Page 59 of Time To Live Again

When she lets go, I step back. “That’s a good idea. I might have to drag her off the ferry kicking and screaming.”

She grins. “She sounds like an interesting character.”

“Oh, she is, but I love her anyway. She’s had it tough too. Maybe this hotel will miraculously change her like it has me.”

“I’d love to see that. Oh, and don’t forget to give us a five-star rating on the internet.”

I guffaw with shock, and she cracks up.

“Oh my gosh, Olive. Of course, I’m just kidding!”

“Sure. Sure.” I play along.

We leave the room in silence, but the tension is gone. I understand her better now. A sense of relief seeps in because I think I received approval without asking for it. We all seem clueless here.

“Have a safe trip home, Olive,” Marla says, then turns toward her office. I head to the café with a pep in my step.

* * *

I walk into Café Charmant and scan the room for Tonya. I spot her in the corner, sitting at the same table I used on my first day here. She’s writing on her tablet, deep in thought, her tongue peeking out the corner of her mouth. I wave to Louis and the barista, then move toward Tonya.

A week ago, I would’ve never gone into a café alone and waved to people like I own the place. Instead, my head would’ve been down, and I’d have searched for the closest empty table. Now I’m excited to come here to meet a friend.

Friends. I have had no close ones in a long time. That was my doing. The ones who live near me are married with kids or single and partying. I couldn’t relate to any of them. Being cooped up at home was all that I knew. It’s time to change that and reach out to my old friends. Not only the ones in the Seattle area, but also in LA. I shiver just thinking about stepping a foot back in that city.

“Hey, Olive,” Tonya exclaims when she sees me. She stands and gives me a hug.

“How’s it going?” I ask. “You seemed kind of pissy yesterday when we saw you.”

She sits and rearranges her things on the other side of the table. “Yeah, sorry about that. You guys caught me right after I got off the phone with a bridezilla. Nothing I couldn’t handle, though. I guess it keeps my job entertaining and pays the bills.” Her smile doesn’t reach her eyes.

The barista comes and takes our orders. “I hate that you’re leaving tomorrow.” Tonya touches my hand. “You’ve added some excitement here this week. It’ll be weird after you’re gone.”

“I’m not sure about that.”

She huffs. “Oh,please. Sully let you hold Smokey. And Mom’s friends are calling, asking about Leo’sgirlfriend. The”—she makes quote marks with her fingers—“woman he kissed at Clover’s.”

I wince. “Oh shit, half the town witnessed that, didn’t they? We were caught up in the moment.” And many other moments since then. Every chance we’ve had, we’ve been naked. “Butgirlfriend? That’s kind of weird, isn’t it?”

This denial shit is getting really boring, Olive. That kiss wasn’t a simple gesture, and you know it. You felt that thing down to your bones. Not to mention the rest of the week.

But he hasn’t introduced me as his girlfriend. I know we talked about it, but it’s still hard to believe the connection we have. Is it too good to be true? Then I think about what Marla said. My brain is on the verge of exploding, and I’m ready to scream. Welcome to my world, where I overthink every fucking thing.

Tonya shrugs. “It’s my family. We’ve been here forever, and Leo has always stood out. That’s why it’s a big deal. Which girl finally captured Leo’s heart?” she gushes with playful sarcasm. “Too many people think they know our personal business. It’s a small island and they gossip, whether it’s good or bad. I know it happens in the city, too, but you can hide there. Here, not so much.”

“Have you ever thought about leaving the island?”

She props her chin on her hand. “Like everyone else in this area, I attended Seattle University and lived there for a while. I got tired of the city life and came back here. Eventually, I took over as the event manager. Will I do this forever? Who knows.”

“Do you get lonely?”

“During this time of year,yes. It’s frustrating.” She fists her hair and groans. “Business picks up again in April. But there aren’t many eligible men at the hotel. The ones who come here are usually taken. It’s a romantic hotel, not a party place for people our age. There’s been some discussions about expanding or advertising to attract more business functions. Maybe that’ll increase my options. Oh, hell, what am I talking about? It doesn’t matter because we aren’t allowed to fraternize with the guests. You’re the only exception.” She grins.

I roll my eyes. “Well, what about in town? You’ve got karaoke,” I tease.

“Pfft. I go out, but I’m tired of the singles scene. Why can’t I meet someone and click instantly, like you and Leo did? Or when my mom met my dad. It looks easy for others, but not me. Be honest, do you think it’s my analities?”

We both inspect the table space next to us. Her tablet and papers sit neatly stacked with rainbow stickies poking out. Three different colored pens line up in a row like soldiers next to the stack. The spacing between them is precise, like she measured it herself with a ruler.

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