The Girl In The Pink Hat By Lisa Scott
Zoe sighed as she read the precious handwriting on the crumpled sheet of paper again. Like she hadn’t already memorized it. “Learn to play the accordion,” she said with a groan. That was a tough one. But, she wasn’t going to argue with the list; it wasn’t her list to argue with. If she was going to learn to play the accordion, she’d better get started. Her therapist, Diana, had thought it was a good idea for Zoe to complete whatever tasks she could. Scanning the fifty items on the list again, Zoe had the urge to call Diana back and ask her if that really was a good idea, after all. Unfortunately, Diana had quit the business.
Zoe switched her attention to her computer, and searched Craigslist for used accordions. No luck. Apparently, they were hard to find. Either no one played them, or no one stopped playing them. Maybe that was a good thing. She didn’t really want to play the accordion. Perhaps she should skip to the next thing on the list.
She was about to log off the site, when she hovered her mouse over the missed connections link. Before clicking on it, she hesitated a moment. It’d become a bit of an obsession since she’d started cruising Craigslist to find the crazy stuff on Jenny’s list. Reading over the messages felt like being a voyeur, but she was enchanted with the near misses. How often did people brush past the love of their life without even knowing it? Were we all just a highway lane from finding true love? She wished there was some kind of follow up forum, so she could find out if the guy in the F-10 pickup truck ever connected with the redhead in the silver Miata on the 95 interstate.
She clicked on the tab. As usual, grocery stores were a popular place to catch someone’s eye. And the subway of course. One man was looking for the woman who’d given him the crossword puzzle when she’d finished the paper at a coffee shop. Another was looking for a woman who shared a smile near the swan boats in the park.
Then, goose bumps tickled her skin. “The girl in the pink hat on the T.” Zoe wore a pink hat—all the time. It was her thing. Jenny had given it to her two years earlier: a hot pink sunhat with a flower on the side. Zoe’s heart thundered. With a shaky hand, she clicked on the message and her voice wavered as she read it aloud, as if Jenny were in the room with her. “To the brunette wearing the pink hat on the green line, Tuesday around 6pm. You got off at the Back Bay exit. Couldn’t stop looking at you. We locked eyes for a moment. If you’re interested, email me.”
She sucked in a breath. “That’s me.” Brown hair. Pink hat. She’d been on the green line Tuesday, and got off at 6:05. “I’m a missed connection,” she whispered. Who’d been watching her? There was that guy in the suit who’d glanced her way while he was talking on the phone. Or maybe the guy reading the newspaper. He was cute, and they’d shared a look. Then she frowned. Hopefully it wasn’t the guy in the dirty t-shirt who’d been itching his belly. Nah, he hadn’t looked like he had internet access. He certainly didn’t have access to a shower.
This guy could be anyone. Her courage was waning, but then she thought of Jenny. Jenny would never have a chance to be a missed connection. Too bad it wasn’t on the list; it’d be nice to cross off a few things.
With Jenny on her mind, Zoe twisted her fingers in her lap and finally sucked up the courage to email him. What did she have to lose? If it was a bust, it was a bust. They’d meet in public, and maybe—just maybe—this would go somewhere. “Hi! It’s the girl in the pink hat. I was on the green line Tuesday. You’re the guy with the newspaper, right? I saw your message and I’d love to meet you. Zoe.” She looked up at the ceiling. “I hope this is the right thing to do, Jenny.” Then she crossed her fingers and hit send.
***
Zoe had a hard time sleeping, wondering if the man on the T would get back to her, if he had a prison record, and if she’d ever get the courage to go skydiving and cross that off the list. Deathbed promises were iron clad weren’t they? Besides, she was one hundred percent certain Jenny would come back as a ghost to haunt her if she didn’t fulfill all the demands on the list.
Luckily, the next morning was Saturday, so she could sleep in. She made a cup of coffee and then hurried to her computer. It was unlikely, but maybe her mystery man had gotten back to her. She logged onto her email account and almost spit out her coffee. He’d emailed her back already.
Taking a deep breath, she clicked on the message. “Hi, Zoe! I’m so glad you saw my ad on Craigslist. I hope you don’t think I’m crazy. I just haven’t been able to stop thinking about you. Can you meet for coffee today? I know it’s last minute, maybe today around two at The Jumping Bean? I look forward to meeting you. Nick.”
Zoe jumped up and spun around. Today! He wanted to meet her today. Please be the cute one in the suit and not the bellyscratcher. “Nick, that sounds great. I’ll see you then. I’ll be the one in the pink hat.”
She hit send. He quickly replied, “And I’ll have a pink rose waiting for you.”
***
Zoe took a bath. One of the long luxurious soaks she used to enjoy before her world had turned gray, before each day became just another one to get through. She had never loved her job as a customer service rep at the insurance company. Growing up, she and Jenny talked about their dream jobs—working on cruise ships, going to Hollywood to become actresses. Working in a phone bank had never been on her wish list. But it paid the bills—usually. That’s where a communication degree gets you, she thought to herself. After Jenny’s death, it had become nearly impossible to fake the kindness needed when dealing with callers complaining about their copays. ‘At least you’re alive!’ she always wanted to shout.
Her therapist told her she had to move forward, instead of looking back all the time. “You’re missing the gift of the present,” Diana would tell her. “Jenny wouldn’t want you to miss that.” So, Zoe sank back in the bubbles, trying to focus on the present, and her meeting with Nick. Quick showers were the name of the game these days. But this time, she had lit a candle and put on classical music. It was nice, she had to admit.
After drying off and getting ready, she put on her hat and did a last minute outfit check in the mirror. Zoe walked four blocks to the café, forcing herself to breathe deeply. She’d never met a stranger for a date before. And no one had ever gone to such trouble to meet her. She adjusted her hat and straightened her shoulders before walking into the coffee shop. She was glad to see it wasn’t too busy at this hour. That had been a good call by Nick. Smart and handsome, she thought. It didn’t take long to find him, sitting at a table pushed up against the wall; a perfect pink rose lying on the table. She let out the breath she’d been holding—he was gorgeous. He wasn’t the bellyscratcher, that was for sure. He must’ve been the hottie who’d been wearing the suit and reading the newspaper. She’d been distracted that day, going over the list, wondering how she was going to fulfill all of Jenny’s wishes.
But looking at Nick now, she couldn’t hold back her grin. She walked over as he sat there, his mouth parted and his eyes wide. He must be nervous, too, she thought. He stood up. “Hi,” he said. He was well over six feet tall, with a very nice build, and a face that would send her home to write a poem—if she were a poet. Hey, I am a poet! Home and poem rhyme! Did poets ever write poems about men’s faces?
