Chapter 5

CHAPTER FIVE

Johanna turned to smile at her boyfriend, Everett Howell, as she cuddled up closer against him. The two of them were outside at night, and she could hardly see him in the darkness, but she could see him enough to know that he was smiling at her with a glow of affection in his eyes. They were out on a hilltop on the edge of Blueberry Bay together, snuggled close together with a blanket around both of their shoulders. It was a beautiful cloudless night, and despite the chilly temperature, she felt warm and cozy next to the man she loved.

They were there to stargaze using Everett’s high-power telescope—stargazing was a passion that they shared, and it was something that had brought them together when they were first beginning to date. Johanna took a deep breath, inhaling the fresh smell of the night air. Overhead, the stars twinkled like jewels, and the wind rustled in the branches of the nearby trees. An owl hooted in the distance, adding a kind of thoughtful music to the beautiful night.

“It’s so peaceful being here with you,” she said, squeezing his hand. He smelled slightly of fish—something that was rare for him, even though he was a fisherman, but she found she didn’t mind in the slightest. She was happy that he’d come straight from working to be there with her. It showed how much he cared about her, and how much he valued their time together.

“It’s so peaceful being here with you,” he told her, kissing her nose. “A perfect night.”

“The weather is perfect too,” she said. “Not a single cloud. And maybe it’s how happy I feel, but the stars look particularly bright tonight.”

He nodded. “Look at Orion. I haven’t been able to pick it out so quickly in a long time.”

“Maybe it’s the sky, or maybe it’s that you’re an astronomy expert.” She nudged him fondly.

“Oh, I don’t think I’m an expert,” he said, although he sounded pleased.

Privately she thought to herself that he was absolutely an expert. She admired his quick mind so much—and she loved even more that it was paired with a gentle sense of humor. Everett was a kind, considerate man underneath his rough exterior.

As they gazed up at the sky, taking turns using the telescope, they excitedly pointed out various stars to one another.

“Isn’t that one beautiful? Just over that belt of pine trees?”

“Yes. Looks bright enough to wish on.”

“What would you wish for?” he asked, squeezing her shoulders. “If it really was a wishing star?”

She laughed. “I honestly don’t know. I’m so content. I suppose I’d wish for baby Oscar to be healthy and happy, but I’m expecting that to happen without wishing.”

“How are Alissa and Dane doing? Are they excited?”

“So excited. Alissa’s starting to get tired again, and it’s no wonder, considering how soon she’s due. I went over to their place with a casserole that Dane loves the other day. They were both very happy about it, and I’m planning on cooking for them again soon.”

“That’s sweet of you. If they need help with anything—assembling baby furniture, anything like that—let them know that I’m offering to help, would you?”

“I will, thank you.” She rested her head on his shoulder briefly. “Dane still has to work so much at the office, and he’s worried that Alissa is working too hard as well. He’s the one who first told me that she’s been a bit tired. I want to help them both out so she feels free to take it easy.”

“I’ll help you help them. I’m not much for making casseroles, but maybe I can prepare some fish for them. Get some trout or salmon ready to be put into the oven.”

“Sounds wonderful!”

“And how are you feeling about the baby’s arrival?” He snuggled up closer against her as the wind picked up, blowing cool air across their faces.

“Absolutely giddy,” she said, grinning up at the stars. “I can’t wait. He’s going to be my first grandchild. I’m going to be a grandmother!”

After the words left her mouth, she began to laugh.

“What is it?” he asked curiously. “What’s funny?”

“I don’t feel like a grandmother,” she said, shaking her head. “It’s funny that I’m about to become one right when I feel younger than I have in years.”

“You do, huh?” he said, his brows rising.

“Mm-hm. You make me feel like a teenager again.”

He grinned boyishly. “What makes you feel like a teenager?”

“Oh, those sparkling eyes of yours,” she said slowly, resting a hand on his cheek. “And your big strong arms. And the way you make me feel giddy whenever you call me on the phone. I haven’t laughed this much in years. You’ve really done things to my emotions, Mr. Howell.”

“I’m honored to make you laugh,” he said, placing his own hand over hers. “I love it when you laugh. It’s the absolute cutest thing.”

She did it again, unable to stop herself. The comic timing of it made him start to chuckle, and soon the two of them were having a laughing attack—his guffaws mixed with her giggles. They held hands and laughed into the night air, startling a rabbit that was nibbling grass nearby.

“Come here, you,” he said, grinning at her.

He wrapped his arms around her and leaned his head in for a tender kiss. For a moment, both of them forgot about the stars entirely.

Gwen jotted notes down in her computer, her fingers typing almost as rapidly as her mind was moving. She paused for a brief moment to make sure she hadn’t made any typos, and then kept typing.

She was in her office at the clinic, jotting down notes about the patient she had just seen. She believed firmly in keeping highly detailed doctor’s notes, and even though all that had been wrong with the patient was a small cut on her hand, she was still determined to be thorough in her note-taking.

She paused once she’d finished her notes, glancing over them one more time. Nodding in satisfaction, she saved them and then stood up from her computer. She took a sip of coffee as she glanced at the clock, noting that her next patient was due to arrive soon.

