by Grace Palmer
“You don’t know what!”
“It’s been like four years, hasn’t it? You’re pretty and a successful doctor. You could have your pick of men and you’re too busy? You could be dating Channing Tatum by now!”
Melanie scoffs. “You’re one to talk. You literally live in the land of ultra-hot actors and surfer bros and look who you chose to tie your cart to.”
“Girls …” Georgia warns.
“Sorry, Mom,” they both echo in unison.
Tasha clears her throat. “I, uh, broke up with Chuck actually.”
“What? When?” Melanie asks.
Melanie only met Chuck once, when she came to visit Tasha while attending a conference in Anaheim. She didn’t say anything at the time but she’s never been very good at hiding her disdain, so Tasha made sure to keep him tucked away for the rest of Melanie’s stay like an ugly throw pillow. She probably should have been annoyed at her sister for not giving him a chance, but maybe, in the back of her mind, she always knew Melanie was right.
“Before I came here,” Tasha says. “I don’t know what happened. It was like some sort of Bridget Jones moment where I realized that behind his smiles and charm, Chuck is a toxic person who I needed to shed if I ever want to grow as a person.”
Georgia takes Tasha’s hand. “I’m proud of you, honey.”
“Thank you, Mom.” Tasha squeezes her hand. “I’m sorry for being such a pain yesterday. I got a little lost in my own misery and I wasn’t there for you like I should have been.”
“Think nothing of it.” Georgia smiles.
“I’m proud of you, too, Tasha,” Melanie says. “And also, I’m sorry I just jumped down your throat. If I’m being honest, I don’t think I’m over Derek leaving and now that I’m going on a date … I don’t know, it just feels like a lot.”
“You’ve never told me that you felt like that,” Georgia says.
Melanie wrinkles her nose. “It’s embarrassing. He left me. He made a fool out of me. And yet a part of me still holds a torch for him.”
“The heart wants what it wants,” Georgia says, nodding sadly. “If your father came back right now, burst into this nail salon, and got down on his knees to beg me for forgiveness, I—well, there’s no telling what I’d do. I know he has done unforgivable things and betrayed me in ways I never could have imagined, but I still love him. That’s not going to go away overnight.”
Both sisters reach out to hold one of their mom’s hands.
“One of these days they’re going to make a cure for a broken heart,” Melanie says. “Until then, at least we have each other.”
“That we do,” Georgia says, pulling a hand free to wipe her teary eyes. “Now, seriously, girls—what’s a hipster?”
19
Melanie
It is the night of the date. Date night. The evening on which Melanie has a date.
Though, it doesn’t have to be all that serious, right? It could just be potential new friends grabbing a bite to eat. That sounds much better, doesn’t it? Sort of? Not quite?
No matter how she thinks about it, Melanie can’t quell the nerves rattling around under her skin. She practically vibrates through her last hour of work, and it takes her twice as long to put makeup on after her shower because her hands are shaking.
It shouldn’t be this hard. Does everyone freak out this much? No, of course they don’t. If it was Tasha going on a date, she’d be super cool and collected even if the venue was on stage in front of a crowd of thousands. Melanie tries to channel that energy, but she feels more like Mrs. Gunther’s anxious Chihuahua, shaking with nerves at the merest whiff of something unfamiliar.
Is this a bad idea? Should she cancel?
Colin would understand, right? He’s basically a stranger. It’s totally normal to feel nervous about going out with strangers.
Of course, that’s not why Melanie’s nervous. She’s nervous because he’s handsome and funny, and he makes her heart race. She’s nervous because he seems to think she’s cool and she’s worried as soon as he sees her outside of her practice, where he’s watched her do things like fix a broken leg and sew up a wound, that he will realize his mistake.
Melanie is nervous because she likes Colin, and Melanie hasn’t liked anybody in a long, long time. Not since Derek.
Seven o’clock rolls around and Melanie’s phone buzzes with a text from Colin. He’s outside.
