by Jamie Berris
Sadie fell to the ground and cried.
Chapter 48
Marissa
“I can’t believe we actually went through with it!” exclaimed Marissa.
“Meaning you’re glad we did or you wish we hadn’t?”
Marissa gave Kurt a light swat on the leg as they pulled into the driveway of their weekend getaway in Frankfort. It was perfect, with its wraparound porch and plushy, cushioned Adirondack chairs.
They were greeted by Cecile, the bubbly owner of the bed and breakfast, and showed to their room. The house was painted a cheery yellow, and the colors inside made them feel like they were already sitting on the tranquil beach. They relaxed for a moment on the second floor patio outside their room with a glass of wine.
“Could it get any better than this?” asked Marissa as she tilted her head back toward the sun.
A smile crept across Kurt’s face. “A lot better.” He winked.
She teased him by rubbing her bare foot up his calf. Marissa emptied her glass. “Let’s hit the beach and climb the dune Cecile told us about.”
They walked the mile stretch hand in hand along the water’s edge until they reached the massive dune. Kurt’s jaw dropped. “You’ve got to be kidding me! That is one fierce-looking dune, and the incline is straight up! It looks like a heart attack waiting to happen!”
Marissa rolled her eyes at Kurt even though the sheer angle of the dune frightened her. “Suck it up, old man! Last one up is a rotten egg,” she said as she dropped her sundress and began to climb the hill in only her bikini. This acting like a tease stuff was quite fun.
Kurt and Marissa were struggling to keep their footing. The sand would switch between a slippery clay base, back to the hot silky sand, which made it extremely difficult to keep from sliding and tumbling back. The dune was so steep they were forced to climb it on their hands and feet. It felt as if they would tip over backward if they stood straight up.
About three quarters of the way, they stopped for a break, both panting, with sweat dripping down their faces. “Remind me why we’re doing this?” asked Kurt.
“The views will be worth it, but really it’s all about the climb,” said Marissa as they both peered over their shoulders. The view was already amazing, but too scary to turn around and risk falling to your death.
“Hey, I’ve heard that, ‘All about the climb.’ Isn’t that some song the kids listen to?”
Marissa chuckled. “It’s Miley Cyrus, and it’s a good song. It’s okay if you like it—I won’t tell anyone.” Marissa looked deeper in Kurt’s eyes. “No matter how steep, it’s the challenge of the climb that will make getting to the top worth it.”
Kurt wiped a drop of sweat from Marissa’s forehead with his sand-covered finger and showed off his bright whites. “This deeper side of you is quite attractive, but I’m still a firm believer in getting to the top as quickly as possible.”
He took off looking like a bear scaling a mountain. It took only a second for Marissa to catch up. Thank God for her tennis; it kept her fit and her legs strong.
Once they reached the top, they were silent except for a “wow” and “beautiful.” As they stood there, they realized the dune they had just climbed was more of a cliff than anything.
The late afternoon sun dazzled the aqua water in front of them. The surf had picked up, but they were so high up that they could no longer hear the waves. Sailboats and cruisers bobbed up and down between the swells, and an occasional roar from a speedboat slapped by, completing the picture.
Frankfort’s pier was much longer and thinner than Pentwater’s pier, and it doglegged, creating a bigger splash when the waves crashed over it. A few brave souls speckled the pier, mostly seasoned fishermen.
Marissa felt Kurt take her hand, and they sat in the sand and admired the view for at least twenty minutes. He squeezed her fingers. “We should get ourselves one of those someday.”
Kurt using the word “we” made Marissa blush. “One of what?”
“A big ol’ boat. We could dock at a different port every night or, better yet, throw an anchor out and let the waves rock us to sleep.”
Marissa wasn’t sure which excited her more, the reference of a definite future together or the thrill of being aboard a yacht with Kurt. All of it rolled into one, she supposed. “That sounds fantastic.” Marissa owned her house free and clear, so if she and Kurt were to ever get married, it was definitely doable, to sell her house and replace it with a boat.
“Frankfort one day, Holland to Saugatuck the next, Chicago after that,” said Kurt.
