Chapter 16

Joelle

I sat at breakfast Friday morning and laughed at the family sitting with me. The parents were kind and engaging. Ashleigh was a stay at home mom with a background in accounting, and her husband was former military and worked for a company that seemed to do a lot of things. Daniel was an alpha and a little mysterious, but he only had eyes for his wife and their son.

When they came to breakfast, the extra three seats at my table were the only ones available. I invited them to join me and was happy I did when Junior plopped down next to me and asked my name.

From there, it was like I was an extension of their family. Junior snagged a piece of my bacon, which his father told him was rude. I insisted it was okay. His mother told him to go get another piece for me, and Junior brought one back before snagging that one, too.

“I swear he’s not usually like this,” Ashleigh said. “What is with you?”

Junior shrugged. “She said I could have it.”

“You need to use your manners,” Daniel said. His voice was deep and commanding, but gentle with his son.

“I’m sorry,” Junior said, gazing up at me from the chair to my right.

“It’s okay,” I assured him. “Bacon is really good. I understand wanting more.”

“Everything here is good,” Ashleigh said. “Someone Daniel worked with recommended this place. Said it’s a great escape.”

“It is,” I agreed, my smile tightening at the word escape. MacKellar Cove was my escape. It was a freedom I’d never had before. But I knew it was temporary. I would have to go home eventually. Face my mother and Thomas and what I’d done.

What they’d done.

“Have you done anything fun since you’ve been in town?” Ashleigh asked.

“I’ve spent some time in town and getting to know people. It’s such a welcoming town. Nothing like where I’m from.”

“Where are you from?” Daniel asked.

“DC.”

Daniel’s head snapped up, his gaze landing on me and studying me carefully. “What do you do in DC?”

His tone put me on guard. Did he know me? Or my mother? Was he from there? “I work in broadcasting.”

“Which station?”

“Daniel,” Ashleigh said, her tone suggesting he was getting too aggressive.

Daniel slid a glance at his wife, then met my gaze. “I apologize. I’m not trying to get into your business. My career is unique, and I have to be careful.”

“Oh, I don’t work on the air or have any say in the stories that are run. I… I’m in the background.”

Daniel examined me more closely. Was he trying to place me? He nodded once, then focused on his plate.

“So, MacKellar Cove? What is your favorite thing you’ve done since you’ve been here? How long have you been here?”

“Three weeks,” I said, surprising myself with the answer. “Um, it’s great. There’s a romance bookstore in town. There are some really good places to eat. O’Kelley’s is a great local bar. Catherine Park is in the center of town and is perfect for letting kids run around and play. Not too far from here, you can get a tour boat to Boldt Castle. There’s a maple farm and a movie theater and tons of cute shops in town.”

“A maple farm?” Ashleigh asked.

I nodded. “Yeah. It’s stunning. They’re not making syrup this time of year, but you can see the farm and enjoy the treats they make there. Piper and Zoey can put you in touch with Colin and probably get you a tour.”

“We should definitely do that,” Ashleigh said, catching Daniel’s attention.

Daniel looked up at her and nodded, pressing his lips up into a smile before he turned back to his food.

“We haven’t taken a vacation in way too long. We’re really looking forward to downtime while we’re here.” Ashleigh smiled at me, but I could see the tension around her eyes.

“The fire pit outside is perfect for a quiet way to end the night,” I said.

“Are we ready to go?” Daniel asked, shoving his plate away.

“I’m still drinking my coffee. Why don’t you two go outside and run around?” Ashleigh suggested, nodding to Junior’s empty plate.

Daniel nodded once, then stood. He and Junior set their plates on the counter by the kitchen, then Daniel hustled his son out of the dining room.

“I didn’t mean to make him uncomfortable,” I told Ashleigh.

She chuckled. “He’s paranoid. He’s a former SEAL, and his team works on some pretty high-profile cases. Between his military past and his current work, he gets twitchy whenever anyone mentions Washington.”

“I understand that.”

She tilted her head. “You don’t like the city?”

I shook my head. “Have you been?”

“No,” she admitted with a small smile.

“It’s not like it is here. I was born and raised there, and my life has been full of fake people who only talk to you if they want something,” I said.

“Coming to a small town must feel like a different planet.”

I exhaled a laugh. “It kind of does. I didn’t exactly plan my trip here, and when my car died, Zoey’s husband and son towed me here.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I’m sure Sebastian thought I was crazy, but he didn’t hesitate to help me out and make sure I was okay. I knew this place was special at that moment.”

“If you didn’t plan to come here, why have you been here for so long?”

“I don’t really want to go home.”

“Are you safe? Daniel can help if—”

“I’m safe. Just… My mother… It’s a long story.”

Ashleigh stood and walked to the coffee station. She refilled her mug while I tried not to be disappointed she was dismissing me without another word.

Then she sat down and said, “I have a full cup of coffee. Is that enough time to tell me your story?”

I laughed and nodded, then quickly told her the whole thing.

