Chapter 18
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Noelle stepped back from her mirror, inspecting her reflection with a smile. She’d pulled her hair back into a becoming French braid, and her cheeks were flushed with both applied blush and a natural glow. It was Friday morning, the day that Dean was going to show her around Rosewood Beach, and she couldn’t have been more excited.
Rather than put on another hiking-inspired outfit like the one she’d worn the last time she went exploring around town, she’d decided to wear something a little more chic. She’d chosen a pretty sage green jumpsuit and a pair of white Keds. She’d added gold stud earrings and a delicate gold bracelet to her wrist, making the look feel complete. She told herself that she just felt like dressing up for her fun day off, and that the fact that she’d put more care into her appearance than usual had nothing to do with Dean.
She spun around once, just for fun. She felt almost giddy with excitement, and once she’d finished twirling, she sighed contentedly. She scampered over to her phone to check to see if Dean had texted her, and sure enough he had.
DEAN: Hey! Good morning. Want to meet up at the gazebo in the town square at 10:30?
She wasted no time in typing out a reply.
NOELLE: Yes! Sounds great. See you soon!
She smiled and tucked her phone into her pocket. She went through a mental checklist, making sure she had everything she needed for the day in her small over-the-shoulder white leather bag that she’d decided to pair with her outfit. She had a small water bottle, her usual packet of first-aid items, her wallet, and a pair of sunglasses.
And I already applied sunscreen, she thought. I hope Dean applied sunscreen.
She glanced down at her phone screen, considering texting him to remind him. Then she laughed and told herself that wasn’t her place. He was a grown man; it was up to him if he decided to put on sunscreen or not.
She slung her purse over her shoulder and made her way out of her apartment. It was a gorgeous day outside, a little crisp, but sunny enough to be warm and pleasant. She got into her car and drove the short distance to the town square, her anticipation mounting as she got closer.
She had no idea where Dean was planning on taking her that day, but she wasn’t worried. She knew that whatever he had planned was going to be wonderful. She trusted him completely, and there was something about him that drew her to him, making her feel confident in his ability to take care of her.
She found a shady parking spot under a crabapple tree and parked there. Her eyes scanned the town square eagerly, wondering if she would be able to see Dean walking up to the gazebo. She didn’t seem him, but a quick glance at her watch told her that she was a little less than ten minutes early.
She set off across the town square, admiring the landscaping that was still beautiful even after most of the flowers had faded for the season. There was a brilliancy to the hue of blue that covered the sky, and the sunlight dappled the lawn of the town square in beautiful patterns cast by the trees.
As she reached the gazebo, she found herself grinning. Dean was already there, sitting on a bench under the roof of the gazebo. He was facing the other way, and his back was turned to her, but she found herself admiring the way he looked even though she couldn’t see his face. He was wearing a dark blue leather jacket, and his windswept hair looked endearingly tousled.
“Dean!”
He turned around, and his face lit up into a smile when he saw her. “Hey, Noelle! Thanks for meeting me here.”
“Are you kidding? You’re the one I should be thanking. It’s so sweet of you to give me a tour like this.”
“You’re welcome.” His eyes gleamed with an almost tender light. “I’m happy to do it. Rosewood Beach is a great town to explore, and well—you’re not bad company.”
She found herself flushing slightly under his compliment. Before she could think of anything to say in response, he handed her a coffee.
“Here, I brought this for you,” he said. “It’s from Seaside Sweets Bakery. It’s their signature drink.”
“What is it?” she asked curiously, sniffing the opening of the coffee cup. A rich, minty aroma wafted up at her. She noticed that Dean was holding a coffee cup identical to hers.
“They call it ‘The Grasshopper’ but don’t let that name throw you off.” He laughed. “It’s my favorite drink they have there. It’s a dark chocolate mocha with peppermint flavoring. And, as you’ll notice once you take a sip, they add peppermint sprinkles on top of the whipped cream. It’s really delicious.”
“Oh, gosh.” Noelle eagerly took a sip and was floored by the taste. “Dean, that’s fantastic! Thank you for bringing this to me. That was really thoughtful of you.” She smiled shyly at him, not knowing what else to say. She felt touched that he had gone out of his way yet again to be kind to her.
“I did even better than that.” He picked up a white paper bag that was resting on the bench behind him and slipped his hand inside it. From it he pulled a plump doughnut dusted in cinnamon sugar. “I also brought both of us churro doughnuts. Seaside Sweets Bakery is one of the best places in town, and I wanted to share some of my favorite menu items with you.”
“But… I mean, I could have met you there.” She took the doughnut from him, noticing how fluffy and mouthwatering it looked. “And then I could have paid for my own treats. You didn’t need to buy these for me.”
Dean shrugged; his eyes filled with a boyish light. “It’s not a problem. Besides, I wanted us to be able to get going right away. There’s a lot to see.”
“So much to see that we can’t sit here for a little while and eat these doughnuts?” She arched a brow at him.
“Sure, we can do that. This is one of the attractions. We’ve got a beautiful town square, don’t you think?” He sat down on the bench, and she sat down beside him.
