Every Little Piece

Katie is at my back, asking questions. “Who is she? Why are you mad?” She won’t stop but I don’t answer any of them. I can’t. Words have left me. I thought for sure that after a year of not seeing her, of trying not to think about her, that she wouldn’t still have this effect on me. The vow I made to her in sixth grade that I was going to marry her, rooted in my heart and won’t let go. But then that night returns all over again, and the reason I can’t be with her.

Because if she ever learned the truth, she’d hate me forever.

I walk out through the front and let this door slam too.

“I thought I was applying for a job here?” Katie tugs at my sleeve.

“No way.” I take her arm and stride past all the other beach stores and inns. I don’t look. Jamie, Carter and I, the whole gang, used to drive the strip and walk the shops. What used to hold sunshine memories and laughter, now holds a flood of sadness.

She has to run to keep up with me. “Are you sure your parents won’t mind me staying with them? I’m sure I can find someplace else.” Her voice trails off with uncertainty.

I stop in front of the arcade. Crude T-shirts hang from a string across the top of the gift shop. I grab Katie’s shoulders and whirl her toward me. She’s been the one constant in my life besides work on her dad’s ranch this past year and my volunteer work. She’s like the little sister I never had. She has to understand. “My parents wouldn’t have said yes if they weren’t completely on board with this. And trust me, you don’t want to stay in my grandfather’s old fishing cabin.”

One of the biggest reasons Katie came back east with me was for the ocean. I swore to her dad, my dad’s roommate from college, I’d take care of her. He gave me a place and work for the last year while I figured stuff out. He didn’t ask any questions. A month ago, he pulled me inside and hugged me. With tears in his eyes, he called me his son and then told me he couldn’t see me living like this without saying something. He saw my pain, the guilt. He told me I couldn’t move on without tying up loose ends, without closure. And he sent me back home. I can’t return until I’ve wiped away the haunting look in my eye. Then Katie begged to come with me.

“Are you going to stick around?” Her green eyes sparkle, and she tilts her head to the side and smiles, knowing I can’t say no to her.

“For a little bit. I have unfinished business.” As if Haley is unfinished business. The gaping hole in my chest for the last year is much more than crossing off my to-do list.

Katie skips ahead, then whirls around. “Something’s going on with that girl back there. I know it.”

“Yeah?” I smirk. “You think you’re so smart?”

“Yup.” She steps closer, her jaw set in determination. “And I’m going to figure it out too. So much makes sense now. Why you came running out to us like a hurt puppy. Why you’ve been so hard to get to know.”

I glance sideways. Katie’s a beautiful girl with her green eyes and blonde hair and fun personality. I’d fall for her in a heartbeat if my heart didn’t belong to someone else. But in the past year my heart hasn’t felt much, until today. Which reminds me of the whole reason I came back. We reach my car and jump in. My parents are expecting us.

We’re humming down the road, the memories flashing by with each landmark. I ran out west. Haley ran to the ocean. I focus on Katie. “Where would you like to apply for jobs? I can take you around tomorrow.”

She taps her fingers against the window, watching the sights with wide eyes. “Along the ocean.”

“No way.” I grip the steering wheel more firmly, thinking of all the guys cruising the beach for girls. “That’s not always the best scene.”

“You can’t keep me in a box here. I’m seventeen, not twelve.”

She’s right. She’s only two years younger than me but I feel years older. I promised her dad a summer back east. “Why the beach?”

“Seriously? You have to ask? I’ve wanted to see the ocean forever. And that reminds me. When can we go?”

I slow down and pull to the side of the road. “We can grab some hot chocolate and go now if you want.”

She squeals in response.

I stop at a gas station, and we run in and buy hot chocolate, then head to the beach. It’s easy to find parking this early in the season and soon we’re walking in the sand. We left our shoes on the boardwalk. The tiny grains of sand slip between my toes, and I can’t help but remember all the times Haley and I and the gang hung out here.

“Seth?” Katie asks.

“Hmm,” I murmur.

“Where do you go when you get that look?”

“What look?” I ask.

“Do you think I’m blind? That sad, puppy dog one. Whenever you’re quiet I know you’ve gone there to that place in your past. Whatever it is you’re running away from. Or maybe it’s that girl?”

