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6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

When I pull up to the guest cottage behind the main villa, I cut the Jeep’s engine. Head tilted back against the seat, Dee Dee doesn’t move. I’m afraid she has sun poisoning.

“Maybe we should head over to Urgent Care.” My voice is low and ripples with concern.

She pivots in my direction. “I’m not sure what shocks me more, the rundown state of my late grandmother’s house or that you live here. Pardon me while I take a moment to process.”

“Complications from excess sun exposure can include?—”

She cuts me off. “If you live here, why haven’t you been taking care of the place?”

“I was instructed not to.”

She straightens. “What? By who? Why?”

“Your grandmother was clever.”

“Are you sure that’s the correct word? I’m thinking that maybe she had a lapse of judgment or—” Dee Dee gasps and her hand flies to her mouth. “Hold on. Earlier today, my aunt Helene mentioned Gran-mère left me the house.” She shakes her head. “I was distracted for a bunch of reasons. I don’t understand. Why would my grandmother let you live here and tell you not to tend to the grounds at least? What about the homeowner’s association?”

I convinced myself this day would never come and now that it has, I’m not sure what to say or do. “She left you a letter. Said to give it to you when you finally came home.”

“Home? But it’s been three years since she passed away, and I only found out today that she left the villa to me. Why would my mother keep my inheritance from me?” Dee Dee gazes through the Jeep’s open roof toward the sky.

“Mrs. Daniels never said. All I know is that I’m supposed to give you the letter.”

“Home,” she repeats in a whisper so soft I half think it’s an echo. Then I startle when she grips my shirt.

“My mother didn’t tell me because she knew I loved it here and was afraid that if I learned the house is mine, I would want to move and then never want to leave and...” She stares into the distance, shaking her head slowly before tucking it into her hands.

I’m not sure what to think or do. But this is Dee Dee, the only woman I’ve ever loved. My chest twists for whatever realization, deception, or pain she’s experiencing.

A sob escapes her chest and I press my hand to her back. Thankfully, her skin there isn’t burned. I rub slow circles, wishing I had better answers. Finally, I get out of the Jeep, come around to the other side, and help her down. She must be hungry, and despite the beach nap, tired too.

Through a sob, she says, “The salt in my tears must be concentrated because I didn’t have enough liquid today and it stings my sunburn and I’m a mess and oh, Sunny, this isn’t how I want you to see me for the first time in nine years.”

I draw her into a hug. “It’s not that bad.” Truly, it isn’t. “You just got intense news and you have one heck of a sunburn, but the aloe plants are thriving—nearly took over the section by the rear patio. That’ll help. And you’ve seen me at my worst so now maybe we’re even.”

She stops and looks up at me. “What do you mean?”

“The days before graduation. The day you left. You were right. I was afraid. For a guy who charges the waves regularly, I’ve been called fearless. But I was terrified to lose you so I did the cowardly thing. That was my worst. I let you go without telling you why.”

Doing her best to keep from crumbling, she asks, “Why?”

“Because I knew I couldn’t have you. We come from different worlds.”

She sniffles. “Yet I’m here and you live on Sand Dollar Strand, an exclusive neighborhood that bumps up to one of the most beautiful beaches and best surf breaks in the country.”

I snort. “I live in the guest house, but it’s funny how that worked out. Looking back, maybe your grandmother had a plan.”

I kick off my sandals outside the cottage, tucked away behind the overgrown gardens, but with a pretty sweet view of the sunset from the side patio. The style is classic Mediterranean, inspired by the main house but in miniature with a tile roof, stucco walls, exposed hardwood beams, stone elements, and a combination of indoor-outdoor living which suits me perfectly.

When we get inside, Dee Dee sits on the counter stool with a cool glass of water. She’s quiet and contemplative while I make cold-cut sandwiches with chips and pickles on the side. It’s my specialty, mostly because I can’t cook.

“Still a sandwich guy?” Dee Dee asks.

“Cereal too. My kitchen skills begin and end with assembly only. Give me ingredients and I can put them together but don’t know the first or last thing about pans, stove burners, or the oven.”

I can’t quite gauge her laugh. Maybe it’s part good-natured humor and part fond memory. Or maybe that’s just wishful thinking.

We dig in and after a few bites, we pick up where we left off, talking about senior year of high school.

I say, “The yearbook is around here somewhere.”

“I haven’t looked at it in ages.”

“We were voted the most mismatched couple.”

She frowns. “That was after they found out my true identity.”

“Yeah, the princess and surfer slacker.”

“I’m not a princess. But you were the Big Kahuna.”

I laugh off the nickname from high school. “How about Duchess Dee Dee?” From the shelf, I pull out the yearbook.

She rolls her eyes, but then they go wide when I set the yearbook on the counter.

Dee Dee traces the big gold numbers embossed with our graduation year. “I can’t believe it’s nearly been a decade.”

“Think you’ll come to the big reunion?”

