Chapter 14
14
KAISEN
C ullen and Eliza had arrived with yet another announcement—they had rented a house for their stay in Cape May. They would not be staying in the house with me. Honestly, that wasn’t terrible. It would be a little weird to have the happy couple chasing each other around and doing their thing when I was alone in bed. I was happy for them, but I didn’t need to see or hear them in love.
“I hope pizza is okay,” Cullen said. “There’s not much open.”
“Pizza is fine,” I said.
We settled into the living room, leaving the pizza in the kitchen while we waited for Dorie to show up.
Cullen leaned back on the couch, his arm draped casually around Eliza’s shoulders. “The drive wasn’t bad,” he said. “Took us about two and a half hours. Smooth sailing most of the way.”
Eliza nodded, brushing a strand of hair out of her face. “Yeah, and that little bungalow we rented was adorable.”
“And the one we got here is even better,” Cullen chimed in.
“Where did you end up?” I asked.
“It’s right by the beach—literally steps away from the sand,” Eliza said. “I can’t wait for you to see it, Kaisen. It’s got this vibe, like old-school Cape May charm. White picket fence, a little porch with rocking chairs, and these huge windows that let in so much light.”
“Sounds cozy,” I said.
“It’s got character. And the owner—this sweet older lady named Marge—left us a basket of fresh pastries and a handwritten note welcoming us. I mean, who does that anymore?”
“Did you get her life story too?” I joked.
Eliza laughed. “Almost! She told us all about how she and her husband bought the house decades ago as a summer retreat. She even showed us old photographs of the place before they restored it. It was really sweet. She’s like the quintessential Cape May grandma—warm, a little nosy, and full of stories.”
“Thank you so much for doing the venue walkthrough,” Cullen said. “We needed the week off before we jump into all the wedding chaos.”
I nodded. “Sure. Although, if I would have known you guys weren’t going to show up for a week, I would have taken a trip to Miami or Cancun before showing up here.”
Eliza smiled. “We didn’t know we were going to. It just kind of happened. And then two days turned into four and it was amazing.”
“We owe you big,” Cullen said.
“I’m so looking forward to getting into all the pre-wedding events,” Eliza said. “We were hoping we could still have the game night here. You’ve certainly got the space.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Game night? Here? I didn’t pack Monopoly or Uno, but sure.”
Eliza grinned, her eyes sparkling. “Oh, it’s not just Monopoly. We’re talking full-on charades, Pictionary, maybe even a little Cards Against Humanity if we’re feeling spicy.”
Cullen groaned, draping his arm over his face dramatically. “Please, no charades. Last time we played, Eliza made me act out ‘Baby Shark,’ and I still haven’t recovered.”
“You loved it,” Eliza teased, poking him in the ribs. “Admit it.”
Their lovey-dovey ways would make a normal person gag. I was happy for them, but geez. It was a lot. I was glad they decided to get their own place. I was perfectly fine kicking around the house by myself. It was better than the alternative.
“What have you been doing to keep yourself busy?” Cullen asked me.
I leaned back in my chair, shrugging. “Not much. Exploring the town, catching up on some reading. You know, the usual.”
Cullen raised an eyebrow. “That’s it? No wild parties or secret rendezvous?”
I chuckled. “Not exactly. Unless you count running on the beach and helping some kid untangle his kite string.”
Eliza’s eyes widened. “That’s sweet of you.”
“Don’t act so surprised,” I said.
The rain was pouring down outside. The sound of it hitting the windows seemed to get louder by the second. I couldn’t stop checking my watch. Dorie was supposed to arrive an hour ago. Where was she?
I tried to push down the worry gnawing at me, but it was no use.
“Have you heard from Dorie?” I asked, unable to stay quiet. “I talked to her earlier and she said she would be here.”
“Dorie’s the hardest working person I’ve ever met,” Eliza said with a fond smile. “She doesn’t quit. She’s probably elbow deep in dough or batter.”
“The bakery is closed today,” I reminded her. “And when I talked to her, she was at home.”
I was a little irritated she wasn’t more concerned. Did she know her sister wouldn’t even buy herself a thirty-dollar coffeemaker because she thought it was too much? That Dorie drove around in a car that had ten dash lights on at all times.
“She’s probably just running late because of the rain,” Eliza said, completely dismissing my concern. “Don’t worry, she’ll be here.”
I nodded, but I wasn’t convinced. “We’ll wait a few more minutes.”
“Dorie is the kind of person that shows up,” Eliza said. “She’s essentially been taking care of me since we were young. We’re twins, but she’s always been the big sister. Dorie helped me get into college. She knew how badly I wanted to go to law school and made it happen.”
“How?” I asked.
“She worked through high school so I could continue to play sports when our parents needed help with the bills,” she said. “She sacrificed so much for me, Kaisen. I don’t think I ever really thanked her enough for it. She’d come home from her shifts at the diner, exhausted, and still sit down to help me with my homework. She never complained. Not once.”