“Oh, absolutely. This landscaping is wonderful. And that old bronze statue over there is so picturesque.” She took a bite of her doughnut, delighted by how delicious it was.
“That’s the town founder. And the landscaping was designed in the nineteen twenties.”
“Wow, you really are a tour guide, aren’t you?”
He laughed, taking another bite of his doughnut. For a few moments, they were both quiet, looking out at the beautiful town square and enjoying the wonderful taste of their pastries and drinks.
“What’s first on our agenda, Fearless Leader?” Noelle’s tone was playful, and she found herself squirming with curiosity. She didn’t know what kind of place he was going to take her to see first.
“First, we’re going to go hiking on the prettiest trail in the whole state.”
“The prettiest, huh? In the whole state? That’s high praise.”
“Oh, it’s well deserved. Especially now that the leaves are starting to change color. And when you get higher up, there are stone bluffs, and sometimes you’re in the woods, and sometimes you’ve got this breathtaking view of the ocean—just wait. You’ll see that I’m right in just a little bit.”
She laughed. “You’re making a pretty convincing argument.”
They finished their pastries and then set off walking together, sipping their beverages and keeping up a lighthearted conversation. Noelle felt the cool breeze brush against her cheeks, and every time she took a deep breath, she could smell the spicy aroma of autumn.
They made their way across town, toward the park that held the entrance to the hiking trail. As they went, Dean pointed out various charming old buildings, explaining when they were built and what they were currently being used for. He knew a surprising amount of Rosewood Beach history, and Noelle was impressed both by his knowledge and the easy, friendly manner in which he communicated the information.
Soon they reached the head of the trail. Noelle found herself grinning as she looked down the charming avenue of trees that opened up in front of her and Dean.
“This is lovely.” She looked up at the branches rustling overhead. Some of the trees were still green, but others had gorgeous yellow, orange, or fiery red leaves. Sunlight gleamed on the leaves, and the brilliant blue of the sky was visible beyond the flickering colors.
“I told you,” Dean said, chuckling. “I never lie.”
She smiled, feeling grateful that things had worked out the way they had. She was glad that going exploring alone hadn’t really worked out for her, and that her car troubles had led her to becoming closer to Dean.
Dean glanced at Noelle as she walked beside him and he smiled. He felt tired, but for the time being, his energy was able to keep up with the tour that he’d planned for her. She’d been loving every second of it, and he found her enthusiasm contagious. She seemed to pour new life into him in a way that helped him maintain his energy even after all of the walking they’d done.
After a breathtaking hike through the woods and along the coast, they’d stopped for a delicious lunch at Ocean Breeze Café. Dean had ordered a buffalo chicken cheesesteak sandwich with sides of coleslaw and homemade sea salt and vinegar potato chips, and Noelle had laughed as she’d ordered the same thing. She’d sworn she wasn’t trying to copy him, and she had genuinely decided on the same meal before he’d ordered his.
They’d both enjoyed the food immensely, and after they were done eating, Dean had felt refreshed and energized. From there, their exploring took them to all of Rosewood Beach’s attractions, including historical landmarks, cozy shops, and a little model train museum that Noelle had proclaimed to be absolutely enchanting.
“Where are you taking me now, Fearless Leader?” Her eyes were bright with interest as she looked at him. “It’s our final destination, right?”
He grinned. He loved that she kept calling him “Fearless Leader.” It made him feel braver than he really was, since he’d definitely had his moments of struggling with fear and uncertainty since receiving his diagnosis. “You’re right, it is our final destination, but it’s a secret. You’ll have to wait and see. Do you trust me?”
“What, after all that? Of course. At this point, if you told me to jump out of a moving car, I’d trust you.”
He shook his head. “I would never ask you to jump out of a moving car.”
“Well, see? That’s more reason for me to trust you.”
They laughed together, the sound of it echoing slightly off the sides of the buildings they were walking beside. They were in a quiet part of town, near the hardware store and the town hall. It was the part of town that was less spruced up for tourists and looked more genuinely lived-in. Noelle didn’t seem any less impressed with it, however. Her eyes still held a sparkle of fascination as she gazed around her.
They turned a corner and found themselves in front of another little park. This one offered a beautiful view of the ocean and had a charming little playground on one side of it. There were a few kids there, laughing and shrieking with mirth as they swung on the swing set and chased each other down the slide.
“Is this our final destination?” Noelle asked, turning to him with a warm smile. “I think that’s so sweet.”
He shook his head, smiling back at her. “It’s almost our final destination. Follow me.”
He led her across the park, near to the place where the grass gave way to a short stretch of sand leading to the ocean. There, a massive oak tree stood, offering a wide expanse of shade. Its sides were covered in carvings, making it look like some kind of magical thing.
“This,” Dean said, as proudly as if he’d made it himself, “is the oldest tree in town.”
“Wow.” She gazed at it as if she was genuinely captivated by it, and he watched her for a few moments, feeling a surge of admiration for her kindhearted, warm spirit.
He felt a wave of fatigue come over him, and he let out a quiet sigh of relief, glad that this was the last stop on the tour he’d planned for her. He’d been enjoying every minute of their day together, but he had to admit that he was ready to sit down.