She’s so close to the truth. But I haven’t talked to anyone about it. I can’t admit something so terrible to people that respect me, because I’d lose them. I nudge her shoulder. “You’re too smart. But some things are best left in the past.”

She tags me. “You’re it!” Then she takes off.

“Hey, no fair!” I nestle my cocoa in the sand and take off after her. We play tag and get dangerously close to the water sliding up onto the beach.

I tease her by rolling up my jeans and going in. She takes a step in and squeals. “It’s freezing!”

“What’d you expect?” I laugh at her. “We’re not in the Bahamas.”

She runs and gives me a hug, jumping up and wrapping her legs around me.

“Whoa, what’s that all about?” I ask, putting her down. I tuck her hair behind her ears. She’s such a bright spot in my life, and for that I’ll be forever grateful.

“Thanks for talking my dad into letting me come.” She gazes out over the ocean and the endless skyline.

The dreams dance in her eyes. I remember a time when I was in that stage, brimming with enthusiasm for life and what the future held. And I swear I’ll do anything so Katie never experiences what we went through and what we lost.

She turns, her eyes questioning. “What?” But then she rubs her arms. “You’re right. It’s cold here. I’m going to run to the car and grab a sweatshirt. I might even go buy a beach necklace to be official. I’ll meet you at the car?”

I nod. Katie’s good about that. She can pester me for answers but she gives me space too. I sit and ignore the water creeping up the shoreline toward my feet. I close my eyes and remember the frozen expression on Haley’s face when she saw me. Like she saw a ghost. I wince. Then the pain that shuddered through her body. I sent her running into the arms of her boyfriend. Just that word grips my heart. She moved on. She found someone else. I wish she’d tell me how to do that so I could find peace too.

I sense her presence before I see her. I don’t dare turn around or move. If I do, she might take off. I stay where I am and take deep breaths. Somehow I have to find the courage to follow through with this.

“Hi, Haley.”

She sighs. “I guess some things don’t change. You were one person I could never sneak up on.”

The corners of my lips tug into a smile. One of the reasons I fell for Haley in elementary school was her pranks. She’d pull jokes on her teachers and on the meanest kids in school without blinking an eye. I knew right then she was the girl for me. It was her love for life. My throat tightens. I can’t go back in time. It’s too hard. Katie was right. I’ve been running.

She plops next to me but feels miles away. The silence doesn’t feel awkward. It never was uncomfortable between us.

“Is he good to you?” I grimace against the memories of her pressing up against him.

“His name is Tate, and you know that. He graduated with Noah.”

That’s all she offers me—the basics I already knew. Not that I expected a detailed account of their relationship. “Does he make you happy?”

“Yes, he does.” She pauses as if to choose her words carefully. “He’s there for me.”

I cringe. Unlike me. “Listen, about that.”

“No, Seth.” Her face pales. “It’s too late. As much as I want answers, I don’t want to hear them now or right here.”

“That’s why I came back.”

“I thought it was for your new girl to meet the fam,” she shoots out.

A trace of jealousy tinges her words, and I don’t correct her, but I feel something I haven’t felt in a while. Something called hope. “It’s not what you think.”

“Uh-huh.”

“Where do we go from here?” I ask, desperate to get this awkwardness over.

The breeze tosses her hair around and her lips shiver. Her brown hair is longer and trails down her back, teasing me to touch it. Drops of ketchup stain her work shirt, dangerously close to her chest, and she smells like a restaurant. I so want to kiss her and hold her close to me. Then I’d know her true feelings. I’d know within seconds if she still loved me. I move closer.

She senses my invasion of her space. Slowly, she turns, and I hold back a gasp at the pain in her eyes. Deep-set pain that haunts her face.

“Oh, my God, Hales.” I run my hand down her arm and then graze her cheek. She tenses. I lean closer, waiting for her to bolt but she doesn’t. The raw emotion pulses between us, drawing us together. I whisper my lips against hers. Her soft lips create a rush of memories. “Hales,” I murmur. I kiss her not because I want to get in her pants but because I want to make her feel again. I want to feel again. I want her to feel my love and my pain too. She needs to know she isn’t alone.

At first she holds back but when I touch her face, she responds. Her skin feels so soft that I groan. Her lips part and she gasps when our kiss deepens. I pull her to me and a tear clings on my eyelash. We pause in that position. We’re both shaking. Our lips hungry for each other, for the familiar feel and taste. The emotion crashes in just as a rush of cold water hits our feet and moves up to our knees.

