Holiday by the Sea

by Traci Hall

  “Well,” Riley began.

  Teagan cut him off. “Riley agreed to work over the holiday.”

  “Oh.” Her mom exhaled and took Teagan by the elbow. “Well, come in. Let’s have some cocoa. Some schnapps. I just couldn’t stand not being home for the New Year.” Her mom gave her another quick hug. “Join us Riley, and tell us about yourself.”

  “Um,” Teagan slipped off her heels and kicked them toward the shoe pile. Her flip flops, unneeded, were in her bag with the tambourine. “He was just leaving.”

  Riley’s gaze flashed with hurt before he masked his expression.

  Damn it.

  I’m sorry.

  *****

  Riley, angry at being dismissed, didn’t put up a fight when Greta Becker insisted he stay. Just one drink, she said.

  “I’d be happy to.”

  Teagan’s frown communicated her displeasure, but at the moment, Riley didn’t care. How could she try to get rid of him like that?

  The instant he’d realized her parents were home, his gut clenched hard. It meant Teagan would be leaving. Maybe within the week. He regretted every single instance of time they hadn’t spent together. Him and his stupid rule, thinking he could get her to come around. Turn friends into forever lovers. Dumb, dumb, dumb.

  Teagan was a confidant woman, who had a purpose. A dream. She wouldn’t back down. He didn’t want her to. But couldn’t she see that just maybe they might someday have a future? Their chemistry was off the charts. They fit together, even though they were opposites in so many ways.

  He wanted to discuss the possibility. Plan for it. Put his idea in the hat so that she knew how he felt. Instead of any of those things, she’d dismissed him like he didn’t matter.

  He sat at the dining table next to her and watched Greta pour steaming cocoa from a silver pitcher into four mugs. Frank had already added the schnapps.

  He compared her parents to the pictures in the hall. He wasn’t sure where Teagan got her hair from, but he’d guess it was Grandma. She had her mother’s chin, and her dad’s brow. Family. We should have gone to my house.

  “Here.” Greta passed him and Teagan cups topped with thick froth. Teagan wouldn’t look at him. He deliberately pressed his leg to hers beneath the table.

  She jumped.

  He smiled.

  “So, were you school friends?” Frank asked.

  “Nope.” Teagan traced the cup handle with her thumbnail.

  Riley picked up his mug and blew on the froth. “We met when she dropped off cookies at Watkins.”

  “Oh,” Greta said with interest. “Is this the nerdy music teacher?”

  Frank’s mug hit the table and splashed cocoa. “Greta.”

  “Mom? Dad?” Teagan’s face grew pale. “You watch my vlogs?”

  “Of course we do,” Greta said dismissively. “We love you. How else would we know what you’re doing?”

  Teagan lowered her forehead to the table and banged her head a few times. Riley rubbed her back. Having just watched them all himself, Teagan’s sarcastic observations were fresh in his mind. Often self-directed, sometimes not. Especially not at the beginning of the videos, where her parents took the brunt of her rage.

  “We know you love us.” Frank reached for a bright red paper napkin to mop at the spill. “We knew you were discovering yourself.”

  “You never said.” Teagan sat back and crossed her arms, her eyes sad. Riley moved his hand just before it got squished.

  “You didn’t want to talk about it.” Greta got up and disappeared into the kitchen. When she came back, she had a plate of buttery cookies.

  “I feel like a big jerk right about now.” Teagan scooted closer to the table and picked up a cookie, which she dunked in the mug. “I’m sorry for being so hard.”

  “Maybe I was too strict,” Greta said softly. “I worried about you.”

  “I know.” Teagan put the treat down, uneaten. “Because I’m like Grandma Amelia.”

  “She went to jail, once.” Greta’s voice wobbled and Riley ate a cookie to keep from talking. He wanted to protect Teagan from hurt, but this was important. This was what she’d wanted.

  “Yeah.” Teagan cleared her throat. “Might as well ‘fess up. I found her diary. I’ve been reading it.”

  Greta straightened quickly. “Her diary?”

