Return To You: A Small Town, Second Chance Romance

2. Grace

two

Rituals help. At the beginning, there were days when their predictability seemed to amplify the emptiness of my life. But now, there’s a comfort to them. A healthy dependency on a good thing to come. Now, I hardly ever think of them as rituals—crutches. Now, they’re part of the life I designed for myself. They’re my healthy habits.

Since I’ve been back in Emerald Creek, a day in my hometown starts with coffee at Easy Monday and ends with a drink at Lazy’s. If I’m being honest, at the beginning, whatever happened in between was just filler. I worked at the resort, in their spa. It was a job.

Now, I’m proud of my business. Employing four beauticians and one receptionist at A Touch Of Grace makes me feel good about myself. Pampering clients is meaningful and fulfilling, especially now that I’ll also be offering massages.

It’s not what I expected my life would be. But who’s lucky enough to see their teenage dreams come true? Yeah, I don’t see many hands up.

My rituals helped me. Mainly in forcing me to have a social life, and ultimately, to find deep joy in trivial delights.

And this morning as I enter the best coffee shop in town, before I even hear the voices calling me, a smile forms on my lips, the warmth in my core increases.

I’m in a good place.

“Grace! Over here!” Two of my girlfriends, Alex and Haley, are sitting on a deep couch, nudged between the wooden sculpture of a siren and a tower of romance books, lattes in hand.

Millie, the young woman who owns Easy Monday, smiles as she hands me a Maple Chill without my needing to ask her. “Have an awesome day, sweetheart.”

It’s summer in Emerald Creek. Even the weather is eerily perfect. Today is our summer fair, and I’ll be giving free massages to grow my business.

It’ll be awesome. There’s no reason why it wouldn’t.

I return Millie’s smile. “You too.” As I make my way across the crowded room, I’m greeted by friendly faces.

Coming back was the right choice.

I plop on a low armchair across from my friends. “What’s up?”

Haley rolls her eyes. “Ugh. I don’t even know where to start.”

Alex stops taking pictures of her latte in its locally made pottery mug, and gives me a tentative smile. “Are you okay?” She glances with alarm at Haley.

“Sure, why?” I answer Alex, ignoring Haley for now. Her sense for drama and suspense hasn’t subsided since we were kids.

Alex is new to Emerald Creek. She still doesn’t know how to read us all. She’s also a straight shooter, and her asking me if I’m okay raises an alarm.

“Yeah, she doesn’t care anymore,” Haley butts in.

Alex frowns at her, then turns to me. “I saw the listing… just… are you sure you’re gonna be okay?”

“What listing?”

“Shit,” she whispers, narrowing her eyes on me. “Maybe we should talk about this somewhere else.”

I grab my to-go mug and stand. “I have to open in ten minutes anyway, but I can drop you off at Clark’s Meadow.” Seeing Alex’s puzzlement, I add, “Where the fair will be. You don’t need to go that early, though. I just want to get situated and have a parking spot that’s not miles away from my tent.”

“Oh I’m totally coming,” Alex says. “I need content for our socials. Get the hype up. And maybe we can talk?”

Why is she being so cagey?

“It’s gonna be so hot today,” Haley moans as she climbs in, shotgun. “We should go to Mayer’s Hole tonight,” she adds as I pull out of my parking spot and head out of town.

Alex clears her throat and leans in between us. “Guys, in a minute you’ll tell me all about Mayer’s Hole, but first I need to know that Grace is alright with her building being on the market.”

I jerk my head to her and nearly knock off one of the flower baskets adorning the covered bridge. Once we’re safely on the other side of the narrow passage, Haley says, “What the fuck?”

Yeah, what the fuck sounds right.

“The spa building is for sale. I know because we’re looking for a location for our new headquarters. And our realtor sent us the link to your place.”

“Who’s the listing agent?” Haley asks, tapping on her phone.

“I can find out,” Alex answers.

“On it,” Haley mumbles.

“You didn’t know?” Alex asks me.

My head is spinning, and my mouth is dry. Thank god the Jeep knows its way around here, because I don’t feel like I’m behind the wheel anymore. Why didn’t my landlord tell me?

