Chapter Five

Leanne walked the boardwalk, tilting her face up toward the sun. She knew logically that it was the same sun she’d had in L.A., but it didn’t feel the same. In the big city the sunshine had always felt dirty and tired, like it had had to fight its way through so much smog, she should just feel lucky it had made it at all.

Not in Starlight Ridge.

Here, it was clean and vibrant, and seemed to warm her from the inside out. She grinned as Erwin, the owner of the restaurant, Seaside Bay, walked his dog along the beach, only to realize that Jessie was walking toward him on the same stretch of sand. In an effort to avoid having to talk to her, he crossed the beach toward the boardwalk, scowling, like he couldn’t believe Jessie would dare be out on the beach at the same time he was. Those two had been bickering as far back as Leanne could remember, and she’d be disappointed if they ever stopped. It was just another one of the layers that made Starlight Ridge special.

“She knows this is what time I bring Donna out,” Erwin mumbled. When he noticed Leanne, his face brightened. “Lenny, I can’t tell you how glad I was when I heard you were back in town.”

“It’s good to see you too Erwin. I missed you and Donna.” She knelt down as the golden retriever ran to her, and she scratched Donna behind the ears.

“You’re probably wondering why I haven’t brought by a tray of shrimp, welcoming you home,” Erwin said, wearing a guilty expression.

The thought hadn’t even crossed Leanne’s mind. Normally the town welcomed visitors or those who were new in town with various gifts of food. She didn’t consider herself falling into either of those categories. Though, she wouldn’t mind if Erwin wanted to bring by some of his world-famous shrimp, especially if it was accompanied by a jar of his specialty sauce.

“I’m not exactly new around here,” she said as she straightened back up. Donna rubbed her head against Leanne’s hand, begging for more scratches.

“Maybe not, but your return is something worth celebrating,” Erwin said. He whistled and Donna ran back to his side. “Of course, we’ll have plenty to celebrate soon enough.”

“Oh?”

Erwin raised an eyebrow, like Leanne should know what he was talking about. “The wedding.”

Oh.

Erwin thought that she and Isaac were still together—still getting married. If the rest of the town thought the way he did, this was going to get awkward quick.

“Yeah, I don’t know if…we might not…” She wished Erwin wasn’t looking at her, his eyes bright and excited. It made this so much more difficult. “The thing is Erwin, we’re not—”

“Leanne,” someone else interrupted, calling her from behind.

She turned and saw Eliza jogging toward them.

“Hey, welcome home,” she said, her breaths coming quick. Leanne wondered how far Eliza had run to catch up with her.

“Thanks, it’s good to be back.” Mostly.

“So…Isaac didn’t seem to know what your plans are,” Eliza said, twisting a lock of hair around one finger, like she was nervous. “You know, now that you’re home, and probably need a job and stuff.”

Leanne stepped to one side as Donna pranced in circles, like she was telling Erwin she was tired of waiting around. He gave Leanne an apologetic wave, then continued his daily walk.

“I hadn’t really thought about it,” she said, turning back to Eliza. “I’ll probably just work for my folks.”

Eliza nodded, though she still seemed hesitant. “So…you’re not going to take back up lifeguarding? You know, to be with Isaac?”

It seemed Leanne hadn’t been the only one to think that once she came back, everything would go back to how it had been. In fact, she was pretty sure that Isaac was the only one who didn’t feel that way.

She shook her head, realizing now why Eliza had been worried. “Your job is safe, I’m not looking to go back to lifeguarding. I’m not even certified anymore.”

Eliza’s whole body seemed to relax and she gave Leanne her first genuine smile. “Just thought I’d check. It is nice to see you, though.”

“Thanks,” Leanne said, then nodded toward the dive shop that sat a couple of doors down. “I need to get a new wetsuit, but I’ll catch you later.”

“Sure thing,” Eliza said, and she jogged back the direction she’d come from.

Leanne laughed and shook her head. It was good to be home. She walked past the laundromat and entered Caleb’s shop. A little bell rang over the door. She had heard that Caleb’s new wife, Bree, managed things now, but it was Caleb who entered from the back.

“Lenny,” he said, grinning. He walked up and gave her a big hug, practically lifting her off the floor. “The prodigal surfer has returned.”

