Coastal Erosion

by Rachelle Paige

  Kim chuckled and embraced her grandma. The little woman fit perfectly under Kim’s chin when they hugged. Taking a step to the side, she slid her keys into the lock, turned until she heard the click, and then shoved the door hard with her shoulder.

  “Oooh, that looks painful,” Grandma Rose replied as Kim held the door open for her to pass.

  “Not very. Just annoying. Come on into the kitchen. I made sun tea and still have some in the fridge.”

  Kim shut the door and led the way. Pulling out two tall glasses, she filled them from the pitcher in the fridge. Her secret ingredient, stirring in dry mix lemonade, made the tea the perfect combination of not too sweet and not too strong. She handed a glass to her grandma who’d seated herself at the kitchen counter.

  “Where were you today?” Grandma took a sip.

  “I had the craft fair today. And this morning I took measurements for the project over at my friend Trish’s bar.”

  “The one in the Pier Village right?”

  Kim nodded. “That’s the one. She and her husband own it and they live upstairs with their son.”

  “This is the friend that used to be the neighbor right?”

  “Yep that’s her.”

  “Sounds like a big project. I’ve been to that bar a few times after tap rehearsal.”

  Kim felt her mouth go slack, and her grandma shot her a don’t-judge-me-look. She shut her mouth and bit her tongue. She’d be the first to admit her grandmother’s life had always been more exciting than hers.

  “I’m excited for the challenge. But it will take up a lot of my time when we get started. Trish’s cousin is going to help me.”

  “Still seems like a lot of work to do for free.”

  Kim shrugged. “Trust me, I’m not doing anything for free. Trish helped me at the craft fair today and sold everything I brought. I wouldn’t be able to sell water to a thirsty man in the desert.”

  She took a drink of her sun tea, the tang of the lemonade quenching her thirst. A surreptitious glance at the clock showed her that she only had an hour and a half before Landon came. She didn’t want to rush her grandma out, but she would need to get ready. And having the conversation with her grandma that she was both dating again and dating the man who’d knocked her up years ago wouldn’t be easy. She took another drink and frowned, staring down at the glass she held.

  “Everything alright? You’re quiet tonight. Do you want to get ready? Maybe shower? I’m happy to wait.”

  “Sorry, Grandma, I’m going to have to take a rain check tonight.”

  “Really? Why?”

  Spill it.

  “Because I’m going on a date.”

  Her grandma’s mouth fell open. If she’d been holding her glass when Kim had shared her news, probably Kim would have had to sweep up the shards of broken glass and mop the sticky drink off the tile floor.

  “You are?” Grandma finally recollected herself.

  Kim reached across and grabbed the glass from her grandmother’s hands. She had to be upfront and honest. About all of it. But now that she’d had a glimpse of spending precious getting ready time cleaning up a mess, she removed the element of danger, the tea.

  “And because we’ve always been honest with each other I’ll tell you that it’s—”

  “The guy,” Grandma supplied.

  Her eyes were soft, almost sad. Grandma reached across and grabbed her hands. She traced the backs with her wrinkled fingers. They had identical hands. It was a strange thing to notice but odder still that everyone had commented on the fact for as long as Kim could remember. Staring down at her grandma’s hands holding hers, she saw the years of experience hers didn’t have. Sharing with grandma was the right decision she decided. A weight lifted off her.

  “Yes. With the guy that got me pregnant. But how did you know?”

  “After all the years of you never dating anyone else, I figured you must have met the one already and weren’t prepared to settle for second best.”

  “It’s a little more complicated than that, Grandma.”

  “How?”

  I can’t think around him. I just act. He makes me forget reason and ration and reality.

  Kim shrugged. “What do I have to offer a man? I can’t have children. I’ve already entered menopause, actually scratch that. I’ve been on a hormone patch for a decade.”

  “Life is about more than children and estrogen, honey.”

