So Inn Love Page 16

  “I want to be with you, Liza. You know that.”

  “I thought I did. But does anyone else? I mean in some ways, you’re acting just like Caroline.”

  “What?”

  “You’re being a total snob! Whenever I try to bring up stuff we used to do together, she pretends it didn’t happen, that it wasn’t me she hung out with. And you do the same thing,” I said. “Your parents aren’t the only ones you’re hiding from. You never want to be around me when any other people are there. It’s like we have no history. You always find some reason to take off—”

  “I do not. I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Hayden said. “Everyone knows about us.”

  “If they do, it’s not because of you!” I started to say, just as the door popped open. Claire backed into the room, Josh kissing her.

  “Ex—excuse us,” Josh said.

  “Oh. Oh my God. I thought you guys would be, uh, out,” Claire said. “Kissing and making up. Not in that order.”

  “We didn’t exactly make up,” I said.

  “And we’re not going to tonight,” Hayden added.

  “No. We’re not,” I said.

  “Fine!” Hayden went out and slammed the door behind him.

  “What’s he so mad about? You’re the one who should be mad,” Josh said.

  “Oh, I am,” I said. “I’m furious.” Then I sank onto my uncomfortable, flat bed and curled up into a fetal position. “I just really like him,” I confessed.

  “Like…in love?” Josh asked.

  “I don’t know. I guess I am, sort of. And I thought it would be fun, but it isn’t and I hate it.”

  Josh gave me a sympathetic smile, as if I had an illness that couldn’t be cured. “Well, I’ll let you guys talk. ’Night.” He leaned over to rub my head, then he quickly kissed Claire before leaving.

  “Claire?” I said the second the door closed. “All those things you told me about not—”

  “I know, I know. But I couldn’t help it,” she said. “He’s so cute and funny. I just want to be with him all the time—”

  “Well, that’s how I feel. No, that’s how I felt,” I corrected. Until tonight.

  “Which is it?” Claire asked.

  “Feel. Present tense. But with a lot of emphasis on tense. So when did you and Josh get together?”

  “I actually have you to thank for that,” Claire said. “When you asked him to dance this afternoon? I wanted to kill you. That’s when I realized he couldn’t dance with anyone but me. I mean, we’d gone out once, but you know me. I usually have my one-date limit.”

  “You were out so late tonight, I think that counts as three dates.”

  “But what about you and Hayden? What are you going to do?” Claire asked.

  I shrugged. “I have no idea.”

  “You know what? In spite of everything, I don’t think he’s a bad person. I really don’t. I think he’s confused, you know? And he made some bad choices.”

  “You’re only saying that ’cause you’re in love.”

  “I’m not in love,” Claire said. “I’m in like. I’m having fun, for once.”

  “Okay, but you’ll be spending so much time with Josh this summer, you’ll probably never make it through all those serious books now,” I teased her. “You realize that.”

  “Oh, well. Columbia will understand why I ditched the reading list,” she said. “Right?”

  Chapter Twenty-one

  “But Miss Crossley—”

  “You love the beach,” she said.

  I nodded. “I know. I do. I really do.”

  I wanted to say: And any other day, even tomorrow, it might be okay. But not this morning. Please, not this morning.

  “I was just hoping…I really got into typing that book the other day. I kind of can’t wait to see how it turns out. I was thinking maybe I could work with Mr. Wallace again.”

  Miss Crossley dusted her telephone while she talked. “That would be extremely difficult, seeing as how he checked out yesterday morning.”

  “No, he didn’t,” I said. “He couldn’t have.”

  “What? Do you know something I don’t?”

  “He—he can’t check out! He didn’t even tell me he was leaving!” I protested.

  Miss Crossley shifted in her office chair, looking a little uncomfortable. “Oh no. Do you and Mr. Wallace have some kind of personal, ah, relationship—”

  “No, of course not. Nothing like that.” I shook my head. “We were friends, that’s all.” And I had been hoping to lean on him today, like a crutch, I thought. He could tell me how love sucked, how high the divorce rate was, and what a load of garbage romance was, and I’d completely agree with him for once.

