One Summer: An uplifting, feel-good summer romance
Page 24
The only time she talked about Jack was when Henry mentioned him. He said he missed him. She’d just been honest and told him she did too, and that Jack would be back to visit because his dad was living in Melly’s cottage right across Beach Road.
The concert Melly had mentioned a few weeks ago, Coastal Tortuga Jam, was being held tonight. Alice had sent out invitations to all her friends and family, inviting them to the show and the grand opening that she and Sasha had planned. She’d thought long and hard about whether or not to send an invitation to Jack, because she knew how difficult it would be for both of them, but she couldn’t exclude him. She wanted him there to celebrate. A few days ago, she’d received his reply card, with a little note telling her that he had other commitments, but he wished her all the success in the world. She’d studied his handwriting, revisiting it all day, the card folded in her back pocket. She kept it with her just so she could feel close to him. It was a double-edged sword: if he’d said he could come, she’d only be sad when he left again, and she didn’t think she could cope with him leaving a second time. But seeing that he wasn’t coming had been disappointing, her hopes dashed.
She decided to put all her emotional energy into her family. Alice knew that she and Melly had a long road ahead of them: Alice still had to think of the best way to tell Henry he had an aunt, and she knew she had to tell her father she’d found her sister. Would Melly’s family want that for her? Would they accept Alice and her father into their lives? Would her own family accept Melly? She’d discussed it all with Melly, the two of them unified in their worries, but, in the end, this could only be a good thing—she could just feel it. This was what Gramps would’ve wanted. Right?
Alice would start answering those questions tonight. Her father was coming for the grand opening, and it would be here that he would come face to face with his first-born. She’d already prepared Melly, and they’d decided to hold off until after everyone else had left, so he could hear the news in the presence of just his immediate family.
Melly couldn’t wait to meet him. “I came looking for one man and I found a whole family,” she’d said, barely able to contain herself at the thought of meeting her biological father. Alice had extended an invitation to Melly to stay the night with them at the shop when she’d come back from her parents’ house for the opening of Seaside Sprinkles. Alice had told her she could stay as long as she liked.
Alice, Sasha, Melly, and Henry stood in the space that used to be the bicycle showroom. It was an explosion of pinks, blues, greens, and whites, all the glass in the windows gleaming, the logos looking so professional. The tables were filled with helium balloons in complementary colors; shiny cellophane gift bags full of ice cream-shaped cookies and chocolates from the local confectioner, tied with curly ribbon, were piled on their surfaces. The framed photo of the three women that Melly had taken was hung above the counter, just like Alice had said she would. The other photos Melly had taken of the old shop had been framed in white and they lined the wall by the door.
The ice cream flavors lined the inside of the glass-topped counters; bright white spoons jutted invitingly out of every topping container on the bar in the center of the room. They had caramel sauce, hot fudge, whipped cream, and even a container of red velvet sauce for the cream cheese ice cream they’d made specially for this day.
“We did it,” Sasha said to Alice, shaking her head in awe at the transformation. Gramps’s shabby little beach bike shop was a vibrant, cheerful new space.
Melly pinched the top of one of the gift bags and held it up to view its contents. Then she gingerly put it back in its place. “I can’t believe how much you’ve done in such a short time! You’re gonna have so much business, you won’t be able to serve them all—I can feel it!”
“I hope you’re right! If so, we’ll need all hands on deck,” Alice said. She threw a look over to Sasha, and Sasha nodded. “Melly, can we go upstairs for a second? I’d like to show you something.” She knew that Sasha could greet any early visitors. Alice and Sasha had talked a lot about this in the last week, and she knew it was the perfect time to bring Melly in on it.
Alice led the way to the top loft area.
“I still can’t get over how pretty it is up here,” Melly said, her head swiveling from one end of the room to the other. She’d really liked the new interior when she’d arrived this morning.
Einstein perked up in his crate. He’d had a bath and was waiting for his ice cream cone-patterned ribbon to be tied to his neck with a pink leash for opening night.
“Glad you like it! Sasha and I have a lot more planned for up here. Maybe you’ll be able to give us a few ideas,” Alice said, threading her fingers through Einstein’s crate and wriggling them. He batted at them with his paw, his tail thumping the inside of the crate. Alice sat down on the sofa and pulled the folded piece of paper from her pocket, where it had been all day. All morning, she’d put her hand in her pocket, grabbing hold of it off and on as she prepared for the opening, thinking through whether or not inviting Melly to co-own and help run the shop would work. She and Sasha had talked it over and as long as they made enough money for the three of them to live on, they agreed it would be just fine to bring her aboard.
Melly joined Alice on the sofa.
“I have something to show you and then a question to ask.” She opened the paper, pressing it flat against her leg.
“What is it?” Melly turned her attention to the document in Alice’s hands as she wriggled up beside her to get a better view of the writing.
Through the open window, the band was doing sound checks. A gigantic stage had been erected during the day—Henry had watched it all from the patio, mesmerized by it. Lights went up, makeshift crowd fences were put in place, and enormous speakers were brought in. Alice could hear the mics being tested, giving the whole atmosphere a boost of anticipation.
