Page 71 of Only in Your Dreams

Melody

By shopping, Summer meant visiting one of the few storefronts along the colorful main strip of Oakwood Bay, not catering to the surrounding fishing towns. The front door of Callie’s Shop chimes to announce our arrival, and I trail Summer inside.

“Summer Prince, don’t tell me this self-imposed shopping ban of yours is called off already,” a loud voice calls from somewhere around the register. I know it’s Callie without looking around Summer.

The years have aged her beautifully. She looks over from the register with silvery grey hair, ends tickling her shoulders. Her face is sun kissed from summer, and I wonder if she and her wife still own that sailboat they used to take me and Parker on as kids, whenever they babysat for my parents.

Summer grins over at Callie. “Aren’t you of all people supposed to celebrate my addiction, Cal? How have the books been since I stopped coming by?”

I follow Summer past the front display table, laden with marked down summer clothes surrounded by racks of wooly fall sweaters and trousers.

“Books have been fine, smart-ass,” Callie replies dryly. “This ban of yours only lasted five days… Well, well, well. If it isn’t Melody Woods, come back from the dead. A little birdy told me you were back in town.”

Callie’s gaze has zeroed in over Summer’s shoulder. I step out from behind her, tucking my hands into the pockets of Parker’s too-big sweats. “The dead? That’s a little dramatic, no?”

Callie regards me sternly from over her dark-rimmed glasses. “Is it, now? Might’ve been dead for all I knew, after all these years. I never saw one of you without the other, and suddenly it was just this one.” She nods at Summer, who’s strayed to a clothing rack at the back of the shop. “Would’ve taken it personally if I hadn’t compared notes with Wynn over at the diner. But he claimed he hadn’t seen you either.”

“You really think I’d have the guts to show my face on this street without coming to see you?”

Callie snorts and breaks into a wide smile, rounding the counter with her arms thrown out. I meet her halfway and she swallows me up in a warm hug, patting my back so heartily my chin bounces off her shoulder.

“How’re your parents, huh? Haven’t seen them since they hightailed it out of here. Are they still enjoying their travels?”

“Loving it. They’re somewhere in the south right now,” I tell her when she lets me pull away. “I actually moved back for a couple of months. I’m living with Parker next door.”

“So I was told. Here’s hoping that curbs the train of pretty tourists he has coming in and out of there. Well, I won’t hold up your shopping,” she says, eyeing my sweatsuit. “Looks like you need it, love. You couldn’t pay me to have that figure, only to hide it under all those layers.”

“Actually, we’re here for Summer. She has a date on Friday.”

“We’re here for you too,” Summer calls with a stack of clothes already piled high in her arms. “We’re both shaking things up, Callie. She just got dumped by a real piece of work.”

“Ah,” Callie says and nods. “That explains it, then. Pick out whatever you want. It’s on me today.”

“Absolutely not—”

“Call it a welcome home gift from your old sitter,” she interrupts.

I’m about to protest some more, but the argument dies in my throat, overcome by the desire to create more separation from Connor. Saving up enough for a new wardrobe would take me weeks, and the down payment on an apartment should be my priority anyway.

“Are you sure?” I ask Callie.

“Completely sure.”

My sigh is pure relief. “Callie, thank you. You have no idea how much I need this.”

“Of course, love. And make sure you check on that rack over by the door. There’s a green dress somewhere in there I’d say I brought in just for you, if I knew you were coming in before a couple of days ago.”

I drift toward the rack in question, immediately finding the fitted green dress she must mean. Conner would havedespiseda dress like this.

“How did you know I was coming a couple days ago, Cal?” I ask absently, pulling out a dress in my size.

“Never you mind,” Callie says, just as her phone starts ringing. “Help yourselves to the dressing rooms when you’re ready, ladies.”

* * *

“Oh my God, Summer.”

In the dressing room next door, I hear the vague sounds of Summer trying on her own loot. She can’t hear me over these high walls, and I don’t really mean her to.

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