  “It was in the bottom of your jewelry box.” Teagan seemed to realize that her mom didn’t know about the hidden compartment. “I found it at the police station. They’ve got your jewelry.”

  “That was my mother’s jewelry box.” Her mouth quivered. “It’s why I kept it. I never knew she had a diary.” Greta turned to Frank then back to Teagan. “What’s in it?”

  Teagan sniffed, a tiny smile playing around her lips. “Let’s just say that Grandma liked to party. She traveled all over the world.” She patted the table as if she expected an argument. “Like I want to do.”

  “I understand.” Greta handed Teagan another golden cookie, even though she hadn’t tasted the first one. “Your father and I looked up the travel company you told us about.”

  “You did?” Teagan’s voice rose.

  “It looks safe,” Frank said. “High ratings. Good reviews.”

  “We want to help you with your trip.” Greta met Teagan’s gaze without flinching.

  “Who are you, and what did you do with my mother?” Teagan got up, tears in her eyes, and dropped to her knees before Greta’s chair. “You mean it, Mom?”

  Riley’s emotions were stuck in his throat. He wished he’d gone after all because this was a private moment. Something Teagan had been fighting for her entire life. Her mother’s acceptance.

  Frank coughed into his fist, his eyes misting as he looked at his wife and daughter.

  “We do,” Greta said, touching the sprayed-stiff bouffant hair-do. “Now, tell me why you’re dressed like this? Did you go to a party? Out to dinner?”

  “Are you two dating?” Frank speared him with a glance.

  “Not dating, Dad. Geez. We just met.”

  Riley gritted his teeth.

  “I knew the moment I saw your mother in the park that she was the one for me.”

  Teagan went back to her seat. “Dad, love at first sight is a myth.”

  “No myth. We’re still happy after thirty five years,” Greta said defensively.

  “Maybe you two are the exception to the rule.” Teagan drank her cocoa, the magical moment between her parents over but doubtfully forgotten.

  Riley wanted to lick the chocolate from her mouth. He had a feeling it wasn’t going to happen.

  “We were playing at the Grille,” Riley said. “Me on guitar and vocals, Teagan doing vocals and tambourine.”

  “Tambourine isn’t a real instrument,” Teagan said, her cheeks red.

  “It is too!” He nudged her bare foot. “I know this. I’m a music teacher.”

  Greta’s mouth snapped closed.

  Frank’s look of confusion didn’t clear. “Liebling, you were singing? On stage? Teagan, you never said you wanted to do that.”

  “I didn’t want to. I was helping a friend.” She tilted her head toward him.

  God, totally relegated to the friend zone. He put his hand on her shoulder, feeling her tense. Friend, my ass, he wanted to shout.

  “Oh.” Frank shrugged. “I still don’t understand. You’re a teacher at Watkins and you are a musician in a bar?”

  “He’s got dreams, Dad. But he wants to wait and act on them once he is safely retired.”

  Riley winced.

  “What’s wrong with that?” Greta asked, biting the end of her cookie.

  “Dreams are meant to be lived.” Teagan fisted her hand as if squeezing a pastry tube. “Life is meant to be experienced. Take a chance, go zip lining, travel, sing in public.” She turned toward him and touched her heart. “Meet incredible people.”

  Was she saying good-bye? He couldn’t let her.

  “Balance.” Riley pushed his mug to the center of th
e dining table. “Work, play, love. Why does it have to be all or nothing?”

  Teagan’s eyes narrowed, the way they did when she was thinking of something ball-breaking to say. Then she relaxed her face. “There is nothing wrong with balance.”

  The whole family, including Riley, breathed a sigh of relief.

  “Just like there is nothing wrong with chaos.”

  It was Riley’s turn to thunk his head against the table.

  Chapter Twenty Two

  “You’ve got to go,” Teagan said, her hand on his shoulder. They stood hip to hip at her front door. Almost midnight. Her parents stayed at the dining room table, giving them privacy.

  Her breath was sweet with cocoa and schnapps, her mouth warm and delicious as he kissed her, wanting to ravage her but realizing with a sick jolt that their time had passed.

