Chapter 27
My life in Pearlband Beach feels so easy.
So natural. Like I’ve always lived here.
Some days I struggle to remember that I haven’t, that I live in New York.
A completely different life from the one I’m living here.
And in less than two weeks I’ll be back, and some weird part of me is silencing that thought every time it crosses my mind.
The thought of leaving Pearlband is . . . I don’t know. Weird.
So much has changed since I first got here. I have a dog now. A dog who means the world to me. A house that I’m thinking about keeping. That gives me a reason to come back. Maybe I can spend my holidays here. I have friends. Iris. Margot.
And I have . . . others. Others that the thought of leaving makes something very close to my heart ache.
The days go by, whether I want them to or not. I spend a lot of time with Benjamin. All my time, actually. We take long walks on the beach with the dogs. Sometimes just the two of us. He helps me train Cactus to walk without a leash.
In the evenings when he comes home from work, we cook together. And we stay up way too late and watch episode after episode of The Office. Sometimes Benjamin makes grilled cheese sandwiches even though we just had dinner, and those nights are my favorites.
And sometimes, when I’m lying in his arms on the couch or I wake up in the morning to a steaming, perfectly brewed cup of coffee, I wonder if life really can be this good.
Can it be like this for real? I feel . .
. content. At home. Which absolutely scares me to death because this isn’t my home.
None of it is. I live in New York and Benjamin Reyes doesn’t do relationships.
Not that I want a relationship. No. I’ve quit men.
I’m back in my house for the first time in days. Cactus snorts when she sees it.
“Yeah, I know, sweetheart,” I mumble. “It’s not the same.
” And when she realizes we’re here to stay, she reluctantly plops herself down on the couch with a deep sigh, glaring at me with accusing eyes.
“I know,” I say again, and I really do. This doesn’t sit right.
Benjamin and Audrey aren’t here. And how is it even possible to miss them this much when we said goodbye less than an hour ago? It doesn’t make sense.
My phone pings, and my heart skips a beat when I see his name.
Benjamin: What are you doing?
Thinking of you. Missing you.
Me: Just got home. Going to take a shower now and then head into town. I want to visit Viv, I have some ideas I want to share with her. What are you doing?
Benjamin: Thinking about you. In the shower. Naked.
Heat gathers low in my stomach, and a smile breaks my face in two.
Me: You have such a dirty mind . . .
Benjamin: When it comes to you, yes. I’m not even ashamed of it.
Benjamin: Want to meet up for coffee when you’ve been to Viv’s?
I frown.
Me: I thought you were working.
Benjamin: I am but I also have some stuff to do.
Me: What kind of stuff?
Benjamin: Stuff. So, Gertrude’s in an hour?
Me: Deal.
I put my phone down and wonder what kind of stuff he has to do.
Vet stuff, probably. I cast a glance at Cactus.
She’s still glaring at me, and I can’t help but cackle.
“Cheer up. We’re meeting Benjamin in an hour.
” Her ears perk up at the sound of his name.
“That’s better,” I say and ruffle the fur on her head before I head for the shower.
Something in me definitely perked up as well at the sound of his name. Not my ears but definitely something else.
The bell rings when I open the door, and Viv’s face splits into a big grin when she spots me.
“Hi, honey,” she greets with warmth in her voice. She’s as gorgeous as ever, dressed in a light blue dress that makes her unbelievably blue eyes look even more unbelievable. Her hair is messy and gathered in the back with a hair clip in the shape of a butterfly.
“Hi, Viv. How’s it going?”
“Not bad. I’ve had a few customers already and the sun is shining so who am I to complain?” She winks at me before picking up a hanger from the floor. “What about you?”
“I’m fine.” My answer comes fast. Probably faster than ever before. Viv smiles at me knowingly.
“Yeah, gossip has it you’ve done the impossible and snatched this town’s most desirable bachelor.”
I flush before I can stop myself and for a moment, I seem lost for words. “Wh . . . ? No. I . . . No . . . Haven’t . . .” I stumble on the words.
Viv’s smile gets wider. “I’m not surprised. I knew it would take someone like you.”
“But . . . I . . .” I want to explain to her that I haven’t snatched anything. Benjamin Reyes doesn’t do relationships, and neither do I. But the words seem to get stuck somewhere in my throat.
Viv’s smile is still in place, watching me trying to find my own voice, and more accurately, my words. “So, what earned me this visit?”
“Why do you think I had an agenda? Maybe I was just passing by and—”
Viv cuts me off. “Honey, I know you by now. I can recognize that little divot between your eyebrows even without my lenses.”
