It took less than a week for Katie to get all her belongings packed to take Maya up on her offer. The apartment had been fully furnished with Grant’s things when she moved in, so she only had her clothing, her toiletries, her books, and the few personal mementos she’d either brought from home or acquired during her six years in the city.
The meager number of boxes only reinforced the feeling that her grand New York adventure had been a big, fat failure.
She’d arrived in the Big Apple right after college graduation, ready to leave the small-town version of herself behind to forge her own metropolitan path—a path she was certain would lead to travel, culture, broader horizons, lofty achievements, and maybe even romance. Back then, she’d been ready to conquer the world.
Now, she was going back to Florida with nothing to show for her efforts. No job, no published novel, and no partner. Sure, she’d been exposed to a bit of culture, but she’d one only gotten one passport stamp—for a long weekend visiting Grant in London after he first moved there. A weekend they’d spent holed up in his flat due to the nasty stomach bug he’d contracted the day before she arrived.
And though Maya seemed excited for her to come, Katie found it hard to match her sister’s enthusiasm. She was grateful to have a place to go—and relieved she wouldn’t have to move back to Cedar Creek to live with her parents—but she never dreamed she’d come to a point in life where she needed to move in with her free-spirited sister and work at the surf shop.
It was temporary, of course, but that didn’t make it any less humbling.
Who would have ever thought the sister voted “Most Likely to be a CEO” in high school would end up dependent on the one voted “Most Likely to Live in a Bohemian Compound”?
Katie had always been the more studious of the two, a lifelong high achiever who usually spent every free moment with her nose in a book and excelled at anything remotely academic.
Maya, on the other hand, had loathed school and its inherent pressure to conform. Though she was freakishly adept at anything athletic, Maya had been most passionate about art. Well, art and anything that would push the tight boundaries set forth by their parents.
Bill and Rosalyn were on good terms with their oldest daughter now that she was an adult, but teenage Maya’s wild nature had gotten her into all sorts of trouble, culminating in her being kicked out of the house when she quit high school in her senior year, three months shy of graduation.
Watching her parents struggle with her older sister had made Katie even more determined to succeed and make them proud.
But now she’d failed at that, too.
Her mother had been near hysterical since Katie broke the news about the lay-off, break-up, and temporary arrangement with Maya.
“I still can’t believe this is happening,” Rosalyn said when Katie called to check on her. “I haven’t been able to eat a thing. Haven’t slept a wink. This is just awful. Terrible.”
“It’ll be okay,” Katie reassured her mom, hoping she was right. “It’ll be fine.”
“No, it won’t be! Not with you leaving New York. And to work in your sister’s surf shop, of all things! You didn’t get a college degree to work in a surf shop, Kathryn. You were destined for greater things than that. It’s not too late to change your mind, you know. Grant said you could stay there until the end of the month.”
“I don’t want to stay here, Mom. Everywhere I look, I see something that reminds me of him. It’s his apartment. His furniture. His dishes. His towels. I have to get out of here.”
“Surely, you have a friend who’d let you stay with them until you find another job. There are plenty of publishers in New York who would just jump at the chance to hire someone with your experience. Did you ask your boss if he’ll write you a letter of recommendation?”
“No. I didn’t.” She bit down on her lip as she weighed whether to tell her mother the truth, and then she drew in a deep breath and confessed on the exhale. “I’m not so sure I want to be in publishing anymore.”
“What? Why on earth not? You’ve always wanted to work in publishing.”
“No, Mom. I’ve always wanted to be a writer. You and Dad convinced me that getting a job at a publisher might be a way to get my foot in the door.”
“Well, it still can be. Being a writer is a treacherous career path. You know that. It’s inconsistent and uncertain. There’s no guarantee you’ll ever have a paycheck. Publishing puts you in the same industry but with much more stability.”
“That might have been true in the past, but things have changed drastically in the past few years. There’s a lot of upheaval and instability in publishing right now. It’s not the guaranteed paycheck you think it is, and I didn’t really enjoy it, to tell the truth. As much as I hate that I got let go, I’m not upset that I won’t be doing that job anymore. I never told you how stressful it was because I didn’t want to worry you.”