“Wow,” she breathed when I finished. “What are you going to do?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know. I have no real work experience, no resume. No way to support myself. But I can’t go back. Why would I?”

“Have you thought about staying here? Finding a job and moving? It sounds like you’ve met some great people.”

My mind went to Andre. We agreed it was casual and temporary. He was happy with that. I was, too, but the thought of staying in town…

“Who are you thinking about?” Ashleigh asked.

I nibbled my lip. “There’s this guy…”

Ashleigh grinned. “There always is. My husband was my first love. We met in college. I loved him so much. But he joined the military. I wanted to do more with my life than follow him around, so we ended things. But when my life went to shit, Daniel was the one and only person I knew I could count on. He saved me, literally. He saved my life. And this time, neither of us were willing to walk away.”

“Seriously?”

Ashleigh nodded. “Yeah. Love is what makes life make sense. It’s how we get through the bad times and what we celebrate in the good times. Forgive me for being so bold, but I’d venture to say you’ve never known what that’s like.”

“You’re right on that one.”

“So why not try it?”

“Falling in love?”

“That and figuring out what it feels like to be loved. This guy… Is he worth moving here for?”

I shook my head. “I would never do that. It’s… we’re not like that.”

“You’re not? Because when I asked about moving here, you got a big grin on your face and said it was about him.”

I laughed, unable to stop my smile. “Okay, maybe I… like him a lot. And feel like I don’t have to pretend with him. I can be myself, even though he doesn’t really know who I am.”

“What do you mean?”

I met her gaze and confessed. “He doesn’t know I was supposed to get married. Or anything about my mother or anything. He thinks I’m here on a vacation.”

“You need to tell him the truth. Trust me when I say keeping something major like that only ends in heartbreak for everyone involved.”

“I know,” I said. “I know. But that’s also why I can’t decide to move here for him. We’ve only known each other a few weeks. I can’t uproot my entire life for him.”

“Then do it for you. Do it for the girl who has no idea what it’s like to make her own choices. For the girl who was never given what you needed as a kid. And for the woman who doesn’t want to pass that on to her own kids.”

“Kids?” I blurted.

Ashleigh grinned. “I was thirty-nine when I got pregnant with Junior. I’m happy I never had kids with my ex, but I wish Daniel and I had gotten a chance at the future we talked about in college. Don’t waste your time with people who aren’t willing to do anything for you.” She looked down as her phone lit up. “Sorry. They’re ready to get a move on.” Ashleigh stood. “Thank you for sharing your table with us, and I hope we’ll see you again this weekend.”

“I hope so, too,” I said as Ashleigh walked out to meet her family.

Kids. A future in MacKellar Cove. My own life and choices and plans.

Could I go for it?

“Joelle?” Piper asked.

I looked up, finding her brows tugged together. “Yeah?”

“Are you okay?”

I nodded, pushing aside the thoughts plaguing me. “Yeah. Did you need something?”

“Um, Andre just called. He said he’s been trying to reach you but hasn’t gotten any replies. Wanted to make sure you’re still in town.”

“Oh, I apologize. I… I haven’t been turning my phone on, and he doesn’t know the whole story.”

Piper winced. “Ooh. Um, okay. I don’t know what’s going on, but he said he’s working all day and asked if you could get back to him at some point.”

“Uh oh. We’re supposed to go out tonight. Maybe he needs to cancel.”

“I’m sorry. I hope not.” She handed over a slip of paper. “He asked to make sure you have his phone number. You can call him back on the Inn phone if you want.”

I shook my head. “No, I’ll text him on my phone. Just in case he’s working and can’t answer right away.”

“Still haven’t spoken to your mother?”

I snorted. “Nope. I don’t know if I’ll ever be ready to forgive her, and she sees nothing wrong with what she did.”

“Well, she’s wrong. Cheating isn’t okay. There’s never a time when I would say it is. And it sounds like she’s the one who instigated it, which makes it worse.”

“Yeah.” I drew a breath. “But I can’t think about that.”

Piper squeezed my hand, then turned to go back to the front.

I called out to her. “Hey, Piper.” I set my mug on the counter and followed her to the desk. “Would you think I was crazy to consider moving here?”

“For Andre?”

I shook my head. “No. I haven’t said anything to him. I don’t want to put that kind of pressure on him or us. If I decide to move, it needs to be the right thing for me. Otherwise, it’s no different from the situation I’m in with my mother. I don’t want to do that to Andre.”

“Then I think you need to decide what you really want. What would your like look like if you had complete control?”

I exhaled a breath. “That’s not something I’ve ever had.”

She smiled. “Then maybe it’s time.”

* * *

I sent Andre a text, letting him know I was still at the Inn and apologizing for not being in touch.

He didn’t reply immediately, so I left my phone on in case he called back. I didn’t want to miss him again.

I thought about what Piper and Ashleigh said, wondering what I really wanted to do with my life. I always hated broadcast journalism. I hated so many things my mother forced on me.

