by Carol Ross
“I’ll call my mom and grab my bag, Laney. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
As soon as Elise was out of sight Laney moved closer. She stood in front of Mia, her fingers twisting nervously together. “Did you talk to my brother? I mean, I know you talked to him, but did he say anything?”
Mia didn’t know what she was referring to exactly, but it could mean many things. “About what?”
“Like about how mad he is or whatever? Or...about anything else?”
Mia could only wish he would talk about it, about anything that mattered. She shook her head. “No, he didn’t. Your brother doesn’t talk about...” She trailed off, trying to decide how to word it.
Laney rolled her eyes. “About anything? I know. But I was hoping that maybe finally, with you, that was changing. He seems to really like you.” She let out a dramatic sigh. “Maybe Josie is right and he’ll never get close to anyone.”
Mia felt the disappointing words like a stab. Even though she’d already reached that conclusion herself, she’d been holding on to the same secret hope. But this was about Laney. “Is there anything I can do, Laney? Do you want to talk to me about what happened?”
She did; Mia could tell. It was stamped all over the poor girl’s face. Laney’s eyes filled with tears as she nodded slowly. “I don’t know. I should probably talk to Jay first.”
“Okay,” Mia said, and her already hurting heart seemed to crack a little bit more. She pulled Laney in for a hug as her anger and frustration toward Jay gathered like a storm.
Nora and Elise came down the stairs and a few minutes later they all headed out. Not long after that, Jay knocked on the door.
“What are you going to do about this?” she asked after pouring them both cups of coffee and grabbing a bag of real cookies from her stash. “About Laney?”
“I’ll talk to her. I think it was just a mistake.” His tone was so casual, so seemingly unconcerned, Mia nearly lost it.
“A mistake?” she repeated flatly. “That’s it?”
“Yeah, she’s a fifteen-year-old kid. Fifteen-year-olds do things, stupid things. You know, experimenting and all that.”
“Hmm.” She busied herself with taking a drink so she could consider how to most diplomatically say what she wanted to say. Giving up on that strategy, she said, “Yes, they do, but often it’s a sign that they’re feeling angry or insecure or sad...”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean that teenage girls are very emotional. Something is bothering her. This feels like more than ‘experimenting’ to me.”
“Did she say something to you?”
He sounded horrified by the thought and Mia felt her irritation boiling over. Laney should be able to talk to someone if she wanted. She also knew why she didn’t, and he was sitting right in front of her.
“Elise said she was upset. Apparently, she talked to Josie yesterday and the conversation seemed to upset her. Then there was her little display at the beach. She didn’t seem too pleased with you either. She acts like I did at her age. She’s a pleaser, a peacemaker... She acts like everything is fine hoping it will be eventually. But I promise you, this issue will come to a head eventually.”
Mia watched his mouth tighten into that grim line it did whenever she even hinted at issues he didn’t want to discuss. Which she’d gotten used to when it came to the two of them, but she felt strongly enough about Laney that she knew she needed to push it.
“I can talk to her if you want me to. I think she wants to tell me—”
“That’s not necessary,” he interrupted. “Mia, look, I appreciate your—”
“No, Jay. Don’t give me the ‘you appreciate my concern’ speech here. I know you love your sister. And I know you believe you’re doing the right thing by giving her plenty of freedom or whatever, but ignoring this behavior is—”
With a sigh, he reached over and picked up her hand. “I’m sorry.” He kissed her palm. “I realize you’re trying to help. And you’re right, but I’m pretty sure I know what’s bothering her. I’m not ignoring it.”
“You know what’s bothering her?”
“Yes. And I’m going to fix it. You don’t need to worry about it and neither does Laney. I’m going to make sure she understands that.”
Mia shook her head, letting her skepticism show. “All right,” she finally said. Even though she knew that where Laney was concerned, it was far from all right. The girl was headed for trouble. Mia could only hope that by the time Jay figured this out it wouldn’t be too late.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
WITH THE REST of the cats on Porpoise Point Road rounded up and treated over the previous weeks, Mia had decided to suspend work at Lucky Cats for the day. The woman’s daughter had moved to town and sought counseling for her mom. They’d convinced the woman to keep only six of the cats, all of which Mia had sterilized and treated for free. Mia felt confident this instance had a good chance of having a successful long-term outcome.
Mia put those thoughts aside as she and Charlotte strolled along Pacific Cove’s boardwalk on this balmy summer Saturday, gazing down at the amazing array of sand sculptures beneath them. A wide set of stairs led down to the beach below. At the top of an arch overhead, a large sign read Pacific Cove Sandtastical 30th Annual Sandcastle Exposition. Pacific Cove hosted the contest every year. And while it wasn’t one of the largest held along the West Coast, it had a reputation for being one of the most fun. Vendors selling crafts and artwork were set up on one end of the venue, where attendees could purchase everything from kites and sand toys to homemade soaps and lotions to pet supplies and antiques. Food carts were selling a mouthwatering variety of delectables including funnel cakes, fish and chips, deep-fried pickles, clam strips and “the world’s largest” ice cream sundaes. A beer garden at the far end of the venue offered an array of local microbrews and wines.