“I couldn’t get much more worried than I am right now,” Rosalyn said with a huff. “You can’t just give up. You’ve worked so hard to get to where you are.”
“That’s just it though. I haven’t gotten anywhere. At all! Everything I’ve done, all the work I’ve done, it’s been for nothing. I have nothing to show for it. In my career or my personal life.”
“Oh, honey. You’ve just hit a rough spot, that’s all. You’ll find another job, and you’ll meet someone else. Someone just as successful as Grant.”
Great! Katie thought. Someone else who will put their career first. No thanks!
As she ended the call, she knew there was no way to convince her mother this was the right choice. She wasn’t even convinced herself. All she knew was that she could no longer stay in New York and be bombarded with reminders of what might have been.
No. What she needed most right now was an escape. A chance to catch her breath and find a bit of peace before making any decisions about the future.
The future. What future?
For her entire life, Katie had been working toward one achievement or another. Make good grades in middle school to be placed well in classes for high school. Check. Make good grades in high school, be in all the right clubs, and hold all the right leadership positions to be accepted by the best college. Check. Maintain a high GPA at the university and do all the right internships to ensure a good candidacy for the right job. Check. Nail the interview, get the job, move to the city. Check. The successful boyfriend her mother could be proud of. Check. The loft apartment in the trendy neighborhood. Check.
Check.
Check.
Check.
She’d checked all the right boxes, but she’d still ended up lonely and miserable.
Maybe it was time to scrap all the plans and think outside all the boxes.
“I was going to paint over the flowers and the lime green, but I wasn’t sure what you’d like,” Maya said as she led Katie into the small bedroom at the end of the hall. “I figured we could just go to the paint store and pick something out now that you’re here. Whatever color would make you happy. Multiple colors, if you’d like.”
Katie set her suitcase beside the narrow twin bed and stared at the huge flower blossoms painted in every color imaginable across the nearly-fluorescent green walls. It was a far cry from the calming, neutral tones of the sunlight-filled loft apartment she’d left that morning, but that apartment—that life—was no longer hers. She winced at the thought but managed a smile for Maya.
“It’s fine. It’s…bright. Cheerful. I…um…thanks again, Maya.” She shoved her hands in the back pockets of her jeans as she turned to her sister. “I really appreciate you letting me stay here.”
“Of course. Anytime. I appreciate you helping me out so I can go on the cruise.”
“Right. The cruise. Who’s this guy you’re going with?”
“Ben. I’m pretty sure you met him when you came down for the weekend that time. Tall, dark, handsome, a little broody, but funny as hell, and a heart of gold.”
“Um, no. I’m pretty sure I’d remember meeting someone that like.”
“Hmm. Maybe. Maybe not. I’m almost positive Ben was part of the group that went with us to that concert on the beach.”
“Could be. Who knows? You introduced me to so many people that weekend that I couldn’t keep them all straight. You have, like, a kajillion friends. Besides, that was a while back. It was right after Grant moved to London, so it was over a year ago.”
“True.” Maya turned to pull open the top drawer of the dresser in the corner, which had been painted hot pink. “I emptied this out so you can put your clothes in it, and I cleared out some space in the closet if you need to hang anything.”
“Thanks,” Katie said as she lifted the suitcase onto the bed and unzipped it. “So, what’s the story with Ben, and why are you going on vacation with him?”
“We’ve been friends a while. I originally met Ben through Louise.”
“Ugh. Louise who shattered your heart into a million pieces?”
“Yep. That’s the one. Ben’s an artist too, so he and Louise ran in the same circles. They did a show together at a local gallery, and we all went out afterwards. Ben and I just…clicked. We hit it off. We became fast buds, and then, when Louise and I broke up, Ben was really there for me. I feel like the rest of that group kind of went with Louise because they knew her first, and that’s how things go when there’s a nasty break-up. But not Ben.” Maya crossed her arms with a sigh as she leaned against the door frame. “He stuck by me, and he refused to let me lay in bed all day with the covers over my head. He made me get out. Forced me to eat something every now and then. Kept me from drinking myself silly. And we’ve been tight ever since. He’s exactly what I imagine it would be like to have a cool older brother. I mean, he’s only six months older than me, but he’s one of those guys who just seems wiser than his years, ya know?”
