That was the last time she’d gone to the beach that summer. As for college, she decided to go to school in Boston instead and persuaded her parents to let her go there early.
Looking back now, it seemed frivolous to her to have made such a huge decision about her future over a guy, but she had been only seventeen. Her face still burned at the memory. She sighed. She thought about Sunny and the decision she’d made to drop out of school. In retrospect, Ivy understood her daughter’s decision more now. Sunny had lost her father; Ivy had only lost a summer crush.
That heartbreak—and Bennett—had changed the course of her life. And yet, here they were again. How ironic.
Waiting for her luggage to make its appearance on the conveyor belt, Ivy tapped her foot, still thinking about Bennett. This was the first time she’d dared to let herself become interested in a man since Jeremy’s death, and it had ended in a disaster even before it began.
Not only that, but Summer Beach was a small town. And she still had to deal with the zoning change. They could rent rooms in the house on iBnB for a while, but she really wanted to build a business that could increase in value over time. This was her new life, and she was determined to build it on a sturdy foundation. She wondered if Bennett would support her or turn against her.
“Excuse me,” said a young, good-looking man standing nearby. He pushed up his glasses on his nose and gave her a timid smile from under a shaggy lock of hair that brushed his forehead. “Is Boston your home?”
“Not anymore.”
“Th-that’s a shame,” he said, stumbling over his words. “I th-thought all the beautiful women lived here.”
He’s flirting with me. Ivy burst out laughing. “You have to be more original than that.”
“I’m kind of rusty,” he said sheepishly. “I just got divorced. I haven’t dated in twenty years.”
“That’s okay. I’m kind of rusty, too.” They exchanged commiserative grins.
Still, it was nice to be noticed, and the guy wasn’t creepy, just awkward. Ivy had to give him credit for courage.
Having Bennett nearby in Summer Beach wasn’t ideal, but it was his actions as much as hers that had caused their rift. She straightened her shoulders, determined to make the best of this situation. She had little choice anyway. The damage was done.
She glanced at other men in the baggage terminal. There were plenty of other opportunities, right?
“Mom!”
Ivy turned and waved at her daughter. Misty was dashing through the crowd. Her dark brown hair streamed around her shoulders as she cut through throngs of travelers.
“Misty!” Greeting her eldest daughter with a hug, Ivy wrapped her arms around her and held her as if she’d been away for a year, and not just a couple of weeks.
Ivy kissed her lively girl on the cheek. “I didn’t know if you’d be here.”
Misty’s ambery brown eyes looked perplexed. “Didn’t you check your messages?”
“I have an awful lot of messages. I must have missed yours.”
“No, Mom. On the new app. Poppy texted me about it. Didn’t you check it?”
“Guess I forgot.” While in disaster mode, she had forgotten to check the app Poppy had downloaded on her phone for her. What kind of early millennial was she? One that was surprisingly not as tech-savvy as most. She’d rather have a paintbrush in her hand. Age was no excuse, though. Even as baby boomers, Carlotta and Sterling texted their grandchildren all the time. ‘It’s the only way we’d ever communicate with them,’ her father had said.
“Just happy to see you. Loves you muchly,” Ivy said, reverting to their silly talk as she kissed her daughter’s other cheek. “What time is your show?”
“Tomorrow at eight in the evening.” Misty did a little hop.
Her daughter’s excitement was palpable. “Are you nervous?”
“A little. Mostly excited. This could be my big break, Mom. Sometimes talent agents check out these productions, and I really need one.”
“I’m so proud of you. I know you’ll do well.”
The man who’d spoken to Ivy had collected his luggage. Seeing Misty, he paused. “I hope you have a good visit. Is this your friend?”
“My daughter.”
“Oh, well then,” he said, flustered. “I’ll take your advice.”
Ivy smiled. “I’m told it gets easier.”
As the man grinned and ambled off, Misty’s eyes widened. “I don’t believe it. I think he was hitting on you.”
“How about that?” Ivy tucked a wild strand of hair behind Misty’s ear as she had when her daughter was a little girl. “Even at my advanced age.”
“I don’t mean it that way,” Misty said, a corner of her mouth tugging upward. “I’ve just never thought of you with anyone but Dad.”
“Life changes,” Ivy said softly. Just how much, she still wondered. “If it didn’t, you wouldn’t have the chance to step on center stage tomorrow. See how that works?”
“Guess so.” Misty glanced around the crowded area. “Where’s Aunt Shelly?”
“She saw a friend.” Ivy saw her suitcase pop out onto the baggage carousel. She stepped forward.
After they collected the suitcases, Shelly hurried over and greeted Misty. “I hear you’re going to be a star tomorrow.”
“I’m working on it,” Misty said. “And I’m so happy you can see the show. How long will you stay in Boston? Mom’s room is super tiny.”
“I know, remember?” Shelly said. “But I’m off to New York the morning after your show. Won’t take me but a day to pack up my things and ship them back to Summer Beach.”
They began walking from the terminal toward Misty’s car.
Misty looked surprised. “You’re not staying in New York?”
Shelly darted a mea culpa glance at
