Chapter 8 #2
Grinning at her, I say, “I’m going to open my own bakery. That was the one thing Dad wanted me to do, and I think I’m ready to.”
Kai moans from across the booth. “Please put the snickerdoodles on the menu. I dream about those damn cookies.”
My body is tingling from the three and a half glasses of beer I’ve had, laughing loudly.
“I will. But first, I have to get this all settled and find somewhere to open shop.” Leaning back on the seat, I watch Kai’s face change as he reads something from his phone.
Baylee notices my eyes and looks at Kai, leaning over to see what he’s seeing. She sits up straighter and looks at me.
Ignoring it, not my business, I drink the rest of my beer before pouring another glass, leaving the rest for Kai, reaching for one more fry, which is now cold, but not caring.
My eyes scan between Kai and Bay; they’re having a silent conversation before Kai speaks. “Would you like us to drive you back to the cottage? I think we’re going to head out.”
The abrupt leaving confuses me. “Umm.”
I look at Bay, who’s starting to stand, “Shit.” She mumbles, and I watch her eyes close before looking at me, “Sorry, August.”
My forehead rises, fixing to ask her what, but I didn’t need to; I see him. Bohdi.
“He was supposed to be out of town. I’m sorry.” Kai does look sorry.
Swallowing, I say, “I’ll just head out. It’s okay.”
Standing, grabbing my tote, I rifle through it, pulling out thirty dollars and laying it on the table. “Thank you for inviting me.”
“Hey, how are you going to get back?” Baylee asks.
Shrugging, I say, “I’ll be fine.”
Before she can argue, Bohdi emerges at our table; his eyes stare right into me, but he speaks to them, not me. “Wow, I really know how to thin a crowd, don’t I, brother?”
“We were just getting ready to take August home. Next time,” Kai tells Bohdi.
I look at them. “I’ll see you Monday, Kai. Bay, I enjoyed this.” I step around Bohdi and his hand gently brushes my skin, on purpose or an accident, but it leaves a stinging trail. I hurry to make my way across the restaurant. I can feel his eyes on me, and that just makes my skin turn hot.
Exiting, the night air, cooled from the breeze bouncing off the water, soothes my hot skin. I breathe in the fresh air, trying to get myself under control. Fumbling in my tote for my keys, I make my way down the sidewalk to my parked car.
“Hey!” is yelled from behind me.
I continue walking, ignoring him.
“You’re really going to drive when you’ve been drinking. Smart, August. We’re not kids anymore.” His words are clipped.
I stop in my tracks, turn around. “Why the hell do you care what I do, Bohdi? And I’m not driving; I’m walking.” Also, not calling him Bo. It’s stupid.
His laugh reverberates down my spine. “It’s going to take you at least twenty minutes to walk to the cottage, then you're drunk, so good luck walking down the steep driveway; you’ll roll down it.”
“Hey, August.” I hear Baylee’s voice. “I can take you,” she says as Kai and her walk up to Bohdi. Kai looks at him with a death stare. Their stance makes me uncomfortable.
Kai whispers to him, but I can’t hear it.
Bohdi turns toward me, seething. “You come back into town after eight years and just turn everything upside down.”
I stand there, mouth wide open, no words coming, as I watch his retreating back. I didn’t come here for anything other than to sell the cottage and get the hell away for good.
They walk to me. “I’ll follow in our car while Bay drives in yours. She didn’t drink tonight,” Kai tells me, not giving me an option.
I wanted to say no, I can walk, but I decided to let them help me. “Okay. I’m right down there.” I point toward my car.
Turning, I realize where we're standing: in front of the empty building that’s for sale. I look at it again, but force my attention away. We’re leaving here as soon as possible.
I hold the keys out to Bay, and she smiles at me, taking my offering.
The ride out of town is quiet, not too uncomfortable, but there is still some unease in the air.
“Thank you for taking me.”
“Of course.” Bay takes a quick glance at me before turning back to the road.
Sitting up straighter, “Can I ask you something?” I don’t want to pry, but I’m curious. That whole encounter with those brothers… Something was off. “What’s going on with Bohdi and Kai?”
Baylee clicks her tongue. “Those two, I honestly don’t know if they’re coming or going some days. Their relationship is strained, to say the least.” She raises her shoulder, as if she doesn’t know what else to say.
“It’s okay. I’m sorry for prying.” And I am. I don’t care what's going on between them… I try to lie to myself. Because I do care what happens to them. At one point in my life, they were my family.
“Shit, August.” I turn my head too fast to Bay, as she’s leaning hers back on my headrest, eyes glued to the road.
“They haven’t been good for the last two years.
” She chooses her words carefully. “His fiancé, Molly, isn’t good for this family.
She’s wedged herself between them. She and her whole family aren’t good people.
” She looks at me. “You don’t remember a Molly? ”
I turn in my seat. “No, I don’t.”
Bay laughs. “The big house on the rocks.”
“Oh, yeah.” They were pretentious. Summer visitors who tried to make Driftwood Bay into something it wasn’t, the next Martha’s Vineyard, trying to run mom and pops out of their shops, bringing their way too expensive cars into town and kicking people off the beach below their rocky land, even though they didn’t own it.
“How the hell did that even happen?” I ask, but not expecting an answer, because I’m shocked.
Bohdi hated everything they were and what they wanted to do with his coastal town.
And now he’s engaged to their daughter and working for their real-estate company.
I’m so confused. I guess people do change… for the worse.
Bay laughs, but it’s nothing to do with me being funny. “We’ve asked ourselves that question. Hell, Kai has asked Bohdi that question, but it never ends well.”
My eyebrows draw up. “I’m sorry, Bay. I hate that.”
She shrugs, but doesn’t look at me. “Maybe one day he’ll find his way back to the family. I hope for his sake. He doesn’t even have anything to do with Mr. and Mrs. Westmore.”
That shocks me. Bohdi was family-oriented. He couldn’t wait to grow older and take over Driftwood Marina, letting his parents retire. And again, I’m hit in the face with how much people can change.
The last five minutes of the drive are quiet. I’m in my head and really don’t know what else to talk about.
Kai’s headlights bounce behind us as we go down the driveway. “Thank you for driving me,” I tell her before getting out.
Walking around the car, she hands me the keys.
“You should stop by our house; you’ve always wanted to see inside it.
” Her smile grows wide, showing off her pearly teeth.
I’m confused for a minute, but then it hits me.
“Oh my god, you’re living in Seaside Manor?
” We would walk by that house all the time and talk about what it looked like, envision the inside and what went on in there.
The Victorian home had so much beauty, but no one wanted to take on the process of fixing it up.
“We do!” She claps her hands together, and all I see is my old friend who wanted that house so badly. The young girl who made up stories about the previous residents.
Tears blur my sight. “I’m so happy for you, Baylee.” And I truly am. She deserves nothing but the best.
I’m crushed to her, her arms squeezing me. “I love you, August. I miss my friend.” Pulling back, she looks me in the eyes and smiles before turning and walking to an awaiting Kai.
I watch their taillights disappear before I head inside the cottage.
It’s so quiet inside, stale and lonely. A stark contrast to what it used to be.
Changing my mind, I throw my tote on the floor, kick off my sandals, and make my way to the back deck and down to the beach.
Walking straight into the water, letting the waves lick my ankles.
“I don’t know what I’m supposed to do,” I tell them.
“Why does everything seem so confusing now? I just need to get this cottage done and get out of here. Get this done, August, and it’ll be all over with,” I promise myself.
I’m not sure how long I stood there until I grew tired, venturing back into the cottage. The sofa catches me and I pass out.