Chapter Six
Now
Avery
The bright sun and crisp, familiar ocean air remind me of where I am. Not every beach smells the same, but this one gives off a scent of home—but also heartbreak and suffocation. The window is down, causing the wind to whip through my long hair.
I forgot how aggressive the breeze is out here.
I pull my rental car into the short, steep driveway of the beach bungalow I’m renting for the next few days. I suspect closing this chapter of my life will be difficult, so I took some time from work to face it.
Piper apologized when she booked this location for me because it’s just a short distance down the shore from Jasper’s dad’s house and my aunt Helen’s. I preferred to keep my distance by staying somewhere in town, but they were all booked. Summertime is a popular time for tourists.
The one-bedroom, light blue cottage with white shutters looks inviting—a perfect place for a beachside getaway. The whole town is like that. But beneath the allure of seaside living is the pain I’ve felt since I left so many summers ago.
Removing my luggage from the trunk, I keep my eyes down, hoping my aunt isn’t somewhere on the beach.
We’ve kept in contact here and there since I left for college, but she reminded me of Jasper because I didn’t know her well before I met him.
I lost parts of myself that summer, and the reminder of it has been too painful.
The distance has hurt Helen, but it was essential to my emotional health. I thought of what I’d say to her about my sudden appearance on the plane ride. She needs to know why I never returned to visit and why I had to stay away. Deep down, I know she understands why.
I didn’t tell her I was coming back to town for fear I’d change my mind. I suppose it would be easier to do this electronically, through mail, or by my lawyers, but I need to face this part of my life to move on.
The instant the door swings open, I get hit with the familiar moist air that comes from living on the water. The place is cuter than the pictures. It has a small living room off to the side, a quaint coastal-themed kitchen, and a short hallway with only a bathroom and bedroom.
I roll my suitcases into the bedroom, then quickly peek around, heading back into the living room to text the girls.
Me: I just got in. The place is super cute.
Lina: Christian said you guys landed a while ago. I was just about to text you.
Christian is a friend of ours. He and her boyfriend, Carter, are both pilots for our airline.
Me: The perks of knowing everyone in the airline industry.
Piper: Haha, Lina. I’m glad you like the place. Again, I’m sorry that it’s not more private.
Me: It’s fine. I just appreciate you handling it for me.
Bailey: What’s your plan after you get settled?
I take a deep breath, then tap out a response.
Me: I’m going to head to my aunt’s house to see if she knows where Jasper is.
Lina: You’re not wasting any time, are you?
Me: My emotions can’t afford to spend any more time here than is absolutely necessary.
Piper: Good luck! Keep us updated.
Bailey: We’ll try to leave you alone for the next few days, but please check in.
Me: Of course I will. Love you, babes.
After a quick shower, I throw on a sundress and sandals, then head out the back door.
Walking a short distance down the shore, I quickly eye Helen’s little cottage.
My stomach flips with every step I take.
The familiar sounds of the surf rolling in and out, the warm breeze, and the low buzz of summer insects bring me right back to that time.
Swallowing hard, I gather my wits, then knock on my aunt’s door.
“Avery!” she exclaims, falling into me with a full hug. “Oh, honey, it’s so good to see you!”
I wrap my arms around her. Our embrace feels good, maybe even strengthening. “It’s good to see you too.”
Clutching my shoulders, she pulls back to look at me. “This is such a wonderful surprise.”
“Can I come in?” I gesture behind her.
“Oh, sorry, yes!” She steps aside. “Of course.”
I walk into the adorably small space. Not much has changed in the years since I’ve been here. I smile to myself with her familiar comfort, but within that same breath, a forced gulp surfaces. These memories are more intense than I thought they’d be.
Squeezing my eyes shut, I sit on the white linen couch while my aunt hurries into the kitchen.
“I’ll grab you some lemonade,” she calls out.
“Thank you,” I say, tucking my sweaty hands underneath my legs.
A brief moment later, she returns with two light blue plastic cups and a pitcher of lemonade. I remove one from the tray while she settles into the spot across from me—her sun-kissed cheeks and tangled, sandy blonde hair warm my heart. I’ve missed her.
“I’m so excited to see you, but your unannounced visit worries me.” Helen sips her drink. “Is everything alright?”