Before her mind spun totally out of control, she sat down, adjusted her hat, and smiled. “So this is different.” She offered her hand, even though it was a bit shaky. “I’m Zoe.”
He sat down. “Nick,” he said shaking her hand, still looking dazed.
He pulled his hand back and she set hers in her lap, clenching her fingers to try and calm herself down. “I’m so glad it’s you,” she said. “I mean, I wasn’t totally sure. I did catch the gaze of a few people—oh, not to say everyone was checking me out. God, no. I just meant, I like people watching and I did smile and acknowledge a few people, but I was hoping it was you. And you went to so much trouble to find me. It’s not like I’m trolling Craigslist to find people who are looking for me.” She sucked in a deep breath. “I was looking for an accordion and sometimes its fun to check out the missed connections. Makes you wonder how often you might’ve lost out on love because of bad timing. And you took the time to find me.” She pressed her hand over heart. “You don’t know what that means to me. No one has ever done anything like that.” She stopped and swallowed. Dear god, how long had she been blathering on? “I’m sorry. I’m nervous. I haven’t given you a chance to say one word.”
Nick blinked at her. “No, no. That’s totally okay.”
She let out a breath and dropped her shoulders. “So, were you surprised to hear from me?”
He looked down and ran his finger over a rose petal. “Yes. Yes, I was.” A lock of dark hair fell in his eyes, but she could tell he wasn’t smiling.
“What’s wrong, Nick?”
He looked up at her, and then back down.
She placed her palms flat on the table. “I’m sorry. I babble when I’m nervous.”
He shook his head. “No, you’re sweet. It’s cute.”
“Cute. That’s not a good word.” Damn. He must’ve gotten a second look at her and changed his mind. Maybe her hat had shadowed her face on the train. “Just level with me. What’s wrong?”
He looked up at her, with his mouth turned down. “You’re not the girl in the pink hat.”
She reached up to her hat and her heart dropped. “What do you mean? This is pink. Hot-time-in-the-city pink.”
Nick wouldn’t look at her. “It was a different hat. And she was taller. Her hair was longer, too. Which car were you riding in?”
“The first.”
“I was in the second or third.”
She pushed back her chair, but was too shaky too stand. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered. “I just thought…I was on that train. I was wearing this pink hat.”
He shook his head. “Her hat was this little flat thing, like a pancake sitting on her head.”
“A beret. It would have been helpful to include that in the ad.” She looked out the window, too embarrassed to see the disappointment in his eyes. “I’ve got to go.”
“No.” He reached out for her hand. “Stay. Let’s have a coffee at least. I’m always on the lookout for new friends who love the accordion.” His smile almost killed her. “You have to tell me why you were looking for an accordion on Craigslist.”
She pulled her hand away. “It’s a long story.”
“Well, now I’ve got to hear it. Long is usually good.”
She bit her lip, considering. “”You’ve heard of bucket lists, right?”
He lifted a shoulder. “Yeah. Stuff to do before you die.”
“Exactly. Well, my cousin, Jenny, had a bucket list.”
His smile fell. “This story doesn’t sound so good anymore.”
“No. It’s not. Jenny died right after the new year. Skin cancer.”
His eyes widened. “Oh, my gosh. I’m so sorry.”
She swallowed back the familiar surge of sadness. “I know. It sucks. Before we lost her, she gave me her list and made me promise to fulfill it for her. She called it her ‘live-it-up list.’”
Nick raised an eyebrow. “Playing the accordion was on her live-it-up list?”
Zoe laughed. “No. Not originally. Once I promised I’d do it, she started adding all these crazy things to it. Stuff she knew I’d never want to do—zip lining. Having sex in a tent. She knows I hate camping. Oh, and zorbing. I don’t even know what that is. I’ve been too scared to investigate that one.”
He stared at her with a little smile. “That’s really great of you.”
“Don’t give me too much credit. I’m just scared of what she’ll do to me from the afterlife if I don’t fulfill all these wishes.”
‘“Which ones have you managed so far?”
“I’ve made homemade jam. And I’m trying to solve Rubix’s Cube.”
“That’s it?”
“You should see the list. Really, it’ll be impossible to complete. She wants me to go to see Stonehenge. To throw a dart at a map and travel where it lands. To throw out a pitch at Fenway.”
“Do you have the list with you?”
“No,” she lied. “It’s somewhere safe. And she told everyone in her family about it, so they can hound me, too, just in case she can’t figure out how to turn herself into a ghost.”
Nick just looked at her with this adorable little grin on his face; like she’d told him she had proof the Keebler elves were real. “I can’t believe you’re doing this. That’s wild,” he said. “What else is on it?”
“Oh, she wants me to swim with dolphins and go hot air ballooning. Visit a nude beach. Kiss a man from every state.” She threw up her hands.
He whistled softly. “You’d better get busy, girl.”
“I know. I’ve only got two states down—Massachusetts and Rhode Island.”
He stared at her. “Hey, let me get you that cup of coffee.”
She stood up. “No, I’ve got to be going. It was nice meeting you. Hopefully, you’ll see the real girl in the pink hat again. Well, the pink beret.”
Nick popped up from his seat. “I’m sorry, Zoe. I shouldn’t have admitted that it wasn’t you. I put you in an awkward position.”
“Of course you should’ve told me. It would’ve been worse to never have heard from you again and not known why.”
“Zoe…” He turned up his hands, but she hurried out of the café before he could see the tears welling in her eyes.
***
She wasn’t proud of it, but she went home and cried—for the loss of happy days, for the loss of hope—for all the things on the list she knew she wouldn’t be able to do. Thinking she’d been a missed connection had been the only bright spot in the last six months. She’d been trying so hard not to count the number of times she’d invited Jenny to the beach, or to lie out by her parents’ pool. The cancerous mole had been on her shoulder. Why hadn’t Zoe noticed it? It was too late by the time her ob-gyn spotted it during Jenny’s yearly visit. What if she and Jenny had gone to the movies a few of those times instead of baking in the sun? Would that have been enough to make a difference?
Zoe slipped on her coziest jammies and crawled under the covers. Maybe she’d be able to cross off one item on the bucket list—spend the entire weekend in bed. Although Jenny had added ‘with a hot guy,’ so lying there with a box of tissues and a plate of cookies probably didn’t count.
***
The next few days Zoe would dash home from work, hoping an email might show up from Nick. But it didn’t. He was probably just as disappointed as she was that he didn’t find the real girl in the pink hat. A beret. A basic fashion IQ would’ve gone a long way, buddy.