“I didn’t. Tell me everything,” I say as we wind through the country road.

“It’s priced to sell… and the thing is, the listing states that it can be bought rented out or empty.”

My body feels cold. The car bobs up and down the uneven field as I make my way like a robot to a parking spot. Then I shut the engine down, and we sit in silence. “Shit.” I open my door to let some air in. “I can’t really talk about all that right now. Shit,” I say again. Which seems to be the only reaction I can muster at the moment.

Too many thoughts are fighting for my attention. How fast do I need to move? What happens to all the investments I made? The paint, the new bathrooms, the refurbished floors? Where will I move? Again, how soon do I need to move? Not to mention, this location is—was—perfect. The Georgian house is ideally located downtown, with ample parking space, room to expand the business upstairs, a deck for events, and a unique inside architecture that makes women feel so pampered. “It’s going to cost me a fortune to recreate that atmosphere,” I whisper. I step out the car. “I’ll think of something.”

Alex stands next to me and pulls me in a hug. “I’m here for you. Let me know what I can do.”

I’m pretty sure Alex is loaded now. She could do anything. But I don’t want that. “I’ll need help, not pity.”

“Of course, honey. Didn’t even cross my mind.”

“Liar.”

She gives me a squeeze. “You’ve always been an inspiration to me. You can do this. And we’ll help you.”

“I gotta say, that beats my shitty news,” Haley says. She gives me a quick hug. “What she said. Lemme know how I can help. Hey, come to Sunday dinner tomorrow with your folks. Mom and Dad would love to see them, and we’ll brainstorm new places for the spa.” Haley’s parents host an informal dinner at their farm once a month, and everyone they know has an open invitation. “You’ll come too, Alex?”

“Sure. By the way, what happened to you?”

She rolls her eyes. “Oh, nothing important. Ethan rolled into town and get this—”

Ethan? My stomach bottoms.

The rest of her words are lost on me. Something about their mother’s birthday, a motorcycle, and flowers, all covered by the sound of blood whooshing in my ears to the rhythm of my heartbeat.

Oh god, it was so long ago. Ten years. So much has happened since, that he was not a part of.

They both laugh when Haley is done talking.

“You okay?” Haley asks me. “You look pale.” Haley knows what happened between her brother and me, but only the watered-down version I served her after everything was over.

I focus my eyes back on her. Mouth dry, I manage to say, “Yeah, yeah. Just uh… that whole lease business.” Liar. “How—how long is he staying?” I ask, trying to look disinterested and merely polite.

She looks at me, eyes widening. “Oh, honey. He’s probably already packing to leave.”

“Don’t—” I start, making a sweeping motion toward my face. “It’s just—it’s the lease problem making me like this. Not-not-not Ethan.”

She nods, unconvinced.

“Tell him I said hi,” I add because that’s what someone who doesn’t care would say. And I don’t care. I really don’t. Well, I don’t not care, but I only care in a childhood-friend kind of way. The sort of care where you just say, “Tell him I said hi.” And frankly? It is the lease issue making me emotional. I’m about to maybe fucking lose my business, for Chrissakes! Of course I’m unhinged, emotional, hypersensitive.

“You know, about tomorrow—” Haley starts. I can tell she’s reading my emotions right now, pulling back the invite to the farm to protect me.

I don’t need this. I’m not this emotionally unstable girl who would cry for any little thing.

I’m not depressed anymore.

I just need to stay focused.

I squeeze her hand. “I’ll come. You’re right. Someone might know someone who knows someone. That’s how these things get sorted out. I’ll need all the help possible to find a new location.” I purposely avoid bringing up her brother. She needs to know I’m totally, absolutely over him. I mean, it was ten years ago. And I am totally over him. Totally.

We part ways and I hurry to my tent, planning on hiding in there the whole day. What does he look like now? Is he happy in his life? For all the pain I’ve suffered because of him, I can’t bring myself to hate him.

Hating him would have helped.

But I never could.