“Look at all of the different carvings,” she said, touching one gently with her fingertips. “They add so much character to something that’s so beautiful already.”
He nodded. “All the couples in town carve their initials into the tree. That’s why it’s so covered. I mean, look, even up there.” He pointed to where some people had carved their initials onto one of the branches. “It’s been a town tradition since the nineteen-forties.”
“Oh, I love that.” She crouched down, getting a closer look at some of the lower carvings. “That’s such a sweet tradition.”
“Yeah, it really is.” He found himself watching her, noticing the way the wind blew back wisps of her hair from her face.
I’m surprised she hasn’t been taken off the market yet , he thought. She’s such a sweet, genuine person. She deserves the best man.
“Well, I think this tree is one of my absolute favorite things on this whole tour, which is really saying a lot.” She stood up with a smile. “But the whole tour has been amazing, thank you so much, Dean.”
“Of course. Happy to show you around. Hopefully you feel like you have more of a solid footing around here now.”
“Oh, I definitely do.”
The two of them began to stroll toward a nearby picnic table, as if they’d reached an unspoken agreement that they’d like to sit there together for a while.
“I had no idea that such a small town could have so much to offer,” she said, sitting down. “What was it like to grow up here? I bet it was great.”
The leaves of the oak tree rustled overhead, adding a gentle music to the already soothing sound of the nearby surf. Dean found himself feeling content and happy in a way that he hadn’t felt in a long time—possibly even more than he’d ever felt before.
“It was great.” His mind traced over a multitude of memories, of bike rides with his friends, of night walks with his family, of ice cream socials and clam bakes and baseball games. “The people here are really good to be around. Everyone kind of bands together, you know? We’re here for each other. It’s great to live in a place like that.”
She nodded. “I’m definitely getting that sense.” The smile on her face when she looked at him was so warm and endearing that Dean found himself needing to look away for a moment.
“I’ve always loved it here,” he said, watching the sunlight flicker on the ocean waves. “And I know my whole family feels the same way. Two of my sisters, Julia and Alexis, both moved away to big cities. Julia moved to New York and Alexis moved to L.A. They lived there for a while, but both of them ended up moving back to stay. And I think it’s more than just the fact that our family is here, and we all want to be close together. I think it’s also just the town itself, you know? People know how to live calm, steady lives here. They’re not rushing around all stressed out all the time like how people are in the city.”
Noelle nodded. “Sometimes cities are so loud it’s like you can’t think. And it’s not just the literal noise I’m talking about either. There are so many opinions and passions and people telling you how you need to think and be. Rosewood Beach isn’t like that. It’s like people know how to slow down and really be themselves here.”
“That’s a frankly brilliant way of putting it,” he said, grinning at her.
She waved a hand. “I don’t know that it’s brilliant, but… well, it’s something I’ve observed. Even before I moved here. Whenever I came to visit my grandparents, I got that sense.”
“See, you too. People can’t seem to stay away from Rosewood Beach. Everyone ends up coming back to stay.”
She laughed. “What’s the town’s secret, do you think? Where’s that irresistible magnetic pull coming from?”
“Oh, definitely The Lighthouse Grill’s unbeatable corned beef and hash. Everyone who tries to leave gets sucked back in by it.”
She laughed. “And the Seaside Sweets Bakery’s Grasshopper. That was the best drink I’ve ever had.”
“And those doughnuts.”
“Oh, absolutely. And I had a root beer float at the pub once. It was so good, I could have sworn there was some kind of secret ingredient in it.”
They kept going back and forth, listing foods they’d eaten in Rosewood Beach and loved, and before long, both of them were doubled over in a mutual laughing attack. It wasn’t that what they’d been saying was particularly funny, Dean thought, it was that they both seemed to be in a giddy mood. He was enjoying bantering with her so much that he felt especially inclined to laugh.
“Oh, wow,” Noelle said, wiping away a tear. “I guess we solved the mystery. The best thing about Rosewood Beach is its food.”
They smiled at each other, both of them knowing that wasn’t really the answer. The best thing about Rosewood Beach was its company, and he felt another rush of gratitude that he’d gotten to spend such a long, fun day with her.
“Well,” she said regretfully as she stood up, “I think it’s time for me to head on home. Today was amazing, but as your physical therapist, I suggest you use the evening to rest.”
He nodded, putting on an exaggeratedly serious expression. “I wouldn’t dare argue with the best PT around.”
She laughed. “The best, huh? Well, you were the best tour guide, Fearless Leader.”
They walked back to the town square, where they’d parked their cars. They said breezy, almost affectionate goodbyes and parted ways. Dean glanced over his shoulder at her a couple of times as he walked back to his car.
His stomach growled, telling him that it was time for dinner. Once he’d gotten inside his car, however, instead of starting to drive toward home, he found himself just sitting there with a goofy grin on his face.
She is the best, he thought. Not just the best PT. Right now, I’m pretty sure she’s just kind of the best in general.
His stomach growled again, and he started his car and started to make his way back home. He did feel fatigued and ready for some quality rest. He also felt emotionally and mentally energized, however. It had been a wonderful day, and he was looking forward to the next time he would see Noelle.