Page 7
Sadness chases away the heat as I have an epiphany in The Budgie Bay Café.
I’m still in love with Sandy.
No matter how much she pushes me away or how hard I try to forget it, it doesn’t disappear.
If only I could convince her to love me back.
3
sandy
“Breathe, sweet Sandy.”
Don’t be nervous. It’s just Upton.
Despite my inner pep talk, I can’t help but drum my manicured nails on the tabletop at Baked & Brewed. The place looks like 90s Christmas exploded all over every surface. The holiday teddy bear theme is heavily consistent throughout. If my friends back in New York were to see this place, they’d be overwhelmed by the sheer enormity of decorations and would choose Starbies or Dunkin’ for a bit of normalcy.
I like it though.
It feels like home.
My nerves are because I’m having coffee this morning with Upton. To discuss Nora, the reception, tonight’s “family” dinner, and whatever else comes up. It’s a bit stressful because I’ve spent the better part of twenty-five years actively keeping distance between us, both literally and figuratively.
Now he’s here and our secret has been cracked open. Our lives are weaving together faster than I can grab hold of the threads to gain some control.
Plus, my daughter’s ex, Denver, is camped out by the window, likely trying to catch a peek of her walking down Wing Whirr Way.
I feel sorry for the guy. He had a smart, beautiful, hardworking woman in his grasp, but he lost her. She came to handle Mom’s house after she passed away and met Elias Cove. They fell fast and hard. Denver attempted a grand gesture to win her back, but it was too little, too late.
He never left.
Hattie, Monroe’s baby sister and owner of Baked & Brewed, walks over to me to set down my latte. It’s the full-fat version. No skim, sugar-free coffee for me while in Budgie Bay. I heard calories don’t count here.
“Don’t mind him,” Hattie says as she follows my gaze over to Denver. “He’s harmless. Totally focused on work. Since he buys a lot of coffee and pastries, and keeps the tip jar full, we let him do his thing around here.”
His “thing” is two laptops open, papers strewn everywhere, and always on the phone.
“Nora moved on,” I tell her with a frown. “I’m not sure when he’ll figure that out and go home.”
Hattie shrugs. “You know how this place is. It gets its hooks in you and doesn’t want to let you leave.”
I’m feeling that more than ever these days. Moving back to Budgie Bay to take care of my aging father has been easier than I expected. I thought giving up my fast-paced New York life would be jarring. It’s been the opposite. I’m relaxing in a way I never have before.
That is, until now.
Until Upton.
Hattie leaves and I sip on my latte until I see a man stride up to the door through the windows. Almost immediately, my chest tightens and my heart races wildly. Upton opens the door, letting a blast of snowy air rush in that does nothing to cool the warmth on my skin. When he sees me, he grins one of his megawatt smiles his daughter inherited from him and then makes his way over to the counter to order. Moments later, I’m enveloped by his masculine scent when he arrives at my table.
“Sandy,” he says, voice deep and gravelly. “Your hair looks pretty today.”
I’m caught off-guard by his words as he takes the seat across from me. I flew out of the house this morning without fixing it. It’s piled up messily on top of my head, likely reminiscent of how I wore it as a teenager.
“Oh,” I mutter. “Thanks.”
I shift uncomfortably and he chuckles. “I always did love it best when you weren’t picture-perfect.”
Hiding my smile with a sip from my latte, I mull over his words. They’re true. Many times, while curled up in his bed, he’d stare at me, while make-up free or eyes crusty with sleep, like I was the loveliest thing he’d ever seen.