Rubbing my fingers along the condensation of the cup, I avoid eye contact.
I have to tell her Jasper and I are still legally married, and then quickly follow it up with the fact that I’m now engaged to another man.
I practiced these sentences endless times on the trip out here, but now I can’t find the words.
“I’m okay, and everything is alright—”
She lets out an audible breath. “Oh, thank goodness. How is work?”
I quickly regroup to think about work instead, relieving some of my anxiousness. “Work is really good. I love flying.”
My aunt smiles softly. “That’s great to hear, dear. I’ve always been so proud of you for attending college and making a career for yourself instead of just living off your parents’ inheritance.”
“Thank you.” I nod, then bite my lip. “I’m actually here for a reason, though.” I pause, waiting for her to interrupt, but she doesn’t, so I continue. “You know it was hard for me when Jasper and I broke up.”
Helen’s expression falls with empathy. If anyone knows how difficult that time was on me, it’s her. “I know it was.”
A vivid memory flashes across my mind like a streak of lightning. “And the other thing too.”
Her comforting hand finds the top of my knee. “Oh yes, honey.”
“Well, I’m here because the guy I’ve been dating for the last year proposed to me last weekend.”
She pops up. “Oh heavens! That’s wonderful. Congratulations!” But when I don’t mirror her excitement, she chews on her lip and slowly sits back down.
“Jasper and I never got our marriage annulled or got divorced.”
The color drains from her face and her body stills. Her eyes dart around the room. “We might need something stronger than this, love.”
“Do you have any whiskey?”
Helen arches a brow. “Good call, I’ll grab the hard stuff.”
I thread a shaky hand through my hair as clinking glasses echo from the kitchen.
“Okay, so spill it.” She hands me a shot-sized amount of amber-colored liquid in a glass.
I breathe in the warm scent of the bourbon before I continue. “He was my everything, and I thought we would be together forever.”
Helen leans in, bringing her warm hand back to my knee. “I know.”
“Life has been complicated for me since then.” The heaviness in my heart intensifies when my words travel through the space between us.
“Why didn’t you tell me you two were still married?” She winces, swallowing down a sip. “Why hasn’t Jasper told me? I see him all the time. He’s the fucking mayor. You’d think it would have come out at some point.”
My heart stops. Wait. What? “Did you just say he’s the mayor?”
“I guess we are a small town, so no one ever knew. And he’s dated—” Her face shows panic as she halts conversation with herself.
I’m not na?ve enough to think he has dated anyone in the last eight years—hell, he probably has a live-in girlfriend by now. Maybe even has a kid—or kids. Oh my god, I’m going to be sick. I force down the bile, inching up the back of my throat.
Refocusing my eyes on the soft pile rug at my feet. “It’s fine, Aunt Helen. I know he’s been with other people.” I straighten my posture. “I’m over him. I was over him a long time ago.”
She smiles sympathetically, but I know behind her kind gesture, she doesn’t believe me. “I know that break up was hard for you, especially after losing your parents just a few months earlier.”
“It’s fine now. I promise. It was a long time ago.” I roll my thumb over the divots on the glass. “But you said he’s the mayor now?”
“He is. It’s crazy to imagine, right? But he isn’t that troubled surfer kid he once was.” Her face brightens. “It’s only been a little over a year since he was elected, and he’s done incredible things for the businesses in the town.”
I’m shocked. That’s the last thing I expected him to be. I imagined I’d find him without a job, surfing all day and living in a little shore house. I’m surprised at the airy feeling in my chest at the thought.
“That’s, uh, great to hear,” I say, taking a slightly larger drink this time. “Is he married?”
“No, but that’s probably because you two still are.” She smirks, trying to lighten the mood.
“Oh yeah. Of course.” I run my tongue along my teeth, knowing that time is of the essence right now. “I have our divorce papers in my bag. I figured I should do this in person.”
“I understand.” She crosses one leg over the other, more relaxed than she was when we first sat down. “Are you staying with someone close, or would you like to stay here?”
Of course, she’s worried about me. Not overly affectionate, but warm enough to make me feel safe and secure.
“I’m staying in a rental just down the beach.” I gesture behind me.
