One Summer: An uplifting, feel-good summer romance

by Jenny Hale

  “Mom,” Henry said. “There’s a boy over there!” He pointed down the shore. “Can I go down and say hello?”

  The boy looked about Henry’s age, lanky with fine brown hair, playing outside of a cottage a few doors down. It was the cottage with a flag on the deck that pictured the Bodie Island Lighthouse against a bright blue background. She’d noticed the cottage before; it was covered in light yellow shingles with white trim, and a wooden sign above the front door said Beachin’ It. The boy was digging a hole in the sand and filling it with water, running back and forth to the breaking waves with an orange bucket just like Henry had done.

  “Of course you can say hello!”

  Without another word, Henry dropped his boogie board at Alice’s feet and ran down the beach, arms pumping, his eagerness to meet someone his age clear.

  “Look at him,” Alice said to Sasha. “He’s so excited! Oh, I hope it’s a resident and not a vacationer. I’d love it if he could make a friend.”

  Sasha straightened her aviators to get a better view of the two boys. “He will, Alice. Just give him time. He hasn’t started school yet.”

  “I don’t want him to have to wait for school. That’s still months away. I want him to have someone to play with this summer.” She looked down the beach again. Henry was squatting next to the boy, talking, helping him dig. The sight filled her with happiness.

  “I get that, though. I like meeting people around us. I don’t want Melly to leave. It’s nice having a friend across the street. And I really like her.”

  “Me too.” Alice brushed the sand off her leg where the wind had blown it onto her skin. “And she seems so broken up about it. Imagine putting all this work in, only to be forced out of our home. Maybe it’s because we met her here, but I can’t imagine her living anywhere but in the Outer Banks. With us. And Melly wants to stay so badly.” She couldn’t help but feel frustrated with the hospital for bringing two wonderful people into her life, only to have them both taken away. But she knew she was just trying to blame someone. Things happen that are simply beyond anyone’s control. The key was picking up the pieces and moving forward. Even when she felt sometimes like she couldn’t.

  Alice looked out at their little slice of paradise, the lapping waves, the bright sun, the cobalt blue sky above them. A seagull swooped down to the water and then soared back up. She knew exactly how Melly felt. She wondered what the purpose in it all was. Why had Melly been able to make all those plans—working here and buying the cottage—if she wasn’t meant to stay? Why had Alice and Sasha become friends with Melly? For that matter, why had Alice reconnected with Jack after all these years? Would it have been better to have never met either of them? That didn’t seem right either. Was it all so Butch could have a place to retire? Perhaps…

  “I was going to suggest that Jack get in touch with her to rent her cottage for Butch.” As she said it, the idea was bittersweet.

  Sasha didn’t respond, and Alice wondered if she was thinking the same thing. Sasha, too, had said how wonderful it was to have met Melly. They’d all just fallen in together, like old friends.

  Henry and the little boy ran up to their chairs. “Mom, this is Simon,” Henry said. “He lives in that cottage right there!” He pointed to the yellow bungalow just behind the sea oats. “He’s five too!”

  “That’s wonderful, Henry! Hi, Simon.”

  “Hello,” the boy said.

  His skin was bronze from all the sun he’d clearly had, and his green eyes looked like crystals against it. She couldn’t believe they hadn’t run into him before now.

  “Can Henry keep digging with me?”

  “Of course! Just stay where I can see you, okay, Henry?”

  “Okay!” Henry grabbed Simon’s arm and they ran back down the beach, leaving Alice with her thoughts once more.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  “I wonder what Jack’s up to,” Alice said cautiously to Sasha as she pulled a baseball cap over her ponytail. “I texted that I wanted to talk to him about moving Butch to Chicago, and he asked me if I could clear my schedule and be ready to go with Henry and Einstein in an hour.” She wasn’t entirely sure she wanted to involve Henry in meeting Jack today. She knew it was because Henry would fall for Jack just like she had, and in the end, when it was time for Jack to leave, he’d be heartbroken. She wanted to protect him from that feeling. But Sasha had her last checkup today to make sure the medication was working and her blood pressure was okay, and Sam had asked her to lunch after, so Alice hadn’t wanted to ask if she’d watch Henry for her.

