by Emma Watts
“So you must be Kelly, right?” he said extending his hand.
“Yeah, and you are?”
“River Hudson.”
“River? Like, as in River Phoenix?”
“Yeah, something like that. I’m Jamie’s closest neighbor. I just live a few houses down,” he said pointing off in one direction and then adjusting where he was pointing. “It’s the red house, hard to miss it. Now forgive me for asking and I hope this doesn’t make you feel uncomfortable but why has Jamie never had you on his channel? I mean, you are absolutely… well...” He never did finish what he was saying and to be honest it could have been anything. A ditz. A scruffy bag lady, or my favorite… drop-dead gorgeous? Okay, look, I had to go there. A girl has to dream. My cheeks became flushed. Fortunately the awkward moment passed at the sound of Jamie’s voice.
“River! Wassup, brother?”
He came rushing out and clasped his hand and they did this kind of manly chest greeting and slap on the back.
“Oh so you’ve met my sister.”
“Yeah, we were just getting acquainted.”
“Not too acquainted, I hope,” Jamie said, his mouth forming a rich smile before he hurried back inside expecting everyone to follow. As we all made our way into the house, River greeted Henry with a pat on the back.
“Hey, I’ll give you a hand with that,” he said to me.
“It’s fine. I’ve got two arms and muscle,” I said walking past him. I heard him chuckle, then he turned his attention back to Henry.
“Hello, me old mucker!” he said with some half-baked attempt at an English accent.
“Hello sir,” Henry replied in his overly polite manner.
Though he was a good-looking guy, I wasn’t sure if he was exactly my type. Sure he had a nice car and eyes that I could get lost in but that’s not why I was here. I had lots to do, like find a job and get established. Besides, the guy was probably… I shook my head. What are you doing, Kelly? A man like him probably has a wife at home. I glanced at his hand but there was no wedding band.
“Well hey, good to meet you, Kelly. We should catch up later. I have few things to do for the channel.”
“Do you work for Jamie?” I asked.
“Work for him?” He burst out laughing. “We work together. You didn’t think that he ran this entire show, did you? I bet he told you that,” he said before walking off. “Speak to you later.”
“Sure. Sure thing,” I replied. I headed upstairs and located Henry putting a box into a massive room. It had an expansive view of the ocean, its own veranda with double doors and a large bathroom with a walk-in closet.
“This is my room?”
“Will it be big enough?” Henry asked. “There is another one down the hall that’s slightly bigger but it doesn’t provide as nice a view. I thought you would appreciate this one.”
“Oh, Henry, this is beautiful. Really. Almost too nice.”
He set the box on the bed and frowned. A few tears welled up in my eyes and I wiped them away.
“Is everything okay, Kelly?”
“Yes. I’m fine, thank you. I just…” I breathed in deeply. “It’s going to take some getting used to, that’s all. Living with my brother and all. At thirty-three years of age, I didn’t imagine myself to be divorced. I thought I would be married and have kids by now.”
“Life throws us curveballs, ma’am.”
I caught the ma’am part again but didn’t say anything. It was probably just habit.
“That it does, Henry.”
“But you know what my mother used to say?” he said. “You can’t make an omelet without breaking a few eggs.”
I laughed. “Well, if that’s the case, Henry, I think I have broken the entire box.”
He chuckled and walked out of the room. I took a moment to walk out onto the veranda and breath in the salty air. A warm summer breeze blew against my cheeks and though it didn’t feel like home, I knew I had to give it a try. Off in the distance I could see a lighthouse, and the tops of roofs in the town.
“Welcome, Kelly.”
I turned startled at the sound of a voice but there was no one there. I could have sworn I heard a woman’s voice. As I looked back at the town, the air seemed to take on a strange appearance, almost shimmering like water.
“Jamie? You there?”
No one replied. I walked back into the room and looked around expecting to see another friend of his but there was no one there. Over the course of the next hour as I brought in more of the boxes and filled up my room, the day turned into evening and a gorgeous salmon-colored sunset stretched across the horizon. One thing was for sure, I wouldn’t be without a nice view. It certainly made a change from city living where all I looked at was my pervert of a neighbor in the apartment across from me. He used to spy on me through a telescope. Of course he wouldn’t admit to it even after I approached him and called him out. Bird watching. That’s what he said. I wasn’t a fool. Now that was one person I wouldn’t miss.
Jamie came bounding up the stairs.
“So, how we doing?”
“All moved in. I just have to unpack.”
“Listen, Kelly. I know this is all new to you and you’re probably wishing you had your own place. I get that. It can’t be easy moving here with mom and dad gone and all.”
I felt a twinge in my stomach. We had lost our parents four years ago in a car crash. The memory stung but not as bad as it did when it happened. I didn’t think I would ever recover from that.
“Anyway, I have a few people coming tonight I want to introduce you to that I think you might like.”
“Oh no please, I don’t want you doing any matchmaking.”
“I didn’t say that. I meant job wise. I mean you can help me with the channel. There are lots of things I can have you do but I get the sense that’s not your thing, right?”
I nodded. “Yeah. Getting in front of cameras. Not so good.”
