by Jenny Hale
“I haven’t thought that far ahead yet. I hadn’t exactly prepared to meet you.” He shook his head, his thoughts turning inward, his eyes restless.
“Would you stay?” she asked, hoping with every beat of silence that followed that he’d say yes.
“I’m head of surgery in Chicago. I have people waiting for my return. There’s nothing for me here,” he said. Each thought seemed to be his own argument with some sort of inner voice, but that last statement hit her hard.
“Nothing?” she asked, the hope draining right out of her. “What about your father? What about Henry and me? We’re nothing?”
“That’s not what I meant,” he said, trying to take her arm, but she wouldn’t let him. “I was talking about work. There’s nothing at the hospital for me.”
“That’s not what you said.”
“Don’t put words in my mouth, Alice. Why do you think I keep trying to see you? I’m trying to tell you that I don’t have it all figured out, that you came into my life from out of nowhere and I’m scrambling to understand my next move.”
She closed her eyes, remembering the young Jack who had formed her opinions about what men should be like, but it wasn’t that easy, was it? She turned to him. “Maybe we’re trying too hard.”
He stared at her.
“You live in Chicago. Your life is there. And I live here. It’s as simple as that.”
His eyes narrowed. “You don’t want this to work.”
“What?”
“It’s as if you’re looking for a reason not to let me in.” He paused dramatically, as though what he’d said had defined her. “You don’t want it to work because you’re scared.”
Alice pulled back, aghast.
“You know what I think? You’re terrified that what you have with someone won’t be perfect, just like you were scared to death about making the right decision moving here, and then whether or not you could get the ice cream shop running. Well, I’m here to tell you that none of it will be perfect, Alice. But it’ll be worth it. And you’re great at it all. Henry is the most wonderful little boy—he’ll be fine with this move as long as he has you; that wall of ideas that you have in the shop is incredible; and…” He broke eye contact. “You’ve done a number on me.” He looked back up at her, a small smile on his lips. “I can’t stop thinking about you.” That gorgeous smile faded and he said, “You’re sabotaging your own happiness. Take a look around once in a while. All that perfection you’re looking for is right in front of you.”
She didn’t believe it. He sounded like Sasha—finding the golden glow in everything. But she was the realist, she reminded herself, and standing in that park, waiting for a man who’d never come, was the way it really was. She was just protecting herself and Henry from a similar fate.
“Are you two going to eat?” Butch’s voice came slicing between them.
Alice whirled around. “Yes. We’re coming in now.” And without another word, she went inside. She didn’t like the way the conversation was going one bit. Who was he to think he knew her inner thoughts? But the whole time she ate, Jack’s assessment of her kept circling in her head.
Chapter Eighteen
Alice sat in the sand, the spray in the air from the salty sea, the foam sliding up the shore toward her, staring out at the waves. The sun was high, its yellow rays sparkling on the green-blue water, calming her.
Gramps, can you hear me? Alice said in her mind, just as a wave slammed onto the shore. I don’t know what to do. Everything is going wrong and I need a sign that I’m doing the right thing or I’m packing us up and leaving.
She waited, watching.
A bird flew above her, its shadow on the sand, as the waves rolled over and over. A couple walked by, holding hands.
Nothing came to her, so she got up and went to be alone with her thoughts at home. Sasha had gone to a doctor’s appointment to be sure that all was well now that her medicine seemed to be working. She’d been feeling markedly better, and Alice was glad for that.
She wished Sasha were home right now, though, because she was feeling pretty low. She opened the back screen door and then latched it behind her as she went inside. She’d had a handyman in to fix it and the door was as good as new. After they’d painted, she’d added new globes on the lights and she’d had the Seaside Sprinkles logo printed on a transfer to adhere to the glass door she’d shined up. She stood in the center of the glowing showroom downstairs and fought the tears.
