Hide Away by the Sea, page 5
I’ve already decided to keep the time off from work and stay in Oak Island for the two-month vacation I requested, or at least until I decide what to do. What happens after that? I have no idea.
Shaking my head, I blew out a sigh. “I don’t know, Mom. For now, I’m going to stay so I can be close to you.”
Her eyes watered. “You don’t have to stay here just because of me, but if you want to, I would be more than happy to spend every day with my baby girl. Your father would, too. You can always help him at the medical office if you need something to do.”
I had always wondered what working full-time with my dad in his clinic would be like. I’d help out occasionally when I visited home, but never for long stretches.
“Real subtle, Mom,” I joked with a laugh.
She waved off my comment. “What can I say? I want you to stay. It could be good for you; a slower pace of life might be what you need this summer. Then, when things die down, you can figure out what you want to do about the house.”
My gaze went through the glass door that led to the living room, where all my grandmother’s trinkets and souvenirs were displayed in various places. My heart was heavy at the thought of getting rid of them all.
“It’s hard to believe that it’s all mine,” I mumbled dejectedly as I looked away from the old home toward the sea. A part of me wanted everything to remain unchanged forever, but I knew realistically that I couldn’t manage the upkeep being so far away in Boston—my grandmother wouldn’t forgive me if I didn’t take proper care of her beloved house.
“Everleigh,” my mother murmured. “Look at me.”
With a heavy sigh, I met her gaze. There was so much regret plaguing me that it was hard to breathe. I wished I had spent the time with my family when it mattered. No one was promised tomorrow, and I’d learned that the hard way. I would never get back the time I lost with my grandmother.
My mother gently placed her hands on my face. “If you decide to sell the house, just know I support you no matter what, okay? I know that’s what’s weighing on your mind right now.”
“That’s not the only thing,” I confessed.
Her brows furrowed. “What else is there?”
Her hands slid from my face, her expression concerned. My stomach clenched as I tried to ignore the rock forming in my stomach.
“I feel guilty about the house, Mom, but I have so much regret building within me that I honestly don’t know if I can handle it.” Tears poured down my cheeks, and my stomach hurt even more. “I should’ve taken time off a long time ago. That way, Grammy could’ve seen the world as we planned. But, instead, I worked and sacrificed all that time I could’ve spent with you, Dad, and her. And for what? I’m thirty-four and single, with no hope of starting a family anytime soon. All my old friends from high school are happily married with kids.”
Jensen was no doubt one of them. My only single friend was Nyla, but she had been married once before, so that put her way ahead of me as far as life experiences. My mother placed a comforting hand on my shoulder.
“You can’t compare your life to others, sweetheart. We all have a path, and you chose yours.” She squeezed my arm reassuringly. “Your grandmother was so proud of you, always rambling on to others about your success. You visited as often as you could, and she understood that. Curing people has always been your dream. Don’t ever regret what you’ve done. You’ve saved tons of lives. That right there is a miracle.”
“Still,” I cried, “I’d give anything to be in the Caribbean right now with Grammy.”
My mother nodded. “So would I.”
Her attention shifted to the glass door, and I followed her line of sight to the living room. My grandmother loved every shade of blue there was. The living room walls were a soft cerulean, and the couch and two love seats were in sand and stone shades, with azure-colored accent pillows decorated with starfish. It was a typical beach-style living room with my grandmother’s personal touch. The fireplace mantle was filled with starfish, sand dollars, and unique seashells Grammy had found over the years. I opened the door but couldn’t yet walk in. All I wanted was to hear my grandmother’s voice just once more.
“Everleigh, I’m going to go,” my mother said softly. “Several people have mentioned stopping by the house, and I should probably be there. I’m sure many of them would love to talk more with you.”
Turning to her, I shook my head and hugged her. “I think I’m just going to stay here. I’m not up for being around a bunch of people.”
She kissed the side of my head. “I understand. I’ll see you tomorrow, right?”
“Of course,” I answered back, letting her go. “You’re going to see me every day.”
Her eyes brightened and she smiled. “Perfect.”
I could tell she was hesitant about leaving by the concern on her face, but I smiled, hoping it would assure her that I was okay. I watched her walk down the stairs and get in her car. The second she disappeared down the street, a stark realization hit me straight in the heart. It was the first time being at my grandmother’s house by myself since I’ve been in town.
Everything was quiet except for the sound of the waves and the seagulls flying overhead. I walked through the patio door but kept it open so I could still hear the ocean. Then, taking a deep breath, I glanced around the living room. It was the central part of the house, and the kitchen was just beyond it.
Down the hallway, my bedroom was the first door on the left; it used to be my mother’s room growing up. Sandy’s was on the right, but it eventually got changed into a library. So that left the last closed door, the bedroom beside mine. I didn’t dare walk down the hall toward it; it was my grandmother’s room . . . the place she took her last breath. I wasn’t ready to go in there. I didn’t know if I ever would be.