She shrugs as if that’s not up to her with all the fancy duchess duties she’s obligated to attend. When she parts the pages, embarrassingly, the yearbook flips open to the one with her photo. She signed it with a heart over her name.

“We were such opposites,” she says.

I reply, “But that didn’t stop us from becoming prom king and queen. My one shot at being royalty.”

We both laugh—her likely at the irony, me at the cruelty.

“You were always so optimistic and cheerful even when there weren’t waves to catch,” she says, skipping to the back with the candids and group photos.

“And you were the sweetest, the center of attention,” I say.

“And drama. Drama club was fun. Bea and I used to have a blast—haven’t talked to her in ages. You had a great sense of humor. Always making me smile and laugh.” Her gaze snags mine.

I’ve gathered that things are different now and sadness wells inside of me. From the little she has said so far, she doesn’t live her life, it’s orchestrated and arranged for her.

“Some things haven’t changed,” she says, beaming.

“Well, you’d be surprised,” I say softly, lamenting how not only did Dee Dee take my heart, but my sense of humor too.

“I don’t believe that for a minute, well, except for Bea and Katy, but she seemed to hate everyone, so I didn’t take it personally. And for the record, all the girls had crushes on you.” Her gaze skims me and then darts away.

“Pfft. I doubt that.”

“It’s true. I know this because they hated me for a minute.” Dee Dee pops a potato chip into her mouth.

“How could anyone hate you?”

She looks around as if to be sure no one is listening and sighs. “Obviously my mother does. Myra will now too. Sunny, I’m a bridesmaid on the run.” She tells me about the wedding at Prism Point Resort.

I almost choke on my pickle and ogle her massive engagement ring. “I was at the wedding. Well, the pre-ceremony cocktail party. I saw the bride.”

“It wasn’t my wedding. I was a brides maid ,” she repeats.

I blink a few times, relief washing through me. “Oh, I only heard that first part.”

She tells me about how she took off after the wedding, “borrowed” a car from the valet, and drove south until she arrived at Palisade Shores. That explains the police inquiry about the stolen Bentley convertible.

I shake my head slowly. “Strange because I was thinking about you today.” I used to think about her every day, but I had to force myself to let go. I’m only successful on days that start with the letter D .

She bites her lip. “I was thinking about you too. I mean, being back here after nine years brought up a lot of memories, but?—”

My gaze lands on hers and lingers. Her eyes search mine for a long moment. It’s like we’re both trying to decide whether we pick up where we left off. No, not there exactly, but before I went radio silent, running away to Baja with my brothers, and soaking up more sun and surf than was advisable instead of spending time with the girl I’d fallen for.

But had I stuck around would I have been the one watching her leave? It was a selfish move on my part, but the answer to that question was always yes.

Her lips part slightly and the words are on my tongue, but we both seem to hold back. I remember to inhale at the same time she exhales a sigh.

Dee Dee twists the ring on her finger and then holds it up to the light. “I wonder how much I could get for this? Do you know anyone who would buy it? I could run away to Mexico.”

I laugh, but her expression suggests she’s not joking.

“I heard you were engaged.” Not going to lie, I almost wept. “He’s a lucky guy.”

“You mean an abhorrent, arrogant, selfish monster?”

My jaw tightens along with my fists. “Is that Bridezilla talking or did he hurt you?”

“My mother is Momzilla and arranged this whole thing. The marriage is for royal reasons. I’ve had exactly two interactions with Antony. Both were tedious. He’s temperamental and his scalp is excessively oily.”

Anger rises in me. I’d track the guy down and punch him if it wouldn’t land me with a lifetime jail sentence for assaulting soon-to-be royalty.

Dee Dee tilts her head and lets out a soft sigh. “It’s good to see you again, Sunny. Your laid-back swagger is such a welcome contrast to everyone else in my life.”

I’m not feeling too chill at the moment.

“Since you’ve fed a fugitive of the law, maybe you could assist me in getting some aloe on this sunburn.”

“You got it.” I snap my fingers and rush outside, partly to cool off.

On the patio, what she said about me having swagger nearly makes me stumble. I certainly don’t think of myself that way, nor am I an accomplice, but as I slice the aloe stalk and anticipate smoothing some of the gel on her skin, I’d do it all over again if it meant this moment together.

Back inside and seated at the stool by the counter, she leans to the side slightly with the balls of her feet perched elegantly on the crossbar. Her eyelids slowly close, smoothing the crease between her eyebrows like she found a little moment of peace.

I let myself inhale. She smells like fancy perfume with a hint of salt and her skin is impossibly soft. Like a wave building momentum, longing and determination grow inside of me. I made the mistake of creating distance between Dee Dee and me to protect myself. It was selfish and stupid. I hurt her and I regret that. If this is an opportunity for a do-over, I want to do it right.

But how?

