3. Aaron

3

AARON

I sit up and stretch, thankful for a pleasant night’s sleep. Maybe a little too quiet for me, so the white noise app on my phone helped. I use it for all my hotel visits.

But it does nothing to relieve my anxiety about why I’m here. I lift my arms and try to crack my stiff back, knowing that’s where I carry my tension.

Now that I’ve committed to staying in Aqua Vista, I need to figure out what there is to do around town. And though I have an ulterior motive for being here, it’s been a while since I took some time just for myself. Of course, I’ve gone away on weekends with friends and day trips to the beach whenever possible, but taking time alone is altogether different, especially in a setting where I don’t feel the most comfortable. Mainly because of how cooly Jack treated my arrival yesterday.

But if I’m going to convince Jack to make a deal with us, I need to get acclimated pretty quickly. I certainly could’ve asked Jack straight out if he wanted to sell the business, and if he said no, I would’ve been on my way. Hell, I could’ve called for that conversation. But I’d chickened out. I’ve never been this nervous about business dealings, so I’m not sure why I am now.

I don’t even know Jack all that well, but something tells me he’s going to be a tough nut to crack. I consider telling Rocco that I tried and failed just so I don’t have to use a sales pitch on Jack. The truth is, Rocco is way better at making deals than I am. My talents lie in seeing the potential in a space and, once upon a time, being hands-on about it.

Still, when have I ever backed down from a challenge?

Plus, it’s true that I need a vacation.

In Aqua Vista? Get real. There are prettier locations in California.

I shower, dress, and glance out the window toward the appealing foothills, imagining there must be some scenic lookouts.

I wave to the woman at the reception desk and head out. I decide to walk toward the town center, noting the businesses along the way. The Tie-Dye Diner, a store called Spellbound, another called Slice of Life, and then an apothecary. The Honeycomb General Store, and then other businesses I don’t focus on long enough to learn the names.

The diner is like something out of the seventies, with bright, trippy colors, and I smirk to myself because whimsical seems to be the going theme around here. The diner is full but not packed, and I find a seat at the counter.

“Coffee, hon?” asks a waitress with light-brown hair and a sleepy smile. “Freshly made.”

“Yes, please.” I flip over my cup, and as she pours it from the pot, I notice her nametag reads June .

She slides cream and sugar my way, and I doctor it the way I like. I take a hearty sip as I look over the menu and listen to the other customers’ chatter. Not much different than in other towns, except people seem to know each other more personally here. I hear the bell above the door, and June steps behind the counter. “Your order’s coming right up.”

I do a double take when I notice it’s Jack she’s speaking to.

Jack’s hazel-brown gaze travels to me. “I see you’re finding all the good spots. Best breakfast in town.”

I smile. “Good to know. What do you recommend?”

“Blueberry pancakes are my favorite unless you’re counting carbs,” he replies, holding my gaze. Heat blooms in my stomach. “Then I’d say the eggs and bacon. Can’t go wrong.”

“Pancakes it is,” I say, closing the menu.

“How do you two know each other?” June asks as she hands Jack a large bag and two coffees in a cup holder. The order must be for Frank and him.

“I was here a couple of months ago when my car broke down.”

“Suppose I didn’t see you then.” June seems to study me more closely. “It’s not every day a handsome stranger comes into town.”

“Okay, you can stop flirting,” Jack grumbles.

“I’m doing no such thing, Jackson McCoy.” She smirks. “Besides, seems he already has his eye on you, or is it the other way around?”

“Good God, June,” Jack mutters in a lower register. “You’re going to get the rumor mill whipped into a frenzy.”

I glance around the room, wondering if anyone is paying attention, but everyone seems to be digging into their food or conversation.

“Gotta keep them guessing,” she teases.

He rolls his eyes. “Well, I’m off. Catch you later.”

We watch as he makes his way out the door. “Don’t you mind us. My brother is a grump, and I like to tease him.”

“It’s what siblings do, or so I’m told.” I smile at June and now see the resemblance. “What makes him so grumpy?”

She looks off in the distance. “He’s sort of always been that way, but it got worse after the accident.”

