“I grew up here.” He stood up and took off his glasses, letting them dangle from his fingers. “I bought my first house down here after college.” There was a look in his eyes. It felt like… affection. It was hard to tell, as she hadn’t known him that long. She’d never met anyone as personable as Jake Buchanan and it was difficult to read what was true fondness and what was part of his general personality. Perhaps she was just overthinking his friendliness.
“I figured you’d been here a while. You seem to know the area so well.”
He turned and faced the rectangular hole, stretching a measuring tape across the width of it.
“So, what would you suggest for something fun to do this evening?” she asked.
“Hmm.” He measured from top to bottom, a small crease forming between his eyes as he read the length. “Have you ever been to the top of Bodie Island lighthouse? It’s got a great view.”
“No, I haven’t. It sounds nice.”
He turned around and looked at her, pocketing the tape measure. “Wanna go? I could come back at around five and take you over.”
“I’d love to,” she answered honestly, feeling much more excited than she let on. She couldn’t wait.
EIGHT
“I got a date with Jake.” Faith chewed on a grin. She knew Casey would want an immediate explanation. Isabella was pulling her mother toward the ice cream flavors, putting too much distance between them for a response but her face was all questions. Faith smiled. She knew her sister too well. Faith pulled a cup from a stand nearby and filled it with soft-serve mint chocolate chip frozen yogurt. It was a softball-sized wad of ice-cream-like texture, and, with the summer heat that they’d let in when they’d arrived, it seemed to be melting before she could even get a bite. She handed it, along with a napkin that she’d grabbed, to the cashier who was waiting at a nearby register.
While Isabella pointed out flavors to Casey, Faith walked down the long counter, its surface like the wood of a pier. The whole interior was painted in pastel colors on the inside and out with natural wood accents. When they’d walked up to the place, she’d thought it looked like some sort of boat keeper’s dollhouse. It was sea-foam green with a yellow door, fresh pots of flowers on either side of it, their bright pink color contrasting with the light painted siding. Along the side of the place were picnic tables with umbrellas in varying colors that made them look like enormous scoops of ice cream, despite their square shape. She pulled out a few dollar bills and set them on the counter.
Isabella was walking back and forth in front of the various silver handles—each one labeled with a different flavor—dragging her little fingers along the surface of a parallel table whitewashed and then topped with wide stripes in greens and blues.
Casey surveyed their choices. “They have double chocolate, Isabella,” she suggested before filling a bowl of vanilla for herself. “How did you manage that?” she asked Faith as she neared her, finally being able to pick up Faith’s earlier comment about her date with Jake. Casey’s eyes were almost dancing. She seemed genuinely happy for her.
“I was just talking to him. That’s all. I asked what he suggested doing for fun. He mentioned Bodie Island lighthouse and then offered to take me there at five o’clock.” She couldn’t help but be proud of herself. Usually, it was Casey who was the one getting the dates. Faith couldn’t remember being in this position growing up.
“I’d like cotton candy,” Isabella said, finally deciding, and Casey made a face but tried to straighten it back out.
“Cotton candy flavored ice cream? Are you sure?”
“Yes!”
Isabella’s hair was done up in two braids that fell over each shoulder. They were swinging like golden ropes as she wriggled around in excitement. Casey filled a bowl to the brim with pink and blue swirled frozen yogurt and held it out to Isabella. The heavy bowl wobbled in her tiny hands as she attempted to take it from her mother while Casey paid for her ice cream.
Isabella made a scraping sound as she pulled out one of the brightly patterned stools, its silver legs scooting across the floor. Her lips were covered in pink ice cream as she attempted to steal a bite before she sat down. As she licked them, she tipped her head sideways to look at a drip that had fallen onto her hand. She licked that too.
“Use your spoon please, Isabella,” Casey said, clearly trying not to laugh. “I’d much rather see a lighthouse than go fishing,” she whispered to Faith as they got settled at the table. “That’s it. When we get back to the cottage, I’m going to research to find the most fabulous places to visit in the area and then I’ll get to work weaving them into the conversation,” she said with a wink. It was lighthearted, yet Faith felt a twinge of worry that surprised her.
Faith hadn’t planned on going out with someone when she’d packed for this trip. She’d packed for a week of sandy feet and days with her family. She hadn’t been trying to impress anyone when she’d put her clothes in her suitcase. Now, Faith stood in a towel, her wet hair dripping down her back, staring at her options and biting her lip. With a tiny shake of her head, she pulled out a silky peach-colored tank top and a pair of shorts. It was the best she could do. At least she had earrings to match this one and it would look like she’d tried. She could’ve borrowed something from Casey, but her clothes were much too fussy and glamorous for Faith’s style. And, she just wanted to be herself. Faith dried off, dressed, and wrapped her hair up in her towel. As she looked in the mirror, she tried to imagine what to do with her makeup. Should she go with gloss or a light lipstick? Should she choose shimmery powder or flat?
Faith didn’t want to overdo it, but she wanted to look like she’d put a little effort into it as well. Jake was nice, and handsome, and she wanted to impress him. After dusting her face with shimmery powder, she added a little pink to her cheeks and some eyeshadow. Finally, she put a little clear gloss on her lips and rubbed them together.
She dried her hair and put on her silver earrings with the dangly peach beads, then looked back in the mirror. As she stared at her complexion, Faith tried to look past the familiar face to see what Jake may see when he looked at her. She had a girl-next-door kind of look to her—nothing like Casey. Faith was shorter, petite, and cutesier. She wanted to be sexy, interesting. Casey could pull her hair up and downplay her make up and be adorably cute, but she could also let that gorgeous blond hair down, add some lipstick, and she’d turn heads at a mile away. When Faith figured her look was as good as it would get, she slipped on a pair of sandals and headed for the living area to wait for Jake.
“My. Look at you,” Nan said from her chair as Faith entered the room.
“Jake’s taking me to see Bodie Island lighthouse.”
“Is he, now?” she said, a wry grin on her face.
“Don’t get that look, Nan. It’s just a friendly offer,” she said with a smile, but Nan’s comment sent a jolt of excitement through her. She was more excited than she let on. She walked over and kneeled down next to Nan.
“I’m just happy you’re enjoying yourself,” Nan said. “And I’m glad to see you’ve been out with Casey today. I like seeing you girls back together.”
It sounded easy—seeing Casey—and for the most part they fell back in line together like they’d never left each other, but she couldn’t deny the feeling of needing to finish things from the past. She’d definitely changed over the years, and she wondered if Casey had too.
“I’m sorry I haven’t spent more time with the family until now,” Faith said honestly.