There was a loud knock, the sound startling her. With a deep breath, she squeezed her eyes shut to clear her sadness and walked to the front, where she opened the door and greeted an old woman.
“Hello,” the woman said. She was wearing a long, wide skirt, sandals, and a light cotton shirt with beading down the front, the lines on her face revealing all the time she’d spent in the sun. “I’m June Dawson.” She smiled in the most comfortable way. It was so genuine and gentle that it made Alice wonder if she had a flock of grandchildren who came to visit often. Just by looking at her, Alice knew she’d be the best grandmother ever.
“Hi, Ms. Dawson. Would you like to come in?” She opened the door wider, holding it there.
“Oh, no. I was just stopping by. I wondered if you’re missing something.”
Was she some sort of saleswoman, about to tell her how she was missing the greatest glass cleaner on the planet or something like that?
“You see, a few days ago, I found a dog. It’s the sweetest little thing. I took it right in and fed it— it didn’t have a collar. I’ve grown so attached to it that the little guy sleeps at the foot of my bed.” She smiled. “I couldn’t say no with all the whimpering he was doing.”
Alice’s pulse was in her ears, excitement building, but she didn’t want to believe it. Einstein had had a collar. Had he lost it out there by himself?
“I love him to pieces, but he’s just so busy, you know. It’s wearing on my old bones.” She winked at Alice. “So I told a friend of mine that I’d fallen in love with this stray dog, but I was going to have to find a new owner for him. I didn’t want to just give him to a shelter. My friend said that she’d heard the ladies in the old bike shop were missing a dog. Apparently, Jack Murphy’s been putting up fliers. He even put one up in my restaurant, but I hadn’t noticed it.”
“Restaurant?” She didn’t want to ask any more about Einstein right then because she wanted to bask in the hope that June had found Henry’s dog for a little while longer. If it wasn’t Einstein, it was going to crush her.
“Well, I own it, but my daughter runs it; I’m too old to do all that running around. It’s called Seagull’s Cove. It has the best crab cake on the Outer Banks and a potato salad to die for—it’s my own recipe. You should come in some time.”
“Sounds really nice.”
“It’s pretty popular. But I don’t want to jibber jabber all day about the restaurant. Come on down and see for yourself. I just stopped by because I wanted to know if the dog is yours. Would you tell me what your dog looks like?”
“He’s a black Lab puppy with a tiny marking of white on his left paw, and he answers to Einstein.”
June chuckled. “Well, that’s the right name for him, for sure. Would you believe he’s figured out how to open my cabinets to get his food? Smart little thing.”
“Where is he now?” If it was true, Alice could hardly wait to see him, so relieved that he’d been loved and taken care of this whole time.
“I’ve got his leash around an old deck post over on the side yard in the shade, so he could run around while I talked to you. I wanted to be sure he was yours—I’m a little protective of him. Also, I’m not sure he’d sit still long enough to let us talk.”
Alice’s heart wanted to burst and she laughed long and hard, joy filling every bit of her. “That sounds like him.” She stepped outside and moved around to the side yard. There, tied to the post, was Einstein. His tail started wagging furiously when he saw her. Alice ran over to him, untied the leash and thre
w her arms around his little neck while he plastered kisses all over her face.
“Einstein,” she said, letting the tears fall this time. “You scared us all to death.”
He whimpered and kissed her again, as though he understood.
“Oh, I’m so glad he’s yours,” June said, joining them, her hands clasped together in happiness. “It looks like he sure did miss you! I’ll bet he was terrified without you.”
Holding Einstein’s leash, Alice stood up. “I can’t thank you enough for taking care of him. We’ve been so worried.”
“I’ll bet.” June reached out and patted Einstein’s head. “Y’all new here?” she asked, raising her hand to shield her eyes from the beating sun. “I noticed Paul’s place has been empty for some time.”
“Yes. He was my grandfather. We’re going to try to open an ice cream shop here, but I’m not sure if it’s the right location.”