  She put her arms around his neck, pulling him close as she nibbled on his lower lip. “Go.”

  “I don’t want to.” Fear that she’d take off, that he might never see her again, made it impossible to move from the doorway. “Don’t leave the country without calling, okay?”

  Teagan hummed something non-committal and deepened their kiss. When she pulled free, her lips were bruised by passion. “Thank you for everything, Riley. We are friends, you know.”

  For once he had nothing to say.

  She shut the door and broke his heart. Shattered. Broken was too tame a description for the agony in his chest.

  It was good-bye, but he’d seen regret in her gorgeous green eyes and that gave him hope that their song wasn’t over. If he had his way, he’d write a happy ending—though he knew that most hits were ballads where guys like him got kicked in the balls.

  He drove home, numb. Cops were out in force, pulling over those that made the mistake of drinking and driving. He counted three in the mile it took for him to get to his apartment. Would she call?

  “I need to get a dog.” Somebody who gave a shit when he walked in the door. Couldn’t travel with a dog, unless you had a good kennel situation.

  Why would traveling cross his mind? It wasn’t like she’d invited him to go.

  He would have said no.

  Or at least, that’s what he told himself.

  Over the next few weeks, he threw himself back into the routine. Work, studying the stars. He added an hour of guitar to his nightly ritual, the instrument the perfect release for his adult angst.

  *****

  A month later, Teagan found a quiet spot in an English pub and whipped out the lightweight and durable tablet with Internet connection her parents had gotten her for Christmas.

  Riley’s message popped up first and her heart did a stupid pitter-patter at his name. They’d been messaging each other like high-schoolers, getting to know one another better. She’d sent pictures of the coastline wherever she went, tempting him with the ocean.

  He sent her pictures of the stars that were beautiful in their simplicity. Snippets of songs he’d written, both musical and lyrics. Riley, to her way of thinking, was a genius.

  She typed her question quickly. While Internet was available, it was spotty and you had to act fast. Have you played at the Grille again?

  Last weekend. The dinner crowd. I miss my tambourine player.

  How was school? Mitch leading the booger brigade again?

  Haha. I might have to schedule a conference with his parents. Not looking forward to it. But you can’t flick boogers against the window. You just can’t.

  Teagan chuckled, imagining earnest and responsible Riley explaining to Mitch’s folks about the booger rules. Agreed.

  Where are you off to next?

  Italy. Two weeks in wine country. I’ll send you a bottle.

  I saw your vlog last night. Are you eating enough?

  Sweet. That was a flu bug. Tummy’s better now. There’s this dark beer you’d love that helps.

  Maybe this summer.

  Teagan straightened on her bar stool. After all this time, this was the first he’d ever professed an interest in leaving the states. Really?

  You’re right. Ireland looks awesome.

  She startled the woman next to her with her loud laugh. “Yeah!”

  I’ll buy you a back pack.

  I have a job. I can afford my own stuff.

  Teagan ordered a beer. She’d done some more growing, crazy what happened when you took a leap of faith, and looked at her lifestyle. She’d never be the nine to five type, but there was room for a savings account. As Riley said, balance.

  I decided to take that agent up on her offer.

  Syndication?

  It would mean more money. I’m paying for my own dental these days.

  Sorry about being a jack ass.

  You weren’t. Pointed out some uncomfortable truths.

  I’ve been looking at a few of those myself.

  And?

  Turns out that planning ahead is not the only route toward success. In fact, plans often lead to disappointment. My plan to turn you into my forever lover, for example.

  Teagan choked down the bitter hops in her mouth. What?

  My plan to be friends. Make you fall in love with me. Instead, you still went away. Bad plan on my part.

  He’d wanted her to fall in love? She had fallen, she just hadn’t been willing to give up her dream. But now that she was living her dream and owned her own Europass, her nights were filled with dreams of Riley. Did she tell him that? Would it make a difference?

  If he was considering a trip, it meant he was broadening his horizons too.

