Chapter 24
After we awake and make stupidly googly eyes at each other over coffee and Whiska has stopped meowing for food, we start unpacking the Christmas decorations I ordered.
Despite my temptation, Dave is lucky that I didn’t order some kind of massive lighted holiday village.
There is room for it here, and I’ve always kind of wanted one. Maybe next year …
That night, he is poking his head in the fridge and lamenting about how there’s nothing for dinner, as we did forget to pack up the fridge from the rental.
I perk up. “I have an idea. There’s a restaurant a bit from here, but I fell in love …”
It feels deceptive, and I’m beyond nervous as I drive, hoping this isn’t a horrible mistake. I park and lead us inside. We’re escorted to our booth, and while browsing the menu, Billy shows up.
“You made it,” he says with a shaky voice.
Dave’s menu flutters in his hand, and he looks at me with a sinking heart, clearly all broken again. “Diana, did you do this?”
“Just hear him out, okay? Let him talk.”
After I nod, Billy sits down with us.
“Please don’t be scared to talk to me. To listen. Can you do that for me?” He reaches a hand across the table.
Dave is clearly confused by this gesture, but grabs Blue’s hand firmly.
Little Blue looks him in the eye. “While, of course, I was hurt in that accident, you were my inspiration when I was a kid. And after. Even when you left lobstering and opened your truck, I looked up to you then. But I had worshipped you while you hauled lobsters.
“For years, my parents brought us back to the same vacation spot, and every summer, I watched you and your crew, admired them. My mom and dad would have to tear me away from the dock. Every time I asked you questions after hanging around the dock for hours, you answered. Every crazy question about lobstering, all the specific stuff I wanted? You answered without flinching. And then you gave me my dream and took me on the boat.”
“And then I nearly killed you,” David states assuredly.
“No. I was a persistent, annoying kid, and you did what I’d been begging you to do.
You took me out and gave me the experience that I wanted.
This may sound strange, but I still remember how much fun it was.
Those were the best days of my life. I loved watching it all.
Obviously, until things took a bad turn on that last trip. ” He actually laughs.
“What happened was all my fault. I was a shitty kid who wouldn’t let up and truly never left you with any choice but to bring me on the boat.
I was dying to join you, to be with you while you hauled traps and ran a boat.
All of it. And then I was your downfall.
I ruined everything for you. I did something stupid.
I shouldn’t have been on a boat, but I am the one who made you take me out that day. ”
David shakes his head. “I was the adult. Or I was supposed to be the adult. I failed you. It was a bad fucking call. I was supposed to say no, to make the responsible decision. What happened wasn’t your fault. It was mine.”
Billy shakes his head and nearly rushes across the table.
“God, no. That accident was gruesome and awful. And while it looked like the worst thing ever—and this will sound crazy—it was actually the best thing. I feel like I probably traumatized you more than me. It made me who I am. And it’s why my parents opened this place.
They loved Snowshoe Cove. The vibe, the food, the people. You.
“I’m sorry they never went back after that summer, but it wasn’t for any bad reasons.
Honestly, I think my dad was too ashamed.
He blamed himself, given how he’d badgered you.
But I’m healed, and I’m a lobsterman now, especially because of that day.
Because of you. Because you let me on the boat really.
That showed me the kind of person you were.
How much you believed in me. In kids. And in this wonderful lobstering world.
” Billy’s face is so damn lit up right now. “I freaking love my life.”
He hops back on his heels and visibly has to hold himself back before he says, “My parents are in the kitchen, and they’d seriously love to see you again.”
Initially, Dave looks stricken, but after I squeeze his hand and sort of shake him, he looks to me, and I nod with encouragement.
Billy rushes off.
Dave is shaking. “His mom is rightfully going to stab me. Maternal instincts are intuitively sharp.”
Before we can say anything, Billy’s mother and father rush through the doors. His mom practically yanks Dave out of his seat, and then he’s swallowed up in an embrace by both of them.
“I don’t know what is happening,” Dave whispers in happy confusion as he embraces them back.
Before he can say anything, Billy’s mom puts up a hand to explain.
“While, yes, there was that horrific day with our son—and my husband will insist it was all his fault—it was nobody’s fault.
” She grabs his hands in hers. “That whole weekend got our family to refocus. Yes, we loved our vacations in Snowshoe Cove, but we learned that what we really loved was the family time more. So, after the accident and Blue’s healing, we made ourselves a new life, one we got caught up with.
Now we have this restaurant.” She beams.
“But I can see now that it was awful of us to never come back to Snowshoe Cove again. We’d moved on, but not because we didn’t want to go back. I think we felt so goddamn guilty for what we’d done to you.” Her cheeks are full of silent tears, ones she finally brushes away.
“And apparently, you have a food truck for us to visit. Not to mention a really special girlfriend.”
Dave nods. “I do. Have both.” He reaches back for my hand and pulls me in. “So, let’s eat, yes.”
Dave is silent for the ride home. But it’s a good silent, I think.
Or maybe I wildly screwed up. But during our silent drive, it hits me why I met him last summer.
He understandably stays away from Snowshoe Cove around the anniversary of the accident; while it’s a most lucrative time for the food truck, he doesn’t want to be in town.
And he’s got an assistant who can mostly handle things.
I can’t fault him for running away. I did when I could.
It’s helped us both.
It isn’t until we get back to his house that he sweetly smashes me against his front door in a wave of emotion, tears in his eyes.
“Diana, thank you.”
“It was nothing,” I say as I unlock the door and let us into our new home. “Want to finish off the tree? With the star?”
After we’ve taken time to settle with some hot cider, he climbs up the stepladder and positions the light-up star. “Good?”
It’s exactly right.
Then we string yards and yards of white twinkle lights, followed by strands of wooden cranberries.
“And now all the ornaments?” I ask.
“Of course.”
So, we hang the decorations that I’ve always wanted to have.
Old-timey Santas, vintage Snoopy globes, hand-carved wooden birds, and more than a few Wonder Woman figures.
My favorites though are the ones I bought recently.
Lots of clip-ons that represent Maine. A moose, a fox, a seal, a black bear, tons of birds.
And now, my favorite, a snowshoe hare, the animal that named this town.
Tomorrow is Christmas Eve, a day that feels like it could be my best first. Granted, holidays never seemed like they were going to be anything but awful, but this Christmas Eve? It’s somehow held some kind of promise. Like maybe some stupid miracle will occur.
And the forecast just sucks, but I’m happy to be with my love in his bed tonight.
“So, I’m your girlfriend?” I ask. Not that it’s the most important issue of the night, but …
“You’d better be.” His full-body wrap confirms it.