Katie laid her folded shirts in the dresser drawer. “You said it’s a cruise with his family? How’d you get roped into that? You’re not exactly one who enjoys family time.”
“I’m fine with other people’s families. Just not ours! But I figure I owe him one, so this is my way of helping him out.”
“By going on a cruise? How’s that helping him?”
“He’s the only one of his siblings who’s not attached, which evidently drives his mother nuts. They’re doing this trip for his nephew’s birthday, and his mother put a lot of pressure on Ben when she found out he was planning to come alone. She threatened to bring his ex-girlfriend, which he wasn’t okay with at all.”
“Wow. And I thought our mom was overbearing.”
“Our mom is overbearing! Ben says his mom never got over him breaking up with his high school girlfriend and moving away from their hometown. I guess she’s always hoped he’d move back there someday to marry that girl and work at his father’s law firm.”
“I thought you said he was an artist,” Katie said as she grabbed a hanger from the closet.
“He is, but he got his law degree before he worked up the nerve to tell his family he wasn’t going to follow in his father’s footsteps. Anyway, you know I love a cruise, and I’m always ready to travel, so I volunteered to go and be his girlfriend for the week.”
Katie paused in hanging up the dress and turned back to stare at her sister.
“But…you’re…gay.”
“Well, I don’t plan to have to sex with the man, Kate. We’re just telling his family I’m his girlfriend. I don’t think they’ll come into our room for evidence.”
“You’re sharing a room with him?” Katie asked, unable to hide the surprise in her voice.
“Yes. I’m sharing a room with him. A room with two beds. What’s the big deal?”
Katie shrugged. “Uh, there’s not one, I guess. I just can’t imagine going on a trip with somebody and pretending to be in a relationship with them. I mean, don’t you think his family will notice that you guys aren’t…you know…together? I mean, they don’t to have to come into your room to realize that you guys aren’t, well, affectionate with each other.”
Although, even as she said the words, she realized she and Grant had never been affectionate in front of anyone. And that she’d never met his family in all the time they’d been together.
Maya plopped down on the bed and tucked her feet underneath her. “I don’t think we’ll see them a whole lot, honestly. Ben said we’ll do our own thing for shore excursions during the day, and then we’ll meet up with the family at dinner and probably go our separate ways afterward. It’s not like they expect us to make out during the meal. And give me some kudos for my time spent in community theater, would ya? I can play the role of Ben’s girlfriend convincingly for a week. I’ve already come up with my character’s backstory and motivation. Wanna hear it?”
“No, but I have no doubt you can pull it off. I’d never be able to do something like that.”
“Sure, you could. You were a great little actress back in your theater days.”
“It’s not acting. It’s lying.”
“Ah, that’s right. Being dishonest has never been your strong suit.”
“You say that like it’s a negative quality.”
“Not at all. Your honesty is something I admire. I know I can always count on you telling me the truth.” She cocked her head to the side and pulled a sweater from the suitcase. “You realize you aren’t going to need this in Florida, right? This is too thick for even the coldest day we have.”
“I know. I just threw that in the suitcase because I’d already boxed up the rest of my sweaters when I saw it hanging by the apartment door. Most of my wardrobe is not going to cut it in this heat and humidity, but it’s not like I can just go buy a bunch of new clothes when I don’t have a job and I don’t know how long I’ll be here.”
“Don’t worry. I have plenty of stuff you can borrow.”
“Really? Wow! You never let me borrow your clothes when we were in school.”
“Yeah, well, I’d like to think we’ve both grown up a lot since then. Hey, a bunch of my friends are heading over to the Riverfront Park amphitheater to listen to a band that’s playing. There’ll be food trucks, maybe some craft vendors, and it’s cool music. Could be a good time. You interested?”
