“This place has been my dream for so long. But it’s a twenty-four-seven venture. We already have to endure not seeing our boyfriends all day when they’re on duty. They may have a lot of downtime in between shifts, but twenty-four hours is a long time. And because of the restaurant, I can’t typically visit him there like some of you guys can.” Ellie turns away, staring off into the distance. “Don’t get me wrong. I’m not complaining. I’m living with my teenage crush who I know beyond the shadow of a doubt adores me. My dream of opening a restaurant not only came true, but my business if thriving. Heck, the silver lining in all this… I’m too busy to worry that something could happen to Matt when he’s on duty.” A half-hearted giggle escaped her lips.
I reach for her hand and give it a squeeze. She’s right. She is dealing with very similar issues. “You’re right, smart girl. I need to stop worrying about the what-if’s and focus on the here and now.” My relationship with Jason is beyond anything I ever allowed myself to seriously consider. And now we’re in love and living together. We’re both excited about our future. “I need to talk to him. Find a way to make this work.”
Ellie pulls me in for a hug. “I’m so grateful you moved here, Quinn.” She withdraws keeping her grip on each arm, a mask of melancholy firmly in place. “I’ve never had many friends. My early years were pretty tough. But I was blessed to have one close friend back home in Candy Cane Key who reminds me a lot of you. Charlene is beautiful, strong, and so tenacious. She had a tough start in life, like I did. But she managed to open her own salon and is thriving there.
Ellie looks away, staring off somewhere into space. “Char keeps a lot of her worries close to her chest. I worry about her.” Turning back in my direction she continues, “I was definitely more of the sharer in that relationship.” She laughs. “And selfishly I missed being able to confide in someone like her. Talking with you… well, it’s given me a little piece of home I hadn’t realized I was missing.”
Tears well within my eyes. “I feel the same way, Ellie.” We both stand, pulling each other into a fierce embrace. These incredible women are such a gift. Her words about her friend remind me of how much I’ve missed my sweet friend, Callie, from back home in Magnolia Point. I need to reach out to her once I get to Wilmington and see if we can arrange a visit sometime soon. Dabbing at the happy tears, I notice one of Ellie’s staff approaching as we pull apart.
“Ellie, I’m so sorry to interrupt. But there’s a guy on the phone interested in booking us to cater a graduation party. I can take a message if you’d like.”
“No, no. I’ve got it. Tell him I’ll be right there.” As he walks off, she gives me a knowing grin. “Don’t bother dreaming if you’re going to complain when it comes true.”
She’s so right. We didn’t work this hard to make things happen, only to give up at the first sign of trouble. “Thank you for spending time with me this morning. It was exactly what I needed.”
“Me too. Be careful in your travels. Call me when you’re back home. Breakfast is on me.” She winks.
* * *
“Hey, short stuff. How’s Wilmington?”
“It’s great. I forgot how great this town was. Plus, I’ve missed the beach life.” My giggle is met with an eerie silence. “Jase? You okay?”
“Yeah. It’s just… Things are busy here. Got distracted for a minute.”
His words bring no reassurance. I’d tried hard to put any misgivings I’d had about our relationship on the backburner after my conversation with Ellie. Yet Jason’s tone has changed the course of this call from delight to dread. We’d barely had a moment to talk when I’d arrived yesterday, he’d been busy with work and I was settling in. Then our late night call was cut short when I couldn’t stop yawning. I know we need to talk, but everything is screaming to wait until we can do it in person.
“You get a feel for how to get the next big promotion going? Got another calendar in the works there?” He chuckles. But where his laughter normally causes my cheeks to burn bright in reciprocal happiness, this laughter sounds hollow.
“No. I’m still trying to work with Dennis on what he’s looking for here. This town is much bigger than Magnolia Point. What worked there would probably not suit the visitors here.” Why does my heart ache? Is he feeling something is off between us too? He’s been so supportive, but my constant travels may be wearing on him. I consider how far he’s come, given I’m the only real girlfriend he’s allowed himself to commit to since Corinne betrayed him. Could he be worried I could do the same? “Besides, you’re the only Mr. December I’m interested in chasing after.”
“Damn straight.” The rich tenor in his voice that I love is back. It could be he’s simply no longer distracted. Yet deep down, I think I could be on to something here.
“Jase?”
“Yeah?”
“I know how busy you’ve been with work. Heck, I can relate.” A nervous laugh falls from my lips. “But is there any way you could come stay with me here for a few days? This project is going to bring me back here quite a bit over the next six months. It’d be nice to spend some quality beach time with you somewhere outside of Magnolia Point.” Those trips are always chock-full of visits with friends and family to reconnect. There isn’t a lot of downtime for the two of us.
“I think that’s a perfect idea. I’ll look at my schedule. You’re still headed back home this weekend, right?”
Feeling like a smoldering brush fire suddenly doused in a deluge of cool water, the relief at his words is instant. My shoulders relax and I mouth ‘Thank you’ into the universe as if someone can see me. “Yes. I miss you so much when I’m away, nothing could keep me here a moment longer than necessary.”
“Awe, baby I feel the same way. I know we’ve been busy with our careers lately. But knowing you’re in Sycamore, even if we’re not in the same building, gives this haggard old man some peace.”
Old man.I bite my lower lip but can’t prevent the silly laugh that escapes at his reference. He’s always reminding me I could find some young stud, but settled for a timeworn bull instead.
“You’ve been so good for me, Quinn. My life is so far beyond what I could’ve hoped for a year ago. It’s more than my career. You moved here to the place I love, no questions asked. Always running around to make your dreams a reality. I need to start being a lot more supportive. Never question how much I adore you, baby. I’d give all of this up tomorrow and transfer to bum fuck nowhere to run fire calls as the new kid in town if that’s what you needed.”
Tears pour from my eyes. I hadn’t realized just how much this had all been weighing on me until this very moment. It had seemed more just general overwhelm at life, my relationship feeling like one more obstacle to climb. Yet his reassurance has filled me with just optimism. I feel like I could tackle anything now.
“I love you, Jason Bristow. And I can’t wait to get home and show my old man just how much.”
Chapter 6
Quinn
God it’s good to be home. Not that I’ve seen any more of Jason than when I was away. Heck, at least if he comes to spend time with me in Wilmington, he won’t be so distracted.
