Em (The Summer My Life Began Book 1) Page 9

“So, you almost ready?” Domino asks, interrupting my thoughts. He nods to the dish I plated. As he asked, I prepared the entire brunch meal for his approval.

  “Yup, just another minute.”

  With a nod, he walks back to the dining room. I finish cleaning off the edges of the plate and, with nerves jostling my stomach, I carry it into the dining room, where Domino waits.

  “Pecan-crusted salmon with raspberry sauce. Jasmine rice with dried fruit. Garlic roasted asparagus. And mango mousse for dessert.” I put the plate down in front of him, and, with a deep breath, take a step back.

  “Ooh, that sounds delicious!” Domino lays a napkin over his lap. “I have been looking so forward to this. Now, don’t be nervous,” he tells me, forking off a flaky chunk of the salmon.

  He eats it. Then he tries rice next, then asparagus. As he samples everything, he shows no emotion. It only serves to ramp up my anxiety.

  Finally, he puts his fork down. He wipes his mouth and places everything besides his plate.

  I take one look at his face and know. “You don’t like it.”

  He gives me a tender smile. “Sweetie, please don’t be upset. I’ve messed up recipes before. Especially when I’m trying to be creative.”

  My heart drops. “Messed up?”

  “Honey, the salmon would be better if it was almond-crusted, not pecan. The sauce should be strawberry, not raspberry. The asparagus should be parmesan, not garlic. I appreciate what you’re trying to do, but it’s not really working.”

  “Oh.” I try not to get upset, but I’ve never had anyone criticize my cooking before. Maybe if I hadn’t been so caught up in thinking of the kiss, I would have concentrated better.

  Domino motions for me to sit down, and I do, reluctantly.

  “Em, I know you’re going to realize this once you think about it. Right now you’re upset.”

  “I’m not upset,” I say, though of course, I am.

  “You have to think about complementary tastes. Strawberry, almonds, and salmon? Parmesan asparagus with a bite of jasmine rice? Pecans and raspberries are great in muffins, but with a pink fish?”

  I sigh, absorbing his words. He does have a point.

  Yet, disappointment moves through me. I want to wow him with the twists on the recipes, not strikeout.

  He sits quietly, watching me take it all in.

  “Does this mean I don’t get to make the featured meal?” I quietly ask.

  Domino tilts his head. “Of course you’re still cooking. But I do need you to make adjustments. It is my kitchen,” he gently reminds me. “When it’s your kitchen you’ll get to call the shots.”

  Reaching over, he squeezes my hand. “Now, tuck in your bottom lip and go make those changes to the shopping list.”

  I smile. “Thanks, Domino.”

  “I’m going to be looking over your shoulder the whole time you’re preparing it,” he playfully warns me.

  I laugh. “I have no doubt.”

  Chapter 20

  The next morning I throw my covers aside and get out of bed. It’s farmers’ market day with brunch tomorrow. Frankly, I’m glad for something to occupy my mind because I haven’t been able to do anything but think about Cade.

  I haven’t seen him much since surfing, which is fine, I guess. What isn’t fine is the fact Gwenny still hasn’t called me back. I grab my phone to check, and still no response. I hope everything’s okay.

  Downstairs, Aunt Tilly greets me with her usual enthusiasm. “Good morning, gorgeous!”

  “Good morning.” I turn to Domino. “Did you see my revised shopping list?”

  “I did. Looks good.” He nods to a giant cooler sitting next to the table. “That’s for the farmers’ market. Have fun.”

  “I’m not helping with breakfast?”

  “Not today,” he says. “Go have fun.”

  “Let me get my bag.” I trot back up the steps.

  “Get your bathing suit too,” Aunt Tilly calls after me. “We’re dropping the food back here then heading straight to the beach.”

  I run into my room, quickly throw my suit on, and redress. I get my purse, snatch my beach bag from the closet, and hightail it back downstairs.

  Aunt Tilly and Beth wait in the van with the engine running. I slide open the side door and jump in.

  “Farmers’ market and the beach,” Beth tells me. “It’s going to be a total girls’ day!”

  A girls’ day is exactly what I need!

