“No, you’re not. You’ve adjusted—that’s all. But yes, ask your parents what they suggest, and I’ll get it booked.”
Rennie sent another text to her parents. After she set her phone down, she returned to her breakfast. In between bites, she asked, “What are the plans for today?”
Brooklyn turned her phone toward Rennie and rattled off the list of things that had to be done to set up for Thanksgiving dinner. “The dining room needs to be set up buffet-style. All the linens changed. Plates, utensils, and all the necessities set out.”
“Well, put me to work.”
“You’re on vacation, Ren. I’m not going to make you work.”
“You didn’t ask; I offered. Besides, what else am I going to do?”
Brooklyn closed the screen on her phone and looked into her best friend’s eyes. “What’s going on? You haven’t mentioned Theo since I sat down.”
Rennie sat back in her chair. Her fingers fiddled with the handle of her mug. “Theo’s in Japan or about to land, and I don’t know. When I see him, I’m happy. I’m in love. But when I’m here, it’s like he doesn’t exist, and I’m okay with that too. I don’t know. I’m sort of weirded out by this revelation.” She picked up her mug and finished the rest of the warm coffee.
“Don’t be mad at me for what I’m about to say.”
“B, I could never be mad at you.” She leaned forward and rested her elbows on the table.
“We feel like Theo doesn’t like us much.”
The words lingered in the air as Rennie watched Brooklyn. Her friend looked embarrassed and possibly regretful for saying what she had. Rennie couldn’t fault her, though, because she had seen signs pointing in this direction. There had been a few trips in the past few months where Theo suddenly canceled, and when he had come to Cape Harbor, he acted as if he thought he was better than everyone else, which bothered Rennie.
Rennie tried to form a proper response. One that would appease everyone, but she had a tough time finding the right words. She could make excuses for Theo, but that was all they would be. She didn’t see him changing anytime soon. Still, Brooklyn was her best friend, and she wasn’t willing to push their relationship aside for anyone.
“He’ll come around. I think he’s a city boy who doesn’t know how to let loose sometimes. We have to teach him.” Even as she spoke, she wasn’t sure she believed her own words.
As soon as the dining room cleared out, Rennie and a couple of the hotel staff got to work on setting up the space with long rectangular tables for Thanksgiving dinner. Despite all the guests staying at the hotel, only a handful would join them for dinner. Brooklyn had spoken to Rennie at length about what to do over the holidays and decided serving dinner would be best. They would do the same at Christmas. It was how Carly always ran the Driftwood Inn, and Brooklyn wanted more than ever to have the inn relive its glory days.
By the armful, Rennie carried linens, boxes of utensils, and plates to the tables. She organized, stacked, reorganized, and practiced how the line would move. She wanted everything to be perfect because she suspected Brooklyn was under a bit of stress.
She slowly ticked each item off the list and even found time to sneak into the kitchen, where she found Brystol and Simi making pies and had her hand slapped when she stole a cookie off the tray. Throughout the day, she kept busy. She helped check out guests who were leaving and showed the newcomers to their rooms.
Around midafternoon, she found herself on the back porch in one of the rocking chairs, watching the surfer who braved the rain. She could never get the hang of surfing. One had to be able to balance on a board while it moved up and down. She could barely keep upright on a normal day. Watching the man outside brought back memories she had long buried, at least until last summer, when she saw Graham again for the first time in years. When he sat down beside her at the Whale Spout, their past flooded her senses. The way they used to be together, the on-again, off-again friends-with-benefits couple. When they were together, they flowed seamlessly, as if made for each other. Through their years as friends, they had taught each other everything about the birds and the bees. There wasn’t much they weren’t willing to try. Now, every time she visited Cape Harbor, she longed to see Graham, to be near him. Oftentimes, he stayed away, and she suspected it was because of Theo. Deep down, she thanked Graham for being the levelheaded one, because she wasn’t so sure she could control herself around him. Rennie loved to flirt with Graham. She had done it the night she returned to Cape Harbor without reservation and despite being in a relationship with another man. She couldn’t help herself. Graham made her feel. When he was around, she had butterflies in her stomach, and her heart pounded a bit faster. When they hugged, her body melded to his, and she clung to him, almost as if her life depended on it. As much as she wanted to go back to those carefree days, she couldn’t. They were adults now. They had responsibilities and commitments to others.
Still, as she sat there gazing at the surfer, she couldn’t help but think about the spring break their junior year of college. A bunch of them pooled their money and decided to rent a house Rennie had seen an ad for on campus, which promised an amazing view, access to the beach, and the beds to sleep ten. The owner described the house as small but cozy. Turned out to be a one-bedroom shack a foot away from the beach with an RV-size refrigerator and a bathroom you had to back up into to use.
Rennie stood there with her backpack slung over her shoulder. Everyone around her was quiet, most likely stunned by what they were seeing. “Um . . .” She didn’t know how to finish her sentence.
“What did the ad say again?” Graham asked as he ran his hand through his hair.
“Comfortable house on the shores of Malibu, sleeps ten,” Rennie muttered.
“Maybe ten outside,” one of Graham’s roommates quipped.
“Maybe there’s more around the corner.” Rennie spoke with optimism. She refused to believe what she saw. There was no way she’d fallen for a con. Yet, with each step she took into the house, her demeanor changed. What she saw when she opened the front door was it. The house was nothing more than a shack. She turned to her group of friends and tried to smile. “At least we don’t have to walk far to the beach.”
People grumbled. Some talked about getting their money back, but it was Graham who took her into his arms and told her everything was going to be okay. “Why don’t we head to the store and see if there are any tents or pop-up shelters.”
“And chairs and a cooler, because we don’t have those either,” someone yelled while another added, “And I’m not paying any more money.”
She could never ask anyone to give more than they already had. This was her fault. She should’ve driven out and inspected the place before she sent the owner money through Western Union. She was too trusting, something she would have to work on before law school.
Graham and Rennie drove to the nearest store, the one that had every possible inflatable toy somehow pinned to the storefront. Inside, Rennie walked up and down each aisle, trying to find everything they would need. There were ten of them now, but she knew others were coming. She filled her arms with air mattresses, Koozies, and a couple of inflatable chairs. When she caught up with Graham, he had five or so bags of ice in his arms, and he pushed Styrofoam coolers with his foot.