  Sasha offered an excited look. “What has the wonderful and gorgeous Jack got in store for you two? I love surprises.”

  “We’re both to wear our swimsuits.”

  “Sounds like a good time! I can’t wait to hear all about it when you get home!”

  Alice finished rounding up Einstein and Henry just as Jack pulled up in Butch’s old pickup truck. It had one long bench across the front, so when Alice opened the door, she let Henry and Einstein get in first. Once she’d climbed inside and shut them all in, she looked over at Jack. He gave her that same crooked grin she’d seen during the darts game. The old truck engine groaned as he pulled out onto Beach Road. Alice threw a hand out the window to Sasha and off they went.

  “Where are you taking us?” she asked, leaning around Henry and Einstein.

  “It’s a surprise! Just enjoy the ride.” Jack turned up the radio, beach tunes sailing through the air as the warm wind forced its way through the open windows, blowing around them. Einstein crawled across her, settling in her lap, and rested his head on the open window. Henry was buckled in the center seat between them and Alice noticed the admiration in Henry’s eyes when he looked at Jack, making her uneasy. Unable to change the situation, she looked away at the beach as it slipped past them, trying to enjoy the ride.

  They exited the bypass onto a narrow road that led to a small inlet. With the slower speed, the hot air crept in and Einstein started panting. Despite that, he seemed so happy to be with them. When they got to the beach, with a bump, Jack pulled the truck onto the sand. “Unbuckle your belt and hop on my lap, Henry. You can drive us.” He pointed down the beach. It was secluded, not a soul in sight, a few pelicans finding their meal and then settling in the tall grass at the edge.

  Henry searched his mother’s face for permission.

  “Go ahead,” she said.

  Henry climbed onto Jack’s lap, taking the wheel as it jiggled, Alice putting her arm in front of Einstein to settle him. Jack shifted gears and showed Henry how to maneuver around the dips in the sand. Alice tried to commit every single image to memory so that once Jack was gone, on those cold, lonely winter nights, she could remember this. She took in Henry’s smile and uncertainty; the way Jack’s hands were on the seat on either side of him to allow Henry to steer, his foot gently pressing the gas pedal; the orange glare from the sun on the windshield; the tilt of Jack’s head, and the softness of his voice as he guided her son. Einstein had crawled across her lap again and was resting quietly in the spot where Henry had sat, and, in that moment, it was as if the world had aligned, all the worries out of her head, and she could just be present right then, right there.

  Jack adjusted the rearview mirror, tilting it lower. “Look at you! You’re driving!” he said. “Take us down the beach to that dock, okay?” At the end of the shore, there was a small pier with a boat tied to it. The gentle waves of the sound kissed the edge of it, the water sparkling in the sunlight.

  “Okay,” Henry said, as he concentrated on the wheel.

  Jack eased off the gas to allow Henry to get a good handle on the steering while they bumped along toward their stopping point. Henry’s little hands gripped the wheel tightly, his shoulders relaxing as the truck sailed over the sand.

  “Turn slightly…” Jack directed as they neared the edge of the water.

  Henry did as he was told.

  “To the right. That’s it. Just like that… Okay, now hold t
he wheel still.” He pressed on the brakes with a gentle motion until they coasted to a stop. “Great driving!” he said, shifting the old truck into park.

  Alice couldn’t help but think how easily this type of living came to Jack, even though he’d spent his adult life in a city high-rise. He was so composed and careful with her son, easing Henry’s nerves and making him feel comfortable. It was clear that being a doctor who worked with children had given him quite the skill in calming them, because every time Henry was with him, her son seemed as relaxed as he was with his own family.

  Jack opened the door and set Henry onto the sand, hopping out behind him and grabbing Einstein’s leash, coaxing him out his side of the truck. He walked around with the dog and opened Alice’s door for her.

  She could see the boat at the dock more clearly now. This one was more like the kind she was used to: a fishing schooner with one seat for the driver and a small bench at the back. The captain waved from the dock and Jack returned his greeting.

