Page 19 of When We Are Complete

Then I run the tap twice, watching the water swirl down the drain, steady and predictable. Finally, I turn toward the shower, hoping the hot water will wash away more than just the remnants of the night.

“Try to forget it even happened,” I say to myself.

Tomorrow’s another day, and I’m Kelly Charleston. I’ve got shit to do, and none of it includes falling apart over Jake Tanner.

Chapter 10

Kelly

I coastto a stop in front of the town hall’s brick façade, gripping the brakes a second longer than necessary, as if that pause might steady my racing thoughts. First day at work—time to see what Harbor’s Edge has in store for me. I swing my leg off the bike, set down the stand, and lock it to the rack, the cold air biting at my cheeks.

I catch a faint whiff of burning wood and salt air in the crisp breeze, and my mind flicks back to Saturday night—to Jake, his scent, the way his fingers gripped greedily on my skin. The memory sends heat rising up my neck, even in the brisk morning air. It was a mistake, I tell myself again, trying to lock the memory away.

Because I can’t let a single night, a stupid, reckless night, drag me back to places I’ve worked hard to leave behind. Harbor’s Edge might be filled with memories, but I can’t let it be my prison.

I need a reset button, or a time machine. Hell, anything will do if it wipes out what happened at the wedding. But I can’t wipe it, so I just need to stay strong and not think about him. At all.

“Here goes nothing.” I push through the doors into the echoing lobby, pulling off my gloves and shoving them in my bag. It smells of floor wax and old wood, and people are hurrying about carrying files and cups of takeaway coffee.

“Kelly Charleston?”

I turn to see a woman who can only be Mayor Elaine Roberts approaching with an outstretched hand and a no-nonsense look that says she gets things done, but isn’t averse to a good laugh. I recognize her from her photo on the town’s website and our zoom calls, and take her hand.

“Mayor Roberts. It’s so good to meet you face-to-face. Thank you for this opportunity.”

“Elaine, please,” she says, scanning me as if taking inventory of my potential. “You’re originally from Harbor’s Edge, right?”

“That’s right. My family left a little more than ten years ago.”

“I knew your Dad’s brother pretty well, way back when, and often saw your parents around town. Well, it’s nice to have you back. Let’s show you around.”

The mayor leads me through the halls, and I try to listen, to be fully present. But memories of the wedding night keep tugging at my thoughts, and every time I pull myself back to the mayor’s voice, another memory slips in, testing my resolve.

As we walk through corridors lined with photos of Harbor’s Edge from days past, I catch sight of a few familiar faces. Mrs. Harmon, who used to work at the post office, gives me a double-take before waving enthusiastically. “Kelly Charleston! Well, I’ll be! You’re back?”

I offer a quick wave. “I’m back. It’s good to see you, Mrs. Harmon.”

The mayor’s pace is brisk, her talk straightforward as we continue the tour, her filling me in on the projects I’ll be spearheading. There’s something about her energy that gets me excited about what’s to come.

“As you can tell, there’s plenty to do,” she says. “I’m sure you’ll find your footing in no time.”

“Absolutely,” I agree, already cataloging tasks, mentally arranging them by priority and deadline. Lists form in my mind. Lists that help crowd outotherthoughts.

“Good.” Elaine seems satisfied with my response. “You’re here to make a difference. And I have a feeling you will. We’ve got a meeting in an hour or so about the Founder’s Day Festival. I’ll come and get you when it’s time.”

We walk past an open plan office space, with cubicles laid out neatly, and I spot Mrs. Jones, the wife of the high school football coach, who looks up from her phone and gives me a smile.

As we end the tour back at my new office, Elaine gives me a knowing look—she sees the ambition simmering under my skin, knows I’m going to give this job my all. The door clicks shut behind her, and I’m alone.

My office is small but bright, with windows that let in the mid-morning sun. A sleek wooden desk sits in the center, topped with a computer and a planner, with a black office chair and a couple of simple chairs on the other side of the desk for visitors.

On the far wall, a cork board is pinned with past event flyers, and there’s an empty shelving unit below it, stacked with a couple of new notepads and folders. The room smells faintly of fresh paper and ink, and the minimalist decor seems purposeful—everything in its place, just the way I like it.

“Let’s do this,” I say to the empty room, a challenge to myself as I settle into my chair. Because if there’s anything I’ve learned, it’s that if I’m going to make Mom proud, the only one I canrely on is staring back at me in the reflection of the darkened computer screen.

But my mind drifts almost immediately. I can almost feel Jake, the desperation in his touch, and I squeeze my legs closed, trying to banish the heat pooling there.

It’s no use. The taste of his lips, the touch of his hands.I never stopped loving you. The words slip into my mind, uninvited, the honesty of them too raw. He’d held me as though he still knew me, like the years between us were nothing.

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