“No.” Katie shook her head, thinking the last thing she wanted was to be surrounded by a bunch of festive people enjoying their lives. “I’m pretty beat so I’ll probably turn in early. You go ahead, though. I don’t want you to miss it.”
“Are you kidding me? It’s your first night in town. I’m not leaving you here alone to sulk. If you don’t want to do the concert, fine, but you need to get out and breathe in the fresh salt air. You hungry?”
Katie hadn’t had much of an appetite since everything had fallen apart, but at the mention of food, her stomach rumbled. “I could eat.”
“Great, because I’m starving.” Maya slapped her hands on the tops of her thighs and then stood. “Why don’t you change into something more beach-appropriate, and we’ll head over to the Salty Crab and grab something to eat.”
At first, Katie was skeptical that a little salt air and some seafood could make her feel better, but it was hard to stay down around Maya’s upbeat outlook, and by the time they’d finished dinner, Katie already felt lighter.
“Are you up for a little detour?” Maya asked on their way home from the restaurant.
“What kind of detour?” Katie raised a wary brow, worried her sister would want to go out when all she wanted to do was climb into bed.
Maya’s grin widened. “I’ve got something I want to show you. I had planned to wait until tomorrow, but I’m too excited. I wanna show you now! It won’t take long. It’s only a couple of blocks from here.”
“It’s not a club or a bar, is it? I’m not in the mood for a crowd.”
“Are you ever in the mood for a crowd?” Maya teased.
“No. But I can psyche myself up for it when I have to. Tonight, I’m too tired to even try. I just want to crawl in bed.”
“No crowd. Just me and you. Give me a few more minutes, and then I’ll get you home to bed, Grandma.”
“Okay, but what are we doing?”
“You’ll see! It’s a surprise. I can’t tell you until we’re there.”
In only a few minutes, Maya had pulled the car into a parking space in front of a vacant building.
“What’s this?” Katie asked, staring at the windows for any clue, but they had been covered with paper from the inside.
“C’mon. I’ll show you.”
To Katie’s surprise, Maya grabbed a set of keys from the car’s console and used them to open the door to the building, flipping on the lights as she led Katie inside.
“Welcome to the new and expanded location for Seahorse Surf!”
“What? This is yours?”
“Yep,” Maya giggled as she twirled in a circle with her arms spread wide. “Isn’t it awesome?”
“It’s huge!” Katie turned in slow circles, staring at the large open area with a wall of windows fronting the street. It was easily three times the size of Maya’s current store.
“Yeah, it is. I’ve been cramped in the other building for a while, and I can’t continue to grow the way I want to if I stay there. This will allow me to increase my inventory and start carrying a wider variety of merchandise. More clothing. Jewelry, sandals, bikes. Whatever I want.”
“Wow. That…sounds…awesome. Really.” Katie nodded, biting down on her lip. “It’s gonna be great, and I’m fully on board in supporting you.”
Maya lifted a brow. “Why do I have a feeling you’re about to say something that sounds like Mom or Dad?”
“Ugh. You’re right. I was about to say something that sounds like Mom or Dad.”
“Then chances are, I don’t want to hear it.”
“I know, and the last thing I want to do is rain on your parade, but are you sure about this? It’s a lot of space, Maya. It’s a huge commitment. In time. In energy. In money. Lots of money. Do you really need something so…big?”
“I know that look on your face. That look says you think I’m being crazy Maya, running off to chase some impulsive idea without thinking it through.”
“That’s not what I’m saying. I just don’t want you to bite off more than you can chew. How are you going to afford this?” She held her hand and looked away. “You don’t have to answer that. It’s none of my business, and you’re an intelligent woman, and I’m sure you’ve done the math.” She scrunched her face like she was straining with the effort to be quiet, and then she looked back at Maya and repeated the question. “Seriously, how are you going to afford this? The rent alone must be a fortune, and you’re talking about tripling your inventory to fill this kind of space. And it’s great that you’re looking at bringing in new merchandise, but that’s risky. You already know what sells where you’re at now. You’ve done really well there.”