She felt as though she was settling into a good groove at her new clinic. There were still not as many patients as she would have liked, but she felt as though her first few days of work in Blueberry Bay had gone well. The people there were kind and welcoming, and everyone she’d met had been friendly and grateful.

She pulled up the file of the patient records for her next appointment, still standing at her desk instead of sitting. She usually had a great deal of adrenaline while she was working, and she preferred to stand when she could. She frowned in concentration as she read, wanting to be well-prepared for the appointment.

At that moment, there was a knock on the door. Heidi poked her head inside Gwen’s office, wearing an expression Gwen couldn’t quite read.

“Hey, do you have a second? There’s someone here to see you.”

Gwen frowned. “My next appointment? I thought it wasn’t for another ten minutes.”

Heidi shook her head. “This isn’t an appointment. It’s just a quick social visit. Should I send her in?”

“Sure.” Gwen felt a little baffled—who paid a social visit to a doctor in the middle of the workday? More than that, she didn’t know anyone in the town who might want to visit her yet.

Into the office stepped a smiling woman with curly brown hair. She was wearing a pair of jean shorts and a sweatshirt, and she was grinning as if she’d known Gwen for years. In her hands was a Tupperware clearly filled with some kind of baked goods.

“Hi,” the woman said, her expression warm and friendly. “I’m Olivia Dunlap. I wanted to welcome you to Blueberry Bay.”

“Oh.” Gwen blinked. She was staring at Olivia, wondering if this Dunlap was related to the handsome male Dunlap who had almost hit her car. “That’s very thoughtful of you, thank you,” she said stiffly.

“Of course! We’re thrilled you’re here. I was new in Blueberry Bay once myself—well, more so Whale Harbor. I moved there with my aunt, Marsha Dunlap, and we both love the area—but it’s always hard being a new person in a strange place. At least I think so.” Olivia flashed a friendly grin at her. “And I know my partner agrees with me—my boyfriend Corey Easton was new here not that long ago. He opened up a souvenir shop in Blueberry Bay. He’s got two adorable eight-year-old twins, so it was hard for him to find any extra time to get to know people. Thankfully we found each other, and I helped him get settled here.”

Gwen had absolutely no idea what to say. She wasn’t used to people who were comfortable sharing their life story at the drop of a hat like this. She wanted to tell Olivia that she didn’t need any help settling in—she knew where the grocery store and the bank were located. There wasn’t any information about the town that she needed that she didn’t already have.

“Here,” Olivia said, taking the reins of the conversation again after a few seconds of Gwen’s awkward silence. “I baked you some lemon bars.” She handed Gwen the Tupperware with a triumphant grin, as if to say, “Just wait until you taste these.”

“I—uh, thank you.” Gwen mustered a smile. She’d never been handed baked goods by a stranger before. “That’s very kind of you.”

“These lemon bars are a team effort,” Olivia said, laughing. “I misplaced my favorite lemon bar recipe, but my friend Paige Garner came to the rescue and sent me one that she likes. She’s an incredible baker—she’s studying at Flourish Baking School in Providence right now.”

“Oh?” Gwen took a curious sniff, getting a pleasant whiff of the smell of sugar and flour and lemon. “That’s very nice. Thank you.”

Olivia looked as though she might be trying not to laugh, and in that moment, Gwen felt sure that this woman was related to Isaiah Dunlap—she had the same impish smile that he had. She knew she was acting stiff and a little unfriendly, but Olivia’s effortlessly breezy attitude baffled her. After all, they’d never even met before—but here she was dropping off baked goods like they were friends?

“So I texted her and I asked her if she had a lemon bar recipe and she sent me this,” Olivia said, still smiling. “You’ll love these—they’re even better than the ones I usually bake, and that’s really saying something. We’re all excited for Paige to come back home to Blueberry Bay. She’ll be done with school in a little while, and then she’s going to start her own bakery here.”

“That’s nice.” Gwen swallowed. Of all the things she’d studied and perfected in her life, being effortlessly friendly wasn’t one of them. She was a little unsure of how to deal with such openhearted friendliness—being at ease with strangers wasn’t something she considered to be part of her own personality, and she wasn’t used to being singled out for the kindness of strangers. She was usually the type to keep to herself, and although she was grateful for Olivia’s kindness, she wasn’t sure how to reciprocate the same benevolent energy.

“It is. You should be able to buy her stuff at Tidal Wave Coffee soon—she used to sell her stuff there and the rumor is she will again when she gets back home—and then you’ll understand why we’re all rooting for her. Have you been to Tidal Wave Coffee yet?”

“I have,” Gwen said, grimacing as she remembered the almost-collision with Isaiah’s truck filled with lumber.

“Did you like it? Oh! That was where Isaiah almost ran into you, wasn’t it? He’s my brother, and he told me about it. He’s so sorry about that.”

Gwen offered a feeble smile. “All’s well that ends well.”

Her heart was starting to thump at the memory of meeting Isaiah—and she told herself it was because it had been a nerve-wracking experience to almost be hit by another car.

