by Cynthia Swan
For the past three days, he’d been a jerk to everyone around him. Colton was ready to slug him, and his staff could hardly stand to be in the same room with him.
He’d gone to Colton’s office before he left for the day. Alice was polite to him, which made him feel even worse.
“Go on back, he’s packing up for the day.”
Dalton nodded. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t tell me. Go tell my niece.”
Alice hesitated. “It’s been hard for her. Harder than any of us knew.”
“I love her and I really messed up.”
Moments passed, then Alice nodded. “I can see you do.”
She sighed. “Women want to hear ‘I’m sorry’, sometimes that’s enough.”
“Thank you.” Dalton walked down the plush hallway and knocked on the open door.
“Colton.”
His brother turned.
“You look like Chase dragged you behind his fishing boat for two days.”
A small smile tugged at his mouth. “I know.”
Dalton slumped into one of the leather chairs as his brother leaned against the desk, impeccably dressed as always. It made Dalton want to mess up his brother’s hair, like when they were kids, but that usually ended in fists, and he didn’t have the heart for it today.
He leaned over, elbows on his knees.
“I don’t know how to fix things. To take back what I said.”
Colton crossed his arms over his chest.
“You can’t take words back. Once they’re out there, it’s too late. Go tell her you’re sorry. Listen to whatever she wants to say and don’t interrupt.”
Could it be that easy?
“I miss her like crazy. I see her next door and want to run over and tell her about my day.”
His brother grinned.
“You’ve got it bad. Does she know you love her?”
His shoulders slumped. “I haven’t told her.”
Colton came around the desk and clapped him on the back.
“We’ve all messed up with women. You’re going to have to grovel. Beg. Do whatever it takes.”
His brother took a breath, looking out the window into the back garden.
“Think how hard it must have been for her. Wanting to be seen for who she is, not her image.” Colton frowned at him.
“Buy out the florist in town, sing outside her window. Figure it out.”
Dalton scowled. “I am not singing. Dogs will howl. Windows will shatter.”
“Just making sure you’re listening.” Colton laughed.
Dalton drove home, thinking about what his brother said. He knew Colton had shut himself off. Their parents wondered if either of their sons would ever marry and start families.
He was still thinking about it when he went in the house.
Talk about a mess. Dalton knew he’d overreacted. People talked about letting go of the past and moving on, but it wasn’t that easy. Just when he thought he’d gotten over Mackenzie and her betrayals, something would happen or someone would make a comment and his defenses would go right back up.
There’d been plenty of time over the past few days for him to read all about Christy Evans. Supermodel at the top of her industry.
Instead of listening to her, he’d overreacted and said awful things to her. How hard it must be to live your life in a glass box. People always watching, hoping to catch you at your worst.
Sam meowed and swatted his leg.
“You can’t go out on the beach. Those are the rules.”
Dalton gave the cat a couple of treats and a new catnip mouse. “These will have to do.”
The cat glared at him as Dalton went outside.
“Sorry, buddy. I’ll bring you a fish when I come back.”
Sam rolled over, showing Dalton his back.
Even the cat was annoyed with him.
A walk on the beach would clear his head. He’d sent lunch over to Colton and Alice along with a handwritten apology for being a jerk.
For the first time since he’d opened What Ales You, Dalton was closing the pub for three days. During the week, because weekends were busier and busier. Three days off with pay for his staff.
When he told them, they cheered and accepted his apology. Jill looked up from dicing carrots and pointed the knife at him.
“Go fix things with her. She’s the best thing that’s ever happened to you, don’t let her get away.”
“If she’ll even speak to me.”
Jill rolled her eyes.
“You love her. She loves you. You’ll work it out. Now get out of the kitchen so I can finish this soup and we can all enjoy our time off tomorrow.”
He’d grinned and left, whistling all the way back to his house. The cottage needed work, houses always did at the beach. With three days ahead of him, Dalton made a list of what needed to be done.
He’d hit the hardware store this afternoon, then he’d buy an armful of flowers and start groveling.
Christy walked along the water’s edge, gasping when the cold water hit her feet. She’d found two shark’s teeth and several shells. As she squatted down to snatch a piece of pale blue sea glass from the water before a wave took it, a shadow fell over her.
She grabbed the sea glass and looked up.
“Dalton.”
Nope. She had nothing to say to him. She stood and turned.
“Christy, please.”
She stopped but didn’t turn around, worried that the look on his face would weaken her resolve.
“I have nothing to say to you. You hurt me.”
“Put yourself in my place. How would you have reacted?”
No, he didn’t. Christy glared at him.
“So your ex was awful. Quit giving her power over you and get over it. If you keep looking for faults, you’ll always find them.”
She pushed her sunglasses up on her head, looking him in the eye.
“Life is about living. Not going through the motions of what you think you should do or how you should act. Break down the walls and live.”
“And you? Are you living?” Anger rolled off him in waves.
She shrugged. “I’m making changes.”
Christy dropped the sea glass back into the water for someone else to find.