“Oh, you’re close?” Her eyes light up. “That’s the Hannah family’s house, I think.”
“Yeah, I think so.” I shrug, assuming she’s right because Piper had booked it for me. “It’s a cute spot.”
“Are you planning on seeing Jasper today?”
Her question is typical in nature, and yes, that was the plan the whole time, but it still hits me at the core like I’m just realizing it.
I need to shut the fucking door on this chapter of my life.
I’m ready to be done. This hold he’s had on me for years must be broken. I’m desperate to be free of it.
I clear my throat. “Yes, I’d love to handle it as soon as possible.”
“I understand,” she says, nodding vigorously.
A text comes through from Dave.
“One moment.” I glance down and can’t help but laugh that I still have him saved in my phone as Dave the Dentist. If the girls knew, they’d never let me live it down.
Dave the Dentist: I have back-to-back appointments for the rest of the day, so I won’t be able to answer if you call me.
Me: Okay. I made it here safely.
Dave the Dentist: I figured. Remind me why you needed to go to that small town anyway.
Me: There are just a few things I have to take care of, and that’s all. And I wanted to tell my aunt in person about our engagement.
Dave the Dentist: You’re probably miserable. I hate little towns like that. Good luck.
Irritation zips up my spine. Despite the heartache this town caused, I created the best memories of my life here. It’s a cozy little beach town, and it would make for an unforgettable vacation under different circumstances.
Glancing back up at my aunt, she has a puzzled look on her face. “Your fiancé?”
“Yes. Dave.” I rub my lips together, then set the phone back on the glass table.
“You don’t sparkle like a woman newly engaged,” she mumbles under her breath.
“I need a divorce, Aunt Helen.”
Her lungs suck in an audible breath like she can feel the weight on my chest. “I know, dear.”
Rolling my shoulders back, I straighten my posture. “Where can I find him?”
“His office is downtown. It’s a weekday, so I’m sure he’ll still be there.”
I chug the last bit of bourbon before rising to my feet. “Thank you. I’ll come back to visit before I leave town,” I reassure her. With a silent smile, I grab my purse and head toward the front door.
“I’ll be here.” Her words are upbeat, but the slight frown tells me she’s either worried or sad. Neither of which I can think about right now. As I close the door behind me, I promise myself to do a better job at keeping my aunt in my life.
The warm sand sprays the back of my legs as I trudge through it toward my rented beach house.
I take the steps two at a time, going in through the patio door.
With determination and adrenaline pumping through my veins, I swipe the manilla envelope from my bag, tuck it under my arm, and leave through the front door this time.
My mind is blank, driving down the small streets of this coastal town. Even with the subtle changes in town, I can still spot most of the original surf shops and restaurants here. It doesn’t take me long to reach City Hall.
A small one-story building with a white exterior and light blue trim around the edges, it could not be more quaint and fucking adorable.
As I pull into the parking lot, my heart hammers, and my palms sweat.
Can I do this? With shaky hands, I pull into a parking space next to a sign that says “Mayor.”
To my side sits a black BMW sedan with dark-tinted windows.
Oh my god, he’s here.
“You can do this, Avery. Be strong,” I mutter, taking a few weighted breaths. I grab my bag from the passenger seat and exit the car. I consider leaving at least two more times on the walk up the short rose-bush-lined walkway. Two antique surfboards don both sides of the entrance.
I can fucking do this. I yank on the door, and a gust of cool air hits me when I take my first step inside. An older lady with tortoiseshell glasses tips her head from beyond her desk.
“Can I help you?” she drawls.
I swallow the growing cotton ball in my throat. “I’m here to see Jas—the mayor.”
“Is he expecting you?”
I shake my head, my eyes darting down the long hallway to my left.
“I’m sorry, but the mayor only sees people who have scheduled meetings with him,” she dismisses me and returns to her work.
I raise my tippy toes, leaning over her desk until I’m only a few inches from her face. “He’ll want to see me.”
Shocked by my forward gestures, her eyebrows snap together. She looks like she will challenge me but doesn’t, so she lifts from her chair. “Can I tell him your name?”
“Tell him Mrs. Collins is here to see him.”
“Um, okay, Miss.” She pauses, confusion sweeping across her face. “One moment.”
This is it.