  “I don’t want to tie him down. I never have. I never told you this but… We’d been engaged and I disappeared so he wouldn’t feel obligated to be with me.”

  “But he comes back into your life ten years later and he’s taking you out to dinner and he’s not moved on either? Honey, it sounds like the man is already tied down to you.”

  Her hopes had been squashed time and again. When she sent back the ring with her address, she’d stayed alert for months waiting for him. For all she knew, he probably threw the ring away without even opening the package.

  “I think his finding me was more coincidence than determination,” she murmured.

  “Maybe you should ask him,” Grandma prodded, gently poking her in the ribs.

  “It’s all a mess now anyway. He came here to develop the land on Lawrence Road and now that’s done. It seems like someone has to win and the other lose. I hate that. Why can’t we both win?”

  “Why can’t you?” Grandma Rose parroted back.

  Long hours at the SCL office working on the project had been followed by late nights in bed worrying over Landon. She wanted to come up with a plan, with a solution for him. She wanted him to succeed and go after his dream. He’d finally decided to strike out on his own like he’d talked about all those years ago. Maybe she could help.

  “Grandma, tell me the truth. What do you think about this? Am I a fool to get involved with this man again?”

  “When I picked you up at the hospital and brought you back here to recover, yes I would have thought you were a fool. But we’ve both changed since then. I’ve watched you blossom and grow into one of the strongest women I’ve ever known. You’ve kept yourself closed off to love. I’m happy that you’re taking a chance again.

  “I might have silently vowed to smash his car up if I ever found out who ruined your life. But I promise I’m reformed now.” Her grandma made a cross-my-heart gesture and Kim smiled. The slight, very lady-like woman would no doubt have raised terror at the time. She was glad she’d changed her mind.

  “Come on, enough talk, let me help you pick out a dress and shoes, and then I’ll get going so you can get ready. What time is he coming?”

  “Five. He knows I’ve had a long week.”

  “We really don’t have much time. Let’s get to work. I know you’ll dress a little too conservatively without my guidance.”

  Kim chuckled but didn’t deny it. She had no need for dressy clothes other than the few cocktail dresses Grandma had purchased for her over the years. Kim had kept them all, with the tags still on, in the back of her closet figuring she’d never need them. Maybe it was a good thing her Grandma had tried to keep her youthful or she wouldn’t have anything to wear.

  * * * * *

  Kim rubbed her hands together and then crossed her arms. A chill had picked up in the evening air. Landon shrugged out of his jacket and draped the lightweight wool suit jacket over her shoulders. His fingers brushed against her upper arms and neck as he positioned the coat over her spaghetti strap, purple chiffon cocktail dress.

  She’d forgotten how even the simplest touch could set her skin on fire. She caught herself gulping and locking her knees with each accidental brush of his fingers on her bare skin to keep from launching herself into his arms. This time she had to keep her resolve not to give in to the passion simmering between them. This time she wanted to act with her head and not with other parts of her body.

  When Grandma had first pulled out the dress, Kim had scrunched up her nose at the choice. Of the six dresses she’d never worn, this had been her least f
avorite. Hanging up at the end of her closet the cocktail dressed resembled the sort of shapeless bridesmaid dress an insecure woman might pick for her friends. The dress had made Kim consider that Grandma Rose had been shopping for herself and dropping things off for Kim.

  She hadn’t argued, and after she slid the dress over her head, she’d been caught off-guard. The light, flowy fabric smoothed over her figure, only clinging to the most flattering positions before flaring out slightly to stop a few inches above her knee. The sweetheart neckline showed off her strong shoulders but the gauzy material made her feel ultra feminine and pretty. She hadn’t felt pretty in a long time.

  “Thanks Landon,” Kim said, peering up at him from under her lashes.

  He gave her a nod and then took a step back. She slid her arms into the jacket and lowered her nose to breath in the rich, musky scent of his cologne.

  “Should we walk off our dinner?” Landon asked.

