Page 41 of A Room By the Sea

“Huh.” Harper scratched Cream’s ears, staring thoughtfully into space. “What did he say when you talked to him? Maybe he’s just going through something right now, and it’s totally unrelated.”

“But that’s just it.” Michelle shook her head. “He was acting like me talking to Marcus bothered him.”

“Like he was jealous?” Harper looked gleeful.

“I—” Michelle felt her cheeks burning. “Yeah, I guess so. But that’s crazy.” Her words spilled out of her in a rush. “I mean—does he really like me like that? I can hardly believe it, but he was acting so weird, showing up places where I was all the time. But it’s so unfair of him to get upset about me talking to Marcus. I mean, if he is jealous, that’s totally on him. Like, it’s not like I knew he liked me. I mean, I couldn’t—I still don’t. He never expressed romantic interest in me. Not officially.” She let Cookie lick her hand, feeling comforted by the dog’s warmth and affection. Acknowledging out loud that Theo probably liked her and was jealous of her hanging out with Marcus made her heart race wildly.

Harper rolled her eyes and sighed. “That’s men for you.”

Michelle waited for Harper to say something else, since she was almost always optimistic and encouraging about whatever her friends were going through. A few beats passed, but Harper simply stared into space, frowning pessimistically.

She does feel really negatively about men, Michelle thought, I know that. And I remember the way she reacted to that social media post she saw when I was with her! She’s still hurt about her ex-boyfriend, that’s clear.

Gently, Michelle cleared her throat. “What do you mean ‘that’s men for you’?” She didn’t want to come right out and ask Harper about her ex-boyfriend in case the animal shelter owner didn’t want to share that information.

“You know I have an ex, right?” Harper said slowly.

“Yeah.” Michelle nodded. “He treated you badly, right?”

Harper laughed bitterly. “Yeah, you could say that. And he’s not the only one. The woman that he’s dating now is my sister.”

Michelle’s jaw dropped. For a second she stared at Harper, unable to imagine the pain she must still be going through. “I had no idea,” she whispered, squeezing her friend’s hand. “I’m so sorry.”

Harper shrugged. “It is what it is. It’s just something that I have to deal with.”

Michelle shook her head. “But I wish you didn’t have to deal with it.” She bit her lip, not sure of what to say. “Do you still have contact with your family?”

Harper sighed. “Not really, but that’s for another reason. Well, both reasons, I guess. My father wanted me to go into the family business, but I didn’t want to. My dream was always to run an animal shelter like this one, and that’s the path I chose. He never understood, and neither did my mother. I hardly have any money at all, and I think they can’t understand why I would give up the lucrative career they were offering me for a life of cleaning stinky messes out of cages.”

Cream lifted his head and blinked adoringly at Harper, and both women laughed.

“I think if he saw you here with these animals, he would understand,” Michelle said. “I mean, just look at these sweethearts. You’re making a difference for all these animals, and you’re also making a difference in the lives of the people who are going to adopt them. People need pets just as much as pets need people.”

Harper beamed at Michelle. “I totally agree with you. Unfortunately, I don’t think seeing the animals would be enough to get my dad to change his mind. Besides, I think he’s offended. It’s not just that he thinks I made the wrong choice, I think he feels disrespected by the fact that I didn’t do what he wanted me to do.”

Michelle shook her head. “That’s not fair. You shouldn’t have to do what he wants you to do with your life. It’s your life, not his.”

“I agree,” Harper said, sighing. “And I’m so thankful that I’ve been able to pursue my dreams like this. I wouldn’t want any other life. Still—sometimes I can’t help feeling that I got the short end of the stick. The animal shelter is everything I could hope for, but the other things in my life are definitely not the kind of things I used to dream about, you know?”

Michelle nodded, and she squeezed Harper’s shoulder. “I’m sorry about your family,” she said softly. “And your stupid ex. But hopefully things with them will get better in the years to come, and all the other areas of your life are still growing and changing. Think of your life as a tree, always expanding outward. There might be short sticks, sure, but they don’t have to stay that way forever.”

Harper’s expression brightened. “I like the way you think.”

“Thanks.” Michelle smiled. “Grandma said something like that to me once. I’ve never forgotten it.”

“Your grandmother is an amazing woman. I hope I can be half the woman she is when I’m her age.”

“I’m sure you will be. Look at everything you’ve done with your life so far.” Michelle wanted to encourage Harper that she might find love again, with a wonderful man who would treat her right, but she didn’t want to overstep. Harper seemed to be decidedly anti-men, and Michelle had a feeling that stronger forces than her words were going to have to change that.

Love sure is a tricky business, she thought. Heck, I’m terrified of getting hurt in this whole Theo situation, and I’ve never really had my heart broken before. I can’t imagine how scary the idea of romance must seem to Harper—and how scary it was for Mom.

She scratched Cookie behind the ear, her brain whirling with thoughts. She didn’t know what on earth she was going to do about Theo, but she felt comforted by the sense of comradery that she felt with Harper. She knew that whatever happened in her life, she wouldn’t have to face it alone, and that brought her a priceless sense of relief.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Elaine hummed to herself as she washed arugula leaves clean in the sink. She was preparing tuna melts, an arugula salad, and iced tea for lunch, and the tuna melts were sizzling in the pan, letting off a delicious aroma.

It’s so wonderful to have people to cook for again, she thought cheerfully as she transferred the ready-to-eat leaves into a clean wooden bowl. She tossed a handful of pine nuts into the bowl with a flourish. I can’t wait until we have guests regularly, and then I’ll get to cook for all kinds of people.