Page 9 of Seven Summers Ago
He shakes his head and presses his lips together. “No, maybe not. But it should’ve been about us. We were married.Aremarried,” he corrects, swinging open his truck door.
“Just sign the papers. Please,” I beg. “I don’t have a fight left in me.”
“I’ll think about it.” He slides in behind the steering wheel.
“I’m going to marry him.” My voice is quiet, but I know he hears me before he slams the truck door closed. “Ugh,” I groan, and spin toward the back door of the cottage, not waiting for him to even drive away before I slip inside.
Locking the door behind me, I hurry down the hallway where the walls are filled with photos of memories and tiptoe up the stairs and into the spare bedroom where Charlie is sleeping. She didn’t rest at all on the flight or the Uber ride to Golden Harbor. Now, she’s snoring lightly, her small hands rested underneath her cheek on the pillow. I tug the blanket up to her chin and brush her dark, strawberry-blonde locks from her face before pressing a light kiss to her cheek.
Pulling the door behind me, I leave it open a crack so the hallway light can still shine into her room. It took her almost a month to finally sleep in her own room after we moved into Weston’s apartment. It wasn’t until I bought her a night light.Even though we’re only here for a week, I make a mental note to pick one up when I go to town.
Downstairs, I pour myself a glass of wine and sit on the navy-blue sofa with my phone. My eyes take a trip around the room, absorbing all the things that are new and all the things that are the same.
Grandma Dottie was a good cook. The three years I lived here with her during high school, I never missed a meal. Some nights she let me pick what we would have. And sometimes she’d let me help in the kitchen. It’s thanks to her I even know how to cook at all.
My own mother never taught me. Her career had been more important than her family. Same thing with my father. It’s the reason I came to live with Dottie. I wasn’t a bad kid; the reality was my parents just didn’t have the time or patience to parent me. Especially since I was sick a lot.
My parents went to work overseas for the entire summer before I started high school and instead of forcing me to go with them, they let me come to Dottie’s. After a week here, I never wanted to go home. And I didn’t.
I take a sip of wine and tuck my legs underneath me. A memory of Beck assaults my brain. Him and I making out on this very sofa. It’s as if I can still feel his strong arm wrapped around my waist, his soft lips pressed against mine, and his hot breath near my ear as he whispered promises about our future.
Empty promises.
I shake my head and send a reply to West’s earlier text.
Here safe and sound
All settled for the night at Dottie’s
West
Good. I’m glad. It’s late. I’ll check in with you tomorrow
Love you. Give Charlotte a kiss for me
I will. Love you too
I text Stella next.
Thanks again for everything. Especially the wine!
Stella
I thought you might need it
You have no idea
Stella
You okay?
Beck was here
Stella
Wait. What? At Dottie’s?
He was at the beach