  “Yes please. I need to after that decadent dessert.” Kim nearly moaned remembering the chocolate cake they’d shared.

  They stood on the sidewalk in the Pier Village across the street from Phil’s bar. Chatter and laughter caught on the wind and surrounded them. The relaxed atmosphere put Kim at ease. Although, after a wonderful dinner spent reliving some of their more hilarious moments in college and briefly filling in the details since, Kim was already relaxed. Landon reached for her hand and she slid her fingers into his without hesitation. His warm palm sent heat up through her arm straight to her heart. She couldn’t stop thinking about how very right strolling around St. Simons with Landon felt.

  At the end of the street, they reached Neptune Park. She loved spending afternoons in the height of summer at the park. The sound of joy and laughter and children filled the entire park with the dual playgrounds, mini-golf, and pool all occupying the space. If she closed her eyes, she imagined the shouts and splashes of kids enjoying the pool. In the twilight of autumn, the quickly darkening sky over the ocean told her she didn’t have much longer. She wished the date didn’t ever have to end. But she knew she needed to get a few things off her chest.

  “Landon, thank you for this evening.”

  “Thank you for agreeing.”

  “I hope you’ll stay on the island.”

  Landon brought their hands up to his mouth. His hot breath on the back of her hand an intimate caress just before he kissed her knuckles. Her knees nearly gave out. She just managed to keep moving on the path toward the lighthouse.

  “Do you mean that?” he asked.

  “Of course I do. I think you coming here has been good for me. You’ve made me confront a lot of things that I put off.”

  “Like what?”

  He stopped walking and stood before her, his hands clasped behind his back. In her favorite pair of heels, the only ones she could actually walk in, they were eye level with one another. The directness of his stare was unnerving. Now or never.

  “It took me a long time not to be mad,” she began and bit her lip, unsure if this was the direction she wanted to steer the conversation.

  “At me?”

  “No, not you. I can say that now. But at the time you were a helpful scapegoat.”

  “I want you to know I regretted those words the minute I said them.”

  “I regret…” She trailed off.

  She’d been going about the business of living without actually feeling anything. She’d built a safe shelter for herself where she never had to push hard at her job or be forced to be vulnerable and open up. She’d kept herself protected. Landon’s arrival had started to shake the ground underneath her until the earth cracked in two. Now she realized how much she had lost out on and how much she wanted.

  “What?” he asked.

  “How I treated you. I shouldn’t have disappeared. I just couldn’t…” burden you with me.

  She left those words unsaid. She hadn’t trusted him enough to give him the choice. She’d felt so sure he’d stick by her if she told him the truth and he’d miss out on his own future that she’d made a choice for him. But her seemingly selfless act had been selfish. She hadn’t wanted to watch him walk away if he did decide he didn’t want to be with her. She ran before letting him make his decision; too afraid that he would choose what she offered, a clean break.

  “What do you think you’ll do now?”

  “I don’t know.” He shook his head and looked down, breaking the connection. “I’ve been struggling with finding another property to purchase here that will meet my needs.”

  “Maybe you should adapt to the community and not the other way around.”

  “You know you’re not the first person who’s said that to me.”

  Kim bit her lip. She didn’t want to put him on the spot or force the issue.

  “But even if I could, my investors have all pulled out. Well, except one and I can’t seem to track the person down.”

  “I hope you do figure this out. And I have kind of been playing around with an idea, but I don’t know if you’ll like it.”

  “I’m open to any suggestions at the moment,” Landon held his hands out palm up to prove his point.

  “Have you ever thought about rehabbing buildings?”

  “Like house flipping?” He winced, almost recoiling.

  Sure, her idea was not on the scale of his grand plan. But it had merit. And he could stay. If he wanted.

  “Well, sort of. I mean like taking a building and gutting it and rebuilding it. We have a lot of old business properties on the island. Some of them are located in or near residential areas. What if you transformed those into condominiums?”

