CHAPTER 42
Harper
“It’s the one? Really?” Janie squeaks, excited.
She’s been keeping track of all my coastal stops, and my corresponding thoughts about each one, in the master spreadsheet.
I loved the Keys and I loved Myrtle Beach.
But when I walked into this little beachy cafe, Coffee Cabana—right next to an actual surf shack!
— with the bright teal Deck Hands Wanted sign, I knew. I just knew.
“It’s the one,” I confirm.
“And it’s, like, right there! So perfect.”
“I know!” I say, letting myself feel it. Letting myself be truly hopeful and excited for the first time in weeks. Maybe in years.
I’m going to be the Head Baker at this little cafe in the Hamptons. Just a few hours drive from home. I can go see Dad on weekends. If, God forbid, he has an emergency, I can hop on a helicopter to get there even faster, since all the rich people use them to get from here to Manhattan.
I walk slowly down the beach front not far from the bakery, taking it all in as I talk to her.
There are no palm trees, unfortunately. But the relaxed feeling, the easy warmth I felt in my soul on that trip as a kid, I feel it here. And the little town reminds me of Juniper Falls. If Juniper Falls was really swanky. I doubt the mayor of my new town, Montauk, is a reindeer.
“And the interview?” Janie asks knowingly.
“It was totally fine! Probably because we just talked about food, and I brought some pastries with me.”
“Oh, then case closed. You don’t even have to talk, just shove your goods in their mouth.” I snort and she catches it too, “In a non-sexual way!”
“She tested me on all the machines and had me make up my own signature coffee blend, which of course I aced that.”
“When are you going to tell me your dad’s secret ingredient?”
“Never!”
She shakes her head, “Well, babe, I’m happy for you. So freaking happy. Now, turn the camera around so I can see the vibe of this place. What about a place to stay?” She asks.
“I found a one bed, one bath on the beach to try for now. It’s gross how expensive it is but that’s just the beach, right?” I try to tell myself.
“Right. And you have Buttmunch’s golf money now, and a new job, so you’ll be fine.”
I laugh, “Rip, I’ll be fine.”
She yawns, “So you’re back to waking up at like 3?”
“Only at the start, I negotiated a second baker into the contract. I want to set the menu and get the ball rolling and then I’ll shift my hours.”
“Well look at you! You know who you sound like…”
“Stuart?” I grumble. I told her all about that stupid conversation a couple weeks ago. And explained that I blocked Aiden and never wanted to speak of him again. Or speak to him again.
Not that I was in any real danger, since he never tried to contact me anyway. I stopped posting on Instagram but he could’ve messaged me. And Janie has always known where I am and what I’m up to. It would not have been hard at all for him to find me. If he’d wanted to.
Which he must not have.
“You can be mad at him and miss him at the same time, you know.”
“I’m not mad at him,” I say.
Janie scoffs, “Right, that’s why you refer to him as the dog and banned me from bringing him up.”
“Okay fine, I’m mad at him.”
“And you miss him?”
I flip the camera back to me to ask, “Why are you bringing this up now?”
“Because, Harp, it’s been what, six whole weeks and you’re still heart-broken over it.”
“I am not!”
Janie points at me, “You are, babe. You’re out there finally figuring out your dreams and goals, spreading your wings, free from JimBo, free from the shop and your dad and the whole town and your smile is still forced.”
“My smile is fun,” I say but my voice wobbles. I correct myself, “Ugh! Fine, my smile is fine.”
“Your smile is beautiful, but it’s not reaching your eyes and that’s the truth. Maybe just unblock him?”
“What! No!”
She shrugs, “Okay, just an idea.”
“I’m finally out on my own, like you said. I’m not going to start my new life all twisted up in my old one.”
“Got it. No more talk of Stuart.”
“Thank you,” I say.
“So, have you mapped out, like, where your grocery store is, nearby stuff to do?”
“I found the perfect flower shop for making my arrangements,” I tell her.
She rolls her eyes, “Like for fun, Harper. A way to meet people, maybe a church or a gym?”
I smile wide and this time I bet it reaches my eyes when I say, “Better.”
“Huh?”
“I shipped my bike here already! Who needs a gym when I can bike the beachfront on my way to and from work every day?”
She laughs, “Only you would find a way to add more work to your work.”
I wave her off and we go on, walking and talking about my new area. Janie makes a new Montauk-specific spreadsheet and I send her photos and pinned locations. Eventually I head back to my short-term rental and make a list of a few things from my room for Lily to bring out here.
I make myself a quick, easy garlic and herb butter chicken dinner in the skillet and go through my night time routine. I research recipes, I write out ideas in a notebook, do some journaling, I check in with Lily or Dad.
Most nights I put on a sweatshirt and go out and stare and the ocean for a while.
And, well, I miss him.
For a few minutes every night, I let myself think about Aiden. About how he could helicopter in and surprise me. About how much Stuart would love running in the sand. About how the billionaire would complain this rental is too small and give me hell for planning to ride my bike everywhere.
