Page 16 of Just Beachy

“Would you like to go downtown and see what’s happening with the reno of the Y?” I ask after another sip of coffee. “It’s apparently near restaurants and shops and the Dalí Museum. We could make a day of it.”

Grand polishes off half of her muffin then takes a long sip of coffee. “I’d love to, Sydney, but Brian texted a little while ago to see if I’d like to walk over to check out the par 3.”

She blushes and I draw on every ounce of self-control I possess not to giggle.

“No worries,” I say. “That’s great. But should we come up with a signal, so I’ll know if you don’t want to be disturbed? You know, like a candle in the window. Or the shutters closed at a specific angle?”

Grand blushes again and I get a weird twinge in the pit of my stomach imagining Grand in bed, or even out of one,with a man who’s not Grandpa Henry. But she seems so much happier than I’ve seen her in ages that I keep the twinge to myself.

“We’ll regroup later,” Grand says. “I can make us a reservation for dinner out if you like. And maybe you could pick up some smoked fish spread from Ted Peters on your way back. I already have the saltines and hot sauce. Here’s some cash—they don’t take credit cards there.”

“Sounds like a plan.” I take another sip of coffee then polish off the last of my muffin. “But if Brian doesn’t behave like a gentleman or there’s drugs or alcohol, you call me right away and I’ll come get you,” I say, offering the same parting words my parents always said to me before I left for a party or went out on a date.

“Yes, I’ll keep that in mind,” she says with a mostly straight face. “You can’t be too careful these days.”

• • •

I find aparking spot just a block from the Y, where there’s been no effort to disguise the fact that renovation is in progress. Dumpsters sit on the sidewalk pushed close to the thick pockmarked walls. “Watch out below!” Someone leans out a second-floor window and drops pieces of wood trim into a dumpster.

Kyra and Troy Matthews, former nemesis now boyfriend, are setting up lighting and placing video equipment just outside the huge front doors while Avery and Chase argue in a way that feels a lot more like flirting than theiroriginal conflicts back when they were leading the restoration of Bella Flora.

Bitsy Baynard, who owns the historic building, and Nicole Grant Giraldi, with whom she’s planning to open a vintage clothing shop once the reno is done, come out to say hi. Madeline Singer, Kyra’s mother and Dustin’s grandmother, is right behind them. There are hugs all around.

“It’s so good to see you,” Maddie says. “How are you doing?”

“I’m hanging in there. I saw you and Will inPeoplemagazine,” I reply, referring to Maddie’s fiancé, William Hightower, the rock star formerly known as “Wild Will.” “Is he in town?”

“Nope. I left him back on Mermaid Point locked in his recording studio working on a new song. Not fit for company of any kind.”

“Ask her if she’s learned to fly-fish yet,” Nikki says.

Maddie rolls her eyes. “That would be a hard no. The fish just kept laughing at me.” She smiles. “Happily, I’ve come to terms with the fact that you don’t have to share everything with the person you love. And that includes fishing, which frankly feels a bit like watching paint dry. Only don’t ever tell him I said that.”

“My lips are sealed,” I promise.

“Kyra told us you took down two oversized bad guys single-handedly at Harley’s,” Maddie says.

“Yeah, sorry I missed it,” Troy adds with a grin. “Wouldn’t mind having some video of that.”

“Well, it wasn’t pretty, but I did manage to subdue them—”

“Yeah, and some people actually believe she’s Cassie Everheart,” Kyra breaks in.

“Strange but true,” I admit. “A shocking number of people want to hold me responsible for my character’s actions and get upset if they see me drinking.”

Troy snorts.

“Hey,” Avery says. “Maybe we should invite Sydney to do a cameo onDo Over. We’d get a ratings bump for sure, and then she could explain that she doesn’t really have an issue with alcohol and therefore never went into rehab. She could tell her side of the whole thing.”

“There are no ‘sides,’ ” I point out. “I got fired from a role I created because I pissed off Tonja Kay. And I really don’t think pissing her off again would be a good move.”

“She’s right,” Chase says to Avery. “You’ve got to learn not to go looking for trouble.”

“I have never once ‘looked’ for trouble,” she fires back. “It just keeps finding me.”

“How long are you in town for?” Nikki asks.

“As long as Grand needs me.” I do not mention that I have nowhere else to go or any sign of acting work in my future.

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