“Well, you won’t know till you try.”
Alice smiled, but she still wasn’t certain it was worth trying. Einstein pawed her for more attention and she rubbed his cheeks.
“You look unsure of yourself. That’s not a good sign when you’re about to pour your heart and soul into a new business,” June noted. “I should know. I did it with Seagull’s Cove. You have to be all in.”
Alice didn’t say anything, and she wondered if she was all in. She wanted to be positive about her choice, but everything else was telling her otherwise.
“I started with a shack of a building that flooded every hurricane and barely had enough space for all the tables we needed to put in, but I didn’t let it get me down, and it paid off. We added on to that shack and raised it onto stilts in 1985, and then we renovated again in 2001, and now it’s standing room only all day in the waiting area and on the deck, and we’re going to have to look for a new location.”
Alice stopped and gaped at her, Einstein freezing too in response to her pause, her mind going back to what she’d said to Gramps just now on the beach. The hair on her arms stood up. “I know of a great location for a large restaurant,” she said. “I’ve heard that a couple of the retailers were pulling out on the pier and they’re looking for something big to take their place. It’s right next door.”
Consideration flooded June’s face. “No one has posted the space anywhere—I’ve been looking,” she said. “I know what’s available, and I haven’t heard a peep about the pier.”
“It’s early stages. The tenants are still there. But I spoke with the county representative and he told me they’re actively looking for something to move in.”
“Who’d you speak with? Was it Bill Blankenship?”
“I think that was his name.”
“I’ll give him a call when I get home.”
“That would be amazing.” The hope was back with a vengeance, and she suddenly felt like maybe this was right and she just hadn’t been patient enough. “If Seagull’s Cove moved to the pier, I’d have ice cream for everyone once they’d had dinner.”
A smile spread across June’s face. “Now that’s the all-in spirit! That’s exactly what it looks like.” She reached over and affectionately tugged on Einstein’s ear. His back leg went into convulsions trying to scratch the spot, sending sand up into the air. “It’s as if it were meant to be,” she said. “I mentioned needing a new space to you—a complete stranger—when I hadn’t really talked it over with anyone. It’s just something that’s been on my mind.”
“Maybe it was meant to be.”
Einstein wriggled his way between them and nudged them both with his snout. He’d clearly made a new friend in June.
They said their goodbyes, and Alice reentered the shop with fresh eyes. Maybe, just maybe, things would work out. But she still hadn’t solved the question of Grace. Grabbing the locket from the counter, where it had sat since Butch had brought it to her, Alice plopped down next to Einstein on the floor and opened it up. The photo was starting to look familiar to her now—she’d viewed it so many times. Even though the will had only had Alice’s name, she felt like this shop belonged to Grace too. She just felt it.
She wondered if it was because she’d grown up with her dad and Gramps for the second half of her life. Susie and her family lived across the country, and, really, Alice had been the only girl around for a long time. She peered down at the baby’s picture again, and it seemed like Grace was smiling at her. It was hard to believe that somewhere, Grace could be a woman now, going about her life, with no inclination that Alice was thinking about her. Was she still alive? Was she here? If so, where?
Alice missed Henry so much in just the short time he’d been with her dad—had someone been missing Grace that way? For how many years? She couldn’t imagine being without Henry. That was why none of this made any sense at all. She couldn’t wait to ask her dad about Grace, but at the same time, she was apprehensive. What if mentioning Grace caused some kind of sadness for him, or rage, or worry? She didn’t want to bring about any of those feelings for her dad. She loved him so much; she’d never want to hurt him.
Indecision swam around inside her as she started to ponder whether she should even bring it up at all. She looked back down at the locket. What if she hadn’t ever found it? What if it had stayed a secret? Should it remain that way?
Chapter Nineteen
“I didn’t get to tell you before I left for the doctor,” Sasha said as she came in, “but the showroom looks incredible. It looks like we hired an interior designer! The colors are amazing; the logo is just fantastic!”