  “Like someone living inside of an old taco place? I don’t know about that.”

  “No, no, no. There is a building that is gorgeous that was a showcase for interior design. It’s Italianate in style, has a courtyard, and a parking lot. You could turn that into high end living, and I think there would be a market for it.”

  “I’d have to see what you’re talking about. I like your enthusiasm. But I can’t picture quite what you’re saying.”

  “Okay, so maybe if you’re free we could drive around the island tomorrow? I could show you some of the buildings I’m talking about.”

  Landon closed the gap between them. “I like the idea of seeing you tomorrow a lot.”

  Kim swallowed. His hot breath on her face had her stunned silent with anticipation. She turned her head at just the last moment, desperate for a breath of cool, night air and not yet ready to let their relationship progress back to any type of physical intimacy. She already knew they were compatible. And the fact that every nerve ending on her body felt like it had been set on fire was enough to tell her head to take a step back and slow down. This time, if there was a this time, she’d take things in a different path. She wanted forever, not just right now. And if pushing him back was how she accomplished that, then she’d just have to do it.

  “I don’t think I’m ready for that,” Kim whispered, his ear near her mouth as he stepped forward. “Not right now.”

  “Fair enough,” Landon, ever the gentleman, took a step back and offered her his arm, not his hand.

  A pang of disappointment slid to the bottom of her stomach. Dragging in a shuddering breath, Kim accepted his arm. And led her back the way we came. Walking into the wind she thought she heard him mutter, “I can wait.” But she tried hard to believe she’d been hearing things. Getting her hopes up again might destroy her.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  A knock sounded on the door as Kim stood next to her kitchen sink, finishing the last of her morning tea. The familiar rat a tat tat rhythm had her grinning and her heart skipping. She wanted to race to her door to greet him. Instead, she fought her instincts to let decorum win. Leaving the mug in the sink, she padded across her tile floor to the front door. She unlocked the deadbolt and opened the door wide.

  In jeans and a grey V-neck sweater, Landon couldn’t have looked any better. His hair had been perfectly styled. He was al
ways pulled together in an effortless way, his clothes pressed and neat and fitting him like even off the rack items had been tailored to his body. By comparison, Kim felt like a mess, even in her favorite sweater dress and ankle boots. Her thick hair was high-maintenance, requiring her to blow-dry and straighten daily to fight the errant tendrils and waves amplified by the high humidity. She couldn’t seem to keep an outfit spotless, if someone was going to spill their coffee they’d end up tripping and covering her. And no matter how many times she attempted to learn to iron, she couldn’t figure out how to press her clothes as well as the dry cleaner she inevitably dropped her work clothes at.

  “Ready to go?” Landon asked.

  “Sorry, lost in thought,” Kim bent to grab her purse off the ground.

  She stepped over the threshold and nearly collided with Landon. He took a step back and she shut the door and locked it.

  “Was your front door unlocked?”

  “Yep,” she replied and walked down the path to his convertible, parked in front of her house.

  “And you leave your purse next to it?”

  Kim frowned. This was beginning to sound like a scold. He held open the door and she got in. Leaning back in the leather seat, she melted into the sun-warmed car. The autumn chill meant she could finally pull out her sweaters, but still didn’t need a jacket or tights under her dress.

  “Are you ignoring my question?” Landon asked as he slid behind the wheel.

  Opening her eyes and sitting up, Kim fastened her seat belt and assessed him from the corner of her eye.

  “Landon, I do not typically leave my door unlocked or leave my purse by the door. To be honest, I dropped it there last night after I got home. I promise you I understand basic security measures.”

  His furrowed brow didn’t look convinced but he started the engine and focused on the road anyway as he pulled onto the street and drove toward the Bloody Marsh.

  “But what I am trying to stress to you, is that this is a community. Neighbors know and care about one another here.”

  “What you call caring might also be called gossiping.”