She must mean the boating accident, which means she lost her husband too. “I was sorry to hear about that. So tragic.”

Her eyes widen. “Did Jack mention it?”

“Yeah, last time I was here.” I lean forward conspiratorially. “He could’ve changed the subject, so I’m glad he shared that with me.”

“Why is that?” She narrows her eyes. “You a journalist or something?”

With that response, I can’t help wondering if there’d been plenty around after the accident.

“God, no. I can barely write a grocery list. I’ve just always been a naturally curious, talkative person.”

“Oh, I bet Jack enjoyed that.” She rolls her eyes.

“He didn’t seem to mind that night,” pops out of my mouth, and I immediately wish I could take the words back. “I didn’t mean…”

She huffs out a laugh. “No worries from me or anyone else in this town. It’s nice to know Jack can occasionally enjoy himself. Johnny and I try to work on him, but he likes to put up a front.”

“Still, you seem close, so that’s nice. It’s just me and my mom, and I’ve always wondered what it would be like to have siblings.”

“It’s a curse and a blessing, I suppose.”

She delivers my plate of pancakes before going off to assist other customers. I nearly moan out loud after my first bite, especially with the honey butter they serve on the side.

June makes her rounds with the coffee pot and fills me up again.

“Speaking of curses, why do people say that about Aqua Vista?” It’s something I’ve wondered over the last couple of months. My online property search didn’t bring up anything of significance regarding an unfavorable market in this area, so maybe it really is only folklore.

She smirks. “Oh boy. Who have you been taking to?”

“Only Jack—and Frank, who serviced my car.”

“I don’t know who’s worse between the two of them,” she scoffs. “There’s the legend of the tsunami that almost obliterated this town in the early 1950s…oh, and the year it was raining frogs.”

I nearly choke on my coffee. “I’m sorry, what?”

She waves her hand like it’s no big thing. “The scientific explanation is that they froze from an unusual cold snap that year and started falling out of the trees.”

Tree frogs? I mean, I know they exist, but are they that plentiful around here?

“My uncle Chuck believes that early townsfolk wanted the rumors spread to avoid an influx of tourists or people seeking relocation.”

“Huh, maybe there’s something to it, then.”

“But Lady Macb—I mean, Beth”—she looks over my shoulder like the woman could show up any moment—“from the Spellbound shop says there’s a certain energy the town hasn’t been able to shake for decades, and that we need to get back in balance, whatever that means.”

When she just barely keeps from rolling her eyes, I get the sense she doesn’t believe her but is too polite to admit it aloud.

“Our mom always said Aqua Vista is the best-kept secret, and people are missing out. She always had a positive outlook, and I suppose I inherited that from her.”

June certainly is pleasant to talk to.

“How many McCoys are there exactly?”

“Enough of us,” she says with a laugh. “My son, Cain, is probably at the beach with his surfboard. And if you get us together for dinner, it’s pretty lively.”

“Sounds nice,” I say around a sip.

“You say that now,” she counters.

“So, what is your town known for?”

“Besides being cursed?” she teases. “We have awesome hiking trails, and our ocean views are legendary. We can even boast about a famous surfer from Aqua Vista.”

“And the only gas station for miles,” I say before I can help myself.

“That’s normally how people happen upon us.”

“How long has the station been here?”

“My father ran it, and Jack inherited it.” She frowns. “It was the same for Dad after my grandparents died.”

There’s obviously a story there too, but I don’t want to be too inquisitive. She already thought I might be a reporter. Now I wonder if I should’ve done a search for more than property values in the area.

“So, been in the family a while. Got it.” That will be one more reason for Jack not to sell. People hold tight to their traditions and legacies. Something I’ll need to consider. I change the subject. “Where are the hiking trails?”

“I can point you in the right direction. If I were you, I’d make sure to tell someone when you’re heading out. People have gotten lost out there.” A gloomy look crosses her features.

“That only feeds into the story of the town curse,” I tease. “Do you warn all the out-of-towners?”

“Depends.” She winks. “You should ask Jack to show you the trails. He hikes most mornings before work.”

My back straightens. Not sure why that comes as a surprise. “He does?”