She gasps and pushes me away. The water is numbing but the needles of ice feel good. They distract. The ocean breeze whispers between us and a chill wraps around me.

Her voice chokes up. “What do you want from me?”

My voice is hoarse too. “We need to talk.”

“Forget it.” Her words are ice.

“We can go slow. Start slow.”

Her body trembles and her eyes flash. “You can’t just waltz into town, throw yourself at me and get what you want. Life doesn’t work that way.”

I study her face, the sadness in her eyes, her hunched shoulders. The truth hits me just as another wave does too, but we still don’t move. From what I can tell, she feels guilty and refuses to move on with her life. My heart breaks. That’s my job, not hers. I need to set her free to live her life, even if it means I get left behind.

“How about a date?” I ask tenderly and graze her cheek with my knuckles.

She laughs but it’s a dry, brittle sound. “Seriously? A date?”

I take a chance and broach a painful subject. “What about this weekend? Are you going?”

She almost curls up on herself and whispers, “I’m not going.”

“Give me a couple days.”

“For what?” She brushes her hair back and shivers. Finally, she stands and moves away from the water. “I’m freezing!”

I stand and grab her hand. “Give me a couple days and I promise you’ll want to open the invitation you probably shoved deep in a desk drawer. Give me that to prove that you should start living life again.”

A spark of hope flashes in her eyes but quickly fades. “I can’t do this.”

“I’ll swing by the restaurant.”

“I won’t be there.”

And then she’s gone. My body shakes violently, and I lean over with my hands on my knees. Shit. This is hard.





My feet are still numb from the ocean, so I stumble back into the restaurant. On my break, all I wanted was a peek at the stormy crashing surf that matched my insides. I didn’t expect to meet Seth. I didn’t expect to talk to him. Or kiss him. And a date? I mean, seriously. What was he thinking? I wrap my arms around myself and rub the goosebumps from my skin. I’ve missed him desperately and deeply, more than I ever realized.

An ache settles in my chest and for the first time in months I want to cry. But along with the ache comes the truth that this can’t happen. That he and I can’t exist in this world, at least not together. I made a promise. One I intend to keep.

I grab empty plates and mugs and carry them over to the counter. I slam them down a little too hard. The dishwasher keeps about his work, not caring if I break dishes. But Tom will care. This is his place, and he graciously gave me a place to stay and a job. I lean against the counter and take deep breaths, trying to stop the trembling, soaking in the familiar sounds. The chatter of the patrons, the clinking of dishes. But that laugh. That’s new.

Seth’s new girl leans against the counter, her bubbly smile plastered all over her face. Jealousy stabs at me but I push it away. What is she doing here? Does Seth know? I stride over and stand next to Justine who’s talking with her while she cleans up. I cross my arms and study the girl.

Justine nudges me and whispers. “Hey, loosen up.”

The girl smiles but behind the smile is knowledge, like she knows me. I take a step back. How much did Seth tell her?

She sticks out her hand. “I’m Katie.”

“Nice to meet you,” I mutter, then turn around without shaking her hand. It’s rude but I’m shocked she knows me.

“Haley!” Justine calls me back. “Katie’s starting work tomorrow morning. Can you train her? I’ll be at the dentist.”

“What?” My guard drops. I don’t think I can be around little miss sunshine for a full shift.

“I’m sorry.” She shrugs, her eyes pleading. “There’s no one else.”

“Fine.” Then I make a decision. “Want to go out tonight? Hit the bars?”

“Huh?” Justine stops wiping off the counter. “Seriously?” A spark lights in her eyes. “You want to go out?”

“Yes.”

While Justine and I talk about our plans, Katie says goodbye and slips out. I won’t have to deal with her until tomorrow morning. Tonight? I can forget about everything. And screw Seth. If he’s going to tell everyone my history then he can go to hell.



I have the afternoon off and spend it mindlessly listening to music and reading. My room is small, watermarks stain the ceiling, and the wallpaper is faded, but Tom puts all the money into the business and the main rooms of the inn. A tiny, musty room doesn’t bother me. My gaze flicks to the desk drawer. I know what’s inside the envelope, and I’m not going to open it. I don’t want to see their names on the invitation to the memorial service. I might have run away, but I’m not blind. I see the buds on the trees and the chirping of baby birds. It’s spring. My heart cracks wider with each passing day.