Then I say a little prayer for him, and for the dog and the town and everyone I miss, and for my heart to freaking heal already, and I go inside and read the craziest fiction I can find to shut my brain off.
_____
“You’re sure you don’t need anything else?” I ask Janessa again.
“Harper, you’ve been here since 3AM, please go away!” She jokes.
“Well, I know you have both the health inspector and your boss tomorrow so I wanted to be sure,” I say, meaning it. She seems nervous.
“That’s true, but the owner and the D-O-H coming by tomorrow are my problems, not yours. Please, leave and take a nap!”
I shrug, “Alright but I’m coming in early.”
“You’re the best!” She calls back just as I leave the back of the store.
It’s been two weeks and it’s still so weird to not be the owner. To just finish my work and…go home. Go home and not think about work again until the next morning.
It.
Is.
Amazing!
I almost squeal as I head out in the heat of the early afternoon and climb on my bike. I go by the general store to grab a few essential groceries and Michelle, the owner, chats with me. She is warm and welcoming and I don’t have to talk much for it to feel like we’re fast friends.
I go by the florist to confirm my big order for tomorrow and stop to get dinner at one of the restaurants.
I sit at the bar top and make myself chat with the bartender.
He’s a young surfer guy named Leaf and, as I suspected, he knows everything and everyone in town.
Between him and Michelle and my boss, Janessa, I’m set. I’ll be a true townie in no time.
I call Lily hands-free on my way home to my new apartment, which I bought furnished.
It’s fully decked out in the most cliche, on-the-cheek beach decor and I love it.
I go through my nighttime routine with extra skin care since the sun, salt and wind here are no joke.
I go outside, say my prayers, wishing away my feelings.
I still tear up when I see a man in a suit or a giant dog.
I get irrationally excited any time I get a message on Instagram.
But it’ll pass.
Eventually.
I sigh and go back inside. Tonight, I need to focus. Janessa needs us to be on top of our game tomorrow and I won’t let her down. I pull out my laptop from my tote bag and open up my recipe file. I wonder if the health inspector will like sea-salt caramel cookies…
_____
“Still no sign of them?” I ask Janessa as the breakfast rush finally dies down. She shakes her head. She’s sweaty and frazzled and a bit of a mess. Reminds me of me just a few months ago. But this store is fairly new and crushing it. Not feeling the pressure of impending closure.
Now that the crowd is thinning, she can head to the back office and regroup. I’ll tag in at the counter until the next shift arrives in a few minutes. I wipe the displays and turn to run a rinse cycle on the steamer. And then all the hairs on my neck stand up.
“Black coffee, please,” says the deep, slightly-British voice I’d recognize anytime, anywhere.
I turn around to tell him off but at the sight of him, here, in his suit, thick black hair looking windswept and perfect, dark eyes studying me.
Wow.
“I hear it’s the best in Montauk,” Aiden says quietly. “Some secret special ingredient.”
I hear Janessa close a cabinet back in the office and snap out of my shock. There are two people behind Aiden.
“I…I can’t do this now,” I tell him. He frowns, “You’ll have to come back later. The health inspector and the owner are both coming by, I can’t be…” I gesture between us with my hand.
He sees his opportunity and, smug jerk, as always, pounces.
He crosses his arms and asks, “What will I get if I come back later? I’ve been waiting for this coffee for almost two months.”
I roll my eyes, “A hug? Go! I’m serious!”
“Tempting opening offer,” he says. “After the owner comes by, go to lunch with me.”
I shake my head, looking over my shoulder for my poor boss to come out and wonder why this man is holding up the line.
“Be right there,” I tell the lady behind Aiden. I pour him a large coffee and whisper, “Fine, take it and go!”
“New terms I’m afraid. I didn’t know hug was on the table, now I’ve upped the ante. Owner, then lunch with a hug.”
“Fine!”
“Brilliant,” he says, studying me. He takes out his credit card like he’s stuck in slow motion and taps it on the iPad.
He makes a show of leaving a hundred dollar tip, which gets another eye roll from me, then finishes his purchase.
He stands there for a beat more, right as I’m about to turn to the next customer and then, eyes still on me, he calls out, “Janessa?”
I…
What?
I blink, then blink again, inhale, then exhale.
“You…you’re…I…”
I can’t think.
“Hey, Mr. Vanderwell,” she says, still looking terrified.
“Aiden, please,” he says to my boss. “The shop looks great, very well done.” She visibly relaxes as he goes on, “Listen, I need to steal the new baker away for the rest of the day.”
“Harper?” She asks him.
“Yes,” he smirks at me, then her, “Can you manage? When does the next shift arrive?”
“Sure, yes, any minute, go ahead.”
“Um,” I say, frozen.
Someone in the line, which now has four patrons, clears their throat.
“Right, sorry, I own the place, Janessa here will get you squared away on me, sorry for the delay.”
“No, I…” I start.
Aiden cocks his head with a smirk, “We had a deal, did we not?”