“Actually I was thinking of having you do coffee runs.”
My eyes widened, and he burst out laughing. “I’m kidding. No, there is a business for sale in the town that I thought might be right up your alley. It’s a bookstore with an arts and crafts section. You’re still into all of that, aren’t you?”
“Jamie, I couldn’t afford to take on a business.”
“You don’t need to. I would pay for it.”
I squeezed his arm. “You’re having me stay here and refuse to take money. I’m not going to let you buy a business and not accept payment.”
“Who said anything about not accepting payment?” He smiled. “I would get three percent of anything you sold.”
“But you’re wealthy.”
“I am. And that’s because I make smart investments. It would be an investment. You run the shop, do the work and I reap a tidy profit at the end of the year.”
I pulled a face. “Only one problem with that.”
“What?”
“If the store was doing well the owner probably wouldn’t be selling.”
“No. I know her. She’s a sweet old thing who just can’t keep up the pace now. She’s been meaning to sell it but hasn’t found anyone who would be right for it. I told her about you and she was willing to offer me a discount, on one condition.”
I shifted my weight from one foot to the next. “And that would be?”
“She shows you the ropes for a week. She said there are things that must be explained and whatnot. I haven’t a clue what she was on about but sounds good to me. What do you think?”
“Um. I don’t know, Jamie. Maybe I should just find some other job. Settling into a new town. Running a store. It seems like a lot of stress to me. I’m already stressed out enough just moving out here.”
He looked more excited than I did but then he didn’t have to worry about money. That was something that had bothered me for a long time. Back when I held down a good job I didn’t have to think about money but that was because I had worked for someone else. But the idea of runn
ing my own store? It just seemed a little… too much to tackle. All that responsibility. The need to sell so much per month just to keep the store open?
“Okay, well maybe we can look at another kind of business. I just thought you would be interested,” he said turning to leave.
“Jamie. I am. Really. I appreciate it. I appreciate everything you are doing.”
He smiled. “So we’ll discuss it later. Settle in and take a shower if you like. We will eat in a few hours. I can’t wait to introduce you to everyone.”
He went to leave, and I stopped him.
“Jamie. Besides Henry and you, is there anyone else who lives here?”
“No. Why?”
“Ah, nothing,” I said smiling. As he left, I wondered if I should have told him about the strange things that had occurred over the years. Was I a witch or just plagued by some paranormal entity? Who knew? I was still trying to navigate my way through understanding what it meant. I certainly hadn’t performed a spell… yet.
Chapter 2
Fires burned away inside hobo trash cans on the beach while music blared loudly. Okay, so Jamie’s idea of a few friends was thirty people. After being besieged with a hundred questions and receiving invites to come for dinner, I finally managed to pry myself away from the welcoming party. I carried my sandals in one hand and a glass of wine in the other and gazed out at the ocean. I just needed some time to center myself. I wiggled my toes around in the sand, relishing the peace. It had been a long time since I’d felt so relaxed. I wasn’t sure if it was the location or the wine, probably both. The silvery moon reflected off the water as the smell of hotdogs and burgers, and the pounding of music filled the night.
“All settled in?” a distant voice said from behind.
Coming down the long steps that snaked across rocks was River. I gazed up at the crowd of people chatting, some dancing and others bouncing around on Jamie’s huge trampoline.
“Oh hey there…”
“River,” he added.
“River. That’s it. Sorry. My head is crowded.”
“Yeah, I imagine it is. Jamie was telling me you came from New Jersey. Don’t they get brutal winters?”
“You could say that,” I replied.
“So was that the only reason you came out here?”
“Besides my job coming to an end, my husband divorcing me and my landlord kicking me out?”
“Oh really, that bad?”
I nodded. “But enough about me, why aren’t you up there with all the others? I’m sure there are some much more upbeat women,” I said smiling.
“Maybe. Perhaps I’m curious.”
“Well I hope you like disappointment,” I replied. I quickly shifted the topic away from myself feeling a little uncomfortable. Usually conversation that ended with my divorce was a real buzz killer and I knew it would eventually circled around to it. “So you lived in Haven all your life?” I asked.
“No, I’m from L.A. but I grew up here. I decided to return a few years back when it got a little too much in the city. So much smog and people clogging up the roads and so forth. Not good for the health.” He gazed out across the ocean. Waves crashed against the shore and a light spray of water carried on the air. “This town has always been a special place.”
“So why did you leave?”
“Why does anyone leave their hometown? I felt smothered by my folks, I wanted to spread my wings and make something of myself.”
“And did you?” I was quick to correct myself. “Of course you did. With the ten million subscribers, flashy car and a behemoth-sized home.”
He chuckled. “You know, all that stuff doesn’t matter. The only reason I do it is because it’s fun. The moment it’s not, I would throw in the towel. It doesn’t matter how much money I make or how many people know about us. All that matters is enjoying what I do. Life is too short to do anything less. What about you?” he asked before taking a swig of his beer.
“What do you mean?”
“Do you enjoy what you do?”
“I don’t do anything.”
“But you must have before this?”