“Yes, and without a wetsuit,” she said, returning his smile as he set her back down.

Caleb took a step back. “What happened to your old one?”

“That is a mystery we may never solve, though my mom says it is theoretically possible that it was thrown in with a box of clothes she donated a few months back.”

Caleb groaned. “Say it ain’t so.” He bent his head like he was mourning the loss of a loved one. “That was a good one too.”

“You’re not helping,” she said. When her mom had admitted that the wetsuit may have been donated to a charity auction, Leanne had been devastated. She may have even cried a little bit. Or a lot bit. It had been a rough couple of days.

“You’re right, I’m sorry,” Caleb said, raising his hands in a defensive gesture. “I just got a new shipment in. Want to see what I have in the back?”

Leanne was about to tell him that that sounded great, but then she spied the one she wanted. It was on display, against a far wall, out of the way. Almost like it had been reserved for her. “Why’s this one hiding all the way over here?” she asked. It had bright orange stripes across the chest, almost like claw marks. The stripes were accented by neon pink.

“It’s on clearance,” Caleb said, following her. “I have a newer one that I think you’d like. It has green—”

Leanne reached up and touched the abandoned wetsuit. “Nope,” she said, not waiting for him to finish. “This one matches my board. It’s perfect.”

Caleb grabbed a pole with a hook on the end and lifted it off the wall. “Isaac’s going to be sad he missed out on wetsuit shopping with you. Where is he, still on duty?”

“Maybe. I’m not sure.” Leanne tried to sound casual as she took the suit from Caleb. It was so smooth. She’d forgotten how much she loved the feel of the slick material. It made her want to immediately put it on and jump on her surfboard. Unfortunately, she needed to get back to the bed and breakfast to help her mom out. That weekend though, those waves would be hers.

Caleb, however, didn’t let her get away with such an evasive answer. “You’re…not sure?”

“Yeah. I’ve been busy helping my folks out, getting ready for when I take over their place, and I haven’t seen him today.” It was technically true. Leanne knew she should just tell Caleb what had been going on, he’d find out sooner than later. But her emotions were still too raw. Even if she could just put it off another day, she’d do it. Who knew, maybe Isaac would change his mind before then.

Caleb didn’t push the issue as he rang her up at the cash register, but even after she’d paid for the wetsuit, he didn’t hand her the bag right away. “It was probably a shock, seeing you after so long. For Isaac, I mean.”

Had it been? It was hard to tell, considering he’d acted more indifferent than surprised. With a touch of anger. Leanne’s gaze dropped to the bag, not trusting herself to meet Caleb’s gaze. “Uh-huh.”

“It was tough for him, after you left,” Caleb continued, still not releasing the bag. He studied her, as if willing her to look at him.

Leanne finally relented, and when she did, she saw nothing but kindness in Caleb’s eyes. And understanding. Somehow, he knew. And that was when the dam burst and the tears flowed. She didn’t say anything, didn’t need to. Just cried.

Caleb handed her a tissue and she blew her nose in the most unattractive way possible. Loud and snotty. He handed her another tissue. “Isaac just needs some time,” Caleb said. “He didn’t expect you to ever come back, and he’d figured out his own way of dealing with that. But with your reappearance…he’ll get used to the idea.”

Leanne held out her hand for another tissue. “I don’t want him to have to get used to the idea of me. It’s like the fifteen years we were together doesn’t even count for anything.”

“They do,” said Caleb, his words slow. “But so do the past two years.”

Leanne knew he was right, but that didn’t stop the tears from starting all over again.

“I’ll tell you what,” he said. “Why don’t you come over for dinner tomorrow night? That way you can meet Bree. I know you’ll like her.”

Leanne nodded, sucking in a breath, trying to calm her nerves. “Dinner sounds nice.”

“Six-thirty?”

“Six-thirty.”

Caleb finally gave her the bag and Leanne hugged it to her chest, like that wetsuit was going to make everything okay again. Maybe it was. Surfing had always had a way of making big problems seem miniscule—conquerable.

But she’d never gone out there with a problem that seemed bigger than the waves—so big that it dwarfed them.

Leanne was going to have her work cut out for her.