  “So, what’s on the menu?” Beth asks as Tilly pulls away from The Pepper House.

  “Well, of course, the usual eggs, bacon, pancakes, et cetera. But my part of the whole thing will be almond-crusted salmon with strawberry sauce,” I say, quoting the revised menu. “Jasmine rice with dried fruit. Parmesan-roasted asparagus. Plus mango mousse for dessert.”

  Beth looks over her shoulder at me. “Yum.”

  “I’m going for a fruity, island theme.”

  Aunt Tilly drives down the coastal highway. “It’s going to be great. We’re going to have a full house, too. We’ve got a family of four checking into Cottage One later today. I told them all about our famous Sunday brunch and they’re very excited. It’ll be a great start to their vacation.”

  I can’t wait to tell Gwenny all about it.

  We drive along the coastal highway until we reach the marina where Sid’s boat had been docked. Where there had been a nearly empty parking lot before, tiny booths now jam the area. Big umbrellas shade the booths from the island sun. Lots of cars, trucks, and mopeds wedge into available spots and tons of people mill about.

  Aunt Tilly pulls in behind a rusted-out car and cuts the engine.

  “Looks like the whole island’s here.” I slide open the side door.

  “Oh, this is nothing.” Beth jumps out of the passenger side. “You should come sometime at dawn.”

  I grab my bag and the grocery list and slide the side door closed. “How often is this here?”

  “Every Saturday,” my aunt says, leading the way. “Usually Domino comes and does the shopping for The Pepper House.”

  As we weave our way through the parked cars, I glance down at the water toward Sid’s boat, now gone from its slip. For Cade’s sake, I guess that’s good.

  Aunt Tilly waves at someone who yells hello. “Whatever you buy, just tell them to deliver it to the van. Cooler’s in the back. They know what to do. They’ll send us a bill.”

  With a nod, I begin strolling the booths, surveying the eclectic selection. Everything from fresh seafood to herbs, olives to artisanal cheese—all organic and homemade. Culinary bliss for me, and I want to buy something from each booth. But I take my time, picking out things I need.

  I step up to a booth where a boy sits on a stool behind an oversized cooler. A note stuck to the top of the cooler reads ATLANTIC SALMON. He gives a nod, his mannerisms looking much older than he appears.

  “All fresh,” he says.

  “I’m sure. Ten pounds, please.”

  His eyes light up. “Great!”

  “Just deliver it to The Pepper House’s van.”

  I continue on my way, talking to vendors here and there, and placing more orders off my list.

  “You look like you’re in heaven,” comes a familiar voice.

  I turn to see Jeremy standing beside me. I smile, but my thoughts flash to Cade. “I am. This is like a dream come true.” I’ll have to talk Domino into letting me come with him next Saturday, too.

  Jeremy picks up a mango. “Word around town is Domino’s letting you make Sunday brunch.”

  “Word around town is correct.” I pick up a mango too, giving it a slight squeeze.

  “Suppose there’s enough room for me to come?” Jeremy asks.

  I put that mango aside and try another. “Oh, sure, I don’t think Aunt Tilly would mind.” Plus, I planned for a few extra people just in case.

  “Okay, good. See you tomorrow, then.” With a quick kiss on my cheek, he’s gone.

  I make my mango selecti
on, telling the woman behind the register to deliver it to the van.

  Aunt Tilly steps up beside me. “Cade says hi.”

  I look around, my stomach jittering a bit. “Cade’s here?”

  “He’s here every Saturday. His friend runs a juice stand and he helps out.” Tilly holds up a glass of carrot juice and nods across the way.

  I glance over to a booth lined with palm fronds where Cade currently waits on a girl about my age. He chuckles at something she says and hands her a glass with red juice. Did he see Jeremy kiss me?

  “That looks good.” I motion to the carrot juice Tilly holds. “I’m going to go get some.”

  “You done shopping?” she asks, and I nod. “Couple minutes then, and we’re heading off.”

  Cade catches sight of me walking toward him and gives me that half-smile that does funny things to me. He doesn’t look away as I sidestep a couple of kids and approach the juice booth.