One night after torturing herself with the missed connections, she took out her list and folded it in half. And then again. She tucked it in a desk drawer under her tax information from the last few years. “Sorry, Jenny,” she said. “You had too much faith in me.” She unscrewed a new jar of the strawberry-lime jam she’d made, and started eating it with a spoon. “Yeah, look at me now.”
She closed her eyes and set down the jam. This was pathetic. She could do anything in the world—and Jenny couldn’t. Was she really going to disappoint her and do nothing? Just because of a misunderstood missed connection? She and Jenny would be laughing about this, not crying in jars of jam.
She opened her desk drawer and found the list. Spreading it across the desk she read it for probably the hundredth time. She ran her finger down the items and stopped on one that would force her to have a new attitude. “I’m going to do it, Jenny.”
She scheduled an appointment with her hairdresser and got ready to cross another item before she lost steam.
***
“Pink?” Katie, her hairdresser asked.
“Yep.”
Katie raised her pierced eyebrow; the small diamond stud winking at her like it was in on this joke. “Pink.”
“Pink.”
Katie shrugged. “What shade?”
“Like my hat.” Zoe held up the hat sitting in her lap.
“Hot pink.” She shrugged. “You really don’t seem the type, but okay.”
An hour later when it was all done, Zoe stared at herself in the mirror. It was by far one of the craziest things she’d ever done and part of her wanted to cry, she looked so different. Katie was right. She just wasn’t a pink hair kind of girl. But pink hair wasn’t something to cry about these days. Pink hair was an adventure—an adventure Jenny would never have. What the hell, it’s just hair. “I love it!” Zoe said, after staring at herself for a moment. “This is going to be fun.”
***
But it hadn’t been. Not yet. She had to answer endless questions at work about her hair. The girl in the cubicle next to her swore there was something in the employee manual about hair color under the dress code section. Retelling Jenny’s tale so many times to explain why she’d made the color change had taken its toll. So, Zoe should’ve been thrilled the weekend had arrived. But it just seemed like a long stretch of time to spend by herself feeling lonely and sad. Maybe she’d learn how to knit; it was on the list. I’ll knit myself a cover up for the nude beach. When she walked into the lobby of her apartment building, there was a note on her mailbox to see the building superintendent. Was Mrs. Beener next door complaining about the smell of cooking jam again?
She walked down to his office and knocked on his door. “You wanted to see me, Harry?”
He looked up from a baseball game playing on TV. “Miss Zoe. How are you?”
“I’m alive.” Which was a good reminder to enjoy what Jenny didn’t have.
“Always a good thing. I’ve got a rather large package for you.”
“For me?” Lord, had she been sleep shopping again? She really had to figure out how to block QVC from her cable box. The perfume of the month was more expensive than you’d think.
He picked up the big box and handed it to her. The return address showed a post office box, but no name. “Thanks, Harry.”
“You’re welcome. You have a nice weekend. Hope it’s full of more surprises.” He smiled at her and turned back to the game.
She took the elevator up to her apartment and set the delivery on her kitchen table. She put her ear to the box, and didn’t hear any ticking or smell anything weird. With a shrug, she grabbed a knife and sliced through the packing tape.
Slowly, she opened the package. Whatever was inside was surrounded in bubble wrap. She tore that off and her jaw dropped. Then she laughed. She laughed until she cried, then laughed until she had to run to the bathroom to pee. She ran back to the kitchen table and looked at it again “An accordion!”
She lifted it out of the box, and an envelope fluttered to the ground. She picked it up and slid out a note card. “Dear Zoe, I hope this helps fulfill your cousin’s quest. It’s a great thing you’re doing. Try to have some fun with it. I imagine that’s what your cousin wanted. Nick.”
“Nick?” How in the world had he found out where she lived? If she hadn’t met him and seen for herself that he had zero interest in her, she might have been a little creeped out.
She picked up the accordion, and looped the strap around her neck. She pressed the keyboard, and pulled the accordion in and out, but it sounded like she was killing something. Before her neighbors called the police, she took it off. Mrs. Beener next door didn’t tolerate much nonsense. Learning how to play the darn thing might be even harder than finding one in the first place.
Not willing to deal with that search yet, she popped open her laptop and emailed Nick. “I cannot believe you got me an accordion. That was really kind of you. Thank you. If you’ve got a hot air balloon stashed away somewhere, let me know. Zoe.” She hit send and made herself a cup of herbal tea.
When she sat back down to search for accordion teachers, she spotted a new email in her box. It was from Nick. “No can do on the hot air balloon, but I did find out what zorbing is. You in?”
“Is it legal?” she emailed back.
“Totally.”
“Moral?”
“You can hold your head up high when we’re done. And no fair searching it online now.”
She twiddled her fingers for a moment before typing a response. “You really want to do this with me?”
A response zinged back a few seconds later. “Yeah, I feel bad about the other day.”
Her fingers flew over the keys. “I don’t want a sympathy date, Nick.”
“It’s not a date.”
Ugh. She quickly responded. “Right, no. It’s just an expression.”
His response took a few moments. “No, I was going to say ‘It’s not a date, it’s a dare.’ I was trying to be funny. It doesn’t always work.”
Thank god he couldn’t see how red her cheeks were. “So, when do we do it?” She typed out, hitting sending before she realized she’d just invited him to do it. She dropped her head back against the couch.
But he was a gentleman and didn’t run with the joke. “How about tomorrow? I’ll pick you up at noon.”
“Right. You’ve got my address.”
“Internet search engines are remarkable things, and your security levels are too low. My fingers are wearing out. Can I give you a quick call?”
“Sure.” She typed in her phone number and he called a few moments later.
“Where did you find the accordion?” she asked, without even saying hello.
“Ebay.” He had a nice, deep voice. She’d been too nervous to notice the other day.
“Well done. And thanks again. Really. So, did you see the real girl in the pink hat again?” Zoe asked.
“No. But I did see someone in a black beret. Good to know what that’s called finally. So, what else is on the list?”
Something felt off. “Why are you so interested in the list?”
He said nothing for a few moments. “Maybe because I know something about not being able to reach your dreams. Coming along for the ride to fulfill your cousin’s is a lot safer than coming up with my own.”
Zoe toyed with the tag at the end of her tea bag. “What kind of dreams did you miss out on?”
“Nothing I want to talk about today.” He paused. “Sorry, that was rude. Let’s just focus on your list. And zorbing. Wear comfortable clothes tomorrow, and leave the hat at home. That’s all I’ve got to say.”
***
Zoe waited in the lobby of her building; surprised she’d agreed to see Nick again. Their first meeting had been one of the most embarrassing moments of her life, but like her new pink hair, it no longer seemed like that big of a deal.