I take a few deep breaths and try to focus on the here and now. In my enclosed space, I should feel safe. I should feel elsewhere. Autumn, a friend of mine who is a decorator, turned my tent into a Thousand-And-One-Nights scene. It’s dreamy and awesome and a complete contrast to the bright outdoors. It’s an escape from the real world.

For the next few hours, I’m safe from him. He won’t see me; I won’t run into him.

For the next few hours, only my clients need to matter.

Yet all I can think about is Ethan.

Ethan is here.

And because I’m weird like that, I make a mountain out of it when really, I shouldn’t. What happened between Ethan and me was blown out of proportion by my teenage projections.

I need to let the past go, for my own sanity. I’ve done it once before; I’ve built myself back up. I’m not going down the rabbit hole of what-ifs again.

Nope.

Massage after massage, I focus on my clients’ concerns, on the knots that bother them, that reappear when they’re stressed out. When they expect it the least.

I provide them a short respite and convince them to try a longer treatment at the spa. I talk about the benefits of monthly massages.

Focusing on others is what I need for myself. I was just caught off guard when Haley said he was back. Frazzled by the challenges my business is facing, I overreacted to this piece of news.

And it’s fine and understandable I’d be somewhat affected by the fact that I might see my first love again. You’d have to be very insensitive to not care about seeing someone again who had such an impact on you.

But this is all in the past. None of this has any bearing on my present life. On my present happiness. I am living my best life, and it’s all thanks to me. And nothing will jeopardize it. Not even a broken lease. Or Ethan coming back to Emerald Creek.

Once I finish Ms. Angela’s massage, my thoughts are back under control, my emotions in check. So while she gets dressed, I text my brother, Colton. He’s a little bit of a hermit. Not too much, but just really quiet. I like to call him every day, even if he rarely picks up. I still leave him a message, tell him I’m just checking in on him and that I love him, that sort of thing. I just like to let him know.

I know, I’m a little different like that, and I wear my emotions on my sleeve a lot. Well, most of them. Today, because I don’t want to interrupt people’s quiet time, I text him.

Me

What’s up? 3 u

Colton

Everything okay?

Why is he asking that?

If this is about the listing, yes, I’ll figure it out.

Colton

What listing?

Why are you asking me if I’m okay?

Colton

Nothing.

Bubbles float under Colt’s name for a beat. Then nothing again. Then bubbles.

Colton

What’s up?

There must be something he wants to talk about.

Me

What’s going on?

Colton

Nothin

You’re weird.

Colton

You’re weirder

You weirdo

Colton

gtg

Wait

Can you take Dad to the fair today?

Our father has congestive heart failure, and with Mom working a lot, we help take care of him.

Colton

I thought you were at the fair

I’m working

When Ms. Angela came in, there were three or four people lined up. There might be more now.

Colton

me 2

Can you take half hour for Dad

Colton

I have some asshole breaking my balls about his Porsche Carrera. Take u 10 minutes.

It’ll be more than ten minutes. By the time I get to my car, get to Mom and Dad’s, get him to the bathroom, get his shoes on, get him in the car, find a spot mid-day when it’ll be packed…

APorsche Carrera? on our dirt roads?

Colton liked a message.

I sigh.

Take Dad in the Porsche. happy emoji>

“Everything okay?” Ms. Angela asks as she ties her sneakers.

“We’re trying to figure out how to bring Dad to the fair. Colton is working and I…”

Ms. Angela pokes her head out the tent, ducks back in, and says, “I’m sending in the next client and then you go on and enjoy some family time.”

“Thanks, that’s sweet of you.”

Colton

Kay I’ll bring him

“Oh well, looks like Colt got it.”

“Even better. More time for you,” she says as she exits my tent.

While I change the sheet on the massage table, I hear voices outside the thin fabric of the tent. Ms. Angela and…

Another voice, in particular, that makes my heart…

Stop.

That voice?

There’s no mistaking it.

That voice?

I’d recognize it anywhere.

I barely have time to rush to the back of the tent, silently curse Ms. Angela for being not so sweet after all, turn my back to the entrance, and try to compose myself.