Chapter 38
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
JUST BE
DAHLIA
I’m shaken from my dad’s visit.
After we get our showers, we pack up and drive to Windy Harbor.
“Are you okay?” Dylan asks.
“Sorry I’m so quiet. Just…my mind is going a hundred miles per hour.”
“I’m here. You don’t have to talk about it, but if you want to…I’m here.” He squeezes my thigh, and I smile over at him.
“What would I do without you?”
“Well, your life would be a lot simpler.” He makes a face. “Too soon?”
I snort and smack his arm. “Yes. Don’t be joking like that.”
“You’re not getting rid of me. We’re kind of living together now…” He lifts his eyebrows. “I mean, if we keep staying in the cabin together.”
“Is it weird that we haven’t really talked about that? It’s just sort of been happening now that we’re in the same state.”
“I want it to happen permanently,” he says.
He glances over and catches me staring at him. He reaches out and clamps my jaw shut, his lips tilting higher and higher until they’re in a big, cheesy smile.
“I don’t want to miss out on a single day with you,” he says. “I love going to sleep with you by my side and waking up with you in my arms. I’m so excited about you being in Windy Harbor full-time.”
“You’re not worried that you’ll get sick of me? That my father will pull another crazy stunt? That this is moving too fast?”
“It’s almost been eight months. We know what we want. I know that I’m in love with you. There’s no one else I want. Ever. You have my heart. I will not get sick of you, because you mean everything to me. As for your father…let him try. We’re unbreakable.”
I grin and lift my hand to my heart, tapping it. “You make my heart turn over…flip…pound…melt. I love you, Dylan.”
He lifts my hand and kisses the palm.
We’re quiet for a few minutes, our hands linked together. The radio plays, and I glance back at Chloe, who’s looking at one of her books.
“There are some things I wish I’d said to my dad.” I pull out my phone. “I think I’m going to text them to him.”
He releases my hand and rests his on my thigh.
I’m heartbroken by what you’ve done. Truly. I hope whatever you were trying to accomplish was worth it. I knew you were capable of horrible things, but I’m still shocked that you would go this far. You could’ve killed someone, Dad.
I’m not comfortable letting Chloe be around you. I want my daughter surrounded by love and kindness, not fear or manipulation…or danger. I’m choosing her. And I’m choosing peace.
Please don’t contact me. And leave Dylan alone. This vendetta you have against the Whitman family is ridiculous, but for you to go after Dylan specifically—someone who has never done anything to you—it’s just wrong, period.
You are in the wrong.
Leave the past in the past. I don’t know why you’re still fighting Granddad’s battles anyway. He’s been gone a long time.
Let it go.
Once I’ve sent the messages, I lean my head back and take a deep breath.
And then I remember something else, and I can’t even believe I’ve left him off the hook for this long. With everything else he’s done, this seems small now, but it’s not.
And I know about Ava. I’ve known about her for quite a while now. I hoped you’d tell me so many times. I’ll never understand why you kept it a secret from me and didn’t introduce us right away, but there’s so much about you I don’t understand. And I finally know that I never will.
And then I message Ava. I called her last night after Dad left, and she can’t believe he’s so awful.
I’ve told Dad not to contact me. I also told him I knew about you. I’m sorry—I should’ve talked to you before saying that. I just…it came out.
She texts right back.
Ava
I’m glad you told him. I’m going to tell him the same thing. This is just too toxic.
We should probably go to therapy ASAP. Lol
Seriously though.
Ava
You’re not wrong.
By the time we pull into Windy Harbor, my shoulders finally start to loosen. Everything with my dad is still sitting inside me like a bruise, but driving into the cozy little town lifts my spirits. The vast expanse of water feels like I’m going on vacation. Like I’m catching my breath.
We’ve barely set our bags down in the cabin when Dylan’s phone buzzes.
He glances at the screen and grins. “It’s Camden.”
“Hey, man. You’re on speaker.”
Camden’s deep, confident voice fills the room. “Tell me you two are coming to dinner tonight. Elm & Echo. Seven o’clock.”
I can hear laughter in the background.
Dylan looks at me with a raised eyebrow. “You up for it?”
“Of course,” I say, excited at the thought of seeing everyone.
“Good,” Camden says. “See you then.”
“We’ll be there,” Dylan says.
“I’ve never been to Elm & Echo. I’m excited to finally experience Camden’s cooking. Is it really that incredible?”
Dylan kisses my forehead. “You’ll see.”
By the time seven rolls around, I’m wearing a black dress that makes me feel put together for the first time in days.
Dylan’s in a crisp button-down and dark jeans, sleeves rolled up just enough to show his sexy forearms. Chloe is in a cute little dress too, babbling excitedly about seeing Everett, Noah, and “Go-yee” and “Tu-yeeeee,” whose name she always drags out.
We walk into Elm & Echo and—yeah. Okay. Wow.