But her heart swelled when he walked in the door. He was so cute, and every part of her seemed to agree he was her type, no doubt. Too bad she wasn’t his. It would be interesting to see if she could set aside her lust so they could develop a friendship.
Nick scanned the lobby and his eyes swept right past her. She waved at him. “Over here. The girl in the pink hair.”
His eyes bulged. “Zoe? Wow. Did you do that so there’s no mistake again in another missed connection?”
“Ha ha. No, that is not the reason. But it’s a good bonus. Coloring my hair a crazy color is on the list.” She reached up and smoothed her hand down the back of her head.
He walked over to her, still staring at her hair. “That must be one of the ones she added after the fact.”
“No, it’s something she wanted to do. I’m feeling lucky that I have the chance.”
Nick put his hands on his hips, smiling. “Thanks for letting me be part of this.”
“I still hope you’ll explain it to me someday.”
He nodded and looked down at the floor. Then his good mood returned. “You ready?”
“I hope so. First, this is for you.” She handed him a jar of jam she’d shoved in her purse. “It’s from my first homemade batch.”
He took the jar from her. “First batch?”
“There have been several batches. Turns out I like doing it. It’s a good stress reliever.”
He held up the jar and looked at it. “What kind is it?”
“Spicy strawberry.”
“Spicy? Can’t wait to try it. Thanks! And I’m going to lock this in my trunk, because you might take it back out of spite after you see what we’re doing.”
***
“I’m not getting in that.” Zoe stepped back from the giant plastic ball. She’d pestered him during the nearly hour-long ride, but he wouldn’t tell her what zorbing was. It was probably a good thing. “You expect me to get into that thing and roll down the hill?”
“Don’t worry, they strap you in,” he said.
She put her hand behind her ear and titled her head. “Listen. I can hear Jenny laughing at me now. She knows I hate roller coasters and spinning rides. At carnivals, I’d wait for her while she went by herself.” She looked up and shouted, “You’re hilarious, Jenny! You hear me? Super funny.”
Nick laughed. “Yell all you want, but it’s on the list. Get in, you might like. Want me to go first?”
“No. I’ve got this.” Couldn’t be scarier than meeting a stranger for coffee. Her breathing quickened and her heart pounded as they fastened her into the harness inside the ball. She gripped the straps and said, “Let’s get this over with.”
In moments, flashes of green grass and blue sky whizzed by as she turned head over heels down the hill, screaming the entire way. When she stopped, she watched Nick tumble down after her. Zoe was pretty sure he was screaming just as loud as she had been.
“That was insane,” Nick said, laughing after he got out of the contraption. “Want to go a second time?”
“No, I’m confident one ride down the hill allows me to cross it off the list. You’re smart for locking up that jar of jelly.”
He laughed. “Speaking of which, want to get something to eat?”
“Not for a few days,” Zoe said, placing her hand over her stomach.
“If you’re up for it, I’ve arranged for us to do a few more things on the list.”
She shrugged. “What could be worse than this?”
***
An hour later she found out what could be worse, as she zip-lined through the forest, possibly shrieking even louder than when she’d been zorbing. When she finished, Nick was waiting for her. “You were awesome!” He wrapped his arms around her.
She wanted to curl into him and hug back, but this wasn’t meant to be that kind of hug. Instead, she patted his back, all friendly like. “Thanks! And no, I don’t want to do that again.”
“Good. Because we’re going bungee jumping now.”
She plopped onto a nearby bench. “I was thinking I might work up to that—in a few years.”
“Well, we’re here now,” he said. “Let’s just go check it out.”
***
She stood on the bridge over a river, unable to move. She tried not to look at the huge drop below her, but it was too tempting. Her stomach churned just peeking at it. “I don’t think I can do this. Not yet. Maybe never. I told you this list was going to be impossible.”
Nick rubbed her arm. “No, it’s not. You can do it. Do you want me to go with you? We can do a tandem jump. That’ll still count. The list doesn’t say you have to go solo.”
Her teeth chattered, but it wasn’t cold, not at all, not even while standing so high up where a strong breeze blew past them. “Okay. Let’s try it together.”
The guide restrapped them both in. “Wrap your arms around each other.”
“Really?” Zoe asked.
“Yeah,” the guide said.
Nick put her arms around in her a quick, strong hug. “Close your eyes and it’ll be over in a minute.”
“I bet you say that to all the girls,” Zoe said, frowning.
Nick gave her a dirty look. “I promise you I do not.”
Closing her eyes, she snaked her arms around his neck, pressing her face against her chest.
“Now wrap your legs around him,” the guide said.
Zoe’s eyes flew open and she pulled away from Nick. “Excuse me?”
The guide looked at her like she was a dolt. “It’s the best way to do it.”
“I’m sorry about this,” she said to Nick. “Like you said, it’ll be over in a minute.”
“I’ve had far worse experiences, Zoe.” He grinned, and she could imagine for a moment how fun this must be for couples in love—to literally take the plunge together. Gripping his neck, she hopped up and wrapped her legs around him. This embrace should get special mention on the list, she thought.
“You guys ready?” the guide asked.
“Yep!” Nick said, while Zoe shook her head no.
“Three, two, one—jump!” the guide shouted.
Nick jumped, taking her with him. This time, she couldn’t scream, she just hung to Nick, wondering if she was going to die, wondering if she’d leave claw marks on Nick’s skin, feeling the rush of air and the warmth between them.
Nick hollered and cheered as they bounced and bobbed at the end of the rope. Then she started screaming.
“You did it, Zoe! I told you, you could do it.” Nicks arms tightened around her.
Their bouncing slowed and the guides lowered them to the ground, and helped them out of the gear. “Let’s watch the next people and see how it looks,” Nick said.
They waited a few minutes until the next pair jumped off the bridge, holding hands. Zoe’s face felt hot. “Why aren’t they hugging like we were?”
“They must not be a couple like you guys are,” a guide said.
“Oh, we’re not a couple,” Zoe said.
The guide shrugged. “You look like a couple to me. The guy up there must’ve thought so, too.”
“I’m sorry,” she said, looking at Nick.
He grinned. “I’m not.” He reached out for her hand. “Come on.”
“What now?” Zoe said, not certain she could take another adventure, certainly not with her limbs wrapped around Nick.
“Let’s go get a drink,” Nick said. “We deserve it.”
***
“Let me pay for these,” she said, as they settled at the bar. Had she ever been at a bar looking so disheveled? Her pink hair was back in a ponytail, her clothes were grungy at best, and she didn’t even want to think about how she smelled. But she didn’t care. It had been a great day with a great guy.
“I’ve got it.” Nick pulled out his wallet.
She set her hand on his. “You’ve paid for everything today—even when I put up a fight. Let me get the drinks.”
