Jake didn’t need her nagging him. They’d hit a wall.

  “Maybe we should call it a night,” Faith suggested. She stood up. Before it had even begun, their night was over.

  “Why?”

  “I just think it would be better.”

  “You’re avoiding the situation.”

  “I’d rather not discuss it any further. You aren’t going to change my mind.”

  “You’re being stubborn,” he said. Why can you change my mind but I can’t change yours?”

  She looked out at the ocean. “You know, you’re just as stubborn. Casey mentioned that your ex-wife said you didn’t communicate. Maybe she was on to something.”

  NINETEEN

  “Want some coffee?” Faith asked Casey, knowing the answer. Both she and her sister were exhausted having been up with Isabella all night. It had been a long day, and, even though she’d cut the night short with Jake, Faith hadn’t gotten settled until late. Isabella had a nightmare that her daddy was missing and she couldn’t find him, and she’d gotten them both up in the early hours of the morning. She’d cried for ages, it had seemed. Faith had suggested calling Scott to have him talk to her, but Casey insisted on handling it on her own. She’d said that Scott would be out of the state most of the time, and she’d have to get used to handling Isabella’s fears by herself anyway. Plus, Faith wondered if Scott’s silence played a part in Casey’s decision as well. How dare he get to soothe his little girl when he wouldn’t even pick up the phone? Faith was willing to bet that thought had gone through Casey’s head.

  “Yes please,” Casey sat down at the table and rubbed her face. She looked tired, but not just from last night. She looked overwhelmed.

  “Good morning!” their mom said, almost singing the words as she sat down. She was already dressed and ready for the day. Their mom smiled at both of them before realizing that she was the only one smiling. Then, she said more seriously, “How are we this morning?”

  “Drained,” Casey said. Faith filled the coffee pot and clicked it on. “Isabella kept us up last night. She misses her daddy.”

  Their mom looked thoughtful, an undecipherable expression lurking below her features. “It’ll all work itself out.”

  Faith poured a cup of coffee for Casey and set it in front of her. “I’m sure it will be okay eventually, but last night was pretty rough.” She opened the fridge and pulled out the cream. “Isabella’s holding in more than we think.”

  Their mom stayed quiet. There really wasn’t much to say about it.

  Faith poured two more cups of coffee and brought them to the table with a few spoons. Without saying a word, the three women stirred their drinks. Faith’s eyes burned from lack of sleep, her head heavy with exhaustion. She hadn’t slept well after they’d finally settled Isabella back down. She’d been worried about her niece. What would her little life be like now that her daddy would be living so far away? She couldn’t believe Scott hadn’t even texted Casey. That was so out of character. Were things that bad between them? And she kept relaying last night with Jake. The journey back had been silent and she’d given him the briefest of goodbyes when she’d left. She didn’t know what else to do or say. All these thoughts had been swimming around in her mind all night, making her restless.

  Before she could ponder any further, Isabella came walking in, her hair wild and bunched up, and her blanket in her hands. She’d slept hard it looked like.

  “Good morning, Isabella,” Casey said gently. “I can’t believe you’re up.” She stood and offered her chair to her daughter. “Do you want some breakfast?”

  Isabella nodded.

  “What are we going to do with Jake today, Mom?” Casey asked, probably trying to steer the conversation away from her and Scott.

  Faith felt her shoulders slump. She’d forgotten they were supposed to do something nice for Jake. It had seemed like such a good idea when they’d discussed it yesterday, but now she was hoping she wouldn’t have to see him again. It was just too hard. She liked him so much, but they just couldn’t make things work. Neither of them would budge.

  “I think we should cook for him tonight—make a big seafood dinner,” their mom said.

  “We’ve already made him breakfast. Why don’t we go out and get drinks or something?” Casey suggested.

  Their mom shook her head. “I don’t know if Nan wants to do that. I’d like to include her.”

  “If there’s a chair, I’ll have drinks,” Nan said, coming in. She walked slowly, taking each step with great care. “Good morning,” she said, taking a seat.

  “Why don’t we decide after we all get ready for the day?” their mom said. “Getting freshened up might make everyone feel a little better. I’ll make Isabella her breakfast. You two go get yourselves together.”

