Chapter 12
TWELVE
PRESENT DAY
Josie
When I arrive back at Ian’s house, he’s still upstairs, which gives me a few minutes to catch my breath after rushing back here from my walk to Harbor Boulevard.
I’m sure the feeling of being watched was all in my head and the tall sandy-haired guy across the street was only a tourist. But still, I’m relieved when I finally close Ian’s front door behind me.
Is this what my life would have been like if my family had stayed here on Sandy Harbor all those years ago?
Would I have been constantly looking over my shoulder, flinching at every person who accidentally brushed by me on the sidewalk?
I’ve only been back less than twenty-four hours and I’m already exhausted.
Mom was right that I would never have felt safe here. We did the right thing by leaving.
But since I’m here now, I need to figure out a plan for the rest of the week.
I can’t stay away from all public areas, there are wedding events and errands I can’t skip.
But from now on, I need to focus all my energy on making my sister’s wedding the best it can possibly be.
No going to the beach, no solo walks around town, no getting weighed down with feelings of nostalgia for this place.
With that thought, I head out to the back deck to FaceTime Madeline.
She answers right away, holding up the phone so I can see her in the passenger seat of the car.
My heart tilts at the sight of her. We were so close when we were kids, playing together in the sand and diving in the waves.
As a teenager, Madeline used to come to me for advice about everything—clothes, boys, problems in school.
But then we left Sandy Harbor in such a hurry, and I couldn’t tell her why.
I knew she was hurting, and it was my fault, but there wasn’t anything I could do to change it.
I moved to the West Coast, and even though we talked every week and visited as often as we could, I couldn’t help feeling like the secrets came between us and our relationship was never quite the same.
“Josie!” Madeline says. “I’m so excited you’re on Sandy Harbor!”
“Me too,” I reply, and even though I’m stretching the truth about being here, I am thrilled to have this opportunity to support her and make sure she’s happy.
Which, clearly, she is. The joy on her face is so contrary to the darkness that hovered over her features for years after she moved to Maple Ridge and suffered the death of Adam, her teenage love.
“Garrett is here, too.” She swings the phone around so I can see her tall, dark-haired fiancé in the driver’s seat.
He gives me a wave. “Welcome to Sandy Harbor,” he calls, keeping his eyes on the road.
Madeline squints at the phone. “Where are you? That’s not the Sunset Bay Beach Motel unless it got a pretty major renovation.”
“Nope, the Sunset Bay is exactly the same.” I remember the fish-patterned wallpaper and cheesy beach art I spotted during my very short-lived stay in the sweltering room.
“When I got there, the motel was ungodly hot and overrun with drunk podiatrists, so Ian offered me his spare room.” I laugh like it’s a funny story that I can’t wait to tell her.
Madeline’s grin widens. “That’s great that you and Ian met up already. You’ll really, really like him once you get to know him.”
My sister has no idea that I got to know Ian a decade ago, or that I really, really liked him back then.
I never mentioned him to her during those few summer weeks we spent together.
She was usually off with friends or at her own summer job, and everything with Ian was too new to define.
I’m eternally grateful for that now, because my sister’s decade-long love story with Garrett has solidly turned her into a romantic, and no doubt she’d be playing matchmaker and hoping for a similar second chance for me and Ian.
“I’m sure I’ll like him,” I say vaguely, giving her an exaggerated nod.
“And”—she waves the hand that’s not holding the phone—“this might have worked out perfectly! Since you’re staying with Ian, maybe you could tag along with him on some errands?
He’s going to pick up Garrett’s suit and check in with the limo service about the shuttles.
But I also asked him to go to the ceramics shop and pick out vases for centerpieces.
Today is the last day we can do it before they close for vacation.
I’d love it if you could help with that. ”
“Hey!” a voice behind me calls in feigned outrage, and I spin around to find Ian standing in the doorway to the house, his hair wet and glistening from his recent shower.
At least he’s wearing a shirt this time, even if it is the exact color of his eyes and clinging to his muscular chest. I look away.
Ian’s footsteps tap against the dock, and I feel the heat of him drift across my shoulders as he leans down to look at my sister framed in my phone camera. “Are you doubting my ability to pick out centerpieces?” he teases.
Oblivious to the effect Ian’s nearness is having on me, Madeline laughs. “Of course not. But with Josie’s artist eye, I thought she could weigh in. You don’t mind, do you?”