I grabbed the notepad I’d borrowed from Piper two days ago and reviewed the lists I made of everything I didn’t want in my life and the things I did want. Andre wasn’t on the list. A man period wasn’t on the list. If I had someone to share my life with, that would be fine, but I needed to know I could stand on my own two feet.

And currently, I wasn’t sure I could.

That left me with figuring out what I could do and what I wanted to do. My degree limited my options. I would have to get a job that didn’t require education or experience.

Hell, I’d have to get a job.

I’d never written a real resume or gone on an interview. I’d never questioned whether I’d get a job. They were always handed to me.

Time to grow up, Joelle.

My phone buzzed with a text, and I grabbed it, smiling when I saw Andre’s name.

Andre

You really are unplugging while you’re here. I hope you’re resting, too. I plan to keep you up late tonight.

My body heated at his words. I’d been looking forward to seeing him again since I left his apartment the previous morning.

Promises, promises. I know you work tomorrow and will need some sleep.

Actually, I don’t. I hired two people and they start tomorrow.

Wow! Congratulations!

Thanks. I need the help. But I also need to change our plans for tonight.

Oh. That’s okay. I understand.

No, I’m not canceling on you. It’s my parents’ anniversary. They want you to join us for dinner. If you’re open to it. They kind of tricked me into it yesterday. I can’t say no to them.

I did not like the sound of that. Andre seemed so confident and independent. He said he helped his parents out for years, but I didn’t realize they were so controlling.

I’m not sure that’s a good idea.

They’re great, I promise. But after my dad’s stroke, I worry. I want to see them, but I want to see you, too.

They don’t know me. Why would they want me there?

Because I want you there.

But it’s a family thing.

Please come with me, Joelle. If you really don’t want to, I will stop pushing, but I would love to have you join us. They are excited to meet you, and I’m sorry about that because they will ask you a million questions and try to have us married before dessert, and I know you’re not staying here and that’s not an option and I’m not trying to pressure you into anything you don’t want to do, but I want to see you. I want to hold your hand under the table and steal kisses when no one is looking and make my parents happy when I’m not alone at their anniversary dinner. Please come.

How can I say no to that?

I was hoping that would be your answer. Can I pick you up at six?

I’ll be ready.

Thank you. I promise to make it up to you after. Anything you want.

Anything?

Anything. I’m all yours for the night. And for the day tomorrow if you want.

Oh, this is going to be fun.

LOL. Now you have me worried.

You should be worried.

I’m also a little curious what you’re going to come up with.

You’re just going to have to wait to find out.

Looking forward to it. I gotta start my next job, but I’ll see you soon.

Be careful.

Thx

I needed to clear my head after talking to Andre and thinking about moving to MacKellar Cove, so I grabbed my room key and walked out. The garden was the perfect spot to sit and enjoy the quiet of the town and think.

I weighed all the options I had as I curled up on a bench and watched the water. Ships and boats flowed by, the water carrying them away. I debated on my future.

I wasn’t going back to my mother, I knew that. But I couldn’t stay at the Inn forever. Or exist on my mother’s income. She would cut me off. I knew that without a doubt in my mind.

After a while clearing my head and feeling no closer to an answer, I got up and walked around the property. I went inside for lunch, then headed to my room to get ready for the anniversary dinner. As I approached my room, I heard my phone ringing inside.

I hurried to unlock the door, but the ringing stopped before I got inside. It started back up again almost immediately, and I pushed inside my room, grabbing my phone from my bed. I swiped to answer it, belatedly realizing I should have looked at who was calling.

“Hello?”

“Hello? Hello. Joelle. Where are you? Are you on your way back?”

My mother. Dammit. Why did I keep answering her calls? “No, Mother, I’m not.”

I heard a man’s voice in the background, close, like he was right next to my mother.

She shushed him. “If you don’t come back here, I’m going to come get you. There is only one June weekend left. You need to be back here in five days, or we’re coming to you.”

“We? You and Thomas?”

“Yes. Thomas is worried about you. He wants you to come home so you can get married and put everything behind you.”

“You mean he wants me to forget about the two of you having sex.”

“You are being childish, Joelle. I have done everything for you. From losing my figure and having to work twice as hard to get it back to keeping your future husband satisfied until you were married, I have given you everything. Get back here.”

“No, Mother. I have no intention of returning. I don’t want the life you’ve forced on me. I want my own life.”

“Stop being so dramatic, Joelle. Just come home.”

“I’m not coming back, Mother. Stop calling me.”

“How do you think you’re going to pay for the vacation you’re on? Who pays your credit cards? Your phone bill? Who buys your clothes and makeup and food? What are you going to do on your own, Joelle?”

“I’ll figure it out.”

“No you won’t. You don’t know the first thing about being independent and resilient. You’re weak. You’ve always been weak. That’s why I created your life for you. To protect you. To protect me.”

“You never gave me a chance, Mother. You never allowed me to figure things out for myself. But I’m doing that now, and I’m not going to let you take it from me again.”

“Joelle—”

I hung up before she could say anything else. I put my phone on Do Not Disturb, then got in the shower and got ready for my date.