“Uh-huh, used to be the beach, but not anymore.” She looks off in the distance, melancholy in her expression. “Anyway, that’s how he keeps fit.”

That he does. I hold in my smirk.

“According to him, it’s peaceful at sunrise.” She makes a face. “I prefer to sleep in.”

“Then I wouldn’t want to disturb him.”

She gives me a stern look. “Oh, please do.”

I clear my throat, heat blooming in my cheeks. “So, what other businesses does your family own?”

She gives me a quick rundown of how it all began with the great-grandparents once owning now-defunct businesses like a toy shop and a movie rental place. The next generation opened the general store, bar, and service station.

“Cain works at the surf shack on the beach and has plans to open one of his own someday.”

“Sounds fun.” He must really love it.

It’s obvious they all have a stake in this town. They seem like hard workers with entrepreneurial spirits and aren’t afraid of getting their hands dirty. I can totally appreciate that.

Afterward, I walk around Main Street and decide to step inside Spellbound, curious what it’s all about after that energy story.

“Welcome,” a middle-aged woman with bushy blonde hair greets me. “I’m the owner, Beth.” I think about how June almost slipped and called her Lady Macbeth from Shakespeare, and I wonder if that’s a nickname folks around here call her. No way I’m brave enough to ask.

“Hi, Beth. I’m Aaron.” I glance at the shelves holding a mix of books, crystals, and what looks like other healing or restorative objects. The decor itself could be considered mystical.

“Let me know if you need any of our services.”

“Services?”

“I’m an intuitive healer.”

“I’m not even sure what that is. Like reiki? Chakra?”

She nods. “I tap into the natural energy flow in someone’s body to promote balance and healing. The mind, body, and health are all connected.”

“That checks, I suppose. Not that I know what I’m talking about, but it sounds fascinating.”

“It is, honestly. My work is what keeps me going.” Sadness filters through her eyes, and I wonder if she has some tragic backstory as well. “Anyway, it’s nice to meet you.”

I’m so busy overthinking what she’s said that I don’t notice she’s put out her hand to shake mine. When our hands touch, I feel a warm, prickly energy in her grip. Unless I’m losing it.

“Has your stomach been bothering you?” she asks as she releases her hold.

It certainly has, but I don’t say anything, just nod.

“You’re nervous about something. Holding it all in your abdomen.” She touches her belly. “In your shoulders and in your back. A decision you have to make, or breaking some sort of news to someone.”

She could pretty much predict that for anyone. But she doesn’t ask me if it’s true or if she’s off base. She just seems sure of herself.

“If you don’t let out whatever is eating you up, it’ll inevitably make you sick.”

I swallow thickly, not sure what to think of this unsolicited advice, though I’m sure she means well. “Oh, um, thanks.”

“If you’d like me to help you relieve some of the tension in a session, I can certainly help.” She glances toward a doorway leading to the back, likely where she holds one-on-one meditations or whatever else.

“Maybe another time,” I reply, and she nods. “Do you have a lot of customers in Aqua Vista?”

“I have regulars, local and non-local.” She looks off in the distance. “Some folks around here think I have a few screws loose. That I engage in witchcraft and hexed the town. They thought that of my grandmother too, God rest her soul. I might not be perfect, and my life’s work is unconventional, but I assure you I’m not out to hurt anyone.”

I chuckle in discomfort. “I don’t doubt you for a minute.”

“Anyway, follow me.” She heads toward a shelf, where she lifts a pink crystal.

“Keep this one in your pocket. It’s on the house.”

I take the offering. “What does it do?”

“The rose quartz is known for relieving stress and balancing emotional energy.”

“Thank you.” I slip it into my pocket as if it’s the most natural thing in the world to walk around with a crystal on your person. For some, I’m sure it is.

“And if you need some natural help with stress, here is my tea blend with chamomile, ginger root, and peppermint.”

“Sounds awful,” I say without thinking. “Sorry, I didn’t mean?—”

She winks. “Nothing a little sugar won’t solve.”

I thank her again and offer to pay, but she shoos me toward the door. I walk out of the store in a daze, wondering what the hell just happened.