“I’m independently wealthy,” Nick said.
Zoe laughed. “Me, too. I just live like I do to keep it real.”
He squeezed her hand. “No, it’s true. My mother left me a lot of money when she died. A lot.”
Her eyebrows rose. “Twenty-grand would be a lot to me.”
“Slightly more than that. We’re talking eight figures. I’m paying for everything we do together.”
Zoe paused to remember how much money eight figures was. Her eyes must’ve been bulging when she figured it out. Still, everything they’d done today had been for the list. He shouldn’t be paying for everything even if he was a gazillionaire. She opened her mouth to argue but he pressed a finger against her lips. “I haven’t been interested in anything for a long time. Please let me do this.”
As if she needed a reminder that their time together wasn’t about her. She blinked a few times, and then nodded. “I’m sorry about your mother. When did she pass away?”
“Five years ago. None of us knew she had this fortune set aside. We lived a very middle-class life. I was actually quite angry for a while once I found out. We could’ve grown up much differently.”
“How had she set aside all that money?”
“My grandfather died before we were born. Before she was married. He left it to her, but they had some sort of falling out. She was too proud to spend it. So she invested it, hoping to give it to her kids today. She ended up having three boys and a girl. Even so, there were still millions for us to split.”
“Guess those were some good investments. That must’ve been a shock for you.”
“We haven’t all handled it well.” He looked down. “I’m sorry. I don’t talk about this with most people. I try to live my life like it was before the money. But that’s not easy. People want to borrow cash—lots of it. You question who your friends really are. You question what you want to do with your life, because now you can do anything.”
“So what have you done?”
He shrugged. “A few jobs that went nowhere. Nothing important or interesting, really. Until I met you.”
***
The beer went down easy after that. Too easy. “Any guys here from Maine?” she shouted, after her third.
A guy nearby popped up. “I am.”
“What are you doing?” Nick asked her.
“I’ve got fifty men to kiss. Wait, no. Just forty-eight now. Might as well get started on that,” Zoe said.
He gently pushed her back onto her stool. “Maybe you should save that one for another day.”
She looked up at him. Was he jealous? No, he probably just knew she was a little tipsy and was looking out for her. “So what’s next? Are you going to do more things on the list with me?” Zoe asked.
“I’ve got something planned for next Saturday. If you’re available.”
“I’m available. I’m always available.” She hiccupped. “Pretend I didn’t say that. It sounded pathetic.”
“You’re not pathetic. You’re fun. And you’re brave. You proved that today.”
“Jenny was braver than me. She would’ve loved that.”
“She sounds like she was a lot of fun. Did she always wear a hat, too? Like an orange one or something?”
Zoe set down her beer. “No. She bought it for me so she could find me in a crowd.” She looked at her lap, and scratched at a grass stain on her knee. “She met me at the beach one day, and I got there first and she walked around looking for me for like half an hour. The next time I saw her, she handed me the pink hat and told me to wear it so she wouldn’t miss me when we met up at the beach.” She bit her quivering lip. “She spent a lot of time in the sun because of me.”
Nick set his hand on her shoulder. “You’re not blaming yourself, are you?”
“How could I not? She died of skin cancer and I dragged her to the beach all the time.”
Nick pushed away his beer. “My mother died of lung cancer. We didn’t make her smoke those cigarettes. We begged her not to. A pack a day. For a long time I was angry that she must have known she was killing herself. Didn’t she care about us? Our father died ten years before she did. It’s real easy to find ways to blame yourself. But you’re never going to get over Jenny’s death that way. Trust me, I know.”
“I know. And I’m so sorry that you lose both your parents.” Zoe sighed. “Life just isn’t fair. She was so young.”
“How long have you been wearing the hat?” Nick asked.
“I started wearing it all the time after she died.”
He locked eyes with her. “So that she can still see you?”
She nodded and looked down. “It’s silly, I know. But it makes me feel like she’s with me.”
“And you’re fulfilling her list like you promised. I think she’s probably very happy.”
“I hope.”
***
When Zoe got home she hopped in the shower and screamed. Jenny, I am falling for this guy and it’s all because of you! She heard a few thumps on the wall. “Sorry, Mrs. Beener!”
Zoe hung back her head as the warm water sprayed her weary body. She wanted to finish the list. She had to. And Nick was making it fun—too fun. But falling harder for a guy who rejected you on the first date is a pretty humbling thing. Should she take a break from the list? Should she take a break from Nick?
***
But after talking several times during the week, Zoe agreed to another surprise adventure from the list. Whenever they chatted on the phone, she forgot about all her concerns and just enjoyed their conversation, his kindness, and his humor. She loved hearing the stories about the trouble he and his brothers got into while growing up, and how his sister, Kyla, would get lost in the woods behind their house looking for them. Whenever she felt down that they were just friends, she just made more jam. Jars of jam filled her cupboards and lined her counter. She ordered some cute labels online. Maybe she’d give them out as Christmas gifts.
When Nick picked her up on Saturday, he wouldn’t give her one clue during the hour-long ride where they were going, but when they pulled up to the site, it was clear what item on the list he had in mind. “A hot air balloon?” Zoe asked.
Nick grinned. “You did ask if I had one stashed away.”
She froze in her seat. “Wait, you didn’t buy this, did you?”
He laughed. “No, just booked a trip for the two of us.”
She stared at the big rainbow-striped balloon, wondering if she’d really be able to do it while sober. “I survived the other stuff, I suppose this won’t kill me either.” She looked down at her shoes. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to sound ungrateful. I can’t believe you arranged this. I’m just a little scared.” Scared of heights, scared of falling to her death, and scared of the way this guy made her feel.
Nick looped his arm around her, in a tight, friendly way. “Don’t be. I bet this will be one of the best experiences of your life.”
She adjusted her hat. “You’re right. This will be fun.”
***
Zoe sat at the bottom of the basket, her hands linked around her knees. “I’m sorry. It’s scarier than I thought.”
Nick sat down next to her. “But you did it, and that’s what counts. I think all of the feet-off-the-ground adventures are over with now.”
She nodded. “Good.” How many batches of jam would she have to make to get over this?
He stood up and held out his hand. “But I don’t want you to miss this view. You’ll kick yourself if you do. I won’t let go of your hand, I promise.”
“Even if we plummet to the earth?”
“We’ll plummet together.”
She reached for his hand, closed her eyes, and then stood up. The view below was amazing. “Wow,” was all she could say.
“Wow indeed.”
Up there in the sky, she realized she was a little bit closer to Jenny, too. She looked up and smiled in case she was watching. Of course she was watching.
“You think your cousin’s watching?” Nick asked.
