One Summer: An uplifting, feel-good summer romance

by Jenny Hale

  “Oh, yes. He’s real all right. You’ll never believe who that boy turned out to be…”

  Sasha’s eyes grew round behind her sunglasses. “Nooo.” She clapped a hand over her gaping mouth. By her reaction, Alice could tell that Sasha knew exactly who it was.

  Alice nodded. “Yep. It’s Jack.”

  “You didn’t even have to tell me—I knew it! So Jack is your dream guy…” Sasha’s mouth slowly formed a grin, her words loaded with give-him-a-chance messages.

  Alice wasn’t even going to approach that topic right now. “Wait,” she said. “There’s more. I found something of Gramps’s. A locket with two baby photos inside. One of the pictures is of me and the other is someone else. Apparently, Gramps told Jack that the two photos inside the locket were of his grandchildren, but I showed Aunt Claire and the second baby isn’t Susie.”

  “Sooo, who could it be then?” Sasha said, catching on.

  “Someone named Grace. That’s what Gramps told Jack.”

  “But you don’t know how you’re related?” Sasha’s face lit up suddenly. “It could be someone famous! You could have a famous cousin no one ever knew about! Or! What if she’s the best person you’ve ever met and we can invite her to parties?” Then Sasha’s expression dropped, her eyes flicking back and forth as she processed this news further. “What if she has twenty-five cats and fifteen children, and she and her husband want you to babysit? You’re allergic to cats.”

  Alice laughed, so happy to have the Sasha she knew back. “We’re getting ahead of ourselves. I haven’t found her yet. But I did find a note from Gramps saying he’d like to leave the bike shop to both of us. Both of us,” she repeated for emphasis. “Me and Grace. Even though it seems like he’d changed his mind by the time he drew up his will, I’m struggling to know how to proceed when I’ve got someone out there I don’t know and possibly the unfulfilled wishes of my grandfather.”

  Sasha sat quietly, undoubtedly digesting all this.

  “Have you talked to your dad? Does he know who she is?”

  Alice shook her head. “I tried to call him, but he’s busy with Henry. I plan to talk to him in person. Aunt Claire doesn’t know a thing about the girl in the locket, so Dad must know. If Grace isn’t Claire’s child—and I’m praying Gramps didn’t have some sort of secret affair—then the only other person in the family she could belong to is Dad.” Just saying it out loud gave her a shiver despite the heat.

  “You might have a sister?”

  “I can’t imagine…” Alice couldn’t even say it. It would mean that her parents had deceived her, held this from her. Or at least her father had. Had her mother known or was this the result of some sordid affair? The idea was too overwhelming to accept. “No matter how we’re related, if she’s family—and Gramps was sure enough that she was to write that letter—then I need to find her.”

  This didn’t just affect Alice; it changed everything for Sasha as well. If they found Grace, and brought her in on their plans, she might have a totally different vision for this place—or she might want something else altogether.

  Einstein had rolled over onto his back, his legs twitching in his sleep, the sun on the patio clearly relaxing him.

  “I agree that you need to find her, but I don’t think you need to include her in your inheritance, Alice. She can’t be very close to your grandfather if you’ve never even heard of her.”

  But Alice couldn’t deny that Gramps had wanted to leave the bike shop to this person. Even if he had left it to Alice in the end. “I’m going to wait until Dad brings Henry back and talk to him about her then. What if it’s a sensitive topic? What if Grace passed away or something? It’s best to wait until I’m with him.”

  “Good idea. I can keep Henry busy if you need me. You could make your father-daughter cups of coffee like you do.”

  Melly walked around the corner, halting their conversation, an enormous grin on her face. “I heard about Sam,” she said, with no introductions. “You two move in and scoop up all the eligible doctors!” She plopped down into the chair beside Alice, her hair pulled back into a ponytail, her camera around her neck. “This view makes the hardest day seem like nothing. The ocean just swallows up whatever is eating at you.” She lifted the camera to her face and twisted the zoom, snapping a picture. Then she pulled the wide strap over her head and set the camera down on the table.