  Forget about being optimistic. Optimism sucked.

  “I liked working with him. It was kind of an apprentice thing,” I explained.

  “I see. Well, he did leave. I’m very sorry,” Miss Crossley said. “So, can you be ready for the beach in about half an hour? Will Talbot is in need of a beach buddy.”

  I let out a deep breath, trying to release all the tension in my body.

  It didn’t work.

  “Sure. Of course I can,” I said. “I love the beach.”

  It’s just that I’d love it a lot more if Hayden was assigned to another beach. Say, on Cape Cod. Just for a few days, just long enough for me to get my act together and fall back out of love with him.

  I felt a hair color change coming on. Unfortunately I didn’t think I had time to book an appointment at the Inn salon in the next ten minutes.

  “Hey, you look great this morning,” Hayden said when I showed up, trailing behind Will, who plowed straight ahead. He didn’t even take off his sneakers before he sprinted into the water. He got his toes wet, then stopped, dropped to the sand, and started digging.

  I glared at Hayden. “As opposed to other mornings?”

  “What?” Hayden asked, looking confused. He apparently thought we’d made up; but since we hadn’t talked since the night before, I didn’t see how.

  “Or as compared with Zoe,” I said under my breath.

  My attempt to be cool and pretend I wasn’t hurt and that I was completely over him was failing. Badly.

  “Is that the infamous fourth bathing suit?” Hayden asked.

  I didn’t answer him.

  “Nice.” He nodded as he stepped back to appraise me.

  “Whatever,” I said. “I think I’ll focus on Will, thank you very much.”

  “Liza, swim with me!” Will yelled as he ran toward me.

  “We’re not swimming yet, but we can in a little bit,” I said. I had it on good authority that Will had just eaten a late breakfast, so I wanted him to wait before we plunged into the ocean.

  “No, now,” he said.

  “No, later,” I said.

  “You know what, buddy? Let’s go on a shell hunt,” Hayden offered.

  I appreciated the gesture, but it was annoying as well. Did he think he needed to save me? I could handle Will on my own. “You’re a lifeguard, not a nature lover,” I said.

  “I can’t be both?” Hayden asked.

  “Not when people are depending on you to save their life, no.”

  “There’s nobody swimming,” Hayden said.

  “Maybe they heard you’re the one on duty. Didn’t feel like drifting out to sea while you searched for shells,” I said.

  He started to laugh. “Man, are you mad.”

  “Why wouldn’t I be?” I replied.

  Hayden was looking over my shoulder at something, or someone. “Caroline?” he said. I turned around.

  “Your presence is requested in the dining room.” She sounded as if she’d rather be anywhere else than talking to the two of us.

  “What?” I asked.

  “Yours, too,” she told Hayden.

  I was puzzled. “What’s this all about?”

  “I don’t know what it’s about, but Mr. Talbot wants to talk to you, over lunch,” Caroline said in a bored
tone.

  “But ah—we’re not dressed for the dining room,” I protested. And I don’t want to go anywhere with Hayden!

  “Obviously. I can see that,” Caroline said. “So Hayden, you go get cleaned up and changed as soon as Lindsay gets here to take over for you. Liza—you can go now.”

  “Who’s going to replace—”

  “I am, all right?” Caroline said, exasperated.

  I backed away slowly, watching her attempt to play with Will. He took two giant handfuls of sand and threw them at her. Poor Caroline, I thought. And then, poor Will.

  And then I thought—poor me. This could only be a good-bye lunch, if it was me, Hayden, and Mr. Talbot. He knew about the time we’d been on the deck—and he must have some new information on us. How embarrassing.

  I bumped into Hayden on my way out of the dorm. I’d changed into a khaki skirt and a flowered blouse. My hair was tied up in a loose bun, sort of, with lots of tendrils falling out.

  I expected Hayden to say something about my appearance, but he didn’t. He just glanced at me and kept walking toward the Inn, not looking at me. It was like the two of us were bracing for a firing squad.

  When we got to the dining room, Guess Who was working as both server and host.

