Page 10 of A New Chapter in Rosewood Beach

Vivian closed her eyes and let out a luxurious sigh. So far, her day at the spa in Providence had been even better than she’d expected. She was in the middle of getting a pedicure, and the fragrant bath salts and hot water that were surrounding her feet were making waves of relaxation ripple through her.

Around her, the spa was filled with the sound of women talking in low voices and serene flute music. The air smelled fragrantly of lavender and rose and sandalwood.

This is the most relaxing day I’ve had in a long time, she thought, feeling so giddy she had to repress a giggle.Maybe ever. It’s like the very air in this place is just dripping with soothing vibes.

The pedicurist lifted her feet from the basin and began to exfoliate them with a pumice stone using gentle, deft movements. Vivian enjoyed the feeling, as if old layers of fatigue were being shed from her body along with the dead skin cells.

Then, unexpectedly, her mind turned to the past, as if inner layers of her heart were rising to the surface. She thought about how hopeful and full of life she’d been once. It wasn’t that she didn’t have hope anymore—she had a great deal—but she didn’t have the same electric optimism about the future that she’d oncehad. Now, she knew what the rest of her life was going to look like. It was good, and she felt incredibly grateful for it, but she didn’t feel captivated by the prospect of having new adventures and forging a future for herself like she had in the past.

All at once, she felt tears spring into her eyes. She hadn’t done anything like this since before she was married, and it was bringing back memories of how she’d felt when she had her entire life ahead of her.

She blinked back the tears as quickly as she could, reminding herself that it was okay that there were certain things she was never going to experience again. She had already fallen deeply in love with a man and given him her whole heart. She wouldn’t get to experience that again in her lifetime, but that was all right because she’d already gotten to feel that way.

I’m so lucky,she reminded herself.I’ve had such a full life. What does it matter if it’s missing butterflies and electricity now?

And a partner. Her life was also missing that special someone who she got to wake up next to every morning and confide in during the day.

Her next inhale was a little shaky, and a tear escaped her eyelashes. She wiped it away hurriedly, but not before the pedicurist noticed the movement.

“Oh, I’m so sorry!” she said, looking up at Vivian in concern. “Am I hurting you? I try to be gentle whenever I clean cuticles, but everyone has a different level of sensitivity.”

Vivian shook her head and forced a smile. “It’s nothing you’ve done, don’t worry. You’re doing an absolutely stellar job. My feet haven’t felt this great in years.”

“Good.” The pedicurist smiled and was about to go back to work on Vivian’s feet when Vivian stopped her.

“Do you think—I’m sorry, but I think I’d like to leave a little sooner than I’d originally planned. Could we just finish up with a clear coat of nail polish and call it a day?”

“Of course.” The woman looked a little concerned, as if she realized that Vivian was upset about something, but she didn’t pry. “I’ll just apply a quick top coat and you’ll be all set.”

A few minutes later, Vivian was walking out of the spa and onto the boardwalk that lined the adjoining beach. She took a deep breath of the salty air, immediately feeling even more relaxed than she had inside the spa. Golden sunlight was sparkling on the ocean waves, which were a breathtakingly vibrant blue. Overhead, seagulls uttered hoarse cries, and the soft flute music coming from inside the spa could still be be heard in the open air.

A walk,she thought, starting along the boardwalk toward the tossing, glittering waves.A walk will be just what I need.

As she strolled along the boardwalk, letting the wind kiss her face, she took deep breaths and tried to get control of her emotions. She reminded herself that even though it felt as though she could see her future stretching out ahead of her, clear as crystal with no surprises, she didn’t really know what her coming days and years would hold. After all, she hadn’t known that Faith would come into their lives, and she hadn’t known that Cooper would propose to Julia, or that Hazel’s long-time crush Jacob would turn out to have been crushing on her the whole time as well…

She realized that most of the “events” in her life were really events that were happening in her children’s lives. Although she loved her children and she felt a sincere joy about all of their victories, she realized just how much she wanted her own life to be filled with excitement, like it used to be. She didn’t want all of her joys to be secondhand.

She swallowed and took another deep breath, reminding herself that she couldn’t possibly know what the future held. Maybe there was more excitement waiting for her than she thought there would be. Maybe she could take herself on a trip somewhere or adopt a dog or start a club. She could still make choices for herself that brought her firsthand joy.

Besides, she knew she was incredibly fortunate to have all of the wonderful people in her life that she did. She had all of the staff at The Lighthouse Grill that had become great friends over the years, and all of the regular customers who had become like friends too. There were her wonderful children, her life-long friends, and Terrence?—

An image of Terrence smiling at her as they sat together at the counter at The Lighthouse Grill appeared in her mind, filling her with a kind of peaceful happiness. She was surprised that he’d come to her mind so quickly, and that of all the people she’d been thinking about, he was the one who her thoughts were lingering on now.

I shouldn’t be surprised,she thought, continuing her walk and taking deep breaths of the tangy scent of the ocean.He’s been so incredibly kind to me these past few months.

Although she and Terrence hadn’t been friends for all that long, he’d treated her as though he had a deep loyalty to her. He’d defended her and the pub to Judd McCormick during the Christmas party, in front of everyone, and he’d gallantly helped her choose a new coffee brand for The Lighthouse Grill, turning the process into a kind of game that they got to enjoy together.

She’d come to look forward to his visits to the pub, she realized. He always brightened her day. Even though at first she’d thought him a fussy, persnickety man, either he’d learned to loosen up or she’d misjudged him, or both. Underneath his trim appearance and passion for rules and regulations, he was a sincere, kind-hearted man. His friendship meant a great dealto her, and she thought to herself that she should invite him to another one of the Owens family dinner nights soon.

Feeling calmer and more at ease, she reached the end of the boardwalk. It was near the place where her car was parked in the parking lot, and she decided to end her spa day there and head home. It had been a full, relaxing experience, and one that she’d enjoyed perfectly until those unexpected sad moments during the pedicure.

She started the engine of her car and pulled out of the spa parking lot. She smiled at the beautiful white building, feeling grateful that she’d gotten to spend so many hours there.

As she started the long drive back to Rosewood Beach, her thoughts returned to her children and all of the good things that were happening to them. Even if she did want more excitement in her own life, she still loved to celebrate all of their wins. She couldn’t wait for Julia’s wedding, or for Alexis’s baby to be born.

All of sudden, she heard a loud popping noise, and her car began to weave from side to side. Vivian gasped and gripped the steering wheel, trying to keep the car straight on the winding road she was on, one side of which dropped off into a steep ditch. A few terrifying moments passed before she managed to steer her car onto the shoulder and stop it.

She clutched the steering wheel, shaking from head to toe and breathing heavily. She felt as though she was in some kind of dream, but her heart was hammering loudly, which drew her back to the present. She breathed down a few more gulps of air and then got out of the car.

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