  “Hey,” he greets me, studying my face. “You’re sunburned.”

  I crinkle my red nose. “And about to be more. Aunt Tilly and Beth and I are heading to the beach.” I glance at the juice menu. “I’ll have a carrot and ginger, please.”

  “My favorite.” He grabs a few carrots from the ice bin. “Which beach?”

  I shrug. “No idea.”

  Cade feeds a couple of carrots into the juice machine. He cuts a sliver of ginger off the fresh root and sends it through the juicer too. “So big day tomorrow with the brunch and all.”

  “Yep. Um, are you going to be there?”

  Cade hands me a paper cup with the foamy juice. “Wouldn’t miss it.”

  I take a sip. “Yum.”

  “On the house for my surfer girl.”

  “Thank you.”

  “So, about yester—”

  “Hey. You about ready?” Beth bounds up beside me.

  “Uh, sure.” I look back at Cade. What I really want to do is stay right here with him. I want to talk about yesterday, see what he’s thinking.

  Cade doesn’t take his eyes off of me. “Have fun. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  I nod, following after Beth. But when I reach the van and look back, Cade boldly stares at me.

  Chapter 21

  Aunt Tilly, Beth, and I zip home, drop off the food, and head straight to the beach. We end up parking along the road and under a palm tree.

  I follow them down a narrow sandy path, bordered on both sides by high dunes, onto a secluded beach that looks like something straight out of a magazine.

  Off-white sand covers the area, its powdery texture devoid of shells. Roughly twenty feet away laps a calm, vibrant ocean that stretches all the way to the horizon. I glance around, discovering we’re in a small inlet with a beach bordered by sand dunes and huge boulders. I estimate the entire place to be about half the size of a football field.

  Off to the far left lay the only people on the beach. From the distance I stand, squinting in the sun, I honestly can’t tell if the couple is women or men or one of each.

  Beth drops her towel. She yanks off her shirt and shorts to reveal a turquoise bikini and then sprints into the water. A few seconds later, her giggle floats back to us.

  “She does that every time we come,” Aunt Tilly says.

  I smile at her comment, but find myself oddly envious that my aunt and Beth have known each other so long and have a great relationship.

  “Come on.” Aunt Tilly picks up Beth’s stuff and leads me all the way over to the right. “There’s hardly anybody here. For a Saturday, I expected it to be much more packed.”

  She busies herself laying out our towels. “We locals like to keep this place quiet. The tourists have tons of other beaches they can make use of.”

  I like the fact I’m now in the elite “locals” category.

  In my peripheral vision, I catch sight of a huge yacht circling in the distance around Anna Island. I study it a second, recognizing it as the one from the marina. “Any idea who owns that yacht?”

  “Nope, no clue.”

  I take off my T-shirt and shorts.

  “Great suit.” Tilly nods at my black-and-gold bikini.

  “Gwenny bought it for me. I wasn’t even sure if I’d be brave enough to wear it. It’s kinda stringy.”

  “You can totally pull it off.” She stretches out on her towel and closes her eyes, soaking in the sun. “So, how was your date with Jeremy?”

  I lay back, too, closing my eyes. “It was fine. He’s nice. He’s coming for brunch tomorrow. I hope that’s okay?”

  “Sure.” She shifts, nestling herself into the towel and sand. “But ‘fine’ and ‘nice’? Not really zing-zang-zoom words?”

  “Zing-zang-zoom?”

  “Yeah, you know, does he ‘rock your world’?”

  I laugh at that. “I don’t know. He’s sweet. We’ve had only one date. It takes more than that to figure out the ‘rock-your-world’ part, right?”

  Although one tiny whisper and an unexpected kiss from Cade had most certainly “rocked my world.”

  “Yeah, give it some time. You never know what might spark.”

  “You sound like you’re speaking from experience.”

  Aunt Tilly doesn’t answer for a few seconds. I turn my head to look at her profile as she continues laying, baking in the sun.

  She must feel my stare because she opens her left eye to peek at me. I smile. “Frederick’s father,” she answers softly.

  Her quiet admission and the emotion ringing strong and true piques my interest. “Will you tell me about him? Was he why you came here, away from Mom and Grandmother?”