5
EVERLEIGH
I was so drained from the past couple of days that I had nothing left in me. Everyone kept coming to my grandmother’s house and delivering food, offering their condolences. Some people would stay and tell stories of the times they shared with my grandmother, which was nice; however, I was desperate for some peace and quiet. All I wanted was the space to process what I wanted to do with the house and my grandmother’s belongings without any interruptions.
Luckily, yesterday was a blessedly quiet day—no visitors, no distractions. However, I did go to my parents’ house, but as soon as I left them, it was hard to keep the grief from taking over.
The sun shone brightly through the large windows overlooking the sea, drenching the room in a warm golden light. I glanced at the starfish clock above the mantle and sighed. The morning had flown by without any visitors to occupy my time. I could feel my body longing for activity, having become accustomed to long work hours over the years.
My gaze drifted to the remote on the coffee table, but I didn’t want to watch TV. I’ve walked on the beach several times during the morning, making me think more deeply than I cared to.
With a heavy sigh, I laid my head against the back of the couch and stared up at the ceiling. The silence felt oppressive. Suddenly, it hit me like a cool ocean breeze—it was summertime at the beach. The area would be buzzing with people and positive energy. That was precisely what I needed.
Jumping off the couch, I paused in the hallway at my bedroom door, glancing over at my grandmother’s that remained shut. I had promised myself I would go in there today, but I still wasn’t ready.
Tomorrow.
I will do it tomorrow.
Quickly, I changed into an old favorite dress of mine that had been sitting in my closet untouched for years: a pink sundress. Then, I took the short drive to downtown Southport and parked on the main strip.
Joy spread throughout me as memories of past experiences surfaced. Memories of my parents taking me for ice cream every Friday night when I was young and of Jensen and I walking around with our friends, talking about life and college.
Holly Rafferty was my best friend at the time, but we lost touch over the years. Later, I discovered she had died in a car accident eight years ago while driving back home from a dental convention in Myrtle Beach, SC—she had been texting while behind the wheel. It made me sad to know that she left behind a husband and two sons.
I pulled into a spot and exited my car, taking a deep breath of the salty ocean breeze. The bright sun shone hot on my skin, but the wind served as a relief from the heat. I meandered up and down the bustling downtown streets, watching with a smile as tourists laughed and soaked in the atmosphere of their beachside retreat.
Up ahead, an empty bench in front of a candy store beckoned to me, so I sat down for a while and listened to the sound of joyous children screaming in delight over their sugary treats. Then, finally, one little boy with blond hair came closer, holding out a piece of peppermint candy before leaving with his family. My heart melted at his kind gesture, but it also stirred within me an ache that reminded me that my biological clock was ticking. There was still time to have children of my own, but finding love was going to be the problem.
“Everleigh? Is that you?” a voice called from behind, and I recognized it immediately.
We weren’t close, but I knew who she was—Michelle Short, or Michelle McLean, as I guess she’d be known as now—Jensen’s wife. She was pregnant and dressed in a cute floral dress with flat brown sandals, her diamond wedding band sparkling in the sunlight as she held her belly.
I stood and she threw her arms around my neck, catching me off guard. “I am so sorry about your grandmother. She was an amazing lady.”
I hugged her back, even though it felt a bit awkward since we didn’t really know each other.
“Yes, she was,” I replied before she pulled away again.
Her smile stretched wide across her face as she gazed at me with beautiful blue eyes. Anyone would be drawn to her beauty; unfortunately for me, it ended up being Jensen.
“You look amazing, by the way,” she said. “I was going to come to the funeral but had a doctor’s appointment.” She put her hands on her stomach. “I found out I’m having a boy.”
The envy I felt stabbed at my gut—I wanted to be happy for her and Jensen, yet I couldn’t help but be envious of their joy.
“Congratulations,” I said sincerely. “I can’t imagine the excitement you must be feeling.”
She beamed. “It’s unreal, let me tell you.” Her gaze drifted to my hands as if looking for a wedding ring. “How have things been going for you? I heard you’re a big-time surgeon now.”
I scoffed, forcing out an awkward laugh. “I wouldn’t say that. But Boston has been good to me. I like it there.”
She bit her lip, her expression now filled with inquisition. “Are you married?”
Laughing again, I shook my head from side to side and shifted my weight from one foot to the other. “Nowhere close to it. Sadly, I haven’t had much time to date.”
Michelle frowned and stepped closer. “That’s not good. How long are you staying in town for?”
I shrugged, feeling a surge of emotion at the thought of leaving this place that felt so familiar, yet distant at the same time.
“Not sure yet. I have some big decisions to make about my grandmother’s house. Luckily, I have two months to figure it out.”
Her face lit up with excitement, her freckles becoming more visible than before. “Hey, that’s two months you can stay here. It’ll give you time to catch up with old friends. I’m sure Jensen would love to see you again.”
The breath hitched in my lungs, and my stomach dropped as images of Jensen flooded my mind—our special moments together, his warm embrace, his infectious smile . . . If Jensen had told her what happened between us, I highly doubt she’d want me around her husband.
“We’ll see,” was all I could say. “But it was good talking to you. I’m sure I’ll see you around town again.”