It’s stunning.
Warm wood, huge windows that look out over the water, twinkle lights floating like little stars.
It’s elegant but not pretentious, the kind of place that feels curated without being cold.
People talk about high-end restaurants feeling sterile.
This one feels like someone has poured their soul into every corner.
A teenage boy at the host stand looks up, sees Dylan, and lights up.
“Dude!” he practically shouts. “You’re back!”
Dylan laughs and pulls him into a one-armed hug over the counter. “What’s up, Joey?”
Joey beams at me, then at Chloe, who waves like she’s greeting royalty. “I was excited when Camden said you guys were coming. Everyone’s back here.”
He grabs menus and leads us through the restaurant. We round the corner into a large alcove with a long table—and suddenly the whole room erupts.
“There they are!”
“Finally!”
“We missed you guys!”
And then I’m being hugged.
Erin squeezes me so hard my back pops. She looks at me in horror, and I laugh.
“Thank you. I needed that,” I tell her.
Ava looks like she might cry seeing me. “I’m so glad you’re back. I missed you!”
“I missed you too.” I squeeze her hand. “We have so much to catch up on.”
Everett bends down and gives Chloe a huge hug.
Camden walks out wearing his chef’s apron, smelling like herbs and smoke and something caramelized. He’s on his way to hug us when Juju walks in, and his attention is snagged by her.
It makes me giggle to see how enraptured he is with her.
Goldie and Milo stand and hug us. Speaking of enraptured. Milo gazes at Goldie lovingly as she says how happy she is that we’re home.
And then the grandmas descend on us.
Grandma Nancy cups my face like she’s checking to see if I’ve changed in the week and a half I was gone. Grandma Donna kisses Chloe’s cheeks until my little girl collapses into giggles.
“We were worried sick,” Grandma Nancy says. “California feels a million miles away when you’re gone that long. Felt so helpless, being so far and unable to do anything.”
“You did a ton. You watched Bill,” Dylan reminds her. “I hope you’re ready to give him up, though. I told Dad I was stopping by on the way home tonight to pick him up.”
“Oh, are you sure you have to do that?” Grandma Donna asks. “He’s such a little dear. And he and Kevin get along so well. He loves it with us, doesn’t he, Nancy?”
“Yes, he sure does.”
“I have no doubt that he does,” Dylan says, laughing. “But I’ll bring him to visit often, I promise.”
“I should hope so,” Grandma Nancy says.
Their affection is like the softest, most enveloping blanket.
After Noah and Grayson walk in, Grayson and Chloe have the cutest reunion, while Noah comes and hugs us. I snap a picture of Grayson telling Chloe something in great detail and her putting her hand over her mouth as she gasps. It’s so adorable, I’m going to frame it.
Dylan slides his hand around my waist just as Camden calls from the head of the table, “All right, all right! Sit down and eat. It’s a celebration.”
Everyone laughs and starts settling into their seats.
“What are we celebrating?” I ask.
“Your new job at Windhaven!” Everett calls from across the table.
I look around and see everyone’s sweet smiles. “Really?” I ask, my grin going wobbly.
I take my place next to Dylan, across from Erin and Ava. Chloe sits tucked between Grandma Nancy on her left and Grandma Donna on her right like she’s the guest of honor.
“Look at her,” Grandma Donna says, smoothing Chloe’s hair. “Has she gotten taller? She’s taller, isn’t she?”
“She has to be,” Grandma Nancy replies. “She’s practically a young lady now. I heard you’re going to be three very soon.”
Chloe grins proudly. “I young yady.”
“Yes, you are, sweetheart,” Grandma Nancy says, kissing the top of her head.
Camden brings out a small appetizer plate and sets it in front of Chloe—three tiny rolls shaped like sea animals.
Chloe gasps. “Fish bread!”
Grandma Donna covers her mouth, delighted. “Oh, look at her joy.”
Grandma Nancy leans closer to inspect the plate. “My goodness, they’re adorable. Look at that dolphin. Almost too cute to eat.”
Chloe picks up the turtle and whispers, “Hi, friend,” stroking its little bread shell.
Dylan grins at me. “She’s so cute sometimes I can’t take it.”
“I know,” I whisper. “Same.”
“Dylan, remember naming a fish after your math teacher?” Grandma Donna asks.
Dylan glares playfully. “I was eight.”
“And the fish was very judgmental,” Grandma Nancy says. “Just like Mrs. Kline.”
Grandma Donna nods solemnly. “It was the eyebrows.”
The table bursts into laughter.
“I wish I had a side-by-side picture of that fish and Mrs. Kline. It’s so true,” Dylan says, laughing harder.
For the first time all day—maybe all week—I feel something close to steady again.
I’m surrounded by love.
Kindness.
By people who show up.
And don’t expect anything but love in return.
As I look around the table at all these faces beaming at me, I know this is exactly where I’m meant to be.