Alice felt the fizzle of excitement, knowing that this time Sasha wasn’t just being optimistic. Alice had worked her heart out and it showed. “Did you get your medicine?”
“Mm hm. Guess what else I picked up at the hospital when I went for my checkup?” Sasha said, looking very much herself this afternoon. She was puttering around their little kitchen, making herself a snack—cheese and crackers—while Einstein ran back and forth by her feet. Sasha had cried too when she’d come in and seen him, and Alice could swear he’d lifted Sasha’s spirits enough to put color back in her cheeks. Sasha set the plate next to a bottle of wine and got herself a glass. It was good to see her feeling a little better.
“What? And did the doctor clear you to drink alcohol?”
There was a pop when Sasha pulled the cork loose. “So that thing that I picked up… Was a date for tomorrow night.” She raised her eyebrows. “And yes. I can have alcohol. Now, want some?”
“A date?” Alice sucked her lips in for dramatic flair. This was the Sasha she knew: the one who could go to an appointment at a hospital, feeling awful, and manage to find a date.
“Yes!” She clapped a hand over her mouth. “He’s a doctor!” Sasha twirled toward the cabinet and pulled down another glass, filling it without ever getting the go-ahead from Alice. She handed it to her.
“Oh, I wonder if he knows Jack,” Alice heard herself say excitedly, before she could rein it in. She’d only been legitimately curious about whether the two doctors knew each other, but now it looked like she was ready for double dating.
Alice could see Sasha’s wheels already turning as she nipped a cracker and topped it with cheese. “I don’t know,” she said with interest. “Why?”
“I just wondered.”
“Anything new going on with Jack? You seemed to light up when you said his name.” She topped another cracker with cheese and popped it into her mouth.
“Nope.”
Alice had more pressing matters on her mind than Jack. She’d been dying to tell Sasha about all the things she’d missed over the last few days. Alice hadn’t wanted to dump all of it on her while she was trying to recuperate, but at some point, she needed to explain everything. Right now, though, it was time to celebrate this moment with Sasha.
“Enough about Jack. I’m so happy for you! Who is this doctor and where is he taking you?”
“His name is Sam and we’re just going out to dinner.”
“Sam and Sasha�
��I like it!”
Sasha balled up her fists and shook them, doing a little dance. But then, she sobered, dropping down in the chair at the table. Alice joined her. “It’s all fun and games right now, but what if things take a turn?”
“What do you mean?”
“What if things get serious? I’m scared. What if it doesn’t work out?”
Alice pushed her wine glass to the center of the table and folded her arms, studying her friend. “That doesn’t sound like you. You’re always the optimistic one, remember? It’s only a date. Take it day by day.” But she knew when she said those words that sometimes there was more to it than that.
“You’re right,” Sasha said, grabbing her wine and her aviators. “What are we doing inside? We live at the beach! Let’s go out back and soak up some sun. Einstein! Here, boy!” She patted her leg and Einstein was immediately beside her, his tail whipping back and forth as she got his leash. She hooked it to the new collar June had gotten him.
They sat down in the chairs on the patio and Einstein jumped into Alice’s lap, making them laugh. He curled up, his head on its side, and closed his eyes. Alice wondered if being away from them and not knowing how to get back had been tiring for him. Had he worried about his family?
Alice took in a deep breath of briny air, the salt palpable in the sea wind. The sun was shining on the surface of the water at just the right angle to make the sparkles look orange and pink. She had so much to tell Sasha, and she was glad to finally have some time with her friend.
“I’ve been waiting for a chance to fill you in on an interesting story,” Alice said, the moment they were settled. “Remember the boy from that summer with Gramps that I told you about? The boy?”
“How could I not? You’ve only compared every date you’ve ever had to that day.” Sasha rolled her eyes playfully. “He’s so perfect that I’m starting to wonder if you dreamed him up. Is he even real?”