Seth seems to think he can change my mind. He can forget about it.

Justine knocks before opening the door and bouncing into my room. Her enthusiasm is addicting. She starts whipping clothes out of my closet.

“We have to look hot tonight.”

“Why?” I ask dryly. I could care less. “I’m not interested in a one-night stand or snagging a date.”

Justine blows air through her mouth. “Of course not. We’re going out to party.” She pulls out a little black number with strappy sandals.

“Too cold?” I say more than ask.

She throws a tiny black sweater at me to accompany the dress.

“Still too cold.” But I dress anyway. I brush on some eyeliner and sparkly eye shadow and a little bit of gloss. Then I run my fingers through my hair. Part way through I have to sit on my bed as my stomach churns. This ritual of getting ready feels too familiar and my heart aches. I lean over, breathing heavily.

“Hey!” Justine asks. “You okay?” She sits on my bed and rubs my back.

She wants to say something, to ask how I’m doing. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

“At some point, you’ll have to.” She pulls away. “You can’t keep living like this.”

I stand and the heartache turns to anger. It swirls through my body whipping up my adrenaline. “Like what? I can’t keep living like what?”

Her eyes flash. “Like a zombie! You work. You sleep. You shop. You live. But barely.” She paces. “I offered this time away here, working with me, not to escape life forever, but to give you a chance to recover and deal. You can’t stay in this place forever.”

“Watch me.” I grab my purse. “Ready?”

She sighs, and we leave for the bar. The Wave has been an old standard for years for the locals, and the few tourists that discover it. In high school, we tried more than once to buy alcohol with fake IDs, which usually didn’t work. It’s a nice, clean bar for a drinking establishment. The music rocks the joint, and a few people have stepped onto the measly dance floor. We scoff and take a seat at the bar. I order a spritzer and ignore the buzzing of my phone. I’d like to think it’s Tate and that he changed his mind, but I pushed him too far. He’ll wait for me to call him.

It buzzes again. A text from someone, and I’m guessing it’s Seth. A year ago at this time I stared at my phone for hours, willing him to text, reach out to me. I stopped wishing and looking a long time ago.

“You can have a drink. It’s okay,” Justine slides off her barstool. “Let’s dance.”

“No thanks, but don’t let me stop you.” I sip my spritzer.

A familiar voice interrupts us. “Haley Sparks? Is that you?”

The voice needles me, and I grit my teeth. It’s Carly. She wears the same forced smile that most people who know my history use with me. But she pushes past that and hugs me like I’m a long lost friend. I haven’t seen her since that night. “It’s been forever!” She pulls her very own bad boy to her side. Just a lucky guess given the ink running up and down his right arm and the lip ring. “This is Chad.”

We nod hello. He scuffs the floor with his foot, sighs and searches the bar as if desperate for entertainment. She whispers in his ear, and he heads over to a table. Justine takes her cue and finds the dance floor. I wish I could order a rum and coke but order a root beer. Something stronger than a spritzer.

“So, Haley,” Carly says, her voice breathless. Is she nervous?

I ignore her prompting, hearing the lecture in her words. What is up with everyone tonight? Somewhere in the heavens, someone deemed tonight, “Fix Haley” night and bug the hell out of her. My drink lands on the bar, but I don’t take a sip. I trace my finger through the moisture forming on the outside.

“You’re different,” she says.

“You think?” My phone vibrates and out of habit I glance at it. Seth again. I plaster on a smile. “How’ve you been, Carly? You know we never really talked in high school. Oh, wait. But that could be because you wanted my boyfriend.”

“Ouch.”

I shrug. In my mind, she deserves it.

“Have you talked to Seth recently?” she asks, then bites on her lower lip.

I shake my head. “He took off after graduation.”

“Oh.” She fiddles with her purse. Again, that look of knowledge. Did Seth blab about me to everyone?

“Have you?” I ask.

She nods. “We’ve kept in touch.”

I push my drink away without touching it. This night sucks.

She touches my arm. “Did you ever talk to him?”

“Of course, I did.” I huff. Just not after that night, and then he took off.

She narrows her eyes. “Did you ever talk to him about that night?”

