Page 49 of A Room By the Sea

“So,” Theo said, folding his hands and placing them on the table. “I have a confession to make.” He paused and looked up and made eye contact with Michelle for three excruciatingly long seconds before looking away.

“What is it?” she prompted, when his pause had gone on for so long that she was starting to wriggle with impatience.

“You were right—what you said in the garage the other day. You said that it was weird that I kept showing up places where you were. I was looking for excuses to cross paths with you. I… I realized that I really like talking to you.”

She felt herself go hot and then cold and then hot again. She felt nervous about what he was about to say, but she took a deep breath and forced herself to stay calm. “Haven’t you always liked talking to me?” she asked.

Theo shrugged. “Well, yeah. I’ve always liked our rivalry. And when you first got back to town, it was nothing more than our usual banter and jokes—the kind we used to engage in when we were kids. But then…” He ran his fingers through his hair, and he seemed to be focusing his eyes everywhere but on her face. “As time’s gone on, I’ve started to develop a real respect for you. And a genuine liking for your company, even though you can be a pill sometimes,” he added with an impish grin.

Michelle gasped in playful indignation. “How dare you? This is a proverbial case of the pot calling the kettle black.” Despite her protestations, she couldn’t help feeling touched by what he’d just told her.

“Don’t worry, I know I can be a pill sometimes too.” Theo’s tone was softer, more sincere.

“No, it’s okay.” She smiled reassuringly at him. “I know you just enjoy bantering with me. And you’re a very sassy guy.” She laughed. “And I know what you’re talking about.” She took a deep breath. “I’ve felt a shift in our friendship too. It—it means something different to me than it used to. You mean something different to me than you used to.”

They held eye contact across the table, and Michelle felt herself come to a decision. It didn’t feel like falling, it felt like taking one simple step forward, and knowing it was the right one.

“You know, Marcus and I aren’t a thing. Not at all. I haven’t talked to him since that day in the library—that was the first time I’d met him and he was just helping me do research.” She couldn’t help grinning at Theo, who looked so relieved to hear her words it was almost comical. “I was really excited to research what Coral Sands was like back when my grandparents fell in love, and he’s a big research nerd too and wanted to help me.”

“Oh. Okay.” Theo smiled shyly, and Michelle found herself thinking that she had never really noticed before how gorgeous his dark brown eyes were. “Do you… would you be willing to explore, um, forming a relationship beyond the sort of annoyance-based foundation we’ve built over the years?”

Michelle felt herself buzzing with nervousness again, knowing what he was saying even though he hadn’t stated it outright in romantic terms. It was clear from the way he was looking at her that romance was on his mind. She hesitated for a moment, but she knew she was ready to take another small step forward.

“Yeah.” She smiled at him. “I’d be open to that.”

“Yeah?” His face lit up and he cleared his throat. “Very cool.”

“I’m not promising it’s going to be anything serious,” she clarified, “but I’m definitely willing to get to know you better. I just want to take things one step at a time.”

“Good enough for me,” Theo said softly, and he reached across the table and gently caressed her cheek.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Elaine lifted a window in her bedroom, letting in a rush of fresh summer air. She closed her eyes and smiled, enjoying the delicious scent of the garden that was wafting up to her on the wind.

Below her in The Birchwood House, she could hear the sounds of laughter and conversation. It was the day of the grand opening, and some of their friends had arrived early to help them with the final preparations. Everyone had gushed over how beautiful the house looked, and Elaine and Audrey and Michelle had been bursting with pride.

I love that our family legacy can bless other people now, she thought. It’s something we’re able to give away, instead of just keep locked up for ourselves.

She went to her wardrobe and opened it, sniffing the scent of lavender eagerly. Ever since she was a little girl, she’d hung sprigs of lavender from the ceiling of her wardrobe. It was something her mother had taught her to do, and it always made her think of her mother. Elaine’s heart filled with a tender feeling, and she thought of how happy her parents would be if they could have seen what Elaine, Audrey, and Michelle had done with the mansion.

She changed into a comfortable dark blue cotton summer dress. It had a long skirt and elbow-length, flowing sleeves. In the morning, she’d been wearing the clothes that she’d thrown on to finish the final touches on the mansion, but now she wanted to put on something more elegant. It was a special occasion, and she wanted to look as festive as she felt.

Once she had the dress on, she changed into a pair of comfortable flats and smoothed down her hair. Her eyes shone back at her in the mirror, bright blue and full of joy. Humming to herself, Elaine left her bedroom and made her way downstairs.

“And this right here is a family heirloom, the wedding dress that my grandma wore when she got married.”

Elaine smiled when she heard Michelle’s voice. Her granddaughter was showing Iris the Sutton wedding dress, which was on display in a beautiful glass case in a corner of the front hall.

“Oh, that’s so absolutely beautiful,” gushed Iris.

“And!” Michelle said with a laugh as Elaine appeared at the bottom of the staircase. “Here’s my grandmother. She’s absolutely beautiful too.”

Elaine shook her head, laughing, but touched by Michelle’s sweet remark. “Thank you so much for coming to help us with all this, Iris.”

“Don’t mention it,” Iris said. “Shep and I are thrilled to be able to help. And you do look beautiful.”

Elaine beamed at her, and all three of them stepped inside the kitchen. Audrey was there, talking to Evan in a corner and looking flushed and happy. Shep was standing in front of one of the kitchen windows, looking out across the back yard. When he heard the door opening, he turned around and smiled warmly at Elaine.