10
HARLOW
The package on the porch came from Buckhead, Atlanta. Mom. Harlow plopped the box on the kitchen table, along with bags from Lloyd’s Hardware, Weldon’s Five & Dime, the Haberdashery, and Biggs Market.
While the beach house was beautifully decorated and stocked with the best cookware, cutlery, flatware, dishes, and linens, it lacked the real essentials. Band-Aids, Scotch tape, dish soap, laundry detergent, scissors, bottle and can openers, bathroom soap ... the list was long.
She’d been here over a week, and it was time tomovein. She wore her beach hat, without the price tag now, hoping no one would recognize her. Especially Matt Knight. Three days had passed since their meet-cute at Tony’s. Did he say how long he was in town? If she was lucky, he’d been called back to Hollywood.
Removing her hat, she fished her new scissors from the hardware bag and cut open Mom’s package. Did she even want toknow what was inside? The phone rang, giving her a momentary reprieve.
“Did you get my package?”
“Hello to you too, Mom. I’m opening it now.”
“Well?”
“Well, what?”
“Do you like them? I talked to Jane Fonda’s people, and they recommended—”
“Mom, do not talk topeopleabout me.”
Of all Mom’s antics, this one bugged her the most. She had a ridiculous habit of sharing Harlow’s business with everyone. Nothing was sacred.
“Why not? You’re my daughter, and you need help.”
“I do not need help.”Oh, she needed help.
“I thought new workout clothes would inspire you. I bought one size too small and—”
“You don’t know my size, Mom.”
“I have an eye for these things.” True. She did. “The leotards will be tight at first, but when you lose ten pounds or so, they’ll be comfortable. Then I’ll get the next size down. I wish I could see you. The blue will be stunning.”
Harlow cradled the receiver and sliced open the box with the edge of the scissors. Sure enough, it was packed with blue spandex.
“They’re really nice, Mom. Thank you.”
“Anything for my girl. How’s it going?”
“How’s what going?”
“Harlow—”
“It’s going.”
And it was. During the day, she faithfully ate salads and grilled chicken, even though she yearned to work her way through the menu at the Blue Plate Diner. But at night, when the small town of 6,981 settled down, Harlow’s pulse thumped in her ears. If only she had the sounds of the city or the anticipation of Jinx’s key in the door to drown out her thoughts.
Sea Blue Beach was quiet. And she was alone. A deadly combination for a girl trying to forget her heartbreak and move on.
The worst part was she’d convinced herself the house on Sea Blue Way had no memories of Xander. But it did.
Xander guiding her down the sidewalk for a surprise, his broad hands over her eyes.
Bubbling up with tears when she saw the house for the first time.
The scent of Xander’s skin as he wrapped her in his arms and painted an idyllic picture of their life at 321 Sea Blue Way.