I try to say no, but the words refuse to come, and I’m left looking like a dying codfish, mouth open.

Her grip on my arm grows tighter. “Haley, you don’t like me and probably never will, but you’ve got to talk to him. If he took off and never told you anything, there’s so much you don’t know.”

Chad shows up next to Carly and whispers in her ear.

“Sure, babe.” She kisses him then turns back to me. “Please. Give him a chance.” Then she leaves.

The phone vibrates, and I pull it out. It’s Seth. What was Carly talking about? There can’t be too much more to the story. I was the story. Not too much to miss. Impulsively, I open his text.

Seth: Where are you?

Me: Out with Justine.

Seth: What happened to our date?

Me: What happened to us?

Seconds pass and Seth doesn’t respond. Could Carly be right? Finally he texts back.

Seth: Shit happens.

I decide not to tell him about Carly. If there’s more I need to know, he’ll tell me eventually. Or I’ll ask him when I get up the courage.

Seth: Still want to have our date?

Me: Are you sure you want to do this? I’m not the same person you knew a year ago. I’m not the person you loved.

My chest constricts, and I fight the battle. A part of me wants to see him and another part wants to run far away. But this wouldn’t be about Seth and me. This is about finding out what I don’t know.

Seth: I’m not running anymore. I’m not the same either. I’ll never be the same again.

Me: Fine. Where are you?

Seth: I’m outside the bar.

I end the messaging. My first mistake was coming to The Wave. Of course, Seth would know to look here. I swallow the lump in my throat and find Justine. She’ll understand.





I wait. The typical night beach crews stroll past. The skimpily dressed girls hang on their boyfriend’s arms. They reek of alcohol. It isn’t bad now but once summer hits, the boardwalk will be packed. Cigarette smoke drifts through the air, and I watch the doors. Thank God Katie overheard they were going out; after that, it wasn’t too hard to find them.

My chest tightens, and I lose my breath when she walks out the door. She’s more beautiful now than she was a year ago, if that’s even possible. Her hand is in her hair twirling a lock around her finger. In this moment with no one looking, she’s vulnerable. I want to wrap her in my arms and shield her from the truth. Instead, I’ll be the one to shatter her heart in a thousand pieces.

She searches the sidewalk for me and eventually we lock eyes. She smoothes down her little black dress, then pulls out her phone. A moment later a text arrives.

Haley: I see that look in your eyes from here. Don’t think you’re getting any tonight.

I rub my fingers over the keys but don’t respond. She’s throwing out the jokes, but I know now that she was never really joking. That her pranks were her way of protecting herself and that’s what she’s doing now. Finally she crosses.

“Hi.” I shove my hands in my pockets. If I don’t, I’ll end up touching her.

“Big plans tonight?” she asks.

I offer her my arm. “You bet. Let’s go.” She doesn’t take it but chooses to walk beside me until we reach my car.

I know exactly where to go. It’s not the same pool hall but it’s pool. Something that connects us. We don’t say much on the short drive down the strip. Haley watches the sights from the window and plays with the seat.

“Since when do you get nervous?”

She gives me a weak smile. “Shit happens.”

I nod, not wanting to press her, and keep driving until we arrive. I open her door. She sneaks a glance at me, then crosses the street to the pool hall, leaving me to follow her. Conversation is stilted. I ask a question. She answers. Then it fizzles out and dies. She racks the balls up and breaks. We play, ball after ball, but she seems off. Finally in the middle of the second game, she places her stick against the wall.

“I guess this wasn’t a good idea. You should probably take me home.”

I see the layer of hurt in her eyes. Shit. I guess this was a bad idea. Too similar. I take her hand. “Give me another chance. We’ll go someplace quiet.”

Relief crosses her face and the tension leaves her body. “Please?”

I purchase two coffees at a Jiffy Mart, and we walk across the street to the beach. The one place in her life now she likes to be. This time we sit on a bench on the boardwalk. Darkness hides the water but the comforting crash of the waves can be heard. She doesn’t even attempt small talk, so I share a little bit.

“I’ve been out west this past year living with my dad’s roommate from college.”

“Glad you could walk away so easily.” Her words hint at bitterness.

I restrain from touching her. “It wasn’t easy.” Then I lean forward, overwhelmed with guilt. The sick feeling knots in the pit of my stomach and grows tighter with each passing second. It took weeks for this to fade away, but now it’s back, full force. Why did I think I could follow through with this?