  Nan watched her daughter carefully. Mom was up to something, and Nan—ever the observer—could tell. Mom didn’t want to go anywhere, she wanted them to get ready… Faith couldn’t help the fizzle of excitement that was rising up. It reminded her of the very last time they’d come to their cottage as kids. Her mom, who could always keep a secret, but allowed little clues to leak out all over the place, had told the girls they were going to have a girls’ day out. They’d expected to go to the movies or something, but when they got in the car, it was full of car games, snacks, and toys. Their bags already packed, they were headed to the Outer Banks. They hadn’t even known they were going. The cottage was destroyed the next year. Faith co
uldn’t help but think how Nan’s advice to take a chance rang true that time. Had her mom not decided to take them there that day, they wouldn’t have had that last memory—that memory of a time when the real world hadn’t begun yet. It had been a good summer—before they’d all gone their separate ways.

  Faith decided to follow her mom’s lead and get ready for the day. For all she knew, her mother had planned something fantastic. “Casey, I’ll let you know when the shower’s free,” she said, gathering her cup and spoon and walking over to the sink. Casey, clearly thinking the same thing as Faith, had perked up about as much as she could, nodding, her face set in a hopeful expression. Poor Casey needed something to take her mind off of everything.

  Her mom’s expression had changed over the last few hours. She seemed antsy, edgy, like she wanted to go and do something but didn’t at the same time. Faith had suggested the beach, but Mom had claimed she’d already had too much sun, and she wanted to stay in. She’d even whispered that they should all stay in for Nan’s sake. What had started as excitement was turning to anxiety as her mom puttered around, clearly trying to fill the time.

  “I told Jake that we’d make him dinner tonight,” she said, smiling for their benefit. “I know you didn’t want to cook for him, but I think he’d like it, and it would give me a chance to cook. I love cooking, you know, and I haven’t really had much of a chance. I’d like to try my hand at some seafood dishes.”

  Both Casey and Faith agreed, more so just to keep the conversation going. Faith was worried to see Jake again. She liked him so much, but they just couldn’t make things work between them. Faith was also on the edge of her seat, waiting to find out what their mom had planned. Whatever it was, it seemed pretty important, because she’d never seen her mother look this anxious. She kept looking at the door and checking her phone. Isabella was playing with her dolls in the floor by Nan’s feet.

  Then, there was a knock at the door. Faith hadn’t expected a visitor, but she could see her mom’s body slump in relief. What was going on? Her mother got up, opened the door just a crack, and then, with a smile like Faith had never seen before, she swung the door open wide. Casey gasped and Faith’s jaw nearly hit the floor.

  “Daddy!” Isabella dropped her toys and went tearing over to Scott, jumping into his arms. The little girl who had missed her daddy so much last night put her head in the bend between his neck and shoulder, her back hiccupping in quiet sobs. So this was her mom’s big secret. It was the very last thing Faith would have ever thought would happen.

  “Hey, baby,” he said, dropping his suitcase in the doorway and wrapping his arms around her. He looked over at Casey tentatively, meeting her gaze.

  When Faith looked at her sister, Casey’s relief was palpable. Her eyes were glassy with emotion, her smile trembling in uncertainty. This strong, beautiful woman who could command a courtroom was looking at her husband with so much vulnerability on her face that Faith’s conclusion was solidified: Casey was head over heels in love with this man. He could make the most secure, resilient woman she knew become defenseless. Because Casey loved him. Faith hadn’t ever loved him like that because she hadn’t been able to experience having his love in return. Scott was Casey’s whole world, and there were no two people better for each other, and it seemed like things might finally be looking up for them.

  “I wanted to respond to your texts and calls,” he said, still holding Isabella. She’d stopped crying and had turned her head, resting it on his shoulder. He was rubbing her back, his eyes on his wife. “So I figured I’d stop by…” He smiled, and Casey stood up.

  “And?” Casey stood and walked over to him until she was only inches from him, the space between them full of unsaid words.

  “That was all I needed to hear.”

  “Really?” she said, relief on her face.

  “We have a lot to talk about,” he said. “But if you’ll try, I will too.”

  Casey put her hands on his face, leaned over her daughter, and kissed his lips, tears falling down her cheeks.

  “You about killed me, taking so long,” her mom said once everyone had settled down, and they all laughed.

  “I got stuck in traffic on the way in. Sorry.” He bounced Isabella in his arms. He looked over at Faith. “Hey, Faith,” he said with a big smile.

  She smiled back with and gave a little wave. It had been so long.

  “It’s good to see you,” he said.

  “You too.” And it was good. It was so good to see him again.

  As Faith looked at Scott, she was taken with how much more mature he looked, how different. It had certainly been a while. His eyes were the same, and his smile, but his face had aged, his haircut a little shorter. What made her the happiest was the fact that she was able to enjoy him and to enjoy his family. Her family. Having him there with them was like finding that missing puzzle piece.