“Okay,” she says, giving herself one last once-over in the mirror. She has chosen a floral sundress and denim jacket with a pair of white tennis shoes. She looks cute and casual, even if the emotions bubbling over inside of her are anything but that.
Melanie leaves, locks the door behind her, and walks out to Colin’s waiting Jeep. He hops out when he sees her and comes around to open her door.
“I am always a gentleman,” he says with a teasing waggle of his eyebrows. “Remember that when you’re considering applications for Bandit’s adoption.”
Melanie laughs. Something about the easiness of Colin’s smile makes her feel instantly at ease. Or maybe it’s the kindness in his eyes. Whatever the case, with every exhale, Melanie gets a little relief from her nerves.
Colin walks back around to the driver’s side and hops in. “So,” he says. “Any idea what I might have planned?’
“None at all,” Melanie replies.
“Well, first, we’re driving over to Portland for an eight-course taster menu at one of the finest restaurants in the tristate area,” he says. “Then I got us tickets to a limited time performance of Wagner’s Das Rheingold, which will take us well into the early hours of the morning.”
“Oh really?” Melanie tries not to sound disappointed, but she pictured something much different for her evening. He is from a big city, though; maybe Willow Beach is just a little too small-time for his idea of fun.
Colin glances over, lip curling at the corner. “Look at your face!” He laughs. “Of course that’s not what we’re doing. That sounds awful.”
Melanie breathes a sigh of relief even as she swats him on the arm. “You’ve got some poker face, buddy.”
“My lifetime gambling record is not so pretty, actually,” he chuckles. “Do you want to know what we’re actually doing?”
“That would be nice.”
Colin shoots Melanie a cheeky grin. “Well, that’s too bad, because it’s a surprise.”
Melanie groans and rolls her eyes, but she’s smiling.
They don’t drive for long. Willow Beach is quite small, and the second Colin starts pulling into a familiar parking lot, she knows exactly where he is taking her.
“Jazzy Joe’s Jumpin’ Jalopy!” she cries happily. “I haven’t been here in ages.”
Jazzy Joe’s is many things: a Willow Beach institution, a rundown shack, the proud owner of the most ridiculous name for an establishment that Melanie has ever heard of. More to the point, it’s a combination bar and arcade, with everything from retro games like Pac-Man to modern games like Angry Birds. The place gets its name from the old Plymouth Reliant K in the center of the bar area, which was the owner’s—Jazzy Joe’s—first car. He converted it into a four-person booth that is always the most in-demand seating in the joint.
“Aaron at the hardware store said it can’t be beat as a first-date spot,” Colin explains as he parks. “He’s given me loads of suggestions since I moved here. Hasn’t been wrong yet.” He pauses and frowns. “Though, come to think of it, he did recommend you highly if I were ever in dire need of veterinary services …”
Melanie laughs and jabs Colin in the ribs. She wonders if Aaron Schwartzman remembered that he was giving first-date advice for a girl who made him cry by calling him a wimp during frog dissections in senior year.
“Aaron would know; he took enough girls here in his time.”
“You know him?” Colin asks.
Melanie nods. “Everyone knows everyone in Willow Beach, except for the tourists. That’s why it’s nice to talk to someone who hasn’t been ensconce
d in all that just yet.”
Colin kills the engine and flashes a smile. “I hope that’s not the only reason you agreed to go out with me.”
“I guess you’ll just have to find out,” Melanie says, fluttering her lashes.
He laughs as the two of them get out of the car, heading inside. They grab a drink and Colin insists they play air hockey first.
“It’s the only thing I’m good at,” he explains. “I want to start strong so you still think I’m cool when you see me lose everything else.”
Sure enough, they play three games and Colin wins all three of them, though the third one is only by a hair.
“Isn’t it ungentlemanly to not let the lady win at least once?” Melanie prods.
“It would be,” he replies. “But I get the feeling you’re the kind of girl who appreciates winning something on your own merit.”