“Is that where you met Katie?”

I sit straighter. “How do you know her name?”

Haley shrugs. “She applied for a job at the Seaside Inn.”

I laugh. “I should’ve known.”

“What?” Haley asks, her voice sharp and suspicious.

“Katie is my dad’s roommate’s daughter. She’s not my girlfriend, but when she asked about you yesterday and I wouldn’t tell her anything, she took matters into her own hands.”

“You didn’t tell her about us, about me?” Her eyes question, flashing hope.

I can’t help it. I reach out and touch her leg. “Hales, I would never do that. I haven’t talked to anyone.”

She stiffens at my touch, and her face saddens, but she seems relieved. “I haven’t either.”

We sit in comfortable silence, lost in our thoughts. I feel lost in a maze with the answers right nearby, with Haley right there, but I can’t find her. I can’t figure out what to say to make the hurt go away or to break my news to her gently.

“Is it so wrong?” she whispers. I almost don’t hear her because the breeze whisks her words away.

I lean closer and graze my thumb across the top of her hand. She’s close enough that I can smell her body lotion. Strawberries and cream. It’s intoxicating. “What?”

“That we both ran away.”

I trace her skin ever so gently. “Probably.”

She sways close to me. Her mouth parts and her eyes gloss over. I lean close too. Our lips hover right next to each other but neither of us moves closer.

“How can this feel so right and be so wrong?” she asks in a moment of truthfulness. I can’t believe she’s opened up. It mirrors the way I feel, too.

“I don’t know.” I pull away before I’m tempted to kiss her. I’ll lose her trust if I make this about me. “Please, give me this week.”

She sighs. I’ve hurt her again. “Why, Seth? What will one week do?”

“You never know. Just give me a chance.” I press my palm to the side of her face then pull away. Old habits of touching and loving her won’t die. “But you have to be open. You have to try.”

Her voice breaks. “I try to get through each day. How would this be any different?”

I can’t believe I’ve stayed away so long. I curse that I was a coward and left her. “I don’t deserve another chance with you, and I’m not asking for one. I just need this week. For you.”

Before the week is over, Haley will know everything. Everything about that night that made me run away. I’ll tell her about Carly, my parents, and the accident.

She sighs. “Fine. Will you take me home?”





After a restless night, I drag myself out of bed to get ready for my shift. I forgot to wash my apron so it’s still splattered with ketchup, my head is pounding, and my chest aches. It’s so hard to be around Seth. One moment I want to run away from him and then the next I want him to pull me close and kiss me forever. But last night he made it clear that he’s not back to apologize and try to salvage our relationship. I guess that’s as it should be because if he tried, I’d refuse. But a tiny part, just a tiny, tiny part of me really misses him.

I nudge Justine’s door open. “Hey, you awake?”

“Yeah, yeah,” she grumbles. I move to the stairs and she calls, “Don’t forget you’re training Katie this morning! I should be back from the dentist by noon.”

It’s my turn to groan. I walk down the narrow, steep stairs that lead to the kitchen of the inn. My hand slides down the rail and the steps creak under my feet. Early morning smells of bacon and coffee greet me. This ritual of waking and working to the sound of Tom cooking in the kitchen has become my home.

He’s mixing the batter for pancakes. His graying brown hair needs a cut and his face wears the happy expression it always does when he’s cooking. “Hey, there.”

“Good morning.” I can’t hide the yawn as I pour a cup of coffee and wrap my hands around it. Just this little bit of warmth is comforting.

He bustles about the kitchen, never stopping. “Thanks for training the new waitress.”

“No prob.” I can’t force any fake enthusiasm.

He pats my back as he rushes past. “Remember, you were once new too.”

I feel guilty after all Tom’s done for me. He’s put his life’s money and his dreams into this place. Then he opened it up to Justine and me. “Don’t worry. I won’t let you down.”

He slows to measure another batch of flour. “You going to be staying with us another summer?”

“Yeah, sure. Why?” My chest constricts in the fear that he’s suggesting I move out. It must show on my face.

“Don’t worry. You’re welcome here as long as you’d like. I wondered if you’d thought anymore about college or what you want to do the rest of your life. Not that I want to lose my best hired help.”