Cullen squeezed her shoulder gently. “She’s a good person,” he said. “But she’s also stubborn. You know that. If she says she’s coming, she’ll be here.”
I didn’t respond. My mind was stuck on what Eliza had just shared about Dorie. It explained a lot—the way she always seemed to put others first, the way she worked herself to the bone without ever asking for anything in return. The more I heard, the more I understood why Dorie was the way she was—so selfless, so determined, so stubborn.
But hearing all of that just made the knot of worry in my stomach tighten. Dorie wasn’t just running late.
“I’m going to get another drink,” I said. “You guys want another soda? Water?”
“I’m good,” Eliza said.
I walked into the kitchen and called Dorie. It rang and rang, but she didn’t answer. I tried again, my worry growing with each passing second. I didn’t want to freak Cullen and Eliza out, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong.
They might not be concerned, but I was, and I was going to find her.
I was just putting on my coat when there was a knock at the door. I opened it to find Dorie standing there looking like she’d just crawled out of the ocean. She was soaking wet, her hair plastered to her face, her clothes clinging to her.
“Sorry,” she said. “The rain is relentless, and the roads are awful. My stupid car broke down, so I walked here.”
I stared at her completely dumbfounded. Eliza pushed me out of the way and pulled Dorie inside. They hugged like they hadn’t seen each other in years. I realized, that might be the case. I was still in shock that she walked here in this weather.
I couldn’t take my eyes off Dorie. She was shivering, her lips tinged with blue, and I wanted so badly to warm her up.
Eliza stepped back and clicked her tongue. “You’re soaked.”
“Come with me,” I said and grabbed her arm. I pulled her upstairs, ignoring her protests.
“What are you doing?” she asked. “Where are we going?”
“You need to get out of those wet clothes.”
“No. I’m fine. Just a towel, please.”
In the bedroom, I rummaged through the closet and pulled out a dry shirt and sweatpants.
“Change into these,” I said, handing them to her. “No arguments.”
“I’m fine,” she said. “I’m not going to melt. It’s just water.”
She glared at me but took the clothes, disappearing into the bathroom. When she came out, she was wearing the dry shirt and her damp jeans, stubborn as ever. She looked incredible, but I pushed that thought aside, focusing on the anger I felt.
“Are you insane?” I asked. “Walking all this way in the rain? What if something had happened to you?”
She crossed her arms over her chest, her eyes flashing with anger. “My car broke down, and I’ve been having a horrible evening so far. I don’t need you getting on my back too. I walk all the time. I’ve walked in the rain. It’s not terrible.”
I stepped closer, my frustration boiling over. “Why don’t you let people help you, Dorie? Why do you have to do everything on your own?”
She scoffed, shaking her head. “Oh, like you’re one to talk. You think buying me a five-thousand-dollar espresso machine is helping me? That’s nothing to you, isn’t it? Just another way to throw your money around.”
I clenched my jaw, trying to keep my temper in check. “I was trying to do something nice for you. Is that so wrong?”
“Nice?” she shot back, her voice rising. “Or is that your way of charming your way into my pants?”
I stepped closer, my eyes locked on hers. “Is that what you want?”
She glared at me, her chest rising and falling with each breath. “You’re unbelievable.”
She tried to storm away, but I caught her arm, pulling her back to me. “Dorie, listen to me. I get it. I get what it feels like to have to carry the burdens of everyone else. But you don’t realize how thin you’ve stretched yourself over the years, making sure Eliza gets her dream life. You’re under so much pressure. You don’t have to do it all alone.”
She yanked her arm free, her eyes blazing. “You have no idea how much pressure I’m under right now. We have to work together, so just make this easy on me, okay? Save the lecture and psychobabble. I’ve been just fine, and I will continue to be fine when you go home.”
I wanted to argue, to tell her that I was trying to make it easier, but she was already heading for the door. I followed her downstairs, wishing my usual charm would work on her, wishing I could make her see that I wasn’t the enemy.
Cullen and Eliza were on their feet, putting on their jackets. “We’re going to head back to the cottage,” Eliza said. “We’re exhausted. You guys eat the pizza.”
“We’ll see you tomorrow, right?” Cullen asked.
“You’re leaving?” Dorie asked. “I just got here!”
“We’ll give you a lift,” Cullen said.
“I’m not getting stuck with two pizzas,” I said. “I’ll get you home, Dorie. You guys take a pizza.”
I went to grab one of the boxes and handed it to Cullen.
“Don’t forget about the dancing lesson tomorrow,” Eliza said.
I nodded, faking a smile. “We’ll be there.”
They said their goodbyes and left. Dorie turned to look at me. I could tell she was irritated, but there was a look of exhaustion on her as well.
“Come on,” I said. “Pizza. I don’t have anything warm to drink besides coffee.”
“I’m fine,” she said.
“Yeah, yeah,” I muttered and walked back to the kitchen.
I heard her following behind me. I was going to make sure she ate and warmed up. Someone needed to take care of her.