“Well, I have a bomb to drop on you.”
Melly looked at her curiously.
“When Gramps passed away, he left me his shop. But originally, he willed it to both you and me.” She held out the letter for Melly to read properly and she watched her sister’s eyes scan Gramps’s words.
Melly’s eyes widened, her mouth falling open just slightly before she snapped it closed. She looked up. “That’s crazy.”
“Not so crazy. He was your grandfather too.”
“But I didn’t do anything to deserve an inheritance.”
Alice grinned, her thoughts on the man who would offer free bike rides every Christmas and Easter, the man who did bicycle and roller skate tune-ups for anyone under eighteen and stroller repairs for free, the man who donated all his profits on the fourth of July to the local volunteer fire department.
“That was Gramps. He was just like that.” She could almost feel him there with them now. Alice knew he’d be delighted to see how well they got along.
“I was thinking—and Sasha is also on board with this—would you like to run Seaside Sprinkles with us? We have room for you up here.” She got up and took Melly down the hall to a small room they had filled with boxes. “You’d have to downsize considerably, but we could make it work.”
Melly stared at her, her eyes restless, clearly taking in this new proposition. She walked over to the window overlooking the beach. Alice took a step toward her, peering out the window, the crowds beginning to dot the sand, the sound checks still going on. The announcer was practicing now. When Melly turned around, her eyes were glassy with emotion. “It’s a wonderful offer,” she said. “But I would hate to impose on your dream. I just feel like you deserve it all.”
“So do you. Maybe this is why you came here. You wanted to find Gramps and you did. Things just went a little differently than you’d planned.” She looked Melly in the eye—those familiar eyes. “I want you to stay. I need my sister here.”
Melly broke out into a wide grin and threw her arms around Alice. “Okay!” she said, excitement bubbling up in her voice. “I’d love to!”
> Alice laughed, hugging her sister. “Then we’d better get downstairs! We have work to do and you start tonight!”
* * *
Alice was delighted with the number of people who’d driven hours just to come to the opening of Seaside Sprinkles. Even parents of her childhood friends had shown up. The place was packed—standing room only—everyone eating ice cream, nibbling their opening day cookies among the balloons, and lining up to log in donations for the pier at the computer. They’d nearly sold out of the most popular three flavors, and the toppings containers had to be refilled so many times she’d lost count. People were chatting, laughing, enjoying themselves while they walked around sampling treats from a few trays Alice and Sasha had made up earlier.
Einstein was popular with the kids: they all took turns walking him around the shop and petting him. His tail hadn’t stopped wagging since the doors first opened. He’d been so good, the crowds keeping him too busy to try to get the candy on the table. Sasha had put out a special bowl full of dog treats just for him.
There were so many people stopping her to talk that Alice could hardly get around to everyone. Some had wanted to reminisce about the bike shop, telling her old memories they’d had with Gramps. Others grabbed her arm to wish her congratulations and tell her how great a job she’d done. She’d smiled, talked to them, offered them different flavors of ice cream to try, but it wasn’t until she saw one particular friendly face that a warm happiness washed over her. She couldn’t deny the elation that filled her when she saw Butch. She hadn’t met up with him since before Jack had left, and just seeing his smile and that white beard brought back all those wonderful days she’d had with him and his son.
“I found my chair,” he said with obvious delight, pulling it out so he could view his name on the plate. “I can’t wait to use it this summer.” His gaze flickered to the chair labeled “Jack,” but he didn’t mention it. He just smiled at her instead.
“Bring me that wonderful pie of yours and I’ll trade you for ice cream.” She drew him in for a hug. “I’m so happy you came.”
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
“Are you going to the concert?”
“Oh, no. This old man is going to take his ice cream and head home. But I want to catch up later once everything settles down, okay?”
“Okay.” She wanted to ask about Jack, but she didn’t. She wanted to know how he was, what he’d been up to. But it would only make her emotional, and she needed to think happy thoughts today for her launch. This was a great day and things were going so well for her. She needed to enjoy that and try not to dwell on how much she missed him. She pushed away the fear that once things settled down—when she didn’t have the opening and all that had happened with Melly to busy her mind, and she fell into the quiet routine of life—the pain of losing him would hit her at full force and she’d struggle to recover.
The concert was getting started, the music thumping its way into the shop. When the door opened, the smell of outdoor grills and beer filled the air. The static sound of the ocean against the music had a buzzing effect, the atmosphere positively electric. As everyone headed out to the beach, Alice said goodbye to Butch, made sure Henry was by her side, and found her father through the crowd as they exited the shop. She locked up and grabbed her dad’s hand. He smiled down at her, then tickled Henry’s sides, making him laugh, clearly energized by the surroundings.
It wasn’t the time to introduce them properly, but she wanted Melly and her father to share this memory together. The live music, the warm air, and the excitement of the crowd were something they didn’t get to experience right outside the back door of the shop every day. This was a once-in-a-lifetime event, and Alice could already tell it would be one of her fondest memories. She took her father over to where Melly was standing. Sasha found them too, after putting Einstein in his crate. The puppy was exhausted from all the attention and the crowd outside was so massive that they’d decided to keep him safely at home.
