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“Let me help you with that,” the man said with a smile, reaching for her bag. Caitlin gave it to him and he put it in the trunk. “Where are you headed?”
“To Literary Stays, please.” Caitlin got in the back seat and told him the address.
“That’s a nice little spot,” the man said, pulling off. The roads were pretty much empty, at least on this side road. “Are you here on vacation?”
“I am, sort of.”
She supposed it was a vacation in that she was escaping from her day to day life, but the emotional work she had to do was heavier than that. The way Alissa had described the town made it sound like the perfect place to clear her head away from James and the tension at home. Her daily walks, even in the coldest weather, weren’t doing the trick anymore.
And she wanted to see where Alissa wanted to move and talk some sense into her. How had Alissa come here on vacation and immediately set up her life with a job? It was just the impulsive act that she expected from her twin. Alissa had always done things on a whim, often to mixed results. Sometimes it was something minor, like hastily cut bangs, but others were like this—something with the potential to send her life spiraling off in the wrong direction.
Then again, here she was—showing up without telling Alissa she was coming first. If she had told Alissa, they would have fought about it. Caitlin knew her twin well. She had to use a bit of Alissa’s style to catch her off guard and get her message across.
Caitlin looked out the window for the rest of the ride, taking in the scenery after the cab driver sensed she was tired and not up for chatting. They drove along a beachside street once they were closer to town, which was beautiful, even in the dark. The few street lamps lit up the tall grasses and sand dunes, and a lighthouse stood tall in the background. Waves crashed against the beach, illuminated by moonlight.
“Here we are,” the cab driver said, pulling up to a quaint house near the water. A few lights were on in the windows, but it also looked like it was ready to close up for the night.
“Thank you.” Caitlin took her bag from the driver and paid him.
She took another deep breath—the coldness of the air didn’t bother her as much since it was so clean. Then, she went up the stairs to the house. Before she even entered, she could see why Alissa would like it. Odes to famous authors were tastefully integrated into the design of the house and in the objects in the front window.
Caitlin knocked on the door and was soon greeted by an elegantly dressed woman with fun, stylish glasses. The woman smiled and opened the door all the way.
“Hello! Welcome! You must be Caitlin,” the woman said, extending her hand. “My name is Monica.”
“Lovely to meet you.” Caitlin shook her hand firmly and stepped all the way inside the house.
It smelled like a library, the scent taking her straight back to childhood when she and Alissa would be holed up there for hours. Caitlin appreciated how the literary theme was noticeable, but tasteful—not too over the top. She saw pictures of the bed and breakfast online, but they hadn’t done it justice.
“Let me help you with your bag. Your room is ready upstairs.” Monica took Caitlin’s bag. “Then I can give you the tour if you’re up for it. I’m sure you had a long day of travel.”
“It was pretty long but I’d love a tour.”
Monica guided her toward a winding staircase and started going up. Some of the art on the walls likely referenced literary works, but they were beyond Caitlin’s knowledge. Alissa probably knew.
“What brings you here?” Monica asked. “You look so familiar.”
“My twin sister is actually staying here,” Caitlin said… right as Alissa stepped into the hallway upstairs.
Alissa looked like she was winding down for the day, dressed in leggings and an oversized sweater. She stopped in her tracks, eyes widening behind her glasses as she stared at Caitlin.
An awkward pause stretched out between them, though Alissa’s mouth opened and closed as if she were trying to say something. Finally, Alissa approached Caitlin with her arms open.
“Wow, hi, Caitlin,” Alissa finally said, giving her sister a hug. “Welcome to Whale Harbor.”
CHAPTERTHIRTEEN
“I’ve just sent you the paper’s final layout,” Josie called out to Dane from her desk.
“Thanks,” Dane replied, opening the email that had just landed in his inbox.
It was only eleven thirty in the morning, but he was on fire, checking off task after task on his to-do list. And the list was long. Every Friday was like this—cranking through everything they had to do to publish the paper on Monday morning. It really made him earn his weekend. Or it would have if he ever took a full day off.
He looked over the paper laid out as it would be printed, ensuring that everything looked just right. One of Alissa’s articles was on the front page, and he took a moment to reread it. It was great, as all of her work was. Even the most mundane article about a change in the trash pickup route or new school buses was engaging with her words.
Her article promoting the Cutback Surfing Competition was one of her most well-received pieces. She had captured the excitement of it without having been to it before. Her ability to pull great quotes from people, no matter who they were, was something Dane hadn’t seen in a writer in a while. And she found some great photos of locals who had been to the event as children, which added even more flavor to the piece.
Despite having lived there for a short amount of time, she knew what made the town tick. He’d even heard that the expected attendance of the competition was going to be higher than ever this year. Was Alissa’s article the cause? He wasn’t sure. But if he were in a local’s shoes, he would have been enthralled by the idea of it because of her.