  “Are you all ready to find some seashells?” he called out to them.

  Henry looked up at Alice and she shrugged. “I don’t know any more than you do,” she said. “You’ll have to ask Jack.”

  Jack tousled Henry’s hair as they headed toward the boat. He was walking Einstein, and Alice tried not to think about how perfect her view was: the three of them in silhouette, like the happy ending of a movie. “This is Captain Lenny,” he said. “He’s going to take us out on the sound today.”

  Alice had wonderful memories of the sound, the stretch of peaceful water between the barrier islands of the Outer Banks and the mainland. While Gramps had assured her that there were places where the lagoon could reach twelve feet deep or more, it seemed like she could walk for miles and the water would never get above her waist. While various parts of this body of water had different names, she knew this one well: the Roanoke Sound. She and Gramps had done lots of fishing here.

  “All grownups wear a life vest,” Captain Lenny said, handing one to Henry with a wink. “The kids are on their own.” He threw a thumb over to Alice and Jack. “I’ll assist you with buckling it if you need help; just let me know.” Then he stepped into the boat, the small vessel rocking with his weight, and held out a hand to Alice. “Ladies first.”

  She took hold of him, climbing in and steadying herself with the pole that held the small awning over the captain’s seat. Then she reached out to help Henry aboard, but Jack was already lifting him in, having handed Einstein’s leash to the captain. Once everyone was in the boat and seated on the bench at the back, Einstein comfortably on a cushion on the vessel’s floor, Captain Lenny fired up the motor and started backing out. Within minutes, they were sailing the clear waters of the Roanoke Sound, the sun high in the blue sky above them. The wind picked up with their speed, and Einstein turned his snout toward the airstream, his ears looking as though they were pinned back.

  Out of habit, Alice closed her eyes. She always used to do that when Gramps got the boat going—it made her feel like she was flying. The salty smell in the air, the spray of the water misting her from the side of the boat, the warm wind—it all took her back, and if she opened her eyes right now, she would almost swear that Gramps was driving. The only thing that told her otherwise was the absence of his voice. He would tell her the history of the area, the science of the water and the animals in it, and he’d answer her questions.

  But just as she thought about that, Captain Lenny spoke. “We’re headed to an uninhabited bit of land called Seashell Island.” His voice sailed into her ears, making her open her eyes. The captain was still looking forward, talking while he steered the schooner, the vessel bobbing heavily as he maneuvered around choppy waters from another passing boat. “I say ‘uninhabited’ but there’s plenty of life there, just not any pesky humans.” The motor slowed as they entered a calmer area, and the captain patted the open spot on the bench where he was sitting. “Mr. Henry,” he called over his shoulder. “Would you like to come up front with me? I’m going to let you pick the best part of the island to dock.”

  Henry’s eyes rounded with excitement while he walked to the front of the boat, swaying as it rocked.

  Once Henry was with Captain Lenny, Jack scooted closer to Alice. “Hi,” he said, like he’d just approached her. He broke out into that gorgeous smile that could make her lose all her rational thought. “I hadn’t even said hi yet.” Einstein shifted on his cushion. “It’s so good to see you.”

  The affection on his face made her all fluttery.

  Jack sat back and put his arm around her, and she wished that they could sit just like that for the rest of the day.

  Henry and Captain Lenny pulled the boat to a stop on the shore of the flat island, its surface covered in sea grass with the exception of the sandy beaches. Henry grabbed Einstein’s leash.

  “I suggest leaving your shoes on the boat,” Captain Lenny said. He kicked off an old battered pair of sandals. They all followed suit and climbed out together.

  Alice took Jack’s hand as her feet hit the soft shore beneath her, and he let her go once she was steady. But within the silky sand, she could feel sharp protrusions. She bent down to look through the crystal-clear water to see what they were. “Look at all the seashells,” she said, breathless. Through the water, and scattered around her toes, were shells in pinks, whites, pearl-colored, purple… “There are so many,” she said.

  “Welcome to Seashell Island,” Captain Lenny said with a smile. “Now, I’m going to take Henry and his puppy down the sand a bit. You two are welcome to come with us if you’d like to hear the history of shells in the area and how they all got here.” He handed Henry an old bucket. “You’ll need this.”

