Chapter 15
REMI
Remi and Paige fall into an easy rhythm. The days turn into weeks without Remi noticing. The inn has officially entered its busy season. With Remi on summer break and not needed to help out as a camp counselor this year, it makes the most sense to hang out at Paige’s home versus her apartment.
Paige’s front door has one of those locks that can be used with either a key or a code. After a couple nights of Paige getting out later than expected, and Remi waiting for Paige in her car, she gave Remi her own code so now she can go straight inside.
Paige can only climb once, maybe twice a week, but Remi’s been going every other day.
She’ll spend a couple hours there, then will stop by her place to shower and grab clothes before ending the day with Paige.
More recently, Paige offered to clear out a couple drawers and closet space so Remi wouldn’t have to stop by her apartment. She gladly accepted.
After a week of takeout, Remi decided to use all her new free time to learn how to cook.
She could manage the basics before, but now she’s getting fancy making her own pasta versus store-bought.
It’s fun experimenting with new recipes, and Remi loves being able to treat Paige to something nutritious and delicious when she arrives home from a long day at work.
Summers are hard for Remi, and she’s learned to fill her days with as much as she can so her mind doesn’t have enough time to wander to dark places. But with Elena’s text, Remi realizes she’s leaning too hard into her perfectly cultivated safe space.
Moving forward, Remi makes a point to have a best friend night once a week, and they all go on a couple double dates. Dakota and Casey are finally back from their honeymoon, and they grab dinner together.
Now Paige and Remi are lying on the couch in comfy clothes, watching a movie, when Paige says, “I’m tired of putting this off. I’m going to tell my family about us.”
“Oh, yeah?” Remi shakes their bowl of popcorn to better distribute the seasoning.
“Yeah. My mom’s being kind of weird. She’s been asking me about my weekend and dinner plans a lot recently.
” Paige scratches her forehead in thought.
“And, you know, I’m shocked we haven’t had a run-in with them yet.
You practically live here, and they used to pop in a couple times a month.
” Paige grabs Remi’s arm, panicked. “I’m not saying that in a bad way—I know it’s still too soon to move in together. I didn’t mean to imply—”
“Hey, I get it.” Remi squeezes Paige’s hand. Her girlfriend visibly relaxes as the tension eases from her shoulders.
“Okay, good. Because I love coming home to you every day.”
Remi smiles. “I love it too.”
“And, you know, that’s just it. You mean so much to me—make me so happy—I don’t care if they have anything negative to say. I want to shout about my amazing girlfriend to the whole world, and if they aren’t supportive, then it’s their loss.”
“I agree.” Remi sets the bowl down on the coffee table and shifts toward her. “You have so many people in your life who love and support you. If they don’t react well, your found family will always be there.”
“You’re right. Thank you, babe.” Paige leans forward to kiss Remi.
“Of course.” Remi strokes her cheek. “Why don’t we go out to a fancy dinner with them? If a double date doesn’t clue them in to what’s happening, then we can spell it out for them over some crab cake.”
Paige laughs. “You’d do that for me?”
“I’d do anything for you, Princess.”
Paige throws her arms around Remi, her body pushing into hers until Remi falls backward onto the couch. Paige crawls on top of Remi with intention, and they get lost in each other the rest of the night.
* * *
Secret Double Date Night is in effect four days later.
Paige made reservations for a steakhouse her parents are obsessed with.
Remi doesn’t have any of her formal clothes at Paige’s house, so she decided to pop into her apartment to get ready.
Because the restaurant is halfway between Paige’s house and Remi’s apartment, they agreed it made more sense to meet there.
She is applying a dash of cologne when the front door opens.
Rubbing her wrists together, she walks out into the living room to find Elena. Her best friend is wearing scrubs, her hair falling from several places of her claw clip.
“Damn.” Elena whistles. “You look hot.”
“Oh, yeah?” Remi holds her hands up and does a little spin, letting Elena get the full view of her outfit—a black long-sleeved button-down, dark gray slacks, and black Clarks.
“Where are you and Paige going?” Elena asks while setting her bag down on the kitchen counter.
“Red Ranch Steakhouse with her parents.”
“Oh, nice.” Elena unloads her Tupperware from her lunch box. She pops off the first lid to rinse the container in the sink. “When did she come out to them?”
“She will tonight.”
Elena pauses, her hand hovering midair as she reaches for the sink handle. “Oh, damn. Is she nervous?”
“She’s pretending like she’s not, but she definitely is.”
Elena makes a sympathetic noise. “Ugh. I don’t miss that.”
“Me neither.”
Like Anna and Remi, Elena also came out in high school. Elena’s dad struggled in the beginning, but overall, the three of them have been blessed with parents who are generally accepting and supportive. Still, that didn’t stop all three of them from grappling with the fears and what-ifs.
“So, what did you do yesterday?” Elena asks in an odd way. It’s like she picks her words carefully while studying Remi, but she doesn’t know why.
“Paige and I had a spontaneous date day in Detroit.” Remi shrugs. “It was nice.”
They ate some delicious food, went to this arcade that is all claw machines, and made each other laugh as they explored the city.
“Oh,” Elena says. “That’s … okay.”
Remi narrows her eyes. Why’s Elena being so weird? Normally, she’d ask, but she needs to leave now or she’ll be late. And she refuses to be late to this dinner.
“I have to meet Paige,” Remi says while walking toward the front door for her keys.
Elena doesn’t say anything. She watches Remi with an apprehensive look that’s throwing her. Her mind spins as she tries to narrow down what’s going on with Elena when Remi freezes. Sitting on top of their dining room table is a small basket.
The basket.
The one they use once a year when they visit Anna’s grave on the anniversary of her passing. They bring all of Anna’s go-to snacks, flowers, and talk about their favorite memories with her. It’s tearful and emotional, but also, it’s good.
It helps.
The basket sitting out means one thing.
But no. There’s no way.
Her hands slap her pockets as she scrambles for her phone.
Come on, come on, come on.
Remi nearly drops her phone in her haste to free it from her pants. Her heart drops as her throat seizes at the date staring back at her.
July eighteenth.
Remi missed Anna’s anniversary.
The room around her fades.
Her chest tightens.
The ocean roars in her ears.
Remi blinks and she’s on the carpet.
She blinks again and Elena is there.
Elena’s hands pull on Remi. Elena’s lips are moving, but there’s only the sound of static.
Remi closes her eyes.
This time she doesn’t open them again.