“As sad as it might seem, River, every job I’ve done has been about paying bills. I’ve never enjoyed them. Heck, I haven’t had a chance to find anything that would allow me to enjoy myself. I’ve led a hand-to-mouth existence, so to speak.”
“Well that’s sad.”
I took a big swig of my wine. “Told you I would disappoint you,” I said. “Quick, there is still time to find a wealthy, tanned, scantily clad woman up at the house.”
He eyed me and smirked. “Perhaps I prefer different company.”
Right then a blonde wearing nothing more than a tight bikini came bouncing across the sand looking like something out of Baywatch. “There you are. I’ve been looking all over for you.”
River turned and then looked back at me as if slightly embarrassed. The drop-dead gorgeous blonde with breasts that looked like they’d been made in a lab by a mad scientist eyed me as she slipped an arm around River.
“Hey Debbie, I was just…”
“You’re Jamie’s little sister, right?”
“Big sister but thank you for reminding me of how I feel,” I said extending my hand to shake hers.
“And what do you for a living?”
Oh the question. Why did everyone have to ask that? It was as if everyone defined themselves and each other by what they did for a living. I contemplated telling her that I was in the liposuction business, or perhaps breast implants, but opted for the safe answer.
“I work but I’m between jobs.”
River’s lips wormed into a smile. Debbie tugged at his arm. “Come on, they are doing shots. I was hoping you would do a couple off my stomach.”
Who on earth said that? I mean even if she enjoyed it, and of course, I would have enjoyed it, but who said that? You don’t just blurt out things like that. It reeked of desperation. I envisioned her driving around town in her daddy’s overpriced vehicle. She probably met River at the tennis club where she just happened to bend over in front of him. Whoops, I dropped my ball.
“Yeah, I’ll be there in a minute.”
“No, come now.” She looked at me as if I had nothing to offer him. I mean, God forbid that I was at all interesting. River looked back at me all forlorn and mouthed something but I didn’t catch it. I just assumed it was something along the lines of sorry, I have to go and lick shots off a hot girl’s body but I would really prefer to stay here and listen to your sob story. Debbie yanked him away, and they trudged off into the darkness. I was just about to follow them, if only to ask Jamie if these kinds of parties were going to be something he did every weekend, when I felt a hand on my arm.
“Hello dear.”
I turned to find a woman in her late sixties. She looked oddly out of place for such a youthful event. I mean, sure, I wasn’t getting any younger, but all the pounding of bass music and views of scantily clad women couldn’t have been good for her.
“Oh hello, are you one of Jamie’s neighbors?”
She smiled. The woman had a full head of silver hair, all tied back in a ponytail, she wore glasses and what could have been considered a hippie dress with long flowing wooden beads around her neck.
“I’m Ivy Finkle, the owner of Afterlife Antiques and Books.”
“Oh, you’re…”
“The lady your brother would have mentioned.”
“Nice. I was hoping to speak to you. I thought you had decided not to come. Of course, I wouldn’t blame you,” I said looking back at the crowd that were now indulging in the pleasures of the flesh. I watched River bury his face in his girlfriend. At least now I knew he was off the market. Not that I had eyes for him. I stood there for a second or two gazing up, forgetting Ivy was still there, until Ivy coughed.
“Oh sorry, I’m still exhausted from the drive.”
“How was the journey?”
“I know I should say that it was fine, or that I had a hoot because
everyone loves to hear something positive, but, man, it was horrendous!”
“Honesty. I appreciate it more than anything.”
My brow pinched together. “Me too.”
“So, have you given any thought to the offer?”
“Actually, I really haven’t. But based on the small amount Jamie told me I’m not really sure I’m the right woman for the task. I mean taking on a business is quite something. I’m not sure I’m cut out for it.”
She smiled. “I can see we have a lot of work to do with you.”
“What? What do you mean?” I asked.
“You’re concerned that running the store would be difficult, time consuming and potentially unprofitable, am I right?”
It was like the woman was a mind reader.
“Let me put those fears to rest. Come walk with me. I want to share a few things with you.”
She turned and started heading off down the beach. I took off after her trying to keep up. For a woman in her sixties she certainly had a lot of energy.
“I’ve been waiting for just the right person to run the store, and well, I think you would be best suited.”
“But you don’t know me.”
“I know enough.”
That struck me as a little odd. What had Jamie told this lady? Hopefully his conversation didn’t involve stories of when we were kids. Sure, my first attempt at running a business, aka a lemonade stand, was an epic failure but how was I to know that he’d peed in the lemonade?
“Ivy. I know my brother has my best interests at heart and all but I’ve never run a business in my life. I’ve always been the one working for others. It’s what I’m used to, and besides, after a nasty divorce and losing my last job, I wouldn’t exactly class myself as the right person for anything.”
Ivy shook her head. “Dear me, we definitely have a lot of work to do.”
“What are you on about?”
Ivy turned and placed her hand over my heart. “Kelly, you are so much more than your past. You don’t know it now but everything that has happened to you has happened for a reason. It has led you to here.”
“Well you’re right about the last part but the first part? Um, I’m going to have to disagree with you there,” I said turning away and continuing to walk. The crashing of waves echoed loudly.