“Forgiving your ex doesn’t mean you accept or condone what she did. Letting go of your anger will help you move forward. Otherwise you’ll be stuck and quite frankly, I don’t want a man like that. I want a partner. A man who supports me, brings out the best in me. And I bring out the best in him. I’m starting over. How about you? Are you trying to change or are you going to continue going through life making excuses?”
“You don’t understand.”
Oh, but she did. Christy turned around and walked away. He wasn’t ready. He might never be. Her heart broke as she left him on the beach, watching her walk away. And if she put a little model sway in her hips, oh well. All’s fair in love and war.
It was time for her to be strong. She loved him, but until he dealt with his trust issues, she didn’t want him in her life.
Sometimes love wasn’t enough.
23
The next week passed in a blur as Christy filled her days so she wouldn’t dwell on the big blowup with Dalton.
She’d agreed to teach yoga classes until the regular teacher had her baby and was ready to come back. Between the goat yoga and the other two classes she taught, Christy swore she’d be in the best shape of her life by summer.
Since she’d decided to retire, she felt free. Jo wanted her to hold off a little longer on the official announcement. Only until the contracts had been signed and everything was in place.
So maybe it was more like semi-retired since she’d agreed to the two contracts. Though compared to how much she’d been used to working, it felt like retirement.
Retired at age twenty-three. She needed to figure out what she wanted to do next. No one had ever asked her. Not until she had dinner with her aunt and dad last night
. When her dad asked, Christy paused, the fork halfway to her mouth.
She was working on figuring it out.
Rose and Amanda were waiting for her after class. She’d been to her literacy class and then taught a beginner’s yoga class.
“You ready for lunch?”
Rose leaned down to pet Smoky. The dogs liked to attend the class and since the participants and goats didn’t mind, Christy figured the more the merrier.
“I’m starved.”
Amanda wiped her forehead, her red hair in a messy bun.
“How about that place on the beach?”
Christy slung her bag over her shoulder.
“The Beachcomber Cafe.”
Rose nodded. “It’s a perfect day to sit out on the deck.”
“I’ll drive. I’ve been wanting to show off my new car.”
Christy stowed her bag and yoga mat in the trunk. With the top down, there wasn’t much space, but there’d be enough for their bags.
Amanda clapped her hands together.
“Tell me that sweet white convertible is yours?”
“It is. Isn’t it pretty?”
Even with the top down, she could smell the new car smell.
Rose climbed in. “I fit in the back. You can have the front, Amanda.”
It should have been a quick drive, but with all the tourists in town, it took twice as long to get to the cafe.
“There. They’re leaving.” Amanda pointed to a parking spot right in front.
The Beachcomber Cafe was adorable with its brightly painted shutters. The best part was the enormous deck with outdoor tables. Today the umbrellas were open at the tables to shade the diners from the sun. The water was still way too cold for Christy, but a few kids were splashing in the waves. It made her shiver just looking at them.
After they ordered, they caught up with each other.
“I heard what you did for Elana’s daughter.”
Rose leaned back in a white whicker chair. Each table was different. Theirs had white wicker chairs with bright flamingo cushions and a matching umbrella.
“The girl from prom?”
Amanda snapped a picture of a gull plotting with his friend to steal the remains of someone’s lunch.
“It wasn’t a big deal.”
Like her friends, Christy dressed in leggings and a t-shirt for class. Her hair was blond again. After the vinegar took out the brown dye and the truth was out, there was no reason to color it anymore. Though she might get to have fun with several colors, depending on what the hair color company had planned.
Rose leaned forward.
“It was a big deal. You sent her and her friends a ton of designer clothes, shoes, accessories, and makeup.”
“Those mean girls at school will turn green.”
Amanda chuckled.
“It was a really sweet thing to do. She and her mom struggle to make ends meet. Elana is a widower. I think her husband had a massive heart attack and left them in some serious debt.”
“She and I are the same size. I told her she could sell whatever she didn’t want.” Christy hesitated.
“I gave her mom gift cards to the grocery store to thank her for raising such a wonderful daughter.”
“That was really thoughtful.” Rose waited until the server finished setting their lunch in front of them.
“Can I get y’all anything else?”
“We’re good, thanks.”
Amanda leaned over her burger and inhaled. “It smells so good. They do the best bacon cheddar burger.”
They ate their food, enjoying each other’s company, soaking up the sun, and relaxing. When they finished lunch, Christy took a breath.
“There’s something I’ve been wanting to tell you both.”
She took a sip of her tea. It was still hard to say. When you kept a secret for so long, it was hard to talk about it.
Rose and Amanda leaned forward.
“What? Did Dalton come to his senses and beg you to forgive him?”
She shook her head, snorting. “As if. He still wants to wallow, so let him.”
Amanda patted her hand.
“Good for you, honey. He’ll come around.” She leaned over the table, lowering her voice.
“I have it on good authority he’s been asking the guys for advice on how to fix things.”
Rose nodded.
“He talked to Alex last night. The guy looks like someone stole his dog.”
“It isn’t about Dalton.”
