I slide out of the booth to leave before my anger gets the better of me, but I stand at the end of the table, unable to keep the words inside. “Alicia and I are a new thing, and it isn’t serious. I’ve had the year from hell without your daughter in my life. I don’t want to share that with you, but I will so you’ll stop assuming this is my fault. She walked out on me. I didn’t cheat on her, I didn’t hit her, I didn’t lie to her. There was no reason for her to leave me, but she did. Now she’s back in town, not even remembering why she decided to walk out on our marriage. If you want to let all those memories stay hidden, for her never to become the Lucy we all love, then shame on you, Susan.”
She leans back, gaping at my dad as though he should put me over his knee and spank me. “Are you honestly questioning my intentions for Lucy’s recovery?”
I huff. “I’m questioning your intentions of making sure Lucy remembers every part of her past. Maybe your hatred for our family has twisted your decision-making ability.”
“Adam.” My dad clears his throat, but before he can add another word, I continue.
“Let’s be honest, Susan. You’re afraid I can worm myself into your daughter’s heart again. Then if she doesn’t remember why she left me, there’s a good chance we might get back together and that’d be your worst nightmare. Even if I was the one who took care of your daughter, loved her with my entire heart, and you were the one who chose not to come to our wedding and wrote her off.”
“Adam,” my dad says again.
I lean in over the table, lowering my voice, thankful we’re not in Sunrise Bay. “But you don’t have to worry because losing Lucy made me feel dead inside. I never want to feel that pain again. It was like someone put my heart through a meat grinder. So stick around and give her memory a chance to come back, but you don’t have to worry, I’m never going to love Lucy, or any other woman, ever again.”
I storm out of the diner, the bell chiming as my goodbye.
Since I drove us all, I head to the Lake Starlight gazebo and sit my ass down on a bench, waiting until they’re ready to leave, which I hope is soon.
A girl kicking a soccer ball around with her brother looks at me. “Hey, you’re Rylan’s brother, right?”
I huff. “Calista Bailey,” I say, recognizing her. She and Rylan are coached by the same instructor.
She looks around. “Is he here?”
I shake my head, watching her footwork that’s so much like Rylan’s. You never see my kid brother without a soccer ball, and from the few times I’ve witnessed these two together in lessons, she and Rylan are evenly matched.
“Why are you here?” Calista asks.
A boy comes by and kicks the ball out from her feet.
“Dion!” she yells.
I nod toward the diner. “Breakfast.”
“That’s my dad’s place.” Calista points at the maroon awning with gold lettering that reads Terra and Mare. It’s the fanciest place in Lake Starlight, so it’s usually a special occasion or a date if you go there. “He’s not open for breakfast though.”
I nod. “He’s a great chef. I’ve eaten there.”
The Dion kid kicks the ball, and it hits Calista in the ass. She runs off after him, irritated.
“I’ll tell Rylan you said hello,” I say to her retreating back.
She stops and turns around. “I didn’t tell you to do that.”
“I thought you guys were friends?”
Her forehead wrinkles. “I am not friends with Rylan Greene.”
I hold up my hands and chuckle. “Okay then, I won’t mention even seeing you.”
“Good.”
She kicks the ball to her brother as a man comes out of Terra and Mare. He jogs across the street and steals the ball. I recognize him as the chef from Terra and Mare, so he must be Calista’s dad.
“Adam!” my dad yells across the lawn.
I stand, meeting him and Susan at my truck. She sits next to me, and the twenty-minute drive back to the inn is uncomfortable and awkward. Pulling up to the inn, I’m happy she says nothing to me as she opens her door to climb out. There was a time in my relationship with Lucy when I wanted Susan and Lloyd Davis to welcome me into their family. I tried hard to get them to approve of me. Those days are gone now.
I’m about to reverse out of the parking spot when a Cadillac pulls up and blocks me in. My grandma is in the driver’s seat, her friend Dori in the passenger seat. To my surprise, Lucy steps out of the back, covered in mud, and starts toward Susan, not looking happy.
So with a sigh, I put the truck in park and climb out, along with my dad. Will my life ever be normal? I’m thinking not, at this point. Who else can say their estranged wife returns to them with no memory of leaving?
Add on the fact that I lied to Susan in that diner. I never stopped loving Lucy, but the hell if anyone in this town will ever know.
Pulling into the inn and seeing my mom walking away from Adam’s truck spurs the anger that diminished during my breakfast with Ethel and Dori at Two Brothers and an Egg. I slam the car door and Mom turns around.
“You were supposed to be packing,” she says. “What happened to you?” She steps toward me, but I put up my hand to stop her.
“She slipped down a hill,” Dori says, running her hand down my arm as if we’re old friends. I still don’t remember her, even after she quizzed me during my pancake breakfast while the rest of the people at the diner whispered and pointed at me.
“When? Where?” My mom’s gaze falls down my body as though she’s a doctor and could see if something was actually wrong.
“I just lost my footing,” I say, brushing her off.
The door of the inn opens and Mandi steps out, her red hair pulled into a ponytail higher up on her head. She walks over to Adam and Hank, who I hadn’t yet realized are here. The three of them watch the scene unfold. Adam’s hands are stuffed into his pockets and he’s rocking back on his heels.
I get distracted from looking at him by someone snapping their fingers in front of my face.
My mom.
“This is why you can’t go running in an area you aren’t familiar with. Come on, we’re going to pack and then we’re leaving.” My mom tugs on my arm, but I pry it out of her grasp.
“Just let her be, Susan,” Ethel says.
My mom stops and turns toward the Greenes. “Do you people have anything other to do than to bother us? She’s not your family anymore.”
“Susan,” Ethel says in that tone like everyone is family in Sunrise Bay.
“No, Ethel. The last person I need a lecture from is you.”
Dori steps closer to my mom. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Let her be, she’s always been a stubborn one.” Ethel crosses her arms.
“Please, you people act like you’re all holier-than-thou, when in reality, your entire family started out taking what’s other’s.”
“Mom,” I say.
Ethel shakes her head and smiles at me. “Let her speak her piece. It’s been a long time coming, right, Susan? So let’s get it all out in the open. Maybe it will spur some memories for Lucy.”