Chapter 17
Muriel’s text sounded normal, but it felt strange. Meet me for a walk?
Sure, he replied, not sure what to expect.
When he saw her, for some reason, his eyes drifted directly to the diamond on her finger. Maybe it was the size of it glinting in the sun, or her awkward wave when he showed up, but there it was on her ring finger.
“Wow, someone has a huge diamond on their finger,” he said. Was this the reason behind the weird text?
“Zack asked me to marry him,” she said, holding up the diamond with a ton of little diamonds around it. He wasn’t surprised. He’d buy her the biggest diamond, too. “I’m leaving tonight to go back to Concord.”
“Wow,” was all he could say. “Engaged.”
“Yeah, it all happened so fast,” she said. “Zack and I are going to start looking for houses right away.”
“Wow.” He could feel bile rising in his throat.
Muriel was getting married.
“That’s great, Muriel. I’m happy for you,” he said. Could she tell he was lying? Why did he always fall for the one he couldn’t have? Why couldn’t he just stay friends like he kept promising himself? Why wasn’t he begging her to give him a chance before promising her life to another man?
“You’ll have to visit us when you come to Concord next,” she said, and he wondered if she realized how low that hit.
He looked across the bay and thought about all that was left in the small village once Muriel left. Not much.
This was his moment. His confessional moment where he could tell her his feelings. Tell her how much he thought about her and how he wanted nothing more than to make her happy.
“Are you happy?” he asked, hoping he’d hear a flicker of hesitation in her voice.
But she didn’t even have to think before answering. “Yes.”
“Wow.” He had to work on his vocabulary. “That’s great.”
“Thanks for being such a good friend, Oliver,” she said, sounding genuine. “I really had a great time this summer. I hope we can stay friends.”
“A great time? Even with a broken arm?” he said it jokingly. “Of course we’ll stay friends.”
“Oh, good!” And she reached out to him and gave him a big hug. One only friends would give, he supposed. “I had the best time this summer.”
But he really wondered if she’d even try to stay friends after today. Why would she? She had her fiancé in Concord, her job, and a new house soon. Why bother keeping up with a friendship all the way out in Blueberry Bay? What for?
“I had a nice summer, too,” he said, shocked. He stepped back. “I hope he makes you happy.”
And that made her also take a step back. “He does.”
“Good,” he said, not trying to point out the obvious but pointing out the obvious. Didn’t she leave him because he didn’t want to commit to her? Would a ring change him? “I’m glad.”
She looked at him. Did he appear as jealous as he felt?
“I hope you find someone who makes you happy, too,” she said.
Ouch,he thought. “You want to go for that walk still?”
He no longer did.
She shook her head. “I should actually get going.”
Had he just kept reminding himself she only wanted to be friends, then his heart wouldn’t feel like it was being crushed with every step she took back to her cottage. All that they had was a friendship. And apparently that meant no more walks.
Muriel didn’t waste any time leaving. She didn’t even look back when she walked to her mother’s place. Maybe she was still in love with Zack and proposing was all that their relationship needed. She was obviously still in love with him. He understood. Had he ever gotten over Amy?
But that night in Concord, when he’d seen Zack stay behind in the restaurant. He hadn’t even tried to go after his crying girlfriend. Instead, Zack had apologized to the waitstaff and gotten on his phone. He’d appeared annoyed about the whole scene, not saddened or remorseful.
He didn’t know Zack, but he was pretty sure the guy was a jerk.
“That was a quick walk,” his grandfather said when he came into the living room.
“She didn’t want to walk after all,” he said, slumping into the chair by the window.
“Oh? Was it about something else?” Max had caught on.
“She’s engaged.” Oliver threw up his hands.
“Ah.” Max sat down in his recliner, picked up a book from the side table, and held it against his belly. “And this bothers you?”
He looked at his grandfather to see if he was giving him a hard time or had lost lucidity. The told-you-so look made Oliver relax. “Yeah, it bothers me.”