“That is correct, sir. And that’s why I’m going to crush your soul at Skee-Ball.”
The two of them flit from game to game, and Melanie soon learns that Colin wasn’t lying when he said air hockey was his only skill. He’s not as bad as he said, but he’s a gracious loser, which Melanie finds quite admirable. Derek used to flip his lid if he didn’t win a game, and he’d always demand a rematch.
After they have gamed to their hearts’ content, Colin suggests a drive.
“I found this little place about twenty minutes away,” he says. “You’ve probably been there before, but it seemed to me like a well-kept secret.”
“I’m intrigued,” Melanie replies. And Colin takes her by the hand and leads her out of the arcade, opening the Jeep door for her again in the parking lot.
They drive along the coast as the radio quietly croons jazz. Melanie feels more relaxed than she has in a long time. There is something about Colin’s easy smile that calms her.
When Colin starts to slow and pull over, Melanie realizes that she does in fact recognize the place he has brought her. The beachfront of Willow Beach extends far beyond the town center, and Colin has driven out to a little lagoon near the town border that Melanie’s parents used to take her and her siblings when they were young. In the summer, it is uncharacteristically warm for the Atlantic, meaning it makes for a great place to swim.
“What do you think?” Colin asks, turning off the engine.
“You’re right that I’ve been here before,” she replies. “But you’re also right that it’s a well-kept secret.”
He grins. “Shall we?”
Melanie smiles back and nods, and the two of them get out of the car. She sucks in a breath of salty air and looks up to where a blanket of stars twinkle mysteriously against the black canvas of night. There are very few buildings or streetlights in the area to pollute the air with artificial light, so the stars shine extra bright.
Colin hops up on the front of the Jeep and Melanie follows suit, both of them relaxing back against the windshield.
“I like places like this. I think it’s hard for everyday stresses to follow you here,” Colin says. “The world is such a big place. The universe is even bigger. Yet I spend so much of my time obsessing over the small things in life. Do you know what I mean?”
“Of course,” Melanie says. “I have a little voice running in my head all day, questioning everything I do, telling me everything I’ve done wrong. Why did you say this? Why didn’t you say that? Why have you not done more with your life?”
Colin looks over at her. “I don’t know you very well, Melanie, but I’d say, from the looks of it, you’ve done quite a lot with your life.”
Melanie doesn’t know what it is—the adrenaline from all the games, the endorphins from being in Colin’s company, or just the limitless sky above them, but she feels a door slowly creak open inside her. A door she has spent three years keeping shut as tightly as she can.
“I have a medical degree, yes. I’ve got my own practice. I’ve had a life of academic awards and accolades that would be enough to satisfy most people, but that doesn’t mean that much to me in the grand scheme of things.” She keeps her eyes glued to the stars. “I grew up in a big family and I’ve always wanted a family of my own. I just turned thirty years old and I’ve never been further away from having that.”
“Were you ever close?” Colin asks in that gentle, soothing tone of his.
Melanie nods, pausing as she decides how much she wants to reveal. That voice in her head would normally be screaming at this point that nobody wants to hear about her sob story, and that she’ll only make a fool out of herself if she lets Colin in. But that voice is quiet here, distant and muffled by the sound of the breeze and the waves.
“I was married,” Melanie says. “We met in high school but didn’t really talk until my senior prom. It felt like everyone there had dates but us. We’d both turned down anyone who asked and went with friends. We kind of realized at the same time that we wanted someone to slow dance with and whisper sweet nothings to. And so we did. I can never figure out if I think that story is romantic or sad.”
“I’d say romantic,” Colin poses. “Two lone wolf teenagers learning what it means to love.” He looks back up at the stars, resting his head on one of his hands. “What happened?”
“Derek was restless. Willow Beach is in my blood and I wanted to raise a family here, add more roots to the family tree.” Melanie shrugs. “He seemed to want it, too, and then one day he didn’t anymore. So he left.”
