Chapter 34
KENSEY
Isat at the kitchen table, staring at the cold cup of coffee I’d poured an hour ago and hadn’t touched. My eyes felt gritty from crying and lack of sleep. Every time I closed them, I saw Edith’s face—that mixture of shock and disgust. The way she couldn’t even look at us directly.
“Honey.” Mom’s hand landed on my shoulder, warm and comforting. “You need to eat something.”
“I’m not hungry.”
She pulled out the chair next to me and sat down. “You want to talk about it?”
I’d given her the bare minimum when I’d stumbled in last night—that Drew and I had been caught in a compromising position at work and I could never show my face there again. The humiliation of even that vague explanation had made fresh tears spring to my eyes.
“There’s nothing to talk about,” I said. “I messed up. Spectacularly.”
“We all mess up, sweetheart.”
“Not like this.” I finally looked at her. “Mom, I’m a teacher. I can’t get busted doing things like that.”
“True, but it’s not like it’ll get back to the school.” Her voice was firm but gentle. “It didn’t happen in your classroom or with a parent or even in the same time zone. You’re a grown woman who had a private moment that unfortunately wasn’t as private as you thought.”
“It was so unprofessional.”
“It was human.” She squeezed my hand. “You know, your father and I once got caught at—”
“Please don’t finish that sentence,” I interrupted, holding up my hand. “Please. I’m begging you.”
She laughed, her eyes twinkling. “My point is, these things happen. You apologize if necessary, you move forward, and eventually it becomes a funny story you tell at the retirement home.”
“I will never find this funny.”
“You will. Trust me.” She stood and refilled her coffee cup. “It’s a shame, though.”
“What is?”
“That you put all this work into the Blackwell sidewalk sale and you’re going to miss it. You were so excited about it.”
She was right. I’d spent long days organizing that event with Drew. Handled a thousand tiny details that would make the whole thing run smoothly. And now I was going to hide in my childhood bedroom while it happened without me.
“I can’t go back there,” I said. “I can’t face Edith. Or anyone else who might have heard.”
“What if your father and I go with you?” Mom suggested. “We were already thinking about stopping by later anyway. Then you wouldn’t have to go alone.”
I considered it. The thought of walking back into that store made my stomach churn. But the thought of missing the event entirely felt worse. I was a grown woman. It’s not like he was a married man. I wasn’t brandishing a giant scarlet letter.
“Just think about it. We don’t have to decide right now.” She glanced at the clock. “The event doesn’t start for another hour.”
I picked up my coffee cup and finally took a sip. It was cold and bitter, but I forced it down anyway. My phone sat face-down on the table where I’d left it. He’d texted several times, but I couldn’t bring myself to reply. I had no idea what to say.
“Screw it,” I said suddenly, standing up. “Let’s go.”
Mom’s face lit up. “Yeah?”
“Yeah. I’m not going to let this ruin everything. I worked too hard on that event to miss it because I’m embarrassed.”
“That’s my girl.” She stood too. “Go get ready. Your father and I will be ready in twenty minutes.”
I headed upstairs to my room, my heart pounding with a mixture of anxiety and determination. I could do this. I didn’t even have to go inside the store. The plaza would be bustling with people, and Edith might not even see me.
I showered quickly, letting the hot water wash away some of the exhaustion. Then I stood in front of my closet, trying to decide what to wear to an event where I might run into the woman who’d caught me with Drew’s face between my legs.
Professional but casual. That was the vibe. I pulled out dark jeans and a flowy white blouse. I paired it with my favorite wedges. Minimal makeup because I didn’t trust myself not to cry again. Hair down and loose because I didn’t have the energy for anything more complicated.
When I came back downstairs, my parents were waiting by the door. Dad was in khakis and a polo shirt, looking relaxed and happy. Mom had changed into a sundress that made her look ten years younger. Her cast was up in a matching sling.
“Ready?” Dad asked.
“As I’ll ever be.”
What if she’d told people? What if everyone was staring at me, knowing what had happened? By the time we pulled up near the store, I was seriously reconsidering this decision.