She tilted her head back and laughed. “I have no doubt.” She pointed at the candy store behind us. “I’m always here stocking up on chocolate cake pops. I’ve been craving them like crazy.”
We said our goodbyes, and she waved at me before disappearing into the shop. Seeing her made me really think about Jensen. Would he want to see me after I threw away our relationship? Either way, I had no doubt I would see him at some point when he made it back on land. I just had to be ready for it.
6
EVERLEIGH
The sound of birds chirping outside my window was peaceful, but I had to turn away from the sun beaming in through the blinds. With a groan, I opened my eyes and focused on my cornflower-colored walls. All the bedrooms in the house were different shades of blue; it was what my grandmother wanted. Thinking of her brought a smile to my face. She always had a way of making things magical for me.
I looked up at the light blue canopy above me, remembering how I used to feel like a princess sleeping underneath it.
Tossing the covers to the side, I slid out of bed and my muscles ached. To keep my mind off Jensen, I spent all night cleaning my grandmother’s house, except her bedroom and the library. There were too many books to dust, so I put that off until today.
I used every ounce of strength I had to scrub the floors and make sure there was no speck of dust anywhere. But, even though the house was mine now, I couldn’t bring myself to claim it. It would always and forever be my grandmother’s; everything in it belonged to her.
My stomach started to growl, so I rummaged through my suitcase until I found a pair of shorts and one of my college T-shirts. Once dressed, I stopped in my doorway and glanced down the hall at my grandmother’s room where the door was still shut. Even my mother hasn’t wanted to go in there yet. The only person
With a heavy sigh, I made my way into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. It was full of food, so I grabbed the carton of eggs and bacon before setting out some pans to prepare breakfast. I grabbed a couple of slices of bacon from the package, laid them into one of the pans, and then cracked an egg on the other. I remembered when my grandmother used to make her eggs—sunny side up so she could mix them into her grits—but I preferred mine scrambled until they were dry as toast. She’d always let me bust the yolks of hers, though.
Once everything was cooked, I poured myself a glass of orange juice, piled everything up on my plate, and grabbed a blueberry muffin that one of my grandmother’s friends had made for me.
The counter was packed with muffins, cookies, Georgia’s pecan pie, and two pound cakes—one lemon and the other chocolate. There was no way I could eat it all.
I sat down at the kitchen table and peered out at the ocean. The water sparkled against the sun, beckoning me to take a swim. I had yet to get into the sea since being back.
As I ate my breakfast, my thoughts drifted to yesterday. It felt good to spend time in town, but I couldn’t stop thinking of Jensen, especially after seeing Michelle. I even dreamed of him last night, which didn’t help matters. The dream was so vivid it almost felt like reality. I was with Jensen in an exotic bedroom; it was like the you’d find in one of those bungalows in the Maldives. He had a look of desire in his eyes as he stared at me, and I felt myself getting lost in them. His warm breath tickled my neck as he whispered my name. But just as things were getting heated, I woke up.
What am I going to say when I see him again? Maybe I could avoid him for the next two months. That was wishful thinking. With how close he was to my family, I highly doubted that was even possible. Still, I could try.
Once I finished tidying up the kitchen, I grabbed a duster and the furniture spray before going into the library. My grandmother had replaced Aunt Sandy’s bed with a heavy mahogany desk that dominated most of the room while custom-made bookshelves filled with hundreds of romance novels spanned along the walls. Of course, a few of my old medical textbooks were also mixed in.
I began to dust over each book’s spine, pausing when I spotted some of my grandmother’s favorites. They were worn around the edges; some even had folded pages where she had left off reading. It made me smile; I always said I’d get around to reading some of them one day. I pulled out three of her favorites and shuffled them around before dropping them on the desk.
Closing my eyes, I reached out randomly for one and picked it up. When I opened my eyes, I couldn’t help but chuckle at the cover of a handsome pirate with long hair embracing a brunette beauty.
“This is going to be interesting,” I muttered, pulling the desk chair out so I could sit down. I figured I might as well read a few pages. However, my phone rang in the living room the second I sat down.
I sprinted into the hallway and spotted my phone glowing on the coffee table. Nyla’s name was flashing on the screen.
“Hey,” I answered, walking back into the library and taking a deep breath.
“Hey, girl. You doing okay?”
“For the most part,” I said, eyes drifting to the doorway of my grandmother’s room. A tingle of trepidation prickled my skin. One way or another, I was going to find the courage to go in there today. “What are you doing right now? Figured you’d be running around the hospital like a mad woman.”
Nyla chuckled from the other end of the line. “Believe it or not, it’s slow today. I thought I’d call you and let you know that I’ll be heading down to see you next week. I took the summer off, too. So, you can sell the house after that if you want, but keep it for a little longer so I can see this amazing place you’ve always talked about.”
A gasp escaped my lips; this was the best news I’d heard in a long time. My heart leaped joyfully as I lifted the duster, swishing it enthusiastically across more bookshelves.
“Seriously?” I squealed, unable to contain my smile. “This is going to be awesome. I’ll be able to take you to all my favorite spots. You’ll love it here.” Having her around would make things so much easier to bear.