“I’m here for now.” I head into the restaurant for a few moments peace before the crowd trickles in. I avoid these types of conversation with Tom. That’s how he knows to sneak them in when I’m unaware. He’s knows I’d claim to be sick or slip out the backdoor if he suggested we sit down and talk.

The restaurant is quiet and still. The floor shines and tables are clean with white paper place mats. The morning sun peeks over the horizon in a beautiful sunrise of soft reds and purples. I love the mornings I have off and can be on the beach with the colors playing on the water. The feeling of a new day and the hope that comes with it. Before the crowds and the tourists when I can feel the beach is mine. Like here in the inn. No chatter or clinking of cups or rattling of dishes. Just quiet.

A fierce knocking rattles the door. A pretty, smiling face presses up against the door, her breath fogging up the glass. Katie’s here. A twinge of jealousy twists in my gut that she’s replaced me in Seth’s life. I unlock the door, and she bounds in like a bunny in the spring. Her blonde hair bounces around her shoulders, her smile practically leaping off her face.

I can’t help but smile back a little bit. I want to dislike this girl, but it’s just about impossible. “Hi.”

She gives me a huge hug. “So glad to finally get to know you.”

“Really?” I pull back at her enthusiasm. “I didn’t know I was so famous.”

“Well,” she says slyly, “you can’t hang around Seth for long without realizing he’s a goner for someone.”

I gasp. “Seth and I have been over for a year.” Ever since he ran out on me. It hurts just to think it. Just him being in town has set me back.

“Maybe, but he still loves you.”

I move across the room, knowing she’ll follow. “Are you always this blunt with people you’ve just met?”

“Yep!”

“That must drive Seth crazy.”

She nods. “Yep again. But someone has to make him laugh.” She rubs her chin in a thoughtful professor-like way. “Looks like I’m going to have to be hard on you too. At least a few smiles every day.”

I flash her a big fake smile.

She laughs. “I knew I’d like you.”

A few customers stand outside, peering through the glass. In a few minutes, the door will open, and they’ll flood the room. I give her our standard apron decorated with seashells and rush through the basics of welcoming customers, inviting them to find their seat, serving coffee, and returning for the orders. Then I show her the back room and where to put the dirty dishes.

She rubs her hands on the apron and fiddles with the strings, rather unsuccessfully attempting to hide her nerves.

“Don’t worry. You’ll get the hang of it.” I give her the quick rundown. “We take the orders, slide it onto the counter, pour coffee, smile, serve the food, clear the plates. It’s really not that hard.” With my every instruction, she takes in the scene as if memorizing the layout and process. She’s going to be a good waitress. I can tell.

“Alright, you ready?” I ask. “Why don’t you shadow me for a bit while keeping the coffee filled and the plates cleared. Sound good?”

She claps. “Perfect.”

I unlock the door and our day starts. I thought for sure I’d hate this girl Seth brought to town, but clearly she adores him. I’m glad he has someone. Maybe she knows a little more about why he left, though he’s promised me some answers before the end of the week. My thoughts flitter to the envelope in my drawer. But if he thinks he’s getting me to go back, he can forget it.

The morning passes. Katie picks up the routine quickly and is extremely helpful. Around noon, she taps my shoulder.

“What?” I ask while balancing several plates on my arms.

“Who’s that good looker who just walked in?”

I glance at the door. Crap. Noah’s here. “Not sure.” Whenever Noah visits it’s to check up on me or talk me into moving on with my life. Out of everyone, he should understand how hard it is to move on. He never did as far as I can tell.

I nod my head as I brush by him with the plates. Then I sneak back into the kitchen and upstairs. Justine is putting the final touches on her make-up.

I rush in, flustered and anxious. “Do you mind starting a bit early?”

“Sure, why?”

“Noah.”

She purses her lips together. “Maybe you should talk to him.”

“Why? I know exactly what he’ll say and I don’t want to talk about this weekend. That’s why he’s here.”

“You can’t ignore him forever, Haley.”

“I know. But, please?”

She crosses her arms. “On one condition.”

“Sure,” I say hesitantly.

“That you’ll open the letter before you go to bed tonight.”

“Promise.” I’m a good liar.

I change into jeans and a sweatshirt, ready to hit the beach. Anywhere but here. I sneak out the back door and bump right into Tate.