“Where’s your mom’s crew?” Charlotte asked Mia as they descended the stairs onto the sand.
“She said they were assigned a spot about two-thirds of the way down near the south end.” Mia pointed even though there was no way they could see that distance. A sea of bodies was swarming the beach as the artists had already been at it for several hours. The sculptures were taking shape and generating a ton of excitement with the spectators.
“Jay is bringing Levi and Laney. So be on the lookout. Laney and Elise are sleeping over tonight, because Jay has to work and Levi is house-sitting again for Dr. Anthony.”
Charlotte didn’t respond. Mia glanced over at her friend to see her wearing a pinched expression.
“What?” Mia asked.
She sighed. “I didn’t want to tell you this today, but since you brought him up there are some things I need to tell you.”
“About?”
“I asked around a bit about Jay.”
Jay? It was the first time she’d actually heard Charlotte call him by his name and not “hottie” or “Coast Guard man candy” or any of the other clever monikers she’d dubbed him. This felt like a bad sign.
“Oh, man, Charlotte, I hope you didn’t say anything...” She trailed off, cringing inwardly at the thought of the entire town now thinking or knowing she had a crush on the guy.
“I was careful. I swear, Mia.”
Mia gave her a hopeful, skeptical look. “And...”
“Well, I don’t know how else to say this but he seems to be what I like to call a serial heartbreaker. Apparently, he dates, but... By all accounts, he’s a nice guy who’s afraid to commit.”
Mia felt an initial rush of relief; she already knew that.
“Well, all the better for me then, huh? We’re just friends.” Slightly more than friends, she added silently, glad she hadn’t told Charlotte any more than that. She and Jay had never defined the parameters of their relationship beyond not ge
tting too close... Her stomach knotted as she realized, wondered, if he had “more” with other women, too? Laney’s words from a few days prior came back to her again, like they had a million times already. About how he didn’t get “close” to anyone.
Charlotte barked out a laugh. “Friendship might be what you have in mind, but he doesn’t look at you as if you’re just a friend.”
“I don’t think...”
“I know you don’t.” Charlotte stopped, grabbing her elbow and urging her around. Her brown eyes were wide with concern. “That’s why I’m telling you. Be careful, Mia.” She paused. “I know you don’t have experience with these kinds of guys, but I do. They take what they want but they’re not willing to give in return. I love you, Mia. And I don’t want to see you get hurt.”
Mia waved her off. “I’m not going to get hurt, Charlotte. I won’t let myself get that close. He’s military, remember?”
Charlotte eyed her skeptically. “I bet him being military isn’t going to matter once he turns those charms on you.”
“Hey, I have charms, too, you know? Why am I the one getting hurt in this scenario? Maybe I’ll be breaking Mr. Coast-Guard-Hottie’s heart.” Mia could hear her attempt at a casual reply falling flat.
Charlotte let out a little gasp. “Oh no... Mia, you’re not already...? You’ve fallen for him already, haven’t you?”
“Charlotte, no, I’m... We’re—”
“Mia! Charlotte!” Conversation halted as they heard a voice calling for them. They turned to see Nora waving them over.
They moved closer... And stood frozen for a moment as they silently beheld the phenomenal sand sculpture before them.
Finally, Charlotte finally whispered, “Wow.”
“Wow is right. Mom...”
“You like it?”
“Like it? I’m...” Mia felt joyful tears gather in her eyes. The middle of the sculpture was the shape of a woman with a cat on her shoulder—her. She was kneeling on the ground surrounded by animals; there were cats and dogs of various shapes and sizes, including ones that looked remarkably like George and Ruby and Coastie. The sign read Pacific Cove Vet Clinic because Mia had sponsored their endeavor. She gathered her mom close for a hug. “Thank you,” she said. “Mom, you amaze me.”
Her mom whispered, “Right back at you, daughter.”
Nora sniffled and then gestured around, her smile electric. “Isn’t this whole event a wonder? There are some talented, talented people on this beach today. I feel honored to be among them.”
“Um, yeah, Nora, and you are one of them. I am speechless and you know that never happens to me,” Charlotte said, circling the masterpiece that Nora had designed and helped create.
Nora had spent countless hours over the preceding months studying sand sculpting techniques and practicing various methods. She’d teamed up with Kendra Maddox, a local artist; her friend and fellow artist Nan; and Dennis Fulton, a potter from her pinochle club. Their group, the Sand Bandits, was hoping for a good showing in the over-fifty-five category. Mia smiled as she saw Ty off to one side talking animatedly with Kendra. From what Mia had seen so far she thought they had a solid chance of winning.
Laney came galloping over with her friends in tow. “Mia, Charlotte, hi! Mrs. Frasier, hey!”
“Laney!” Nora leaned over and hugged her.
“You are like a total genius.” She introduced her friends. “You know Elise and this is Brianna. We’ve been following all of this on Instagram. Other kids didn’t believe me when I told them I knew you.” She turned toward Mia. “Oh. My. Gosh. Dr. Frasier, that is totally you, like preserved in sand or whatever! And George and Ruby and Coastie! It’s so cool! Can you guys huddle together so I can take your picture?”