  “Right this way, please,” Zoe said.

  I hadn’t even seen her since the infamous wedding.

  This was exactly why Claire warned me about no hookups. The place was closing in on all sides.

  “This isn’t some weird Dr. Phil intervention to make us all talk, is it?” I asked her.

  “What?” Zoe looked at me as if I were crazy.

  “Never mind,” I said as she led us to the Inn’s best corner table, by the biggest window, with a clear view of the ocean. An older gentleman was sitting there—it was Mr. Talbot Senior. And across the table from him was…

  “Grandpa?” I said.

  “Drove down this morning.” He stood up and I gave him a hug. “Surprise!”

  “Yes, it’s surprising, all right,” I commented. “It’s so nice to see you! Is Grandma here, too?”

  “Yes, but she’s visiting an old friend—she’ll be by this afternoon.”

  “I’ve arranged for you to have the afternoon off to spend with your grandparents,” Mr. Talbot Senior said. “Miss Crossley’s been notified.”

  “Wow. Thank you!” I said.

  “You too, Hayden.” Mr. Talbot nodded. “Enjoy the time off.”

  “Uh…thanks.” Hayden opened his napkin and set it on his lap. I’m sure he was wondering, like I was, what the heck he was there for.

  But then I vaguely remembered telling my grandfather about him, back when I was visiting him at the hospital. I sank down a little in my chair. I hoped my grandfather would be discreet, but then again, Hayden wouldn’t be here now if I hadn’t been indiscreet and blabbed about our possible relationship.

  But you know what, I thought. If he was suffering and uncomfortable now, being here? That was too bad. He was the one who’d kissed me that night, before I left on the train to go home. He let me think we were in a relationship, and I’d only acted appropriately.

  I wasn’t the one being weird and hiding and going out with my former girlfriend just for appearance’s sake. Not that I had a former girlfriend, but still.

  “I understand you’re feeling better, sir?” Hayden said to my grandfather.

  “Oh, yes. Feeling just fine.”

  “Was something wrong?” Mr. Talbot asked.

  “Just a touch of the flu, Bucko.” My grandfather sipped his glass of lemonade. “Nothing serious.”

  “Grandpa,” I said.

  “It was a little warning from the old ticker, that’s all,” he explained. “A minor heart attack.”

  “I had one of those myself,” Mr. Talbot said. “Maybe two or three.”

  I’m having one right now, I thought. I don’t know if I can sit here much longer.

  “So what have you two been up to?” my grandfather asked.

  I shrugged. “Not much, really.” Just sneaking away to closed beaches.

  “Somehow I doubt that,” he said. He turned to Hayden. “Are you treating her well?”

  “Grandpa,” I said through clenched teeth.

  “You know, I’m always pleased when staff members become friends,” Mr. Talbot said.

  My grandfather chuckled. “Oh, Bucko, they’re more than friends.”

  “Grandpa,” I said again. If I gritted my teeth any more, sparks would fly off of them. It’s not like that—not anymore! I wanted to scream. Why wasn’t my grandmother there to rein him in?

  “To young love.” Grandpa raised his glass, just as Zoe came to the table to take our order.

  “Excuse me,” I said. “I’ll be right back.”

  I pushed back my chair and practically sprinted for the women’s room—except it wasn’t that, it was a “ladies’ lounge,” with an elegant, antique sofa in an outer waiting room.

  Once I was safely inside, I went to a sink and turned on the cold water, letting it run over my hands and wrists. I splashed my face and was searching for a towel to dry off when one was handed to me. I pressed it to my face, dried off, and looked up.

  “We have to talk,” Zoe said.

  Chapter Twenty-two

  “I ran into Claire this morning, in the hallway,” Zoe went on. “Actually I think she was sitting out there waiting for me. I don’t know how she found out what room I was in, but—”

  “What are you talking about?” I asked.

  “Here, in the Inn. You know I stayed with my sister last night—I mean, my whole family was here,” she explained. She stepped up to the mirror and fixed her hair a little.

  “Don’t you need to get back to your tables?” I asked.