“You know, that’s exactly what I was thinking.” Just then, a gust blew past them, taking her hat with it. Zoe screamed, reaching for it, like she might be able to snatch it back.
“Oh, my god. Your hat!” Nick cried. They both watched the pink splotch in the sky twirl through the air, until it disappeared somewhere below.
Zoe tried to blink back the tears.
“I’ll get you another hat,” Nick said.
She shook her head. “That was from Jenny. Another hat couldn’t replace it.” She slid back onto the floor of the basket. He sat next to her and put his arm around her. How she wished she could bury her face in his neck and hug him back; spending time with a guy like Nick was going to ruin her for other men.
“Friends without benefits,” she could imagine Jenny saying. “Lame.”
When the balloon landed, Nick spent at least half an hour driving by nearby roads on the off chance they might find her hat. They didn’t. “Do you want to get dinner?” he finally asked.
Going on another pretend date with the guy she was falling for seemed like a bad idea. But hunger trumped bad ideas. “Sure,” she said. And maybe, the restaurant would have a really great dessert tray.
***
It was becoming a weekly thing, meeting for a Saturday adventure. She decided to show him Jenny’s list and Nick made a copy. Then he got busy. They swam in a fountain in the park. They drove around looking for construction projects so they could write their name in cement. They went down to the pier and dropped a message in a bottle into the ocean. Zoe was being nicer to people on the phone, even the ones who were disputing their bills. She brought in jam for her co-workers to try and a few people asked if she’d take orders.
She and Nick didn’t do anything together outside of their Saturday quests. She was beginning to accept nothing would ever happen between them, but that didn’t make it hurt any less.
On a sunny Saturday morning, she laced up her sneakers as she’d been instructed, trying to remember what was left on the list that would require sneakers. You didn’t need sneakers to get a tattoo, so that was good news. That was one item she definitely had to work up to. But if that were what he was planning, at least running shoes would help with a quick getaway.
Zoe met him in the lobby again and wondered if her knees would ever stop wobbling when she saw him. It’s like her heart hadn’t gotten the news yet that it wasn’t going to happen between them.
“Ready?” Nick asked.
“Sure,” Zoe said, shoving her hands in the pockets of her sweatshirt. “I think I’ve gotten the most horrible ones out of the way.”
Nick grinned. “This one isn’t horrible at all. This one will show you that they’re all possible.”
She put her hand and her hip and shook her hear. “I swear, you’re having more fun with this than I am.”
He gave her a little punch. “Oh, I think you’re having fun, too.”
She looked at him. Oh, she was having fun all right. It just wasn’t the kind of fun she was hoping for.
***
They took the T to Kenmore square and started walking. Zoe kept an eye out for tattoo parlors. “So, where are we going?” she asked.
“We’re almost there.”
She rubbed her arms. “Just a hint?”
“Green monster,” he said.
She stopped walking. “Shut up. Fenway?”
He shrugged like he couldn’t help being incredibly awesome. “I know someone there.”
Right. She kept forgetting he was a zillionaire. “Probably the owner.”
“I didn’t grow up rich, Zoe.” He reached for her hand. “I know one of the groundskeepers and the Sox are out of town today. Come on.”
She followed him, speechless, through the gate into the park. It was strange being there with the place so quiet and empty. She sucked in a breath.
So did he.
“You’ve never been out here before?” she asked.
“No. Never thought of asking to until I saw your list.” They stared up at the empty seats while three huge lawnmowers rumbled across the turf. One of the drivers waved to Nick. Nick waved back. “That’s my buddy’s father.”
Zoe waved, too. “It was really nice of him to let us do this.”
Nick walked over to home plate and picked up a bat and glove. “He left us this. You ready?”
“Absolutely. I hope Jenny’s watching,” she said, looking up to the sky. She took the ball from Nick and walked to the pitcher’s mound. She scuffed her feet in the dirt and pretended to spit in her hands.
“Please don’t scratch yourself!” Nick shouted.
“Damn, that was my next move.” She tossed the ball between her hands, then spun her right arm around three or four times, hoping she looked like a cartoon character, and then tossed the ball. It flew far short and to the right of Nick.
He cupped his hands around his mouth. “You throw like a girl.”
“I am a girl. Shouldn’t I throw like one?”
“Let me show you how it’s done.” He grabbed the ball and walked over to her. Lining up behind her, he placed the ball in her right hand. He closed his hand over hers and pulled her arm back. He nudged his knee behind hers. “You’re stepping forward with your right foot, and throwing with your right hand. That’s wrong.”
“Why?”
“You should step forward with your left foot, and follow through with the right arm.” This time, he nudged her left knee and swung her arm forward again.
“Let me try myself.” She threw the ball and it went much further and straighter. “Wow. Are all guys just born with natural sports intelligence?”
“No.” He walked over and picked up the ball, bringing it back to her. “That was my thing. My dream.”
“Baseball?”
He tossed the ball in the air and caught it. “Yep.”
“What happened?”
He stared off behind her. “I was good. Real good. Got a scholarship to college. Played two seasons of single-A baseball in Florida.”
“That’s incredible,” Zoe said.
“I thought so, too. Turns out I was good, but I wasn’t good enough to move up to something more. For every major league player you see, there are probably a hundred like me who thought they were good enough to make it, but didn’t.”
She reached out and rubbed his arm. “I’m sorry.”
He set his hand on top of hers. “Thanks. Right after I didn’t get picked up, my mother died, and we found out about the money.” He looked off, shaking his head. “I just felt so betrayed—by baseball, by my mother’s secret. I’ve been stuck since, not sure what to dream about next and not wanting to waste the money. That’s why I’ve been so interested in your list.” He kicked at the grass. “It’s been fun wanting to do something.”
Zoe twisted her lips, uncertain if she should say what she was thinking. “But it’s not your list. You need your own list, Nick.”
“I know. I’ll work on it someday. But for now, let’s finish yours.”
She held out the ball to him. “You should throw one out too. You can add it to your list when you make it.”
He laughed and took the ball from her. “It’s not exactly how I imagined I’d be throwing out a pitch at Fenway.” He walked to the pitcher’s mound. “Grab the glove and see if you can catch my fire.”
“Whoa, big talker. I will do my best.”
He tossed the ball at her and she caught it. “Come on, that was a baby pitch.”
Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath, wound up and threw the ball. It flew right past her, bouncing behind her. “I’m impressed. You throw like a boy. A very talented boy,” Zoe said, trying not to imagine him in a tight pair of baseball pants.
“Thanks. I should be glad for the good times I did have. Catch with my dad before he died. State titles.” He walked over to her. “Thanks for letting me do these things with you.”