She was engrossed in her daydream when Kurt pulled her to her feet. “Let’s find the deck and bar Cecile told us about.” They climbed even higher to a mini cliff on the dune and found a wooden deck with a built-in bar and stools. On the back side of the dune sat a couple of houses; obviously the owner of one was responsible for building the lookout bar.
“Incredible! To think these people can come out here every day and enjoy this. Sometimes it makes you wonder why you settled for where you settled,” said Marissa, easing onto a bar stool.
“No more settling!” declared Kurt. They clinked their pretend beer bottles and hollered “cheers” as a late-sixty-something man walked up from behind them.
“Well, isn’t it your lucky day, folks,” he greeted, setting a small cooler on top of the bar. “I just happen to be the builder and bartender of this fine establishment.” He handed Marissa and Kurt each a cold bottle of Corona from the cooler and cracked one open for himself.
He fished out a sealed bag with slices of lime and offered them each one. “I’m James. Welcome to my slice of heaven.” James took the stool next to Marissa and stared out at Lake Michigan as he took a long gulp. “She’s somethin’, ain’t she? I’ve been around the block in my days, and I tell ya, the Caribbean has nothing on this very spot.”
“You’re a lucky man,” said Kurt as they introduced themselves.
“I am. Not only do I get to escape up here every day at five o’clock, but I get to meet some interesting people too. So, let’s cut to the chase. What’s your story? Where are you from and what’s your business?”
James was a funny man, and Kurt and Marissa enjoyed talking with him for more than an hour. He was tall, muscular, and tan with thick white hair and striking blue eyes. They learned that he was a retired builder, an avid sailor, was father to five kids, had twelve grandkids, and the missus only let him hang out up here with his morning coffee and after five o’clock. She knew he’d become a lazy drunk if she allowed him anymore time to sit and stare at the water.
After an interesting hour with James, they heard a cowbell ring from the backside of the dune. James took his last swallow of his third Corona (as if he had the time it took for three beers down to a science) and said, “Six o’clock dinner bell. Don’t want to keep the missus waiting. You two enjoy your evening. Coffee is served from seven to nine tomorrow morning if you’re up for a hike.” James grabbed his cooler and disappeared to his home on the backside of the dune.
“Race?” asked Kurt with a smirk.
“Ha! Are you kidding? Bring it on!”
Marissa took off, leaving Kurt in the dust, shouting, “Cheater, cheater!”
Marissa couldn’t help but squeal as she tore down the dune with Kurt at her heels. She was waiting to go face first in the sand and flip and roll to the bottom. Instead, her legs took over, fast and furious. Her body felt like she was flying, her strides large and confident. She peered over her shoulder and saw Kurt’s muscular chest and arms pumping behind her. He was so sexy. For all these years, she had never really noticed how good-looking he was. Or maybe she did, but she was always quick to remove the thought from her head.
At the bottom, she kept running straight into the water until she tripped on a wave and crashed face first. She came up for air and saw Kurt dive in next to her. The waves were huge, crashing over their shoulders and tossing them around like bobbers. Feeling young and free from a combination of
an empty stomach, a glass of wine, and two bottles of beer, Marissa took hold of the back of Kurt’s head and kissed him.
After their lingering kisses, Marissa pressed her forehead and nose to Kurt’s and closed her eyes. She relished the peace of the moment.
“Marissa?”
“Hmm?” She answered.
“I’ve fallen in love with you.”
Marissa’s eyes shot open. Kurt had a smirk on his face that quickly turned into a big boyish grin.
“Ditto.” Marissa giggled, their faces only an inch apart.
“Ditto? as in the movie, Ghost?”
Marissa threw her head back with laughter. “I love you, Kurt, now and forever.”
“That’s more like it,” he teased, nuzzling back into her, “I love you, Marissa, now and forever.”
They stayed in the water, playing in the waves as the late August sun started dipping in the sky and shimmering on the water. Then they strolled hand in hand back down the beach and to the bed and breakfast where Cecile was arranging fresh cut flowers in a vase. She greeted Marissa with a bouquet of her own to take to their room.