“Deep breaths,” Mom said from the front seat, like she could read my mind.
The block had been completely transformed. White tents stretched as far as I could see. People were everywhere, browsing, shopping, taking pictures.
“Wow,” Dad said. “You helped put this together?”
“Yeah.” Pride swelled in my chest despite my anxiety. “It’s crazy seeing it come to life like this.”
We found parking a block away and walked toward the event.
The closer we got, the more impressive it looked.
The food trucks were already serving, the smells making my empty stomach rumble.
Models moved through the crowd in pieces from the summer collection, letting people see the clothes up close. It was perfect.
“This is incredible, honey,” Mom said, squeezing my arm.
I scanned the crowd, looking for familiar faces. I didn’t see Edith or Drew. What I did see was Micah near the main entrance, sipping a green drink.
“I’ll be right back,” I told my parents. “I’m going to check in with Micah.”
I made my way through the crowd, weaving between clusters of shoppers. Micah spotted me before I reached him, his face breaking into a relieved smile.
“Kensey! Finally. I wasn’t sure you were coming.”
“I almost didn’t,” I admitted. “How’s everything going?”
“Smooth as butter so far. A couple of minor hiccups, but nothing major.” He glanced down at his tablet. “Drew should be back soon.”
My heart lurched. “Back? Where did he go?”
“Not sure. He took off about an hour ago. Said he had something to handle. I’m in charge in the meantime.” Micah looked up at me. “Everything okay?”
“I’m fine,” I lied. “Just didn’t sleep well. Today’s a big day.”
He nodded. “Well, I’m glad you’re here. The Blackwell clan is arriving around noon. Max and Tiana, the whole crew from New York. It’s going to be a circus.” He grinned. “A very expensive, very photogenic circus.”
I tried to smile back, but my face felt frozen. “Have you seen Edith?” I asked, trying to keep my voice casual.
“No, I’ve been out here,” he said. “If she’s anywhere, she’ll probably be inside the store. She didn’t anything to do with the Blackwell Summer stuff, according to Drew.” Micah nodded toward something behind me. “I think someone is trying to get your attention.”
I turned and saw Hollis waving me over to his booth.
He was soft launching his wellness brand, B.
Well. His setup was impressive—sleek white displays with green accents, candles arranged in perfect rows, and a blender station where he was mixing up samples of something green.
I suddenly knew where Micah had gotten his drink.
“Kensey!” Hollis thrust a cup into my hand before I could protest. “You look like you need a green shake. I promise, this stuff works miracles.”
I stared at the thick green liquid dubiously. “What’s in it?”
“Gifts from Mother Nature herself.”
I rolled my eyes at him. “Really, Hollis?”
“Too much?” he asked with a grin. “I’m still hammering out the marketing side of things. For now, I just wanted to make healthy things that taste good. Which this does.” He paused and leaned in close to me. “I know it looks like pond water, but I swear it’s good.”
I took a tentative sip, expecting to gag. Instead, the flavors hit my tongue in a surprisingly pleasant way. I tasted banana, and something nutty. Definitely some kale. The combination was bright and uplifting.
“Okay, wow,” I said. “This is actually really good.”
“Told you.” He handed samples to a couple of women who’d stopped to browse. “The ingredients will help with energy levels. You’ll feel better in about twenty minutes. And that’s not marketing bullshit. You’ll see.”
I took another drink and hoped his promise was real. There wasn’t a lot of pep in my step.
“Thank you, Hollis,” I said, turning to leave.
“Be well,” he called after me and I couldn’t help but roll my eyes again.
The event was in full swing now. The other stores lining the plaza had set up things in front of their shops, getting in on the action. They were all busy because of the foot traffic. Blackwell Couture wouldn’t be the only one making big sales today.
The DJ was playing upbeat jazz that added to the festive atmosphere.
I watched people dancing, laughing, and taking selfies all over the place.
The sidewalk sale was the place to be today.
I suspected it would get a lot more crowded as the day went on.
This was what we’d worked toward and it was a success.
My parents appeared with plates of tacos from one of the food trucks, both of them looking delighted.