“But I thought you two were just friends,” his grandfather teased.
“I know,” he grumbled, running his hands through his hair. “I just didn’t think she would go back to him. I thought she wanted to stay here in Blueberry Bay.”
“She wants more than a location,” Max said. “She probably wants someone who’s willing to tell her how they feel about her.”
Oliver lifted his head. His grandfather was right again. He never gave any indication of how he felt.
“But it’s too late,” he said, defeated. “She’s engaged! And wants to stay…friends.”
“Ouch, I’m really sorry, kid,” Max said. “That’s a tough blow.”
“Yeah.” He thought about the day before at the barbeque. How happy she seemed to be part of their little community. He really thought something was happening between them.
“It’d be kind of a bad move to bring up my feelings now, right?” he asked his grandfather.
Max looked at him, giving him the look of sympathy he often saw that past year living with him. “It wouldn’t be fair to her, since she’s made her decision loud and clear,” he said, the wise man that he was.
“You’re right,” Oliver said, wishing it was five o’clock not nine AM. “You want to grab a bite to eat?”
“Sounds great,” his grandfather said.
He drove the two of them to the diner, and they sat at the counter. As usual, The Blueberry Café was crowded.
“Good morning, gentlemen,” Lindy, the owner greeted them. “What can I get you?”
“I’ll take the pancakes,” Oliver said, handing Lindy his menu.
“And I’ll take the eggs Benedict,” his grandfather said.
“I’ll be right back with your drinks.” Lindy took the plastic sheets from Oliver and set them underneath the counter.
“Nice to see you, Oliver,” a man’s voice said from behind.
Oliver swung around to see Gordon standing in front of him in what appeared to be golf attire.
“Gordon, nice to see you, too,” Oliver said. “This is my grandfather, Max Abbott.”
“Yes, I believe we met at the Boston Gala back in ’13,” Gordon held out his hand. “Dr. Gordon Johnson from Boston’s Children. You sat with my wife and I at our table.”
“Yes!” Max got up and gave a hearty handshake, his other hand grasping Gordon’s upper arm. “That was a wonderful night. I believe we raised enough for the new wing.”
“Yes, we did,” Gordon said, nodding. “Great night.”
“Are you from Blueberry Bay?” Max asked.
Gordon shrugged his shoulders. “I’m a vagrant at this point, but staying with my daughter on the other side of the bay.”
“He’s living in Jacob O’Neill’s old place,” Oliver said.
Max Abbott’s face immediately registered this fact. “Really? How are you related to Jacob?”
“I married Jacqueline, and helped raise Meredith,” Gordon said.
“Ah.” Max nodded at this. “Not too many people remember the Jacob beyond the paintings.”
“He was a good man, but a troubled soul.” Gordon put his hands into his pockets. “No, not too many people remember how hard things were for him.”
Gordon and Max held a moment of mutual silence, then turned to the typical conversation in Maine.
“Can you believe this weather?” Gordon said. “Last summer, I felt like it was much cooler than this year.”
“Perfect day for a round of golf,” Max added. “Nothing better than a sunny morning on the green. Wish I went out there myself. How’d you do?”
“I hit ’em all right,” Gordon said.
Like Muriel had predicted, his grandfather and Gordon hit it off. They sparked up a conversation about the golf club, made connections, and dove right into all things Red Sox. They were instant friends.
Oliver’s first instinct was to text her and tell her about the successful encounter. After all, she wanted to remain friends. But would he want a guy texting his fiancée?
He would’ve chased her that night if he had been Zack.
No, he would’ve given her a ring that night.
Whoa, he thought, slow down.
He pulled out his phone, and incognito, he took a picture of the two grandfathers chatting it up.
They’ve already talked about golf.
Within a second, she hearted the photograph and wrote, Instant Bff!
Best friends for life.
His heart crushed at that.