Later that evening, Kurt and Marissa walked through the streets of Frankfort and found themselves laughing over martinis on the deck of a bistro. Kurt admired Marissa in her red strapless dress. She teased him, telling him he didn’t need to flatter her anymore, that he had already won her over. This time they clinked real glasses and said cheers, “To us, and to the times we have ahead of us,” said Kurt.
“This is absolutely crazy. Back in May we had dinner on the beach and everything felt so surreal, so unsure and rocky. Now it seems like we have finally taken a leap and a bound forward. It still seems surreal, but in a good way.”
Marissa couldn’t help but think how wild it was that they were here together, no sneaking. Kurt had left Sadie, Jayna, and Nicholas home alone with the neighbor checking in frequently. Of course, he was also keeping tabs on them with frequent text messages, but he felt comfortable—Sadie was more than responsible. Kurt could tell from Sadie’s mannerisms that she was excited to be home alone for the weekend. He told her no boys allowed and even informed Benton and Andrea that he would be gone.
Sadie had texted him and asked if Jayna could babysit tonight so she could go out with Travis. Kurt was fine with that, but nevertheless worried that Travis would “walk” Sadie inside when he dropped her off. He definitely trusted Travis more than Dylan, but he was still a sixteen-year-old kid!
Kurt’s attention focused back to Marissa. “It’s been an interesting summer.”
“I don’t want to dampen the mood, but Paige flies home in five days. I don’t know what to expect.” Marissa sighed. “I know we said we were going to stay out of the girls’ relationship, but there’s only so much we can stay out of. Somehow, at some point, we need to get a few kinks worked out.”
“We need to be there to talk with them about what happened between Marcus and Lydia. Maybe Paige will want to get to know Nicholas better?”
Marissa sipped her martini. “What a mess we have on our hands.”
“Depends on how you look at it. What we have between the two of us looks pretty good to me. Everyone else will have to come around on their own.”
~*~
Kurt
After enjoying a breakfast of quiche, fresh fruit, and buttery croissants on the front porch, they decided they would visit James for a cup of coffee. Nothing like a little mountain scaling to wake you up!
James seemed happy to see his new friends. He greeted them with paper cups and a thermos of coffee. After some morning chitchat, he insisted that he take them sailing. He gave them specific instructions to meet him and his wife at the marina at 12:30, telling them to bring nothing but their sea legs. His wife, Kate, loved to cook, and she would provide lunch.
Kurt and Marissa began to protest, feeling as if they were imposing, but James wouldn’t take no for an answer. He looked at his watch—it was five minutes past nine—and said he had to scoot. With a wave, he disappeared down the back side of the dune once again.
Kate was as sweet as they came. It was obvious that she had raised five children and was a hands-on grandma. She told stories about each of her grandchildren as she pointed to their pictures displayed in a collage on the wall aboard the Knot So Tipsy.
The Lake Michigan waters were calm and quiet as they ate cranberry-pecan chicken wraps with quinoa vegetable salad, and homemade sweet potato chips. James was right; Kate was an excellent cook and the two of them were both hospitable and kind.
For a minute, Kurt felt like he was far away, almost like being on a honeymoon. He looked at Marissa with her aviator sunglasses, straw hat, and sheer black cover-up over her black swimsuit and knew right then that someday it might just happen. She was beautiful, inside and out. He had known it for years, but yet he was discovering it for the first time.
James caught Kurt staring at Marissa deep in thought. “I haven’t the slightest clue about either of your backgrounds, but if it’s any comfort, she’s a keeper. You’re far too old to be first loves.”
Kurt chuckled. “Ha! Far from it, but she’s been in my life most of it.”
“Well, life is short. Don’t waste too many days dwelling on it,” advised James.
Kurt knew all too well about wasting days. Losing Lydia taught him to cherish the moments and live life, but he also knew that actually living by that motto took work, and he needed constant reminders.
“It’s complicated, James, but thanks for the advice.”