My hand flies up to my face, and I wince when I find a little divot exactly in the middle of my eyebrows.
Okay, so I’m busted. I clear my throat. “So,” I say, trying to sound as casual as possible, “I’ve been thinking, what about an Instagram account?
Maybe even TikTok? Everyone’s there. Everyone and their mother, actually. You could really gain from it.”
Viv smiles warmly at me. “I love all of your ideas, June, I really do, but I’m selling.”
“Yeah, I know, you sell clothes, but you can sell more by being online.”
Viv shakes her head, folding a sweater on a table. “No, honey. What I mean is, I’m selling this.” She gestures with her hands around her.
I stare at her. “You’re selling . . . Viv’s?”
Viv nods. “Yes. I should’ve told you earlier, but I haven’t felt ready because when I say it out loud, it’s real. It’s been a difficult decision to make.”
“Why? When?” It’s like someone has released all the air from my lungs.
“I’m done here. I’ve given it my all and I’ve loved every second of it, but now it’s time for something else. I have a life to live. Dreams to explore. And it’s time for that now. I feel it in my bones—it’s time.”
“But . . . what are you going to do instead?”
“First, I want to sail around the world. My husband and I have talked about it for years and now it’s finally time.” Her eyes start to sparkle with anticipation and excitement.
“Who . . . ?”
“Who will take over? I don’t know. I haven’t put it out on the market yet, but I’ve spoken to a real estate agent.” She tilts her head, giving me a searching look. “You don’t happen to know anyone who might be interested in buying . . . ?”
“I . . . no,” I say, my voice sounding powerless. I stare blankly out the storefront windows before turning back to her again. “I can’t believe you’re selling . . .”
Viv watches me for a second before she responds.
“Everything has its time. You need to trust your gut feeling to know when it’s time to release and let go.
To give space to something else. Maybe something even more wonderful.
Something you can’t miss out on because you only get one chance.
Some things only happen once in a blue moon, you know. ”
I’m still processing everything when I push open the door to Gertrude’s. Benjamin is already there, accepting two cups from Gertrude herself when I walk in. He turns, and his face melts into something soft when our gazes meet. Strangely, my heart does, too.
Cactus hurries up to him. “Hi, girl,” he says with a warm and low voice. Wow, that voice does things to me.
“And hey you,” he says, turning his eyes back to me. They roam greedily over my face before his brows knit together. “What’s wrong?”
“She’s selling it.”
“What? Who?”
I accept the cup and feel a flutter in my chest when our fingers brush together. I lower my voice. “Viv. She’s selling the store.”
His brows fly up his forehead. “She’s selling Viv’s?” I nod. “Why?”
I shrug my shoulders. “She says she’s done. That she has other dreams she wants to fulfill now. She’s starting by sailing around the world with her husband.”
“Wow,” he mumbles, looking surprised while taking a sip from his cup. “Didn’t see that one coming. She’s had that store forever.”
We sit down at a table by the windows.
“I know. I can’t believe it.”
“Who’s buying?”
“She doesn’t know. She hasn’t put it on the market yet.”
“Huh.” He watches me over the brim of his coffee.
I sit quietly for a moment, staring down in my cup, before I realize I’m being awful company and shake myself to return to this moment with Benjamin.
I can analyze and dwell over Viv’s decision later when I’m alone.
But the truth is, I’m feeling sad. This is the end of an era, and I know it.
“So,” I begin. “What are you up to today?”
He swallows, leaning back in his chair before replying. “Just stuff. Nothing important.”
I arch my eyebrows. “Wow, that wasn’t vague at all.”
His lips twitch slightly upward and something flashes behind his eyes, too quick for me to catch. “Anyway, I was wondering if you’d like to come over for dinner tonight?”
“Like a date?” I say, clearly joking.
Benjamin meets my gaze without moving his face. “Yeah,” he says shortly. “Like a date.”
The smile on my lips fades quickly as I search his face for any sign of humor. But I can’t find any. “But,” I say finally, “you don’t date.”
Benjamin occupies himself with his cup, taking a sip and putting it back on the table, then checking his phone before he finally looks at me again. “So, you’ll come?”
I inspect him quietly, trying to decide whether he’s serious or not. But when he still hasn’t given me any sign that he’s joking, I nod slowly. “I’ll come.”
He dips his chin. “Good.”
I glance at him while I take another drink of my coffee. My heart is pounding so hard against my rib cage I’m afraid it’ll break it. What does it mean? Or rather, does it mean anything?
And more importantly, do I want it to mean anything?