Holiday Tides (Wilks Beach Holiday Novella)

16. Summer

sixteen

Summer

I nstead of driving home, I numbly weave through city traffic until I arrive at my parents’ house. The single-story brick ranch is the same as the rest in our neighborhood. Little houses with mold-speckled gray roofs packed tightly among the tall maples that shade each one in the summer. I keep my keys out, but the garage side door is unlocked, as usual.

The divine scent of my mom’s cream cheese chicken chili makes the congestion crowding my nose finally blur my vision. A bag of tortilla chips sits on the Formica counter. Growing up, we always had bags of chips instead of bread with our chili because it was cheaper.

My mom walks into the kitchen and jumps, her hand slapping her chest. “Pumpkin, I didn’t know you were here.”

“Sorry, Mom.”

I sniff, clearing my face of the emotion I don’t want her to see. Mom has other things to worry about, I’m sure.

“It’s okay.” She gives me a quick side hug before tugging me into the small living room. “I’m glad you stopped by. I was going to surprise you next Sunday when you come over for family dinner, but”—she pauses, gesturing toward the corner of the room—“ta da!”

A huge, freshly cut Christmas tree rests where the modest artificially lit one had resided my entire youth. It’s so big it spills in front of the window, giving the neighbors a glance of Christmas through the sheer curtains.

“We’re going to decorate it together. I bought new lights, a gorgeous angel for the top, and brought Gramma’s wooden decorations out of the garage. I thought—”

“You have her ornaments?” The moisture is back, making my voice wobble.

“Of course. You didn’t think I was going to let Spencer throw them out while he was on his simplifying-his-life kick.” She harrumphs. “I’m still ticked Sophia tossed those rose-patterned bathroom towels.”

“Thank you.” I wrap my mom in a hug fiercer than the one I gave her when they left me in North Carolina for college.

Mom used to always give us a quick squeeze and then be back to whatever fire she was trying to put out, but this time she lets me hold her, rubbing my back after a while. “Everything okay?”

For a millisecond, I want to tell her everything—about the cottage, about Cooper, about Nick, about the loss of my friendship with Kayla. But decades of not wanting to cause my parents more stress when so many of my siblings were troublemakers forces me to shake my head no.

“I’m fine. This is just a nice surprise.” I give her a convincing smile as I lean back.

My mom settles her hand on my cheek. “I know how much you love Christmas, and now that you’re here to celebrate with us for more than a weekend, I wanted to go all out.” The corner of her mouth tips up. “I hope you like it.”

A genuine grin splits my face as my heart warms. “I love it. I can’t wait for next weekend.”

After a comforting dinner with my parents and Simon—who still lives at home but at least has a good job at the post office now—I drive home. My phone pings with a text as I shift into park in front of the cottage.

Nick

Would you be interested in coming with me to Aldon’s white elephant party Saturday night?

Before I can answer, my phone sounds again.

Nick

Just as a friend. I know you’re happily coupled. Actually, do you want to bring him?

Nick

I already have two wrapped ornaments to trade, but I’ll pick up a third one for him. Not a problem. Just let me know.

Nick

I just thought it would be a good way for you to reconnect with locals and make more friends than just me.

Nick

You can never have too many friends.

Based on the number of times he typed ‘friend’ in these messages, I’m assuming that Nick regrets our almost-kiss for very different reasons than I did. A dozen times today, I had to forcibly remove the memory of sharing oxygen beneath the mistletoe, the remnant scent of bourbon sauce and spiced cider muddying my common sense. Regardless of how his insistence we remain only friends sends a sting zipping over my collarbones, Nick is right. It’d be nice to meet new people and reacquaint myself with locals I knew before.

Summer

I’d love to come. Cooper can’t make it, though.

Eventually, I’ll explain that whole debacle, but I’m not about to do it over text. I glance toward the narrow walkway that leads to the pitch-black ocean, wondering why I don’t feel more bereft of the longest dating relationship of my adult life.

Losing Kayla felt like having the flu for a month.

“You’re wrong. You have to be wrong. It’s because you’re jealous. That’s why you’re telling me these disgusting lies on my wedding day. It’s not my fault that you can’t keep a boyfriend for longer than two weeks.”

My hands shake like they did when I sat my best friend down to talk, knowing how cataclysmic the information would be. I just hadn’t known that it would be my relationship with Kayla that would end up in pieces.

That morning, after Kayla had tossed me out and forbade me from attending the wedding, I told myself it’d been a stress response to an impossible situation—even though the idea of my best friend not believing me was like a scalpel to the kidneys. Eventually, when Kayla processed the information, she’d need me to lean on while dealing with Andrew’s infidelity.

When I reached out two weeks later, however, Kayla shattered me again by saying she never wanted to speak to me again and then blocking my number.

The ping of Nick’s response brings me back to my car, forcing me to slow my ragged breathing.

Nick

Great. I’ll give you more details when I look at your fireplace Saturday afternoon.

My tense shoulders slump as clarity smacks me upside the head. In an attempt to prove Kayla wrong, I invested months into a person who shouldn’t have lasted beyond a second date. While grieving the relationship that had meant the most to me, I overlooked Cooper’s red flags.

A heavy exhale leaves my mouth as I close my eyes.

“Thriving,” I say to the night sky.

Saturday morning, when I slide out of the front door for a late-morning run, Nick jogs over to intercept me. It’s only been two days, but I feel my heart leapfrog into my throat at the sight of him in his snug WB renovations shirt, the long sleeves pushed back to reveal toned forearms.

“Hey, things are a little crazy today. I’m not going to be able to come over later.”

The surge of disappointment that Nick won’t be making his goofy jokes while salivating over my ancient brickwork is so annoyingly inappropriate that I pinch my side to reorient myself.

“It’s not a problem.”

“Great.” His large shoulders sag with an exhale. “But we’re still on for tonight, right?”

There’s something mischievous in his gaze, something I used to see before receiving a mocking quip. My ab muscles tighten before I remind myself Nick isn’t my nemesis anymore. Far from it.

Still…there’s definitely something going on.

“What aren’t you telling me?”

He rubs his ear. “Aldon’s Christmas party has a dress code. Not formal, per se, but definitely cocktail attire. Is that okay?”

My brows scrunch as a chuckle escapes me. I’ve got three holiday dresses in my closet from Christmas parties past. “That’s easy.”

Don calls his name, and Nick shouts a response before focusing back on me. “See you at six. Don’t eat. There’s always tons of food.”

“My two favorite things are getting dressed up and free food!” I shout at his retreating form.

Nick sends me distracted finger guns, which has me shaking my head before slipping back into the cottage. I’m pretty sure the tailor shop beside Seabreeze Beans had Saturday hours. I could wear either of my red dresses, but maybe the proprietor has time to fix the zipper on my favorite holiday dress.