  She continues staring at me for quite a while, and the more she stares, the harder my heart beats. I want so bad to know her secrets and what’s made her into the incredible person she is today.

  “Sorry, was that too forward?” I ask.

  Aunt Tilly turns back to soaking in the sun. “No, no. It’s fine. I never did like living in your grandmother’s house. Too many rules. Too much properness. Too much everything. I was always rebellious, sneaking out, purposefully doing things to make her angry. I look back on that now and am certainly not proud of my behavior. When I was sixteen, I got in trouble. Your grandmother helped me out, with one condition. That I leave and never come back.”

  “What?” I gasp. “She kicked you out? At sixteen?”

  Aunt Tilly nods. “So I left. I came here and got a job cleaning The Pepper House. The owner, Roger Pepper, was much older and very handsome. He made no secret of his interest in me, but I continually turned him down. Time wore on and I softened. We became romantic and soon Frederick came about. When Frederick was just a small boy, Roger died and left The Pepper House to me.”

  She takes a deep breath. “And here I still am.”

  “Wow.” I take in the story, realizing more and more what an amazing woman Tilly is.

  And Grandmother. I don’t know what to think about her anymore. “But what did you do that was so serious to get you kicked out of Grandmother’s house?”

  Aunt Tilly gets up. “That’s for some other time.” She strolls down to the water. “By the way,” she calls back to me. “This is a topless beach if you feel like it.” With that, she unties her top and slings it aside.

  “Wait, what?”

  Laughing, she swims out to join Beth.

  How different this place is from life back home. How different Tilly is. No wonder she felt stifled by our family.

  My brain swirls with Tilly’s story and the teenager she’d been. What could have gotten her kicked out? A serious crime? Somehow I can’t picture my aunt actually committing a felony.

  Next, I think of Roger Pepper. What kind of man was he to have captured such a free spirit as my aunt? He must have been an incredible person for sure. A patient one, too. I imagine it takes a lot of that to handle my aunt’s independence.

  So if her story holds true, that she slowly fell in love with a man where there had originally been no zing, then possibly Jeremy could be the love
of my life? But then what about Cade?

  Inside my beach bag, my phone buzzes. I reach in, noting Gwenny’s name on the ID, and answer, “You will never believe this, but I’m on a topless beach!”

  “You’re where?”

  I shoot straight up. “Mom?”

  Chapter 22

  After I made my big topless announcement, Mom insisted on speaking to Tilly. Immediately. I’d hurried down to the ocean’s edge, yelling for Aunt Tilly.

  With the phone muted, I explained to her what had happened, and offered up a quick apology. She’d taken the phone from me. I heard Mom’s angry voice filter through the speaker, and I couldn’t help it, I cried.

  We’d left the beach and driven home in silence, dropping Beth off on the way. I wanted to say something to Aunt Tilly, but I didn’t know what.

  Now here I lay the next morning bogged down with guilt, cringing just thinking about the damage control I have to do. What was Mom doing with my sister’s phone, anyway? Why did I have to go and be stupid? With my uncharacteristically big mouth, I just had to announce to my mother that I was on a topless beach.

  Thank God I hadn’t actually been topless—or joked that I was. My mother would’ve chartered a private plane to come and get me personally if I had.

  But I’m still in trouble. My aunt, too. Mom threatened to make me come home. Everything’s a mess. Because of me.

  I watch the ceiling fan slowly whirl, a million apologies on my tongue, knowing I’ll be packing my bags to go home. I can’t begin to think about what I’ll miss here—my newfound family, my freedom, Jeremy, and—

  Cade.

  I’ll have to say good-bye to all of it, and I’m not sure I can. Or want to.

  And all on the day I’m supposed to make my Sunday brunch.

  Someone knocks on my door, and I sit up. “Come in.”

  Aunt Tilly opens my door. “Is the coast clear? No screaming mothers on the phone?”

  I huff out a laugh mixed with a relieved cry. “You’re not angry with me?”

  “Oh, honey.” Tilly comes the rest of the way in. “Never.” She sits down on my bed and pulls me into her arms.