“It’s been a lot more fun than doing this all myself. Most of them wouldn’t have happened without you.”
“Come on, wanna go get a tattoo?” Nick nudged her with his elbow.
“No! I’m not ready for that yet. There are a lot of decisions to be made. Where will it be? What kind will I get? Could I just white-out that one?”
“No, that’s cheating, and I don’t want to meet the otherworldly form of your cousin. Come on, let’s go.”
As they left the ballpark, it started to drizzle. “Isn’t there something on the list about rain?” he asked.
Kiss a guy in the rain. Certainly Jenny meant kiss a guy for real, not just for the list. And Nick was just with her for the list. “I’ll have to look when I get home. I can’t remember. Singing? Dancing? I’m not sure.”
They got on the subway and he teased her more about the tattoo. When they got off the train, Zoe froze. Right in front of her was a tall brunette in a pink beret. She poked Nick in the ribs. “That’s her, isn’t it?”
Nick’s mouth hung open but he said nothing.
He deserved this. After everything he’d done for her, after all the disappointments in his life, he needed to meet the real girl in the pink hat. Zoe ran up to her. “Excuse me, this is going to sound crazy. Do you ride this train often?”
The girl fake-smiled at Zoe. “Yes, when I’m in town.”
“And you wear that hat often?”
“I do. I got it on a modeling shoot and my sister, Diana, hates it, so I love wearing it.” She grinned, and Zoe realized how beautiful this woman really was. No wonder Nick has placed a missed connections ad.
Nick walked up behind Zoe and whispered, “Don’t. Don’t do this.”
Zoe ignored him. He’d get over his embarrassment soon enough. This woman was a model for crying out loud. “Have I got a funny story to tell you. My friend here, Nick, placed a missed connection post on Craigslist a month ago. He was looking for the girl in the pink hat. A pink beret. He never found her. Until today. It’s you.”
The woman looked at Nick and then back at Zoe. “You really like pink, don’t you?”
“It is definitely growing on me,” he said.
Then she held out her long, elegant fingers. “I’m Clarissa. Nice to meet you.”
Nick shook her hand. “Nick Carter.”
“Why don’t you two go for coffee?” Zoe suggested. “I’ve got to get going anyway. I’ve got…jam to make. Lots of jam.”
Clarissa lifted a shoulder. “Sure. I’ve got some time. I’d love to, Nick.”
Nick looked at Zoe. “Are you sure about this?”
Zoe nodded and forced a smile. “Yes, absolutely. Today’s the day you start following your own list.” She looked at Clarissa. “You two have fun. He’s a wonderful guy.”
With that, Zoe dashed for the escalators and finally let the tears flow. She and Jenny always wondered what that stupid saying, “If you love something set it free,” had meant. Now she knew. But she also knew Nick wouldn’t come back, because he had never been hers.
***
Zoe went home and took out the fresh blueberries. She had plans for a zesty mint and shallot mix. Focusing on steaming the jelly jars and preparing the fruit forced her to stop wondering how their date was going. Still, she wiped away tears more than once while she worked on the jam.
Before she went to bed, she sent Nick an email. “Hope your meeting was magical. If that’s not fate, I don’t know what is. Good night, Zoe.” She hoped they could still be friends. But Nick really needed to start living his own life. He’d put it on pause far too long.
***
A few hours later, the jam was cooling on her kitchen table. She’d probably have to finish the rest of the list herself. She pulled it out of her pocket and set it on her lap, smoothing it out. Riding a pogo stick by herself would be easy. But it wouldn’t be fun.
A knock on the door interrupted her pity party. If Mrs. Beener next door was going to complain about the smell of the jam again, she wouldn’t be getting a jar of it. She opened the door and did a double take. Her heart fluttered into her throat and goose bumps tingled her skin “Nick? What are you doing here?” She gripped the door and tried looking behind him for the beret-wearing model.
“Can I come in?” Nick asked.
“Of course.” She led him to the couch and he sat down, setting a bag on his lap. “How was your date? I can’t believe you finally found her,” Zoe said, trying her best to sound excited for him. Hopefully, he didn’t see her shaky hands. She struggled to keep her smile in place.
Nick scratched his head. “That was weird, wasn’t it?”
“Did you go out for coffee?”
He paused. “No.”
“Why not?”
“Because she wasn’t the girl in the pink hat.”
“She wasn’t? She was wearing a beret. I thought you confirmed that was her? Even if she wasn’t the girl in the pink hat, she’s a model. A model, Nick. Isn’t that the holy grail for men?”
“Maybe some men. But not me. Not anymore. She was the girl I saw that day. You were right about that.” He looped a strand of her hair around his finger. “But you’re my girl in the pink hat now, Zoe, and you always will be.” He reached into the bag and pulled out a hot pink hat; very similar to the one Jenny had given her. He set it on her head. “If I could place that ad again, I would. Although, I don’t know what kind of hat this is. I wouldn’t know how to describe it.”
Zoe threw her arms around him. “I’ve been crying into my jam here for hours thinking of you with her.”
“You just ran off and I wanted to come after you to tell you I didn’t want to go out with Clarissa. It took me a few hours to find that hat, otherwise, I would’ve been here sooner.” He stood up. “Come outside with me for a minute.” He held out his hand for her.
Zoe’s head was spinning as they took the elevator to the lobby. She couldn’t stop smiling. “Are we going to cross another item off the list?”
“Yes, we are.”
She looked down at her t-shirt and yoga pants. She was very undressed for such a romantic moment. “Am I dressed alright for whatever we’re doing?”
“You’ve got the hat on. That’s all that matters.” The elevator let them off in the lobby and he led her toward the door.
“It’s raining,” she said, peeping outside.
“Exactly.” He held the door open and the walked outside. He snaked one hand behind her neck and pulled her to him. Her lips brushed against his, and she wrapped her arms around him. Drops of rain mingled on their lips as they kissed, their tongues exploring this new delight.
They pulled apart when a passing car honked. “Excellent. One more to cross that off the list,” she said.
“Exactly. Now this one is for me.” And he kissed her again, and this time they ignored the beeping cars and stopped, only when they heard a clap of thunder.
He took her by the hand. “Come on, let’s get inside. I think we need to work on creating another list,” he said.
“For you? I’m so happy, Nick.”
“No, a list for us.”
She looked up at him, hoping the rain would disguise the tears rolling down her cheeks. Apparently not, because he wiped them away. “But I have to finish Jenny’s list, too.”
“I don’t think you can, now. There are a few troublesome items on that list. Kiss a guy from every state? That’s not going to work. What do you think about kissing a guy in every state? A guy like me?”
“I think Jenny would allow swapping out a preposition or two.”
