Page 64 of Not Another Beach Read
"Everything okay in here? You've been gone a while."
I looked down at my phone, at the unanswered message. At the boundary I'd set and held for perhaps the first time in my life.
"Yeah," I said, surprised to find I meant it. "Everything's okay."
Not perfect. Not solved. But okay.
I stood up, tucking my phone into my pocket. "Sorry for disappearing. Let me help you finish closing."
"Sounds good," Jenna said, her eyes kind. Not prying. Another thing I appreciated about her, she never pushed for more than I was ready to give.
As we finished cleaning the kitchen, I thought about what I would tell Aunt Elyse and Uncle Drew. I didn't want to hide the messages. Secrets had poisoned enough of my life already. Iwould show them soon, explain how I'd responded, ask for their advice about what to do if Mom reached out again.
Because that's what you did with people you trusted. You let them in, even to the hard parts. Especially to the hard parts.
By the time we locked up the bakery, my phone had remained silent. No further messages from Mom. I wasn't sure if I was relieved or disappointed. Probably both, a complicated tangle of emotions I was still learning to navigate.
But as I headed home (actually home, not just a place I was staying) I felt something unexpected beneath the sadness and uncertainty: pride.
I had set a boundary. I had honored my needs. I had chosen health over hope, reality over fantasy.
It was a small step, maybe, but it was mine.
26
ELYSE
Iwas wiping croissant crumbs off the counter at the bookstore when the bell jingled. Cat strode in, her usual confident stride shortened by what looked like concern.
"Got a minute?" she asked, glancing around the empty store.
"For you? Always." I set aside my cleaning cloth. "What's up?"
Cat leaned against the counter, lowering her voice. "Something weird happened at the café today. I thought you should know, given your... particular set of skills."
I raised an eyebrow. "I'm supposed to be reformed, remember? No more amateur detective work."
"I know, I know," Cat said, holding up her hands. "But this isn't about some random cheater. It's about Allison."
My protective instincts immediately flared. "Is she okay?"
"I'm not sure." Cat crossed her arms. "I found her in the parking lot after her shift, staring at her windshield. She was parked next to my bike and I could see a note tucked under her wiper blade."
"What did it say?"
"I don't know. She snatched it away before I could see itproperly, but her hands were shaking, Elyse. And when I asked if everything was alright, she just plastered on this fake smile and said it was probably an advertisement."
I frowned. "But you don't think it was."
"No way. She crumpled it up and shoved it in her pocket like it was radioactive.
"Have you noticed anything else unusual?"
"She's been jumpier lately. Checking her phone constantly, rearranging her schedule at the last minute. Noah mentioned something about his grandmother being mad that they missed Sunday dinner." Cat sighed. "I don't want to pry, but..."
"But you're worried," I finished for her.
"Yeah. And I know you and Holly have gotten close to Noah. I just thought you should know."