  Alice thought back to the sadness in Melly’s eyes when they’d first met. It was as though being with people had helped her in some way. “My gramps used to think the ocean could solve his problems.” She dared not mention that sometimes she didn’t believe it, although the possibility of Seagull’s Cove coming to the pier and Einstein being returned certainly made her wonder.

  Alice squinted her eyes at Melly playfully. “You look extra happy today.” It was good to see her worry over being let go subsiding briefly.

  “I am extra happy,” she said, pressing her lips together as if something were going to burst from them. “I spent the last few hours taking photos of the wild horses in Corolla and having a cocktail—just because! Even before that, this morning, I saw the county putting up a billboard. I talked to a few people at work about it; there’s going to be a concert on the beach right here in a few weeks. They’re going to use the pier as a venue since it’ll be empty. The stores will have all pulled out by then, and instead of having it sit vacant, they’re putting in concessions and offering the public bathrooms up there.” She leaned forward dramatically, causing Einstein to snort and flip over, ears raised, eyes focused on her. “Top bands will be there.”

  “Sounds fun!” Sasha said, her smile pushing up her aviators and her wine glass nearly empty. “And great for business!” She turned to Alice. “Think we can be ready?”

  Alice broke into a huge grin, so excited to hear this news. A soft opening before a major concert might be exactly what they needed. “I’ve just ordered the ice cream ingredients, and it should all be here in a few days. Let’s make it happen!”

  Chapter Twenty

  Sasha had been much more herself as the night wore on, but she’d gone to bed early last night while Alice stayed up to finish some work. The more Alice allowed herself to ease into the idea that she could do this, the more confident she became in her choices.

  Last night, she’d emailed a local wine and candy shop in a nearby village to see if they could make their chocolates smaller, to be used as ice cream toppings exclusively at Seaside Sprinkles, alongside a display of chocolates in their regular size and a glossy sign with directions to their shop. They were thrilled, offering her an assortment of specialty chocolates to try. She’d just picked them up this morning.

  She’d decided to go local with everything, and this morning she’d even found a couple of gorgeous wooden chairs with a space at the back of each one, where she could attach small chalkboard signs and write the names of frequenting residents, so they’d always have their seats on reserve. She’d already written Butch’s name on one of them. She planned to ask him if he’d like to have the birds he’d carved painted in bright colors and hung from her ceiling.

  The ideas wall had been taken down, and in its place she’d put a large, white bookshelf, where she’d stacked a few of her favorite books and a chalkboard sign that told people they were welcome to leave their reading material here until next time. She’d had the local artist she’d worked with on the logo make up a jar full of hand-painted bookmarks for sale, in case the regulars had left theirs at home.

  While Sasha had gone to pick up a few things at the store, Alice had driven to June’s restaurant, Seagull’s Cove, and told them about the plans for the pier, giving them Bill Blankenship’s number at the county office. Before she’d left, she’d asked if they had any large pickle jars they were throwing out. They gave her an enormous one. She’d brought it back, washed it out, and put a sign on it that read, “Save the Pier! Ideas and donations welcome.” She’d also gotten the addresses of three non-profit organizations that migh
t be able to help, since the pier was a historical landmark.

  She was just sitting down for a break when the new bells on the door jingled and Jack walked through. He glanced over at Einstein, who was chewing a bone in his bed, and then he gave Alice that gorgeous smile of his. “I had to come right over when I heard Einstein had been returned—you didn’t say anything.”

  Alice stood up.

  “I ran into June in town,” he said, nearing her. “She told me she’d had Einstein the whole time.”

  “Yep! I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.” It was so good to see him.

  He turned away from her to look around. “You’ve outdone yourself here! It looks amazing.”

  “Thanks,” she beamed. “I was thinking of asking your dad to hang his birds from the ceiling. I thought I could sell them to raise funds for the pier, if he would let me. Do you think he would?”

  “We could ask him.” He moved closer to her, his scent settling in the air between them, making it difficult for her to focus. He leaned down and stroked Einstein’s head.