  As Henry, Einstein, and the captain walked in front of them, Jack looked down at Alice. “You wanted to tell me something about Chicago?” he asked.

  “Yes.” Alice reached down and picked up a shell, its swirling purple and white pattern like a piece of stained glass. She rubbed it with her thumb. “I’m sure you already know that the nurses that were just hired at the hospital are being let go.”

  Jack nodded, somber. “Yes. In the defense of the hospital, they were told at interview that their positions could be temporary.”

  She didn’t want to get into it, and it wasn’t her place anyway. “Well, because of the cuts, Melly has to rent her cottage, or eventually sell it. Butch wouldn’t be happy in Chicago… Melly’s house might be perfect for him.”

  Consideration flooded Jack’s face, and it was so clear to her in that moment how good he was. He wanted to do the right thing for his father. “Yes,” he said. Then he grinned at her. “That would also mean that I’d be able to see you when I came to visit.”

  She’d already thought about that. A lot. But even so, the words pelted her: when he came to visit. Without warning, tears pricked her eyes. She looked out at Henry, breaking eye contact. Henry squatted down, his hand in the water, retrieving a shell. Einstein was on the end of the leash; Captain Lenny obviously had a good handle on him. Einstein was sniffing the shore like crazy before he stopped, lifting his paw in the hunting position. She blinked her tears away. By Jack’s comment, he definitely wasn’t even trying to figure out how to stay. And she couldn’t expect him to. But she’d dated enough people to know that guys like Jack don’t come around very often, and because of that, he’d ruined every other guy’s chance because now, without a doubt, she’d compare them to him—not the teenage him, but the man he’d become.

  She felt his hold on her hands, his face coming into focus.

  “What is it?” His brows knitted together, the concern showing in the creases on his forehead.

  “I don’t want you to visit,” she managed, knowing she’d picked the wrong words. She was too upset to form the whole sentence she’d wanted.

  He started at her, obviously confused.

  “I want you to stay.” Her voice broke on the last word and she turned toward the water to calm herself down. “I know you
can’t.” She didn’t look at him; it was too hard.

  He squeezed her hand affectionately, giving her the courage to look at him.

  “There’s no work for me at this hospital. Your life is in the Outer Banks. I’m scrambling for the right move, here. It’s all happened so fast.”

  Einstein splashed in the water, making Henry laugh. Captain Lenny held out a shell and started telling Henry about it.

  “Maybe it just wasn’t meant to be… I often feel that,” she said, “when I realize that I’m pushing too hard to make something happen.” Her mind fluttered back to Matt and she squeezed her eyes shut. “I think it would be better if we didn’t prolong the inevitable.” She’d known she was going to get hurt and by the way her heart was breaking, she was aware that the hurt was now upon her. “You and Butch should contact Melly. It’s a great place. And if you want to stop in for ice cream, we’ll always be open for you.”

  “I wish I had an answer,” Jack said, lips pursed, eyes on the sand, ignoring her last comment. “I don’t right now. But it won’t stop me from trying.”

  “The answer is: you go back to Chicago and I stay here. It’s that simple.”

  He looked out ahead of them silently and she knew that was all they could do.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  The ride back to the shop had flown by. With the salty warmth on their cheeks and the lull of the music on the radio, the old truck’s engine humming, Alice’s thoughts were heavy and constant, and when she’d looked up they were home.

  Clearly getting back to her old self, and fueled by the obvious excitement she had after having a really wonderful time with Sam, Sasha had already found Gramps’s tall ladders and set them up against the old whitewashed siding of the shop, with some of the large containers of paint lined up beside them. After years in the harsh coastal elements, the place was in need of a fresh coat, so they’d bought gallons upon gallons of white paint and, with Alice’s budget getting slimmer by the minute, decided this was something they could do on their own. The interior painting had gone so well, Alice knew she could handle this. But as her eyes roamed the surface of that little fishing shack, it didn’t look so little. It would take them days if not weeks to finish with just the two of them.