Chapter 5 #2
"I miss my friends." She caught my gaze. "But the house is nice?—"
I suppose that was the best I could hope for. It was more words than she usually used. There was usually more screeches, groans, and door slamming.
"I remember what it was like to be a teenage girl. But the island is an amazing place for a kid. You can bike around the island and meet people. Did you know that your father and my granddaughter spent a lot of time together the summer they turned eighteen?"
Hayden's curious gaze moved from Blaire to me. "They said something about it."
"There's a lot of freedom to be had on the island if you can stop looking at your phone," Blaire said, but Hayden didn't take issue with her tone.
Instead, she seemed to be thinking about what she'd said.
If Blaire and Saylor convinced Hayden to put down her phone and enjoy the island, I would be forever grateful to them. "I had a great childhood growing up here."
Blaire turned her attention back to me. "So you plan to stay?"
"That's the idea. I need to talk to my brothers about working for the business again." I wasn't naive enough to think they'd take me back with open arms. I had bridges to rebuild, especially with my father and Hudson. I'd hurt them the most.
"And what drew you to my beach house?"
"It was the perfect location for me to get to know my daughter again," I said without any conscious thought about my answer. I probably should have censored that a bit. I didn't want to push my daughter away by being too sentimental. "I've missed a lot of time with Hayden."
"And do you like the beach?" Blaire asked Hayden.
"Yes," Hayden said. "It's really quiet."
"I left a few seashell books on the shelves. You can take a look at those. The best time to go hunting is in the morning before everyone gets up."
I doubted my teen daughter would get up early to go seashell hunting, but she didn't tell Blaire that, and for that small grace, I was grateful. Hayden seemed to feel like it was imperative for her to tell everyone exactly what she thought.
Our drinks came, and I sipped the sweet tea, wondering what Blaire wanted to get from this meeting.
"Who's sleeping in the primary?" Blaire asked.
"I am," Hayden said, and Blaire's gaze flicked from her to Saylor.
"So you two are sharing the second floor? Is it big enough for you?"
"It's perfect, especially the second floor deck," I said.
"Ah, yes, that’s the crown jewel of that house. Best thing we ever added to the cottage."
Hayden just shrugged.
I kind of liked the idea that Saylor was upstairs with me. So far, I hadn't walked into her naked in the bathroom again. I was holding out hope I'd get another encounter. But that was probably a once-in-a-lifetime event, never to be repeated.
We'd spend the summer carefully dancing around each other.
"What are your plans for the summer?" Blaire asked me.
I cleared my throat. "I want to spend time with my family."
Blaire glanced at Saylor. "Oh, how nice. Surely, Saylor can tag along to those get-togethers."
"Why would I want to do that?" Saylor asked her grandmother.
Blaire patted her hand. "You need to get out more. That ex-boyfriend did a number on you, but you're not dead yet. You have a lot of life left to live."
Saylor rolled her eyes. "I'm living my life."
"Not really," Blaire said simply.
Saylor shook her head. "Don't listen to her. I'm happy."
Saylor had seemed fine the last day or two. I hadn't noticed that she was down about her ex. But I wondered what he'd done to make her grandmother mention him.
"The island is magical. It's healing, just the remedy you need for what ails you."
"That's what I'm counting on." I wanted to connect with Hayden again, and I hoped the salt air would be able to close that gap.
"I hope you can fix things with your family. The Kingstons are a big name around here. The only contractors on the island."
"It's a big responsibility," I said.
Blaire's expression turned serious. "You know the Kingston brothers were named the most eligible bachelors on the island not too long ago, and now a few of them are in serious relationships."
I laughed uncomfortably. "You're not saying that will happen to me?—"
She inclined her head. "You're making a lot of changes in your life, and you came home for a reason."
"Grandma, he came home to be with his family, not to settle down and get married."
I hadn't thought much about a relationship. My focus had been my military career and Hayden. But now that I'd seen more of my brothers settle down, I was starting to think about what it would be like for me. I'd always have someone to come home to.
Some time had passed since the summer Saylor and I were eighteen. We'd both been through a lot. Seeing each other again didn't mean we were destined for anything. "I'm planning to stay on the island, and Saylor is going home."
"I believe the magic of the island will work on all of you," Blaire said cryptically, and Hayden exchanged a confused look with me.
I shrugged, pleased that we were connecting on anything.