“Agh, that’s what you think, but it’s really not complicated. Love is one of the simplest things in life. Follow your heart and everything will fall into place.” James patted his heart as he stared out at the horizon, his thick white hair blowing gently in the breeze. “The only thing complicating things up is this,” he said, pointing to his head. “I’ll be seventy-four next week, Son. Believe me it goes fast; don’t drag your feet too long.”
Kurt laughed. “I won’t, and wow, I had you pegged at sixty-five.”
“That, my boy, is what love does for the soul. I married that beautiful woman fifty-three years ago, and it just keeps getting better.” James pretended to tip his invisible hat at Kurt and then looked at Kate. She and Marissa were sitting closely in the shade, chatting like they had known each other their entire lives. Kurt wondered who sent these people to him.
The rest of their getaway was exceptional, filled with plenty of romance, relaxing beach days with breathtaking sunset nights, and scrumptious food. They extended it one more day, even when the guilt about getting home set in. Kurt knew it was the perfect ending to the perfect beginning.
Chapter 49
Sadie
With a nudge from Travis, Sadie had texted Paige. As the days had rolled by, Sadie got more and more worked up and nervous for Paige’s return. So Travis had talked her into just getting it over with, being the bigger person and texting her.
After nearly an hour of deciding what to say, she stuck with, “Hey Paige, I hope you are having fun in California. I really hate what happened between us. Can we talk?”
Yep, those three sentences took a lot of thought, and as soon as she sent it, she wished she had written something different. For hours, she checked her phone every couple of minutes, thinking for sure she had missed the chime when Paige texted back. She hadn’t missed a thing. Paige had ignored her text for two days now, and Sadie was going crazy.
Sadie had confided in Travis about Dylan’s nighttime visit and was worried that Dylan and Paige were talking, ready to divulge the family secret. It was tearing Sadie up inside. She even contemplated telling her dad, thinking maybe he would go threaten Dylan. She found herself obsessed with checking Instagram to see what both of them were posting. So far—nothing.
Sadie had been staring at the same page in her magazine for the last half hour. Jayna was over at Chrissie’s, and Nicholas was playing with Play-Doh on the porch. She got up to pick a nail color out for her toes when her dad fl
ew through the door.
“Hey sweetie, how are you? Who’s here?” he asked, looking frazzled and sweaty.
“Uh . . . just me and Nicholas. What’s up?”
“Oh, well, the battery in my cell is dead, and I left my charger in the mudroom here today, so I couldn’t call.” Her dad was flustered, spitting his words out fast and talking with his hands, which he never did.
Sadie started to panic. What had happened? Was it Grandma or Grandpa, could it be Jayna? Wait, no, he didn’t even know Jayna wasn’t home. “What’s going on, Dad?”
“It’s not a big deal. I just wanted to talk to you first.” The doorbell rang, and Sadie could see Marissa through the glass panels running alongside the front door. She stood, her arms full with a foil-covered pan, a large salad bowl balanced on top, and a loaf of bread draped across that. “I wanted to let you know that Marissa was on her way over. She made us dinner.”
Just like that, Kurt scooted around Sadie and rushed to the door. Sadie stood in the living room with her jaw on the floor as Marissa stepped in the foyer and kissed her dad, saying something like, “Hey, good-looking.”
Barf, thought Sadie.
“Hey, Sadie, how are you?” asked Marissa in an extremely chipper voice.
Sadie barely had time to mutter that she was fine, before her dad shoved a loaf of Asiago cheese bread in her hand. He grabbed the rest of the dishes from Marissa and nervously headed towards the kitchen. What the heck is going on, thought Sadie.
Marissa propped her sunglasses on top of her head and followed Kurt into the kitchen, leaving Sadie standing in the living room with a loaf of bread in her hand and a dumbfounded look on her face.
“Oh wait. I almost forgot,” said Marissa, turning back around. “I made dessert too.” She stepped outside to her car, and Sadie ran to the kitchen.
“Daaad, what the what?”
Kurt held up his hand and interrupted Sadie. “Honey, Marissa spent all afternoon making us baked ziti. Could you please just, I don’t know, could you just . . .” Kurt scrambled for words as he looked over Sadie’s shoulder, worried Marissa would walk back in.