“No, I’m all packed. As soon as we lock up, I’m headed out. Wanted to break the trip into two days to make it more manageable.”
Bzzz. Bzzz.
Retrieving my cell from my back pocket, I grin as I find Harry’s gorgeous mug staring back at me. This picture always pulls at my heartstrings. I took it while we were at the beach with his new bride,Harlow, and their boys. Harry had suffered for so long, caring for his ill mother and working himself into the ground to keep his business afloat. It was heartwarming to see someone so deserving find joy. “Hey, Harry. What’s up?”
“Char. I just wanted to make sure you hadn’t changed your mind about wanting to join the party jet.” His deep voice rumbles with laughter across the line. “There’s more than enough room to hop on if you don’t want to make that long drive. But then again, your solo trip will probably be a lot more relaxing than sharing the company jet with me, Harlow, the boys,and their dads. Hell, I might be inebriated by the time we land in Sycamore.” He snorts. “Who am I kidding? I might need to stay that way for the duration of my brother’s wedding.”
I giggle. “You’re right. That flight crew doesn’t know what they’re in for. But I’ll happily keep the drinks flowing with you once I get there.” Yet it isn’t the rambunctious boys or the odd relationship with Harlow’s ex-husbands that has me charting a different path to this wedding. It’s the thought I’d need to provide documentation for Harry’s pilot to file a flight plan.
Since I turned seventeen, I’ve had to think carefully about every decision I’ve made. I do business in cash. My archaic phone, while fodder for my friends, has always been a noncontract style Tracfone. I acquire used cars at a fair price I can obtain without needing a loan. And while I can finally afford to own a home, I rent one of Margaret’s bungalows on a month-to-month basis with a hefty security deposit. The same is true for my business dealings. It hasn’t been easy. But as they say, nothing worth having ever is, right?
I’ve managed to fly under the radar since I arrived in Candy Cane Key. Learning to protect all aspects of my personal life has been the equivalent of higher education. I keep a tight watch on my surroundings, but act as if I haven’t got a care in the world. My gregarious, often over the top personality is just one more way I disguise my real life. Well, that and a new cut and color whenever the mood strikes me. Which is often.
“When do you think you’ll arrive?” Harry’s voice breaks throughmy inner musings, jolting my heart rate back into full force at the reminder of what’s before me.
“I should get there late tomorrow night. Depends on the traffic. I’m planning to head out in a bit.”
“Well, you’ll still have a day before the festivities get started. Take your time. Get out and see the world. You’re the hardest working girl I know.”
I grimace. While I’d love the opportunity to travel and see new places, it’ll have to be through the lens of my windshield. I can’t afford to take any more chances than I already am. “Well, that’s saying a lot. Considering your wife juggles motherhood, working in the ER, and the National Guard, and your soon to be sister-in-law, Ellie, manages a restaurant that has people coming from miles around.”
“Yeah. We’re all blessed, Char.” I can almost hear the pride in his voice. “I just wish…” Harry’s voice breaks, and an immediate sense of unease causes my heart to clench.
As casually as I can manage, I ask, “What, Harry? Is everything okay?” Is he wishing his mom was here to see all of this?
“No. No. Everything’s fine. I’m great. I can’t help wishing you’d take your own advice. Put yourself out there as you encouraged me to do. You deserve to be happy too.”
I bite my lip. This sweet man. My brother from another mother. “Iamhappy, Harry. Just because I don’t have a wedding ring on my finger, it doesn’t mean I’m not content with my life.” My tone comes out more defensive than I’d like. I know he’s only looking out for me.
Heck, it isn’t that I don’t want the life he has. Okay, minus his wife’s two ex-spouses, who are very much still in the picture. I’ll admit that might be more than this overworked, overstressed woman could handle.
Yet I know my limitations. This is all I can muster right now. And given how badly things could’ve turned out for me, I’m grateful for all I have. That I’m still here and thriving. Dreaming of more would only be torture.What’s the sense in that?