Colin looks over again and catches Melanie’s eye. “How long were you together?”
She scrunches her nose. “Ten years altogether.”
“Ouch,” he replies. “That can’t have been easy for you.”
Melanie looks back up. “It wasn’t. But most of the time, I think that I was more upset about the future I lost than actually losing him.”
“And the rest of the time?”
“The rest of the time, I miss him. I hate to admit it because he burned me in a way no other person ever has, but he was a part of my life for so long that I can’t help it.”
“That’s understandable,” Colin says. “A wise old man told me one time that trauma is like a ball inside a box, and it hurts every time the ball hits the sides. The ball never gets any smaller, but over time the box grows bigger, so that it hits the sides less and less.”
“That makes sense.” Melanie looks over and smiles at Colin. “You’re a good listener.”
He grins back. “And you’re an exceptional Skee-Ball player.”
They laugh. Melanie struggles to remember the last time she felt this good. The little voice is gone, and now there is only her, Colin, and the wide, wide world.
20
Tasha
Bored. Bored. Bored!
Tasha lies on her back, staring at the ceiling fan as it rotates lazily. It’s a particularly warm night and the breeze coming through the open window is doing little to ease the stuffiness of the room.
Melanie is on a date and Drew has gone off somewhere to be alone, which is unusual for him. Normally, he needs to be surrounded by people at all times, so Tasha was surprised when he announced that he was heading out for a drive. She wishes he’d invited her. She wouldn’t have minded going for a drive, too.
Right now, Drew feels like the person in the family Tasha relates to the most, which is odd. The two of them have always been the dreamers of the family, but when it came to achieving those dreams, Drew seemed to fall into it easily, whereas Tasha clawed her way to essentially nowhere.
Now, the two of them are in the same boat again. It’s strange. It makes Tasha wonder if there’s any point in dreaming at all.
She groans and turns over on her side, curling into a ball. She needs a distraction.
Tasha gets up and changes from her sweatpants into a pair of shorts and a T-shirt. She ties her hair into a ponytail and heads out into the living room, then the kitchen, but there is no sign of her mom. The inn is quiet. Georgia must have gone out with her friends or something. All the guests have probably gone out for the nig
ht, too, which just depresses Tasha more. She is the only one in Willow Beach without plans tonight.
Tasha heads out to the shed just off the driveway and grabs one of the bikes from inside. Her parents kept all the family bikes even after the kids all left home so that guests could use them if they wanted. Tasha always thought the idea of some stranger using her bike was a little weird, but learning to share her home and everything in it was something she had to do once her parents took over the inn. It took a few bumps and bruises, but she got used to it.
Tasha hops on the bike and takes off. She bikes out to the boardwalk that runs along to the bottom of Main Street, parallel to the beach. The sky is starting to darken and she watches as the streetlamps buzz to life, illuminating the boardwalk in pools of orange light.
There are lots of people out. Families walk over the sand, little kids chasing after each other. Couples meander hand in hand, laughing in the twilight. An old man sits on a bench, resting his cane across his knee. It’s peaceful.
Tasha bikes up Main Street and then down Sycamore Avenue. She gazes into the shop windows as she cruises along, thinking about all the times she biked this way as a kid. Nothing seems to have changed since then.
She sees the community center on the right and slows to a stop in front of the bulletin board. Willow Beach’s art scene is one thing that has actually changed since she left. Georgia likes to keep Tasha apprised of the flourish in culture Willow Beach has experienced in recent years, as though trying to convince Tasha that she’d have just as good a chance at stardom in her hometown as she would in Hollywood, so Tasha is curious what all that change has amounted to.
Tasha is surprised to see advertisements for a couple of familiar touring plays, but what really catches her eye is a casting call for a new musical called The Garden of EJ. The open audition is being held the next day.
“It’s going to be the next Dear Evan Hansen,” says a deep, melodic voice to her left.