  “We?”

  He righted himself and looked into her eyes. “I came to see Einstein, yes. But I came to see you too.” He had that irresistible expression on his face, like he’d had when they’d first met and he’d sat her down on the bench to listen. “Look, I’m here for two more weeks. Why don’t we just enjoy them? Go out with me.”

  She bit her lip, considering. Could her heart take it when he left if she allowed herself to see him?

  “The other day, you spoke as if the moment I go back to Chicago, it’s the end of something. But it doesn’t have to be.”

  He’d been right when he’d told her she was scared. She was terrified of getting hurt. Just seeing him now made her miss him already and he hadn’t even left yet.

  “Stop trying to control everything and just let fate decide.”

  Fate.

  “You know what? You’re right,” she said, suddenly getting an idea. She walked over to the counter and pushed the box of chocolates toward him, opening the lid. “You said I get to choose the next bet, right?” She wasn’t letting him get off as easily this time, with his little game of darts.

  He eyed her suspiciously before peering down at the massive array of little chocolate balls and clusters from the local candy shop, all settled comfortably in their paper shells.

  “You pick a flavor of your choice. Then, we check these chocolates and if that flavor is in the center of any of them, I’ll go out with you.”

  He leaned over the box, inspecting them.

  “What will it be: vanilla? Raspberry? Peanut butter?” She knew she had him here. There was no way for this bet to be fixed. He couldn’t have any inclination as to what was inside the chocolates. She didn’t even know herself. It would be a complete surprise—fate.

  “You’ve got yourself a bet.” He picked one up and smelled it, then set it back down. Then he carried the box over to one of the small tables that had replaced the old one she and Sasha had been using, and took a seat in Butch’s chair, grinning at the nameplate.

  Alice sat down across from him.

  “Toffee,” he said with certainty.

  “That’s your guess?”

  “Yep.”

  “So you think that somewhere in here, there’s a toffee-flavored filling.”

  He shrugged. “Why not? It’s a popular flavor.” He picked up one of the chocolates and took a bite, chewing and then swallowing. “Found it! First try.”

  “Let me see,” she said, disbelieving. “That doesn’t look like toffee.”

  He held out the rest of the chocolate, the inside sliding out. “Taste for yourself.”

  Not wanting to make a mess, she leaned in and took the bite, her lips touching his fingers. He seemed to notice, meeting her eyes.

  She swallowed it down. “That’s walnut.”

  The corner of his mouth went up in amusement. “That’s not walnut. It’s like a toffee cream.”

  “You didn’t say toffee cream. Toffee is usually crunchy. You have to find a crunchy one.”

  “You’re changing the rules,” he teased, a playful look in his eyes.

  “I am not! You said toffee.”

  He rolled his eyes with a huff of laughter and pinched another chocolate, taking a bite. He wrinkled his nose. “Strawberry.”

  “Oh, yum! I love strawberry. I’ll eat it; give it here.”

  Einstein stretched and walked over, looking back and forth between them as they sat across from each other, the box of chocolates in the center of the small table.

  “Apparently, Einstein likes strawberry too,” Jack said with a grin, as he reached over to give her the other half of the candy.

  She took it with her fingers this time, and popped it into her mouth. “Definitely strawberry,” she said, the rich flavor filling her mouth.

  Jack pointed to the one in the middle of the box. It was flat and rectangular. “This one is definitely toffee,” he said, picking it up and scrutinizing it. He broke it in half. “Argh,” he said, outwardly disappointed. “Cookie center.” He handed her half.

  They continued until they had half the box finished off, their bellies aching. There must have been forty chocolates in there when she’d brought it home. Still no toffee.

  “I don’t feel well,” she admitted, the richness still invading her senses even though she’d swallowed the last bite ages ago. She wanted to drink some water, but the idea of putting anything else in her stomach made her feel queasy. “I think I need to lie down.”

  “Mmm,” he said, looking just as miserable as she did. He put the lid on the box and stood up, tucking it under his arm. “Come with me.” He led her to the front door. “I know what will make us feel better. We need a breather. But I won’t be defeated. We can finish the bet in a little while.”

