“No,” I say matter-of-factly. “Fortunately, my parents left me with money, so I can relax if I want to, but that’s the whole point, bestie. I want to stay busy. If I stay busy, I don’t have time to focus on my parents and the fact that they were supposed to be here and will never be here again to spend another summer with me.”
She grabs my hand and squeezes it. “I know, sweetie.” She pulls her hand back. “Then stay busy and enjoy this time at the lake house.” And that’s precisely what I intend to do.
I filled out the application online and have an interview withRyan, the owner, today. I am loading the last luggage piece as Savannah stands in the doorway. “I can’t believe you are leaving already.”
She nods, throwing her arms around me. “I know, I wish I could stay all week with you, but you know, responsibilities and all. I’ll be back soon to visit and stay for a weekend. I’ll let you know when I can get away again. It’s not like I’m far away. Just a few hours and a phone call away if you need me. I’ll be here.”
“Thanks, girlie pop. You are the best friend I could only dream of having in my life.”
She pushes away from me. “Always,” she says as she walks away, striding to her car. Oh, and tell Gage I’ll be back soon, too.”
I laugh. “You know he’s going to be sad that you left, right?”
She waves her hand in the air. “Yeah, sure he will,” she says jokingly.
“Drive safely and call me when you get there so I know you got home safely.”
She shuts the door and lowers the window. “I could, or you could just stalk me on the Find a Friend app to see where I am.” She winks and then reverses out of the driveway, the tires crunching on the graded dirt road. She pulls away and drives off toward her home in Massachusetts. I watch her turn the corner and disappear. As I shut the door, I notice how quiet the house is.
“Fuck this.” I grab my purse and fling it over my shoulder across my chest. “Let’s go get that job,” I say as I jump into my car and fight the memories that threaten to pop into my head of a different time, not so long ago, when voices and laughter filled this space. Now, all that remains is deafening silence.
CHAPTER TWELVE
“When can you start?” Ryan taps his pen against the table on the covered patio, peering across the lake. I sit up straighter, excited over the prospect of having a job and, well, a purpose this summer.
“Whenever you want me to. I can even start today?” Wait. Yikes, I hope that didn’t make me sound too desperate. I am eager though, I just hope—ugh.
“Perfect.” He interrupts my thoughts, making me snap my head upward in attention. “Mandy called out again.” I nod in understanding, even though I have no idea who Mandy is. “I swear she is the most unreliable waitress I’ve ever had.” I look at him, not liking how this conversation is going, but he smiles. “Amanda.” He pauses, and I can tell he wants to say more. “Also knownas Mandy. My niece, by the way,” he says. “God, I love her, but she gets away with anything around me. She just looks at me with her puppy dog eyes, and I melt. I’m a big marshmallow around her.”
I chuckle because Ryan is in no way a marshmallow-type guy. He is a retired Marine, and it appears that he still lives by the same standards he was required to maintain on active duty. I heard he went in after age eighteen, retired twenty years later, and bought this place not long ago. Nothing is safe from gossip around here. My case in point.
“Here.” He hands me some forms, and I take them from him. “I need you to fill this out and bring it with you this evening when you show up. Does six to closing work for you today?” He doesn’t wait for me to answer as he is already walking away. He turns around. “Oh, ask Gage at the bar for a t-shirt. There’s a few styles for you to choose from. He’ll also let you know the dress code, but we are pretty relaxed around here.” He sways his hand back and forth in mid-air.
I stand. “Thanks!” I elevate my voice at his retreating form before heading to the bar to chat with Gage, bringing my employment papers with me. He is waiting for a couple of guys to place their order, who appear to be on lunch break, and when he turns around, he sees me and waves. As I approach, he looks around as if looking for my trusty sidekick, but he is going to be disappointed. “Hey, there.” I give him a small wave while I pull up a chair and sit at the bar.
“Hey.” He smiles, and I decide to put him out of his misery.
“Savannah went home today. She has to work, but she wanted me to tell you she’ll be back and hopes you guys can hang out.” He looks at me, almost relieved at my words.
“I’d like that,” he says. Changing the subject, he nods in the direction of my papers. “You get a job here?”
I wave my papers before placing them back down. “Yep, just have to fill this out.”
“Nice,” he says, wiping the counters where someone just vacated moments ago. “When do you start?”
“Um. That’s the thing. Ryan told me to come over here to ask you about a uniform. I guess I’ll start in a few hours.” Throwing thetowel under the bar, he goes to retrieve a box.
“Ah, yes—the uniform.” He plops the box on the bar top and starts pulling out shirts. “Here are the styles.” He pulls out a t-shirt, a crop top, a tank, and…
I pick one up, studying the size.
“Maternity shirt?” I ask quizzically.
He chuckles. “Yeah. We don’t discriminate here. Besides, we have had plenty of pregnant wait staff. Maybe they just like the give in the shirt.” He raises his hands in supplication. “Not for me to judge.”
“Okay, point made, but I’m pretty easy. I’ll just take the medium t-shirt if you have it.”
He nods. “Sure thing. That’s easy enough.” He pulls out a bin and retrieves a shirt wrapped in plastic.