Christy leaned forward, not wanting others to overhear since she hadn’t told Dalton yet. The wretched man owed her an apology first.
“It’s about me.”
She took a deep breath, inhaling the salty ocean air.
“I can’t read. I started classes this week to learn how.”
There was stunned silence.
“What? I had no idea.” Amanda spoke first.
Rose looked thoughtful. “Is that why you always use your phone on speaker?”
She nodded.
“Jo set my phone up to announce my calls or I see the picture associated with the name so I know who it is. The same with my texts and emails, and social media. I’ve been so ashamed for so long.”
“Don’t be. It’s nothing to be ashamed of.” Rose touched her hand.
As Christy told them about her tutors and how she’d learned to get by over the years, they ordered a piece of key lime pie to split between the three of them.
By the time she’d dropped them off at their cars, Christy knew. She’d made real friends here in Magnolia Beach. Women who would stand by her and didn’t think she was dumb. She wouldn’t be ashamed any longer.
The next day Christy talked to the principal and coach at the high school. The boys had taken responsibility for their prank. Their coach was going to run them ragged in practice and they wouldn’t be playing in the next game. It was punishment enough. Especially when she found out they’d volunteered to put in a garden for her whenever she decided on a place.
It had been a week since she and Dalton had broken up when she found herself sitting on her aunt’s porch swing on Saturday afternoon.
“Your realtor worked her magic. I bought the cottage on the same street as Miss Trudy. I decided I really wanted a garden full of flowers and a porch swing like yours.”
Christy laughed. “Plus, Rose talked me into adopting two cats. Brothers. So this way they can explore the backyard.”
“I’m happy you’re staying.” Her aunt hugged her. “Have you thought about what you want to do next?”
“First, I want to learn to read. I told Rose I’d fill in teaching yoga until her instructor is back from maternity leave.”
Christy sat on the swing, enjoying the breeze. She’d dressed in a pair of cut-off denim shorts and another old t-shirt. This one was from a Duran Duran concert.
Of course, her aunt looked impeccable in her pink capris and crisp white button-down shirt. They’d gotten pedicures this morning. Christy’s toes were metallic purple. Her aunt had picked a bright pink.
“Hazel is going to carry some of my iced sugar cookies at the Sip and Shop. Chrissy at Bakers Gonna Bake asked if I’d help during their busy times. It’s enough for now.”
Her aunt nodded.
“I know you don’t need the money with the contracts and what you’ve invested, but it’s good to keep busy. I’m happy for you.”
24
It had been two weeks since prom. Dalton looked in the mirror to make sure he’d stopped bleeding. He’d been thinking about her when he nicked his chin shaving.
Everyone he’d talked to told him he was an idiot. The first few days he wouldn’t listen, convinced Christy would knock on his door and apologize for lying.
But by the time a week had passed, he knew. The things she’d said cut deep into his bitter heart. Every single one true.
It had taken another week of him stomping around, a black cloud following him everywhere for Dalton to conclude he had to change.
>
Yes, Mackenzie had demolished his heart. But. There were two people in a relationship. If he were being honest, he’d ignored the signs. The red flags.
Dalton hated it when everyone was right.
Alice told him Christy would be at the wedding. Colton was escorting her since, in his brother’s words, Dalton was too big of a fool to sit next to Christy.
A supermodel. Now that he knew, Dalton wondered how he could have ever believed she was anything else. Though he would never admit to anyone all the hours he’d spent reading about her online. They had linked her to rock stars, pro quarterbacks, hockey players, and blockbuster actors. There’d been one long depressing night where he doubted she would want an average guy like him. Thankfully, Alice set him straight. She told him most of the pictures had been set up to help both careers.
The formidable woman also told him to get his rear in gear and make things right with her niece. She not so subtly told him to fix things at the wedding. Everyone was happy at weddings. Alice and Colton said they were rooting for him.
He only hoped it wasn’t too late. Even if it took ten years, Dalton would gladly spend every day of that time making up for being such a jerk.
Sam meowed as if agreeing. Dalton leaned down to pet the cat.
“I already gave you half a can of tuna. Don’t shred the drapes and you can have the other half when I get back.”
The cat huffed and stalked over to a patch of sunlight. He flopped down and turned on his back, tail twitching.
“Here goes nothing.”
Dalton jogged down the steps to his truck. When he looked next door, there was no sign of her. She must already be at the marina helping Mabel. Hazel said Christy was doing her makeup, so she’d be busy until the ceremony. That gave him time to plan his strategy.
The wedding was lovely. Instead of eloping, the happy couple had decided to get married in the community space at the marina.
The look on Earl’s face when Mabel walked down the aisle had Christy and every other woman present, wiping their eyes.
Mabel wore a white sundress with flowers embroidered on the straps and around the hem. She and Christy wore the same size shoes, so Christy had given her a brand new pair of Jimmy Choo sandals. They were a pale yellow with crystals and sparkled with every step. She’d done Mabel’s makeup along with Hazel’s since she was the maid of honor.