  She shrugged. “Let them wait. The kitchen’s running slow so far today, anyway.” She leaned forward and touched up her lipstick. “So Claire told me about you and Hayden,” she said casually.

  This didn’t seem like someone who was upset, but I wasn’t completely sure.

  “I had no idea you and Hayden were seriously involved. I’m really sorry you got the wrong impression last night. I’m still seeing Brandon, you know.”

  “That’s what I thought,” I said. “But then I see you and Hayden at the wedding…I mean, I saw you and Hayden together, and Brandon wasn’t there…you have to admit that looked pretty bad.”

  “It was supposed to look good. To my parents,” she said. “They love Hayden—or they love Hayden’s family’s money, anyway. When we broke up they were furious with me, all because Hayden’s dad is some big-shot corporate guy and his family’s so big and important in the community, and they thought it would be their ‘in,’ you know.”

  “Their ‘in’?” I asked.

  “They freak out about whether or not they’re going to be accepted. We’re sort of new in town. Anyway, I’m not seeing Hayden. My family doesn’t approve of Brandon, that’s all. We fought about it constantly. So I told them we were over, and I was back with Hayden.”

  “So is it like that on his end? Hayden’s family wouldn’t approve of me, either?”

  Zoe shrugged. “What’s there not to approve of?”

  “I don’t know. You tell me,” I said.

  “Well, we do come from kind of a snobby community, it’s true. And our parents did want us to date, but that’s not enough reason to actually stay together. Look, Claire said you guys argued, and I want to make it clear there was no reunion, or anything like that. We’ve been over since a year ago.”

  I wanted to believe Zoe, and for the most part I did, but a few things still didn’t make sense. One, why did Hayden insist on being so secretive? And…“Then why did you kiss him?”

  Zoe laughed. “I had a glass of champagne with my sister at the beginning of the reception—it went to my head. That’s it. It didn’t mean anything. Anyway, order the clam chowder and the lobster—it’s the best stuff on the menu.” Zoe opened the door and walked out of the ladies’ room.r />
  I fixed my hair for a second, then headed back to our table, where Hayden, Grandpa, and Mr. Talbot were all laughing about something. I opened my cloth napkin and smoothed it on my lap.

  I couldn’t believe Hayden hadn’t taken the opportunity to bolt, without me there. But how could he? The owner of the Inn was dining with us. Neither one of us could leave.

  “So,” Grandpa said, turning to me. “What would you two like to do this afternoon?”

  Hayden and I looked at each other across the table. I wondered if he was thinking what I was: I’d like to get this lunch over with as soon as possible.

  Around 5:30 I was saying good-bye to my grandparents at the Inn’s front entrance, by their car, when my grandmother said, “Is that little Carrie Farlane?”

  I turned and saw Caroline walking up from the dorm. “Caroline, Grandma,” I said. I tried to smile as I said it, so she wouldn’t ask what was up.

  “Caroline, how nice to see you!” my grandmother said as Caroline came closer.

  “Hello, Mrs. McKenzie. Mr. McKenzie.” She reached out her hand to shake theirs, but my grandparents insisted on hugging her. She looked embarrassed, but sort of happy, too.

  “Wow. Look at the two of you, all grown up. I remember when you two ruled the roost,” my grandfather said.

  “We did what?” I asked.

  “You were the dynamic duo. You were Lewis and she was Clark,” my grandfather said.

  I looked at Caroline and rolled my eyes. “Whatever, Grandpa.”

  “Enjoying your summer?” my grandmother asked Caroline.

  “Definitely,” Caroline said. “I mean, not everything is perfect, but—”

  “You wouldn’t want that,” Grandpa interrupted as he walked around to the passenger side door. “Perfect is boring.” He opened the door and slid into his seat, and I leaned in the open window and gave him a quick good-bye kiss on the cheek.

  “We’re on our way to meet friends, so we can’t hang around. But it’s so nice to see you, Caroline. Take care, Liza,” my grandmother said as she got into the car. “Take care of each other, will you?” She waved out the window and called to us, “Have fun!”