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Chapter 38
Alison opened the door to Deja Brew, the small coffee shop a few doors down from the future site of Triple Threat. She was meeting Troy in the space this morning to begin discussing ideas and scheduling, and she’d been so excited to leave the house and get the day started this morning that she just hadn’t been able to bring herself to stay in the kitchen and brew a pot of coffee. The idea of standing there and waiting for the fragrant brown liquid to fill the carafe as endless minutes ticked by was more than she could bear. So, she decided that she’d just get a cup of coffee on the way instead.
As she stepped up to the counter to give her order, she heard a familiar voice call her name and turned to greet her friend. “Hey, Ella!”
The two women exchanged a quick hug and Ella said, “I see you had the same idea as me this morning. Coffee on the go. Were you running late, or do you have a more responsible reason?”
Alison bit her lip, doing her best to keep her face neutral even as all of her excitement really wanted to come busting out all over. “I was just anxious to get out of my house and get my day started,” she answered, keeping her language as non-committal and nonspecific as possible.
“Oh, right!” Ella replied. “I forgot! This is your first morning working with Troy on the space you leased, right? How exciting.”
“Wait…what?” Alison sputtered, surprised. How did Ella know about it?
Ella tilted her head to the side and said, in a puzzled tone, “Yeah…the space three doors down, right? The standalone brick building that used to be the movie theater. Although, I mean, you wouldn’t know that. But…you leased it, right? For a dance studio?”
“Well, yeah. I mean, not really a dance studio, but close. But I was shocked because…how did you know that? I’ve barely told anyone!”
Ella laughed. “Oh, honey. Small town, remember? Everyone knows! And they’re thrilled. The whole town is kind of buzzing about it, actually.”
“Right, yeah. I keep forgetting. It’s so different than what I’m used to.”
“So,” Ella said, nudging her shoulder, “I guess that means you’re gonna be sticking around for a while, huh?”
Alison nodded. “That’s the plan. I’m looking forward to it. And to teaching.”
“And you won’t miss the bright lights or big city, huh?” Ella asked wistfully.
Alison considered for a moment before answering. “No, I don’t think so. Not for a good long while, at least.
She heard those words as they came out of her mouth and recognized the kind of preplanned, canned responses that she’d used so often to respond to the press, and fans, during her career.
“Oh, I loved working with this cast, we were like a big family!”
“Working with insert-interchangeable-middle-aged-white-guy-director’s-name-here was a revelation. He’s a true genius.”
“Of course I’m sad I didn’t win the Tony, but it was an honor just to be nominated among such esteemed company.”
And, yeah, she’d memorized this line, too, about not missing New York. She’d assumed that it was going to have the same quality to it as the others—using glossy language to simplify complicated feelings down to one easily-digestible sentiment, when the truth was much more nuanced.
Because, as much as she loved Valentine Bay and the people in it, and as sure as she was about her decision to stay and make a home here—surely she’d miss the constant hustle of the greatest city on earth?
Right?
But as she spoke the words to Ella, she realized that, to her surprise, she meant them. Deep down and completely. She was done with the backbiting, with the fakery. Would she miss performing, miss the crowds? Of course. But when it came to where she wanted to make her home, there was no contest.
She wanted Valentine Bay.
Alison crossed the distance from the coffee shop, pushed through the door to the raw space she’d leased, and the first thing she saw was the very fine ass of the main reason she was staying in Valentine Bay, displayed to perfection as the owner of said delectable butt squatted down and measured a length of wall.
She wolf whistled him, and he whipped his head around as he stood, surprised. “Hey! I wasn’t expecting you this early.”
She walked over to the plywood he’d laid across two sawhorses and set down the coffees that she’d brought for them and then walked over to him, nestling into his arms and giving him a long, soulful kiss.
It was a stark contrast, the effect that the smell of the freshly cut wood laid across sawhorses had on her now, as opposed to the first day she’d met Troy!
“Mmmm…” he said as they drew apart, “Okay, I get why you came early. And I’m not opposed to a little early morning fun. But we should probably find some way to cover up the storefront windows first. It is Main Street, after all.”
She laughed, swatting him lightly on the chest. “You wish, stud. Nope. I just couldn’t help myself, I was too excited to get here.”