“Well, he’s really sorry. I hope that other than that stressful experience, you’re settling in all right.”

Gwen nodded. She wasn’t surprised at all that her suspicions were confirmed—Isaiah was Olivia’s brother.

Of course he is, she thought. Everyone must know everyone in this small town, and they’re all probably related to each other.

“It’s all right,” she said out loud. She wondered if Olivia was bringing the lemon bars as a kind of apology for her brother’s driving. “Isaiah already apologized, and it ended up being totally fine. It’s all forgotten.”

“That’s good.” Olivia smiled, her eyes warm. “But I know he still definitely wants to make it up to you.”

Gwen’s eyebrows lifted. She wasn’t sure what Olivia meant by that—and she didn’t quite know why her stomach fluttered a little at the thought. “That’s not necessary.”

Olivia chuckled. “That brother of mine is something else. He does everything he does with as much energy as a firecracker. He’s a really nice guy, though, and I know he felt bad about not driving as carefully as he should have.”

Gwen nodded, glancing at the clock. She still had plenty of time before her next appointment, but she was starting to wonder how she could politely hint to Olivia that it was time for the conversation to end.

“Do you need anything while you’re settling in?” Olivia asked. “Everything in your new place works all right?”

“Nothing’s broken. Everything seems to be in fine working order.”

“Well, if you need help moving furniture—or finding furniture—let us know. Moving can be a lot sometimes, I know.”

Gwen smiled at her, touched by this stranger’s consideration. “I have all my own furniture already, and the moving men carried everything upstairs when they arrived with the van. But thank you—that’s a kind offer.”

“Of course! Got to help a new neighbor settle in. We’re all here for each other in Blueberry Bay. Let me write down my phone number for you—you can call me if you need anything.”

“Thank you,” Gwen murmured, privately thinking that she wouldn’t be calling Olivia for any reason, since she was used to solving all her problems on her own. She watched as Olivia reached into her purse, pulled out a small notebook, and scribbled her number down onto it using a pencil that she’d had tucked into her hair.

“There you are,” Olivia said, handing Gwen the piece of paper. “That’s for emergencies or non-emergencies, like if you want someone to help you navigate the grocery store or help you pick out flower pots. Things like that.” She grinned, and Gwen smiled back. “I should probably get going, and I don’t want to keep you either.”

“Thank you again for the lemon bars. That’s very thoughtful of you.”

“Of course! I look forward to seeing you around town. Have a good day!”

“You as well. Thank you again.”

Olivia waved as she stepped out of Gwen’s office. Gwen stood there for a moment, holding the Tupperware of lemon bars and not quite knowing what to do with herself. She opened the Tupperware and looked down at the bars, lost in thought. She smelled the sweet aroma of the baked goods, but she didn’t eat one yet.

Everyone is so nice here, she thought, biting her lip. But I—I can’t shake the feeling that I don’t belong here.

She closed the Tupperware lid again and set the bars down on the edge of her desk. She picked up her phone, checking for new notifications, and her stomach flopped in disappointment when she saw that there weren’t any.

She wasn’t sure why she kept looking at her phone so often. She’d been used to getting texts from Ron regularly, but it wasn’t as though she wanted him to be texting her now. She didn’t want him to check in with her or try to find out where she’d gone.

She pressed her lips together, feeling the old familiar knot of frustration rise up in her chest when she thought about Ron. He’d found fault with how dedicated and organized she was—he was always criticizing the orderliness of her life, which was ridiculous. When he’d broken up with her, that was the reason he’d given for why he thought they were go longer going to work out—he’d said that she was too particular, too inflexible.

He benefitted from my hardworking attitude, she thought, looking out the window at the sunny day.

It looked warm outside, but she wondered if the brightness of the sunlight was deceptive, and it was really colder than it had been the day before. Life tended to be like that, she thought. You couldn’t trust appearances a lot of the time.

When she’d first met Ron, she’d fallen for him and thought they would do well together. At first, he’d talked a lot about how much he admired her accomplishments. Then it became clear that he wanted to take advantage of her—he barely ever worked, relying on her significantly higher income to keep him afloat financially. Then, in the end, he’d resented her for how hard she worked.

She shook her head, feeling another twist of frustration even though those problems were now in the past. He was the one who had thrown away a good thing—and in the end, she had to be glad that he’d made that choice, as foolish as it was. She knew they weren’t right for each other, and that it had needed to end when it did. Perhaps it should have ended much sooner than that—she couldn’t remember the last time she’d had any truly loving feelings toward him. She knew that love was more than feelings, it was hard work and effort—but she was glad she’d escaped a relationship in which the other person wasn’t willing to put in that work.

She shook her head, feeling herself tense up the more she dwelt on the past. She took a deep breath, checking the time and noting that she only had three more minutes to study her next patient’s file before the appointment started.

She went back over to her computer and began to finish reading the file. Her mind moved quickly, and soon she’d managed to shake off the ghosts of the past.

There was no point in looking back, she thought as she stepped out of her office. All she could do was look forward, even though she wasn’t sure where her life was going.