Sasha took Henry’s hand and found a place among the concertgoers.
“I want you to meet my friend,” Alice said to her dad, linking arms with Melly. “This is Melly St. James. Melly, this is my father, Frank.”
“Oh, hello, Melly,” her father said politely, his voice raised to project it over the guitars that were squealing as the band got going. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“Melly’s going to work here at the shop with us.” Alice turned to Melly, and, because she knew, she could see the reaction in Melly’s face at being there with him, but she was hiding it well, clearly knowing that their reunion would be a sweet one.
“It’s so nice to meet you,” she said loudly, giving each of the words significance when she said them, her gaze sweeping his face, back and forth. Alice wished Melly could’ve met their mother too, but her mom and Gramps were probably smiling down on them right now.
They found their places in the sand, squeezing their way through people to be next to Sasha and Henry, just as the band was kicking up, the cheers louder than the crashing waves. Alice looked out at the ocean, thinking now how it had given her more answers than she’d given it credit for. It had brought her to Melly, offered her a place where she could remember Gramps, and a home for her and Henry. She had been given more than so many people had, which was why she felt guilty even looking at the ocean, because she silently wished she could have had something great with Jack. She missed him so much, and she just didn’t feel like this day was complete without him.
Indulgently, she wanted to send the ocean one more wish, hoping it would give her answers, and knowing in her heart that she was asking too much. But, as she looked out at the waves, her wish on her lips, she was interrupted by June.
“There she is!” June called out. “There’s my girl!” She sent a heartfelt smile over to Alice while she pushed through the crowd to get closer.
A young woman walked beside June, smiling at Alice as if she knew her.
When they reached her, June said, “This is my daughter, Emma. She opened the new Seagull’s Cove site for me.”
“Oh, hello,” Alice said over the roar of the crowd, shaking her hand.
“The new space is fantastic,” Emma said. “I’m so glad you suggested it to Mom.”
It was difficult to hear, Emma having to nearly scream the words, so they couldn’t talk too long.
“We’re going back into the restaurant,” June said. “Lots to do before we open! But promise me, when you get tired of all this noise you’ll come in!”
“Okay, I will!”
“Promise?” June raised her eyebrows, commanding Alice’s full attention.
“I promise.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
That evening, they’d all come back from the concert just before it had finished, to prepare for anyone who might be stopping by for ice cream after the show. Henry had taken a seat in one of the chairs next to his Grandpa Frank, and Sasha had gone upstairs to give the family a moment together before they frantically filled the toppings containers, replenished the bowls, spoons and napkins, and wiped down the tables. Right now, however, they were all planning to settle at one of the tables together—the whole little family.
This was it. It was time.
“Dad?” Alice said, setting the bowls of ice cream she’d scooped for them on the table and sitting down next to Melly, holding her hand while the music outside continued to play, muffled by the closed windows. Melly smiled, her demeanor anxious with anticipation, her focus on her birth father, as Henry picked up his spoon and dipped it into his ice cream. “Melly and I want to share something with you and Henry.”
“Oh?” Her dad sat up, curiosity showing as he looked at the two of them.
Melly glanced over to Alice to ask if she could speak first and Alice nodded. “Alice didn’t tell you my whole name when I first met you,” she said. “It’s Melissa Grace.” She waited; it was clear that she had him thinking by the way his eyes grew round. “Grace.”
With a jagged breath, her dad clapped his hands over his mouth, his eyes brimming with tears and disbelief, as he studied the face of his daughter.
“It’s really her, Dad. Look. She has your eyes.”
Frank slumped forward, grabbing the hands of both girls and putting them to his lips, sobbing into them.
“Why’s Grandpa Frank crying?” Henry asked.
Alice squeezed her dad’s hands while she answered her son. “Because for a long time, he’s wanted to see Melly and now he has. Melly is my sister, but another family adopted her and took care of her until she was a grownup.” She knew there would be more questions, and she’d have to think hard about the answers, but for now that satisfied Henry.
Henry put his spoon down and walked over to Melly, sitting next to her, his little feet swinging above the paint-splattered hardwoods that they’d lacquered with high gloss. “Does this mean you get to have Christmas with us?”
“Yep!” she said, with a laugh and then a sniffle. “I’ll have two Christmases: one with my other family and one with yours.”
“That’s lucky,” he said, undoubtedly thinking this over.
She laughed. “Yes. Yes, it is very lucky.”
* * *
Alice had gone up and gotten Sasha, they’d served customers all night until they finally closed and then, together, they’d opened a bottle of champagne, toasting their success and the new beginnings that started tonight. Melly and her dad hadn’t stopped talking the entire time, the champagne making their conversation even more fluid, their laughter rising into the air like bubbles. They’d talked about everything: Melly’s and Alice’s childhoods; a little story that Melly’s adoptive mother had told her must have been because of her genetics—apparently, Melly was the only one in the family who loved jazz music, and her mother remembered it playing in Gramps’s car when he’d stopped by that day so long ago. Her dad had told Melly about her birth mother, about their decision to give her to her adoptive parents, and how much they’d missed her.