“This is wonderful, honey,” Mom said around a mouthful. “You should be so proud. What a great way to bring the community together for a nice day out.”
“Thanks.” I scanned the crowd again, still looking for Drew. Or Edith. Mostly Drew.
“We’re going to wander around a bit more,” Dad said. “You go do your thing. I saw a scarf I want to buy your mother.”
Mom’s face lit up. “Show me!”
They disappeared into the crowd, leaving me standing there with my green shake. Micah found me a few minutes later, looking slightly frazzled.
“Can you help me with something?” he asked. “One of the vendors needs their tent adjusted and my crew is tied up.”
“Sure.”
I spent the next thirty minutes lending a hand wherever I was needed. Adjusting signage, helping a vendor whose credit card reader had stopped working, directing people toward the bathroom trailers we’d had trucked in. It felt good to be useful, to have something to focus on besides my anxiety.
The Blackwells arrived en masse just after noon, and it was impossible to miss them.
Max and Tiana swept in like Hollywood royalty, which they were.
Tiana was stunning in a white sundress, her hair pulled back in an elegant twist. Max looked distinguished in linen pants and a crisp button-down.
Behind them came the New York Blackwells—Sebastian and Bernadette, Adrian and Elizabeth pushing a stroller, and Dash and Krista. I spotted Mandy but didn’t see Briggs.
Micah immediately went into host mode, greeting them and guiding them through the event. I hung back, not sure if I should insert myself or stay out of the way. Tiana spotted me and broke away from the group, walking over with a warm smile.
“Kensey! I was hoping I’d see you here.”
“Hi, Mrs. Blackwell.” I accepted her hug, breathing in her expensive perfume.
“Please, call me Tiana. We’ve known each other for years.” She glanced around at the festivities. “Everything looks absolutely gorgeous. You and Drew did an amazing job.”
At the mention of his name, I felt my heart skip a beat. “Thank you. It was a team effort. Mostly Drew. I just helped at the end.”
“Well, he was lucky to have that help.” She squeezed my hand. “We’ll catch up more later. I want to hear all about what you’ve been up to.”
She rejoined the group, and I watched them make their way through the event, taking pictures with fans.
The New York Blackwells got the most attention, since they had all modeled and were fashion icons in their own right.
They had grown up in the spotlight and plenty of people in the crowd had shown up just to see them.
But Drew still wasn’t there.
I checked my phone. Nothing. The event he’d worked so hard on was happening without him, and I had no idea why.
What if something had happened? What if he’d gone to talk to Edith and it had gone badly?
What if he was dealing with legal issues because of what we’d done?
I knew him. He was out there protecting me because that’s the kind of guy he was.
I’d spent all night thinking about what walking away from him would feel like.
And I came to the conclusion I’d always been moving toward.
I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t walk away from Drew Blackwell and go back to New Jersey like this summer had never happened.
The thought of it made my chest ache in a way that felt physical, like someone was squeezing my heart with both hands.
I’d been toying with the idea of moving back to LA for a while now. My parents were getting older, and I wanted to spend more time with them. But I’d pushed it aside because my life was in New Jersey. Everything I’d built over the last few years was there.
But Drew was here. And the truth was, I could find another teaching job.
There were prestigious schools in LA, good schools with students who needed exactly what I had to offer.
What I couldn’t find anywhere else was him.
The person who knew me better than anyone.
That man that made me laugh until my sides hurt and made me feel like the prettiest, most important woman on the planet.
I was completely in love with Drew Blackwell. And I needed to tell him. He also needed to know I was choosing him. We could figure out the details but the important thing was that we would be doing it together.
A familiar face jumped out at me from the crowd, and I stood up on my tiptoes to get a better look.
Sure enough, it was Drew on the other side of the plaza.
My heart leapt. I had to talk to him. I started making my way toward him when an older man pulled him into conversation.
The man gestured toward one of the tents, and Drew nodded, following him in that direction.
I watched them disappear, my confession on my lips.
Now that I knew Drew was here, I could wait until he had a second. The conversation we needed to have required privacy and time and the ability to actually focus on each other. I was staying and I would find the right moment to tell him.