“I’d love to have Josie along. We can get to know each other better.” Ian and Madeline are good friends, and I wonder why he never mentioned to her that he knew me back then. Maybe those few weeks weren’t important enough for him to remember.
Or maybe he’d rather forget.
Except, my sailboat is still hanging on his wall and I know I’m not imagining the current of attraction that’s been humming between us since the moment he got out of his truck and looked under the hood of my car.
And really, for so much longer than that.
Something shifted between us the moment I crashed into someone at the sailing club and spotted those blue eyes for the very first time.
I didn’t forget. And neither did he.
“I’m so happy you can spend the day together,” Madeline says. “I was feeling bad that Garrett and I are so busy and can’t come by to see Josie until later. But this worked out so well.”
Ian shifts his weight, and I stare at the tiny image of the two of us framed in the small box at the bottom of the screen.
Ian is grinning widely, as if all of this is fine, and my brow is furrowed as I chew nervously on my bottom lip.
I quickly smooth my expression into a more pleasant one for my sister’s sake.
She’s about to get married. She’s been through so much, and I can’t let her know how this is setting me off balance.
“Don’t worry about me,” I say.
“I’ll show Josie a great time,” Ian adds. His breath brushes against the back of my neck, and I inadvertently shiver. How am I going to spend the whole day with Ian, running around all over the island like everything is normal?
As soon as we say goodbye to my sister, I press the button to hang up the phone and lunge to my feet. I’m so flustered that I miscalculate the space between us, and my shoulder clips Ian in the chin.
“Oof,” I hear him mutter. I spin around to find him staggering back against the deck railing, cradling his face in his hands.
“Oh my God, I’m sorry.” I rush over and grab his arm, pulling it away so I can take a look at his face. “Are you hurt?” Luckily, he’s not bleeding, and it’s too early for a bruise. But there’s a red mark where my shoulder connected with his jaw.
“Uhhh…” he murmurs, tilting his head and opening and closing his mouth as if to work through the pain. “Not at all.” He blinks a few times as if he’s seeing stars.
“You are.” I tug him over to the chair I just sprang out of and take him by the shoulders to guide him into it. “I’ll be right back.”
I run into the kitchen, grabbing a towel off the counter, and yank open the freezer to fill it with ice. When I get back to the deck, I pull a chair up in front of Ian’s. “I can’t believe I’m so clumsy.”
He gives me a sideways smile, though I can tell it causes him pain. “You always were crashing into things.”
I feel my face flush as our first collision in the parking lot comes back to me. And the time I ran into the chair. And now this. I’m actually not usually such a klutz, it’s just the effect he has on me.
“It’s one of the first things I found charming about you,” Ian murmurs.
I look down at the towel filled with ice so I don’t have to meet his eyes, and I focus on reaching out to gently hold it to his injured jaw.
He puts his hand over mine as if to press the ice more firmly against his face, but from the look in his eyes, I can tell that’s not the only reason. Despite the frigid towel, my fingers burn from his touch.
“Stop talking,” I say sternly. “It’s only going to make it hurt worse.”
“Actually, I’ve never felt better.” His hand slowly wraps around mine, gently pulling it from his face, but he doesn’t let go. The air thickens between us as our mouths hover only inches apart. I should back away from him. I should stop this. I need to stop this.
I shove my chair away and jump to my feet. “I’m sorry again about hitting you.”
He stands and takes a step toward me, but the look on my face must stop him. “Don’t worry about it. I’m fine.”
I nod, shifting my gaze over his shoulder. “I guess I should go get ready for our errands. Leave in a half hour?”
His eyes are shuttered now. “Sure.”
I flee into the house and up to my room.
This is impossible. If I had my rental car, we could split up the tasks.
Ian could do suit pick-up and shuttle duty, and I’d go and decide on the centerpieces.
But of course, that’s not an option. Somehow, my plans for just a few short interactions with Ian have turned into staying at his house, hanging out on his deck, and now a day of running errands together.
I remind myself that this is for my sister.
After all she’s been through, Madeline deserves a beautiful wedding and a perfect day.
Ian and I don’t have to talk about the past. We can pretend we’re just acquaintances coming together to help out.
The best man and the maid of honor. My sister’s friend and his friend’s sister.
I just have to get through the next few days. Then I’ll leave Sandy Harbor and can put it all behind me. Just like I did a decade ago.