“You’re right. I have. Which means there’s no reason to think I can’t be just as successful here. You get so passionate about the negative outcome. Why can’t you direct that kind of energy into focusing on the positive outcome?”
“Because you’re my sister, and I’m worried. I don’t want you to do this all alone and end up with regrets.”
Maya walked over to Katie and gave her a hug. “Thanks, baby sister. I appreciate your concern, but it’s okay. Really. I’m not doing this alone, though. I have a very generous benefactor who wanted to invest in real estate in this area. Sort of a silent partner, I guess you could say. One with attorneys and accountants and people who know how to protect both our interests and make sure we’re starting off on solid ground. So, this isn’t some crazy impulse. It’s been well-researched, well-planned, and carefully laid out. And it will work.”
“I’m sure it will,” Katie said. “Like I said before, you’ve been successful in your endeavor so far, and I’m sorry the first thing I did was express doubt. I really am happy for you, and I’m certain you’ll make this the best surf shop ever.”
“C’mon. Let me show you the rest of the place.
She led Katie through the back of the store, where the changing rooms were being built. Through the door at the rear of the building, they entered a hallway, and Maya smiled as she pointed toward doors on the other side of the hall.
“Restrooms are over there. That one’s a storage room, but it’s kind of small, so I’ve been talking with the contractor about maybe knocking down that wall and incorporating the other end of the hall to make a bigger room.” Maya opened the next door for Katie to peek inside. “This was a conference room, which I don’t need. I’m thinking down the road I may convert it into a yoga studio and start offering classes. That last door is for the office, which I could probably use for more storage if I have to. What do you think?”
“I think you’re insane. But I’ve always thought that. As far as the building goes, it’s great. It’s gonna be awesome. I love you, and I am behind you. One hundred percent.”
“Thanks.” Maya took Katie’s hand and squeezed it. “That means a lot to me. I haven’t told anyone else—you know, meaning Mom or Dad. And I probably won’t until I’ve got it all up and running. I want to stay surrounded by positive energy so everything goes smoothly in the building phase. But I wanted you to know. Especially since you’re here with me to see it happen. For a little while, anyway.”
“I’m excited to see it come to fruition, and I’ll help out however I can while I’m here.”
“Good. I’m glad to hear that. I was thinking that once you feel comfortable being in the surf shop alone, maybe you can cover that for me so I can be over here more. My business partner’s been out of town for an extended period, and it would be great if I could be here to oversee the renovations in person instead of over the phone.”
Once Maya had finished showing Katie around, they headed back to Maya’s bungalow to turn in for the night.
Even though Katie was tired from the day’s activities, she felt more hopeful and more optimistic than she had since the day she was laid off. Maybe even for months before.
It was partly due to Maya’s unwavering optimism. It was impossible to spend time with her sister and not feel lighter and more positive about the world. Maya’s enthusiasm for life was contagious, and Katie had forgotten how easy it was to feel good in Maya’s company.
But it wasn’t just Maya’s mood rubbing off on her.
For the first time in her adulthood—maybe for the first time ever—Katie felt free. She had no responsibilities. No goals. No plans beyond helping Maya until she got back from the cruise. And after that? Who knew what was to come.
The uncertainty and the not knowing were both exhilarating and terrifying. While it was unsettling to feel so untethered from her own life, it also made her feel like the future was wide open. Like she could choose anything, go anywhere, do whatever she wanted.
For as long as she could remember, there had always been a goal she was striving for. A hurdle to cross. A challenge to overcome. A next step to reach.
Now, with all that stripped away, she felt like the ticking clock in her head had gone silent.
Maybe it was the silence that lulled her to sleep, and maybe it was the blanket of security and love her sister’s house offered, but whatever it was, it worked. Katie slept soundly through the night, despite the sag in the little bed, the glow of the green walls around her, and the droning voice coming through the wall from Maya’s bedtime meditation soundtrack.