I admire Dee Dee’s delicate cheekbones as I gently apply the aloe, then add some to the bridge of her little upturned nose before reaching her mouth and chin.

My breath catches and she opens her eyes, gazing up at me in question once again.

Will we or won’t we?

Her gaze floats to the door, prompting what I know I need to do next. “Thank you for everything. It’s getting late. I should probably get some rest.”

“You’ll be happy to know that a cleaning crew does come once a month to make sure the interior of the main house is tidy and every season, a handyman makes sure there aren’t any leaks or problems with the property.”

“But why would Gran-mère leave it to me? What about Cecily or her brother?” Dee Dee winces. “Actually, we all know why.”

“Black sheep of the family?”

“More like a slug. My brother isn’t much better, but why not leave it to Katherine?” Her voice fades as if she’s thinking out loud and already has the answer.

We walk along the lantern-lit path toward the house. I recall answering the ad for the cottage rental. “After high school, I trained to be a lifeguard. At one point I shared a house with seven other guys. It was mayhem.” I reminisce about a few of the funnier moments and keep the embarrassing ones to myself.

“Yet you somehow ended up here.”

“I couldn’t study or focus or expect to be awake enough every day to potentially save lives with that chaos, so I started looking for someplace else to live even though I couldn’t really afford it. I drove by one day—” I drove by many days, hoping I’d see some sign of Dee Dee visiting. “Mrs. Daniels put out a little sign, saying the cottage was for rent. It was my big chance.” To maybe one day see this woman again.

We stop by the arched entryway backed by a dark wooden door with scrolling ironwork and opaque glass.

“Your grandmother remembered me. She gave me one of her homemade popsicles.”

“Those were the best. My favorite was the pineapple coconut.”

“Let’s see. Her peanut butter chocolate ones were good. And the strawberry mango. I also really enjoyed the orange flavor.”

“The secret was whipping some heavy cream and adding a splash to the fruit mixture.” She wears a satisfied smile. “If Gran-mère left me the house, perhaps she passed those recipes onto me, too. I haven’t had a pop in years.”

“We had a long talk. She said that I could live here if I agreed to do three things.”

Dee Dee leans in, transfixed by this story. I mistakenly figured she knew, but given her expression of curiosity and surprise, she must not have.

“The three things were no parties. Mrs. Daniels said, and I quote, ‘Otherwise her ghost would come back and haunt me.’”

Dee Dee laughs, permitting me to as well.

“She had a great sense of humor.”

“I took it more as a threat.”

She pokes me in the arm. “Good thing too. No wild surfer shindigs.”

“The wildest it gets around here is the seasonal grunion run when I have to make sure all the lights are off so the little scout fish know it’s safe to come onto the beach.”

“I remember we watched them come up.” Dee Dee smiles wide at the memory.

“The second rule was I could not so much as pull up a weed. Had to let the place look like this. I found out later that she donated a large sum of money to the HOA to allow it to be overgrown until this fall, actually. The clock is ticking.”

“It sure is,” she mutters, then adds, “Also, the deadline for a duchess betrothal.”

“The third thing is to give you the letter she wrote.”

“Thank you for keeping Gran-mère’s wishes.”

“Of course. She was a special woman. Before she passed, we’d get together on Thursday nights for sandwiches and mah-jongg.”

“She loved that game.”

“It’s a fun one.” Brushing my hand back through my hair, I take a chance. “Dee Dee, I want to formally apologize. I’m sorry for how I acted before you left. I told myself you broke my heart because you had to go back to Concordia and be a princess. But I broke my own heart by being cold and distant. You were out of reach for a guy like me. You had your eyes on the future and I couldn’t see how I’d possibly fit in it. All the same, I’m truly sorry.”

“I already accepted your apology. Had you not shut me out, gotten busy, and stopped making time for me, we would’ve found a way to make it work.”

“Would we have?” I still have my doubts, but I don’t want to shortchange this moment by thinking about that.

“I’ve always been a pleaser. I nod my head and say yes. I just go along with everything even when I disagree. For the first time in my life, I’m standing up and saying what I really think. I loved you, Sunny. But I disagree with you. We would’ve figured out a way to stay together.”

I expect her eyes to search mine as if seeking assurance like a wide-eyed mermaid princess set loose in the world. Instead, there is confidence and certainty. In her expression and posture is a woman who knows what she wants...who she wants.

My heart craters because I wish it had been me.

“Thanks for rescuing me from the incoming tide, hiding me from the police, and for the sandwich. It was so...normal. Well, not nearly being swept into the ocean had there been a rogue wave or the whole police part.”

My lips ripple with laughter. “You’re welcome. Well, goodnight.” I start to walk away then stop. “Almost forgot. The letter.”

I pass it to her and our hands brush, sending a warm surge through me.

Is she right? Would we have worked out our very different worlds and found a way to make a life together built on love?

I wish that were true, but this is just a blip. She’ll soon go back to her role as duchess. She has to.

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