Laney’s friends asked questions and Nora explained how they formed the block of sand in the general shape of the object they were going to sculpt using a set of wooden forms in a technique similar to pouring concrete.
“As the water drains and the sand sets, you remove the forms and start carving. It’s important to keep it moist so it doesn’t dry out too much. That’s what the spray bottles are for...”
Mia felt a welling of pride as a small crowd gathered around to hear Nora speak. She loved her mom receiving this attention that she so deserved. She’d always believed that her mom could have made a name for herself in the art world. Instead, she’d chosen to devote herself to a husband who was only there for her part-time. She’d taught art to high school students and seemed content. Mia had made a vow to herself that she would never do that; she’d never put a man’s opinions and “needs” above her own. She’d never...
Mia froze, her entire body going cold as she realized that was exactly where she was headed with Jay. It wasn’t like they were on the path to marriage or anything, but they were definitely having some kind of a relationship. But, she suddenly realized, it was a relationship on his terms—only his terms. He wouldn’t even let her get close to his little sister, who so clearly needed to get close to someone. She wasn’t allowed to discuss how Levi was spending too many of his precious, fleeting teenage hours working too hard. She knew virtually nothing about Josie or their youngest siblings, not to mention his parents. Lifting a hand, she placed it across her forehead as if she could calm the throb of humiliation and disappointment now pounding away there.
She’d known this was going to happen and she’d let herself go down this path anyway. Charlotte was right; she’d gone and fallen in love with him. She’d fallen for a man who could never love her the way she wanted.
Down the beach near the coffee stand, she spotted Jay and Levi. They appeared to be engaged in lively conversation with Abby Quinn. Abby was a pretty third-grade teacher at the elementary school. Her already-unsettled stomach did a flip. Was she jealous? Maybe, but that didn’t matter. Charlotte was right about this as well. For that matter, Jay had been, too. It wasn’t that she was going to get hurt; she was already hurt and it was only going to get worse. The truth of that, the devastation, nearly left her breathless.
* * *
JAY WAS TRYING to keep track of Laney and her two friends, Elise and Brianna. Nice girls, Jay thought, but he had to concede that Mia was right that his sister was far too pretty for her own good. Boys seemed to flock around her. And although she didn’t seem overly flirtatious, he scowled at a few, feeling fine about the fact that they scuttled away like scared crabs when they noticed him. He may have growled at one of them. Not on purpose. It just kind of came out.
He fielded questions and compliments about Coastie—those filled him with an illogical pride. All of this while he argued with Levi about his latest plan to continue taking online classes in the fall.
“But Jay,” Levi argued, “I could finish in a year if I did it like that.”
“Levi, I don’t understand why you want to finish early. You should be having fun in high school.”
He was also on the lookout for Mia. He needed to see her. Okay, needed was a strong word, but when he went a day or two without seeing her, he felt...off. She was like some kind of a balm for the anxiety and uncertainty that seemed to be eating away at him. Hopefully, soon this custody situation would be settled and maybe they’d all feel more secure.
There was an uncharacteristic snap to Levi’s tone as he answered, “The fun you didn’t get to have, you mean? I’m not you, Jay.”
Jay leveled an assessing look at his brother. “This is not about me. But yes, I would like for you to have at least some of the fun I didn’t get to have.”
“I could work full-time.”
Jay lifted a brow in response, almost laughing at the expression on Levi’s face as he realized he was arguing Jay’s point.
“I mean I would have more time for work and fun. You wouldn’t have to give me money for anything. I could help with the bills and even send some to Josie.”
“I don’t dance.”
“You know what I mean.”
“I don’t want to do any of those things.”
“But you might once school starts.”
“Hey, there’s Nora,” Laney called out to them. “We’re going to go say hi.” She and her friends headed toward the roped-off area where Nora was huddled with her teammates. His pulse kicked it up a notch when he noticed Mia standing there, too.
Jay turned to face Levi. “You will go to school in the fall like a normal kid.”
Levi was looking down at the sand, muttering under his breath, no doubt gathering his counterargument.
“Jay!” A female voice called loudly. He turned to see Abby Quinn walking toward him. He’d gone out with her a few times last winter. They’d had a lot of fun until the fourth date when she’d sprung the sneak attack. Jay had thought they were going to dinner in nearby Remington when she’d informed him they were going “home” to Astoria to meet her family. He’d broken it off as gently as he could the following week.
“Abby, hey, how are you?”
She hustled over to them, a tiny dog cuddled in her arms and one of those purse-shaped bags to carry it in over her shoulder. “Looks like we have this in common, huh? And you told me you didn’t want a dog when we were dating.”
Jay would have never said they were “dating,” but he let it slide. Levi’s gaze bounced curiously between him and Abby. “Abby, this is my brother, Levi.”
Out of the corner of his eye, Jay saw Mia and Charlotte approaching.
“Nice to meet you. You guys look alike.” Abby smiled at Levi and stuck out her hand. Then she looked at Jay, her forehead wrinkling with confusion. “I didn’t know you had a brother. You never told me you had a brother.”
