1 Chapter 1

Catch of the Day

I tug at the cuffs of my long-sleeved shirt, to pull them past my wrists, hiding the ugly marks on my arms. Normally, I’m not very self-conscious about my scars anymore—it’s been almost ten years since I put them there—but normally, I’m not quite so invested in a customer’s opinion of me.

“Hi.” I shoot her a quick glance, and settle my eyes back on the counter top, picking up a cloth to wipe away some unseen smudge.

“Hey,” she says, smiling in her easy manner.

“The special again?” I ask, “Or would you like to look at the lunch menu?”

“The special,” she replies, taking a seat at the counter and pulling out her phone to entertain herself, while I hand her order off to the kitchen.

I take this brief opportunity to study her again. It’s one of my guilty pleasures, tracing out the line of her strong jaw, her tanned face and honey lips and those cute little freckles sprinkled on her nose. She doesn’t even know, she’s so engrossed, grinning at some random social media post.

I haven’t gotten up the nerve to ask her what kind of work she does, but I assume it’s in the tourist trade just like me. I’ve never seen her here outside of the summer months, and she always comes in wearing a uniform of navy blue slacks, and a crisp white button-down shirt, with a cap tucked under her arm. My guess is some kind of tour guide.

I fill a glass with ice water and slide it over to her. She flashes me a smile and goes back to her phone. I go back to tidying up the counter, trying to limit my staring to the occasional glance from the corner of my eye.

“Order up,” I hear, and turn to the window that separates me from the kitchen. I tug at my sleeves again, hiding as much skin as I can before delivering the order.

“One seafood chowder,” I say, pronouncing it chow-dah, just like a local should. “And one side salad.”

The salad’s not really part of the special, but I’ve been slipping it in for every one of her orders at no charge. I justify it because she’s a regular, but if I’m being honest, it’s really because it keeps her in here, sitting at my lunch counter, just a little bit longer.

“Thanks,” she says, slipping her phone back into her pocket. “Wanna take me for ice cream when you’re done here? I’m off at five.”

I stare at her for a second, frozen in my tracks. No way did she say what I think she did. Me. Her. Ice cream.

“Sorry?” I say.

“Mm,” she says, holding up her finger while she finishes chewing a slice of green pepper. “I thought maybe you’d want to take me for an ice cream after you get off work.”

I stare like an idiot.

“Look,” she says, “I’ve been eating here long enough to know that the special doesn’t include a side salad, but somehow, whenever you’re working, it always appears. And I never get charged for it.”

She levels her gaze directly at me.

“So, I figure either your Aunt May hasn’t trained you very well for your current position in her diner, or you’re giving me free salads on purpose.”

I can feel the heat rising in my cheeks, and don’t even need a mirror to know that I must be three shades of pink right now.

“Hey, it’s cool,” she says, smiling, “we’re both young and attractive. Why not?”

“Um.” God I love that smile.

“What time are you done? Eight o’clock?”

“Seven-thirty. And it’s Aunt Sarah,” I say, “Aunt May is a character from Spiderman. My aunt’s name is Sarah.”

“Ooh, a comic book nerd, too. Serendipity.” She lays a ten on the bar, enough to cover the meal and leave a decent tip. “Be back at seven-thirty to pick you up. I’m Kaitlin, by the way.”

“Jackie.”

I stand, slack-jawed as she turns to leave. What just happened here?

* * *

“You want me to wait up for you?” Aunt Sarah smiles, as I hang up my apron, “Or should I just leave the porch light on?”

“What?” I shrug. “It’s just ice cream.” I’m try to play coy, but after five summers of working here, Aunt Sarah knows me pretty well.

“Mm-hmm. I’ll leave the light on.”

* * *

Right on time, Kaitlin pulls up in an old red Subaru that looks and sounds like it’s seen better days. I tug at my sleeves one more time, as she jumps out to open the door for me.

“Your carriage awaits, my lady.” Kaitlin says with a flourish and a deep bow in my direction.

I can’t help but grin a little at her antics, but the gesture is touching. “Thank you.”

“I promise I’ll still take you for ice cream, but I’d really like to head up the mountain to watch the sunset, if you’re okay with that.”

“Um...”

“Great.” She smiles. “Hop in. We gotta hurry or we’ll miss it.”

I do as she asks, and she runs around to the other side of the car. Before I even get buckled in, we’re heading north on Highway One.

“This is great,” she says. “I’ve been working here for two summers now and I’ve never had an urge to do any of the touristy stuff.”