“Then let’s go get my car. We can be in New Hampshire in an hour.”
***
A few weeks later, Nick drove Zoe to his sister Kyla’s house on the Cape. “This is incredible. I can’t believe she’s having this party for the meteor shower,” Emily said.
Nick led her onto the big deck at the back of Kyla’s house. “Kyla’s boyfriend is an astronomer. This is like Oscar night for him. The Super Bowl. They were happy to do it once they heard ‘watch a meteor shower’ was on your cousin’s list. Plus she really liked you when she met you the other day. And she loves having parties now that she’s got a bigger place. And a beach house.” He stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, slipping in a quick kiss behind her ear.
Zoe held back a moan. “Any chance we could get them all to leave?”
“Doubt it. All of my brothers and their girlfriends are going to be here, too. And some of Kyla’s friends. Everyone wants to meet the girl in the pink hat—or, as you’ve come to be known, the girl in the pink hair.”
“I knew pink hair would be fun,” Zoe said. “Maybe I’ll change colors every month to keep you interested,” she said in her best sexy voice, which was really more funny than provocative.
“You’re not going to have any problems keeping me interested,” he said.
Nick’s sister, Kyla, rushed over and hugged them both. “You brought the stuff, right?”
Zoe laughed and held up a bag. “Four jars of the ginger-peach jam.”
“Your jam is like crack on a cracker. I’m going to serve it at all my parties. Hell, I might even have a party for your jam. It’s amazing, you should sell it,” Kyla said. She waved someone over. “My sister Aubrey’s boyfriend is in sales. He could give you some tips to get this on the market.”
Zoe blinked at her. “You really think I should sell this?”
“Absolutely.”
A cute brunette walked up, arm in arm with a guy. “What are we getting on the market?”
“Zoe, this is my sister, Aubrey, and her boyfriend Ian. Zoe makes wicked good jelly. I thought Ian could give her some marketing tips.”
“Absolutely,” Ian said. “I just started my own marketing company. Let me give you my card and we can chat sometime.”
“I could make flyers,” Aubrey offered.
“Thanks so much!” Zoe said, her mind whirling with possibilities—none of which involved answering the phone at the insurance office. Incredibly, the idea had possibilities. She smiled at Nick. He’d shown her a lot about possibilities.
Kyla opened one of the jam jars and took a long sniff. “Don’t tell me—a hint of tobasco?”
“Close. Cayenne pepper,” Zoe said.
“Love it. You need to come up with a name for your line of jams.”
Zoe paused, willing herself not to get choked up. “Actually, I’ve been thinking about that. How does ‘Jenny’s Live it Up Jam’ sound? She’s my cousin who came up with the list of all the things I had to do after she died.”
Nick put his arm around her and squeezed. “It’s perfect.”
“I love it. It’s brilliant,” Kyla said. “Hell, I should help you sell this stuff. I peddled pricey perfumes for a few years, and I don’t even like perfume. I could probably make us millions.”
“We already have millions,” Nick said.
“More millions is always good. Gotta keep my sweetie in telescopes. Those things can be expensive,” Kyla said, patting Stone’s cheek.
“Hope we’re not too late for the show,” a woman said, coming up behind them.
Zoe’s eyes widened as her old therapist walked up the stairs onto the deck. “Diana?”
“Zoe! Look at you and that new hair.” Diana squinted at Zoe. “My sister, Clarissa, has a beret that color. She wears it all the time to annoy me. But I love it on you.”
Zoe and Nick looked at each other wide-eyed and held back a laugh. “I can’t stand berets,” Nick said.
“Me neither,” said Zoe. “What are you doing here, Diana?”
Diana linked hands with the guy next to her. “I’m dating Kyla’s brother, Toby.”
“So am I!” said Zoe. She quickly shook her head. “I mean, I’m dating one of Kyla’s brothers, too. Nick.” She squeezed Nick’s hand.
Diana laughed. “That is crazy. How did you guys meet?” Diana asked.
Zoe and Nick looked each other and laughed. “We could write a book,” Nick said.
“Actually, I am writing a book—two of them,” Diana said.
“I’m in one of her books,” Aubrey said, raising her hand. “Diana was my therapist, too. I’m in her first book—The Ex Exit Survey. How to Learn From Your Breakups. What’s the new book? I thought you cancelled the second book?”
“I pitched them a new idea: Turn Your Don’ts Into I Do,” Diana said. “My first book focused on everything my clients had done wrong, and this will book will focus on what they did right. I finally figured out what I wanted to write about—happy endings. They loved it!”
“Speaking of happy endings, here we are!” said a cute guy with a blonde on his arm.
Nick high-fived him. “Hey bro, this is my girlfriend, Zoe. Zoe, this is my little brother Eric and his girlfriend, Emily.”
“Nice to meet you,” Zoe said. “So, why are you two a happy ending?”
Emily held up her left hand and showed off a big, sparkly diamond. “Eric and I are getting married.”
Everyone screamed and applauded while Emily blushed.
Eric spread his arms wide. “What, this isn’t a surprise engagement party?”
“We didn’t know you were engaged, dork. But we can turn it into one. We need some champagne!” Kyla shouted.
“Hey, Zoe could play the accordion at your wedding. She’s been taking lessons,” Nick offered.
Emily smiled. “We’ll get back to you on that.”
“She’s going to be too busy with her jam business. Don’t distract her. I want you to do something with cranberries and lime,” Kyla said.
“I’ll see what I can do,” Zoe said.
“Jams? Those would be great favors, like in tiny little jars!” Emily said. “You and I will talk, okay?”
Zoe nodded, unable to turn down her grin.
“I hate to interrupt, but look up. The meteor shower has started,” said Kyla’s boyfriend, Stone.
Nick stood behind Zoe and wrapped his arms around her. He set his chin on her shoulder as they watched the stars shoot across the sky. She thought about Jenny and for the first time, her instinct was to smile instead of cry. “You know, at first I thought this list was going to be impossible. I thought it was a bad joke Jenny had played on me.”
“But now?” Nick asked, nuzzling her ear.
“Now I think she wanted to be sure I lived a fantastic, fun life. I think she wanted me to believe anything is possible.”
“Do you?”
“I do now. Thanks to you.”
He turned her around to face him, cupping her face in his hands. “When the party’s over, I’ve got a surprise.”
“What?”
“I hope you like camping. But I’ve only got one sleeping bag.”
Her eyes widened, remembering that particular item from the list. “We’re ready for that?”
“I’m beyond ready.”
Zoe grinned up at the moon. “I think I’m going to love camping.” And they kissed amidst the shower of shooting stars, happy endings, and big dreams.
***