“I’m sorry, Charlene. You know?—”
“I know, bud. You’re fine. But I have to lock up and get on the road. And you have one loud, overcrowded plane to catch.” I force a laugh. I’m sure Harry would understand if I revealed all I’d been through. Hell, he’d probably go all big brother on me and try to fight my battles for me. But this isn’t a story I’m willing to share.
“Okay. Drive safely.” Suddenly his voice takes a more fatherly tone. “Don’t hesitate to call me if you need anything. Hell, I’d probably jump at the chance to strap on a parachute and come to your rescue.”
I picture my friend flying through the air like a caped crusader and giggle. “Bye, Harry. Give Harlow and the boys a squeeze for me. I’ll see you soon.”
Placing the phone back in my pocket, I let my eyes roam over the salon one last time before grabbing my purse and keys. Moisture pools in my lower lids. There’s a sense of pride and gratitude at what I’ve managed to achieve that I cling to whenever I’m tempted to feel sorry for myself.You’ve done good, kid.You’ve come way too far to let thewhat if’sderail you now. Just stay focused on all of the positives. The countdown is on. Soon I’ll be reunited with my bestie and can laugh, eat, and drink to my heart’s content. At least until I have to make that long drive back to Candy Cane Key.
Alone.
I’ve barely madeit an hour north of the Florida Keys and have already wrenched my neck from gawking back and forth through the windshield. While my pulse is still thrumming, it’s now due to nervous excitement. Both at putting myself out there in order to see the world, as well as risking being discovered by it.
Even within the confines of the sunny state of Florida, the topography changes dramatically once you leave Candy Cane Key. There are unique restaurants and shopping at every exit. Is it because I’ve become so isolated within the familiar that I’mdrawn to each stop? That has to be it. Because I’ve never been a big shopper. It’s more to leave behind if you have to cut and run.
My mother and I hadn’t traveled much before she married Geoffrey. I don’t know if it was due to a lack of funds or if it just didn’t meet her agenda. Her focus was landing a rich man. If there’d been a Billionaires ’R Us on the map, I’m sure we would’ve made it a yearly voyage.
Once our ability to trek was on his dime, we were able to stay in luxurious five-star accommodations in New York, D.C., and Los Angeles, as well as some swanky golf resorts in Palm Springs and Marina Del Rey. Yet regardless of the locale, I never made it beyond the front gates of the hotel. Geoff traveled for business, and Mom wanted to enjoy the lavish amenities. The only outings that tempted them away from the hotel suite were the spa, fine dining, and eighteen holes of golf. I gave up asking to sightsee. Instead, I spent most of the time in a picturesque spot with a book, enjoying the tranquility of the gorgeous place as I flipped the pages toward my latest happily ever after.
I think I might’ve enjoyed traveling more if things had been different. It’s intriguing, the quirky little jewels you stumble upon, things you might never have known existed if you didn’t leave the safety of your ordinary life. My overstimulated gaze lands on a wide expanse of farmland where cows nap beneath the minimal shade of a palm tree, hoping for respite from the treacherous summer sun. My mouth curls as a calf plops into the grass next to its mother. The unbridled joy at witnessing these moments is more energizing than my morning Joe from The Gingerbread Man.
And what is it about hay bales? Rolling green acreage dotted with compressed bundles of dried grass always brings a contented sigh. There’s something about farm life. It’s as if the sight alone transports me to a calmer time and place.Ha.But that’s as far as it goes. This girl isn’t cut out for mucking stalls and tilling the land.
As the road winds, I continue to explore. The most tantalizing signs so far are for destinations where I can relax with a book. Enjoying something spicy at the Drunken Taco or a glass of wine atSummer Crush Vineyard & Winery. Tapping my fingernail against my lower lip, I ponder. What would it be like to have the freedom to venture wherever I wanted? Would I go to exotic destinations like Bali or the Maldives? Stroll the Champs-Élysées? Heck, I’d probably be as excited to cross the country attending small town festivals or kitschy tourist spots like the World’s Largest Ball of Twine.