  Not so bad. I care about you.

  ???

  Teagan imagined the way he’d push his hair off his forehead in frustration and it made her smile.

  After Italy, I was thinking of Spain. Germany.

  Ireland?

  I hear it’s pretty in the summer. Best visited with a friend.

  <3

  Teagan lost Internet connection, so she spent the evening getting to know her travel-mates and some of the local customs. It killed her when she wanted to tell Riley something funny, but he wasn’t there.

  She’d talked to her parents yesterday and they’d hired someone part-time. Lars’s little sister, who cleaned and answered the phones. A nice German girl for her mom to fuss over. The business had been revitalized by the holiday. Her parents had agreed to cut down on the fat in their diet, exercise, and keep working. What else were they going to do, her mom wanted to know. Doing nothing was worse than dying and they weren’t ready to cock up their toes just yet.

  Her mom had quit referring to Riley as the Irishman and now called him the cute music teacher.

  Teagan kept her grandma’s diary in the front pocket of her backpack, reading it over and over. Amelia had loved adventure. She’d had affairs. All kinds. She’d fallen in love once, she’d written. It felt like being at the top of a mountain right before you skied down.

  Riley made her feel like that.

  Her grandma’s one regret was not treasuring that love.

  Chapter Twenty Three

  “Thanks for tuning in to the Observationalist.” Teagan set her tablet down on the chair opposite her so that the viewers got a panoramic shot of Heathrow International airport.

  She sat, cross-legged, in front of the camera and grinned with a thumb up. “Has this been amazing, or what? Seven weeks on the rails is a long time. My ass is numb, but it was worth every jolted vertebrate.”

  Sipping from her Starbucks cup, a quad vanilla latte that tasted like home, Teagan settled back with a contented sigh. “Turns out that I have Granny Amelia’s wanderlust, but, this awareness came as a shocker, there’s a little bit of haus frau in me too. I miss my mother’s chicken dumplings and spahtzle. I miss my dad’s annoying nicknames for me. I mean, little mouse, really?”

  She took another drink, formulating her thoughts.

  “The biggest surprise? I miss my music teacher. Yes. I have a heart, and he found it. He says he understands my need to see the world. Calls me a b
utterfly.”

  Teagan set her cup down and cleared her throat, reaching to the side of the camera for a travel backpack with the tags still on.

  “What do you say, Music Man? I’ll stay local with you, if you’ll travel on your vacations with me.” She looked into the camera, searching for Riley’s eyes. Of course they weren’t there. She wished she’d waited to talk to him in person. What if he said no thanks?

  Her instant messaging went wild, though, with her viewer’s sending her congratulations.

  “Hang on,” she said with an embarrassed laugh. “There’s a good chance he might turn me down. He likes hearth and home.”

  She fanned her face, knowing it was bright red.

  “Ready for one more bombshell? I’ve been picked up for syndication, thanks to you all, and You Tube. There will be more Teagan, if you want it. I don’t know why you all tune in, but I’m glad you do.”

  She blew a kiss at the camera and skimmed the messages before turning it off. Nothing from Riley...but then again, he was at work. God, she missed him.

  *****

  Riley watched the vlog on his lunchbreak. Was that backpack for him? Was she willing to give their romance a try? When was she coming home?

  The last three hours of school were unbearable, and he cheated by putting in a movie for the kids while he got to work planning a surprise. No expectations, but he had to knock her socks off.

  He stepped into the hall and dialed a number he knew by heart.

  “Becker’s Bakery. This is Frank.”

  *****

  Teagan got off the airplane in Fort Lauderdale. One thing about traveling Europe via train with just a backpack meant that she didn’t have to wait for luggage. When shopping, she’d shipped everything home as she went. Riley’s backpack weighed practically nothing since it was empty.

  Funny, how she was nervous about seeing Riley. She regretted her sharing-of-the-heart nonsense on the vlog. What if he was dating someone else? He’d have mentioned it in their daily messaging. Maybe. He wouldn’t tell her he loved her and then go out with another woman. People did that all the time.