  They’d all spent the day together, Scott had explained that the minute he’d gotten Casey’s text, he’d changed his plans, texted their mother from the airport, and headed straight there. He was going to spend the next week with them, and Faith couldn’t be happier for her sister. Isabella barely got a breath between the stories she was telling her daddy. She told him about the shells she’d found, about making sandcastles, about Jake’s party and her necklace. Faith was full of joy, hearing it all because she knew that Isabella was making memories just like she had as a girl. And now she got to make new memories with her dad.

  Faith stood alone out on the porch, taking in the view. This beach had felt the patter of her little feet as she ran across the hot sand as a baby, it had cradled her when she’d fallen, the ocean knocking her wildly as a girl, and it had seen her grow into a young woman. Now, she looked out at it, feeling sad. In only a week, they’d pack up, leave this place, and someone new would find her beach. Maybe, if they were lucky, they’d get a chance to rent the cottage occasionally, although the cottages booked up so quickly, it would be tricky to get this very one. And, if Jake had his way, the villages would look nothing like her memories when she returned. As she looked at the beach—her beach—she wanted to stay there forever. She wanted Isabella to know it like she had. No wonder Nan had dragged them all here. It took seeing it as an adult to really understand the importance of it. Faith hadn’t realized as a kid how lucky she’d been to have that beach house, nor could she have imagined how many memories were lying out there in that sand.

  She leaned over the railing to see if Scott had gotten the grill set up. He’d brought it in the back of his SUV—it was only a small grill, but the smell of the burning charcoal wafted up toward her, reminding her of all those barefoot days when they’d cooked seafood at the old cottage. Her mom would set the picnic table up for dinners, the paper plates and napkins having to be weighted down with rocks to keep them from blowing away. She and Casey had cleaned and painted about fifteen rocks, and their mom would always pack them. She wondered what had happened to them. Where had they gone? Now, with no picnic table at the new cottage, they’d planned to eat inside, but Faith had stayed on the porch. She wanted to have every minute she could with her view of the beach, and she didn’t want to miss a single one by sitting inside. She watched the sky turn from orange to pink, the sun casting long shadows on the sand. It was a perfect night. Jake was due to arrive any minute, however. How would he fit in? Would things be perfect between the two of them tonight too, or would their differences get in the way again? She worried as she waited for him to arrive.

  “Hey there,” she heard his familiar voice and turned around. Jake was heading up the steps. He walked up beside her and looked out at the ocean. “It’s nice tonight.”

  Faith tried to keep her emotions in check, but now when she was with him, even a comment like that made her want to grab him by the shoulders and ask why they couldn’t see eye to eye. It would make things so much easier. She wanted to understand him.

  “Do you really think it’s nice tonight?” Did he really think it was nice to be wit
h her or just nice outside?

  “Yes,” he said, that tiny wrinkle forming between his eyes.

  “Don’t you want to have more nights like this?” Being around Jake still made her pulse speed up, her hands becoming jittery. She’d learned a lot about herself this week. She’d learned that it was easy for her to fall for someone, but that she had to step back and look at the situation carefully before acting.

  “Of course.”

  “How can you when you’re sandwiched in a row of high-rises?”

  She watched him closing up right before her eyes, and she exhaled in surrender. She hadn’t meant it to come out like that. She didn’t want to argue with him or debate his work decisions. She didn’t want tonight to be ruined by their differing views. She’d taken a risk with Jake by being vocal about her opinions, and he’d made his wishes clear.

  “I’m sorry,” she said. “I don’t want to spend tonight trying to change your mind. I’ll let it go for tonight. I promise.”

  Surprisingly, he looked at her with fondness in his eyes. He didn’t look at anyone else that way. She wanted to cut to the chase, to just ask him outright what he thought about her.

  “Why are you looking at me like that?” she asked.

  “No reason.” His expression was serious but the affection was still in his eyes.

  “Well, I like it when you look at me like that.”

  He smiled but didn’t offer any response. She wondered what he thought about her admission.

  “So Casey’s husband is here?” he asked, his eyebrows going up in curiosity. “That’s a surprise.”

  “Yeah,” she said. “It’s a good thing.”

  “I know. Given what she told me when we were out, she misses him.”

  “She told you that?”

  “Yep. She misses him a lot. I should go down and help Scott,” he said, looking down at Scott grilling below. Her mother had prepared a feast for him to grill.

  “Why are you so relaxed around strangers?” she asked with a grin. He’d never even met Scott, yet he was going to go down and help him cook.