  She grabbed her house keys, locked up, and got in his car. He pulled away from the shop, the windows down, the salty breeze warm against her skin. She closed her eyes, surrendering completely to the feeling of summer, of the happiness she felt, of the present—not the future or the past, just now.

  After a drive, she found herself at Butch’s. “Dad’s gone out to help someone build a barn, but we can ask him about his birds when he gets back.” He turned off the engine and grabbed the chocolates. “Let’s put these in the fridge so they don’t melt in this heat, and then I’ve got something to show you out back.”

  They dropped the chocolates off inside and went to the backyard, a lush spot of grass under a canopy of trees. In the shade, hanging from two of the oaks, was a giant hammock with built-in pillows. Jack held it steady and motioned for her to get on. “You said you wanted to lie down.”

  She clambered up on it, the thick braids of rope swinging back and forth underneath her as she got comfortable. Jack climbed on beside her, the motion steadying it. He crossed his legs at the ankle and clasped his hands behind his head, but the hammock wobbled. He straightened an arm to keep the weight distributed as she sat up just a bit in response to the shaking, and when she relaxed again, his arm was behind her, supporting her neck. Their bodies were close, the sun sparkling through the trees, a light breeze sailing over them—it all made her forget about her stomach ache.

  “This is nice,” he said, turning carefully on his side to face her. One more arm around her and they’d be embracing. His head lay on the pillow as he looked at her, not saying anything else.

  “I don’t know how you do it,” she said with a grin.

  He waited for an explanation.

  “You never found any toffee!” she laughed. “Yet here we are, together, on a hammock in your dad’s back yard.”

  He huffed out a few chuckles, fondness in his eyes. “It took a lot of chocolate to get you here,” he said with a sideways grin. “I was only giving you a place to lie down while we wait to ask Dad if we can have his birds.” He flashed an amused look at her and then lay flat, both of them looking up at the sky.

  “Stop thinking,” he said unexp
ectedly. “Just let yourself enjoy this.”

  She smiled, knowing exactly what he meant.

  * * *

  Alice didn’t remember going up to bed. Had she taken her makeup off? Confusion weaved its way through her mind as she emerged from sleep. It was warm, a little too warm, but still nice. And breezy—had Sasha opened a window? Then suddenly, her eyes snapped open and, without moving her head, she shifted her eyes to her left where she saw Jack dozing beside her. They’d fallen asleep on the hammock.

  Every nerve in her body was taking stock of his position. He was on his side again, one arm draped over her, the other behind her neck, their legs intertwined. A gentle tickle from his breath caressed her face and, if she inhaled, she could smell his clean, spicy, woody scent. He was completely relaxed, that big smile of his replaced by a peaceful expression. She noticed the small lines around his eyes that could only be made from laughing, and lying there beside him was so perfect that a tiny jolt of panic shot through her, making her want to get up before she started thinking about the fact that he wasn’t going to be around a lot longer. But instead, she stayed, unwilling to give up this moment.

  How long had they been asleep? Her phone was in the back pocket of her shorts, and she didn’t want to disturb him by trying to get it out. She also couldn’t admit to herself that she didn’t want him to move a muscle. There was something that made her feel complete, watching him sleep.

  Where would they be in a few weeks’ time if she kept letting this kind of thing happen? He was going to break her heart; there was no denying that. Because, in the end, he had to go back to Chicago and she didn’t want to have a long-distance relationship. Things were so early on that they’d lose touch and she’d be left, just like she had been that summer so long ago: comparing everyone she met to this moment, to this man. And nothing would ever compare.

  Alice had made a couple of decisions in her life where she knew that, once she’d made them, there would be no going back. The first one was having Henry; the second was deciding, with her acceptance letter in hand, not to enroll in the four-year college program that she knew she could’ve done well in. This was the third. She was about to do something completely out of character. For the first time in her life, she wasn’t thinking this through, she wasn’t concerned about what would happen next, and she was acting on her emotions instead of reason.