Page 96 of The Beach Shack Summer
Inside, the house felt different. Not empty, exactly, but reconfigured. Like furniture after a move—same pieces, new arrangement.
“Night,” Stella said, heading for her room.
“Hey, Stella?”
She paused. “Yeah?”
“Thanks. For suggesting the pizza. I was kind of...”
“Freaking out?”
“Mildly concerned.”
“You were freaking out.” But she said it gently. “It’s fine. We’ll figure it out.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. Plus, Meg’s literally three doors down. If we really screw up, we can send smoke signals.”
“Or yell.”
“She specifically asked us not to yell.”
“Emergency yelling only,” Tyler compromised.
Stella almost smiled. “Night, Tyler.”
Her door closed, music starting up at reasonable volume. Background noise for their new configuration.
Tyler looked around his reclaimed kitchen. Tomorrow he’d have to meal plan. Tomorrow they’d navigate life without a buffer.
But tonight, they’d proven three doors was walkable. Even with stolen staplers and relocated succulents and too much pizza.
Meg sat in the familiar kitchen, staring at the leftover pizza and trying not to feel ridiculous about the tears that kept threatening. It was just three doors. She’d moved three doors with a toothbrush and commitment issues.
A knock interrupted her pity party. She opened the door to find Luke holding a bottle of wine and wearing that smile that made her stomach flip.
“Housewarming gift?” he offered.
“You already helped me move my vast estate of two suitcases.”
“That was moving. This is checking on you.” He stepped inside, taking in the space. “How are you doing? Really?”
“I’m sitting alone in my old house, eating leftover pizza and talking to a stolen succulent.”
“Herbert’s a good listener?”
“The best.” She found some wine glasses and let Luke pour. “It’s so quiet.”
“Different from Tyler’s chaos?”
“I can’t hear Stella’s music. Or Tyler reorganizing things. Or anyone breathing.” She took a sip of wine. “It’s what I said I wanted.”
“But?”
“But it’s really quiet.”
Luke set down his glass and pulled her into a hug. She let herself lean into him, breathing in his familiar salt-and-sunshine scent.
