Beth

The next morning came too quickly and the knock at Beth’s bedroom door sent her into panic mode. It was Parker, it had to be. Even thinking his name made Beth’s insides squirm. All the emotions she’d been trying to push away came rushing back. It was too soon. She’d done nothing but cry all night and inhale the lingering scent that clung to Parker’s shirt that she still wore.

Beth thought of Brenna and everything she’d said last night. Beth did need to get her head out of her ass. Whether it was Parker or Jared, she needed to stop waiting around and start making her own decisions. She took a deep breath and smoothed her wild hair. It was one day before Brenna’s wedding. Beth and Parker would undoubtedly be thrown together for at least the rehearsal. There was no sense in putting things off. She plastered a brave smile on her face and answered the door, but it wasn’t Parker. It was a masseuse.

A woman wearing a crisp white uniform and carrying a folding massage table under her arm greeted Beth. She smiled brightly and held her hand out. “Hello, Miss Bennett. I’m Gretchen. Where would you like me to set up?”

Beth blinked at Gretchen in confusion. “Are you sure you have the right room?”

Gretchen glanced at the number on Beth’s door. “Yes, Miss Bennett.”

“I think there’s been a mistake. I didn’t order a massage.”

Gretchen smiled sweetly and handed Beth an envelope. “I’ll just set up by the French doors. The light is lovely at this hour.”

Beth barely heard Gretchen as she tore into the envelope, pulling out a note.

I hope this can make up for some of the stress I caused. – Parker

Something fluttered in Beth’s chest, and her hand absently went to her lips. An image of Parker flashed in her mind, transporting her back to the way he’d looked at her last night just before leaving. His eyes had been hungry pools of blue flames, fringed with midnight lashes. No one had ever looked at her like that before. It frightened her, but in the best way possible.

As Beth stared at Parker’s name neatly scrawled on the rich cardstock, the answer to the question she’d been asking herself all night became almost immediately clear.

Gretchen’s voice interrupted Beth’s thoughts. “Shall we begin, Miss Bennett?”

Beth smiled as she turned to face the masseuse. “Yes, I think we shall.”

Jared

Jared and Sullivan were riding a chairlift back up the mountain when Jared’s phone chimed again.

“Bro, just call her back already,” Sullivan said.

Jared felt like it was the millionth message he’d ignored. But he didn’t know what to say. All Beth’s messages were putting him on edge. He was afraid she’d somehow found out about him and Caroline. That wasn’t something he wanted to get into on a chairlift. “I’ll call her later.”

“Is everything okay with you two?” Sullivan asked.

“Yeah, why? Did she say something?”

“No, but it’s just weird that she’s not here.”

“I told you, she’s got her sister’s wedding.”

“Right, with the stand-in boyfriend.”

“His name is Parker and they’re just friends.”

Sullivan laughed. “If you say so, dude.”

“I do say so.”

“Well you’re a bigger man than me.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing. I’m just saying I wouldn’t let my girlfriend go to a wedding with some other dude.”

“Well I’m not you,” Jared growled.

Sullivan held his hands up in surrender. “Chill, bro. I didn’t mean anything by it. I like Beth. She’s good for you.”

Jared didn’t respond. He knew Beth was good for him. That wasn’t the problem.

Sullivan sighed. “Just tell her I gave you her message, alright?”

Jared shoved his ear buds in, signaling their conversation was over.

Sullivan had given Jared Beth’s message last night. Unfortunately, Sullivan’s timing was awful. He’d announced Beth wanted Jared to call him in front of everyone in the hot tub, prompting the guys to hassle Jared to no end. There was no way he could call Beth back without getting hazed now. Plus, Jared didn’t like the challenging look Caroline gave him whenever she caught him glancing at his phone. She was always around and he couldn’t escape the feeling that she was waiting for him to slip up.

But Jared had no plans of messing up. He only had a few more days of spring break to get through. Then a few more weeks until graduation. If he could turn down the super hot and super drunk sorority girls that hit on him all last night, Jared was convinced he could get through anything.

After everything Jared drank last night, it was a freaking miraculous display of self-restraint that he hadn’t taken any of the flirty co-ed’s to bed. They’d been relentless in their flirtation, but luckily there was a hot tub full of lacrosse guys that happily stepped up in Jared’s place.

But that hadn’t seemed to satisfy Caroline. Jared was probably being paranoid, but he wouldn’t put it past her to have planned the tempting party girls as some sort of test of his loyalty to Beth.

Jared refused to cave. Caroline could blackmail him all she wanted. He was determined to show her that she was only doing him a favor by forcing him to enjoy a free Aspen vacation. He was playing it as cool as the freaking Rockies just to piss her off. But getting under her skin wasn’t so easy.

Caroline glanced back at Jared from the chairlift in front of him. It was like she had a sixth sense to know Jared had been thinking about her. She smiled girlishly and waved her fingers. He waved back, pretending to be unfazed. Caroline turned back to the girls on her chairlift and shared a laugh, probably at Jared’s expense.

He sighed and turned his phone off. There would be plenty of time to talk to Beth when this was all over. For now he had to play by Caroline’s rules.

Beth

Beth felt renewed after her massage. She showered and dressed in her black and white gingham maxi dress. She always felt extra girly when she wore full-length dresses. She glanced in the mirror, feeling as though she’d just stepped out of a fairytale. And maybe she had.

Parker had sent Beth a heavenly massage to start her day. What could be more magical than that? She had to give him props. The boy knew how to spoil her.

When Beth reached the lobby she saw her family gathered in the parlor. Everyone was making a fuss over something. Beth assumed it was one of her nieces or nephews. As she approached the scene, she saw she was half right. But her heart nearly stopped when she realized who else was stealing the scene. Parker sat in an overstuffed chair, holding a sleeping toddler on his lap.

The sight took Beth’s breath away. The universe was definitely team Parker. Beth had never seen anything sweeter than Parker holding Brenna’s little boy. Parker was gently rubbing circles on Michael’s back, looking like he might fall asleep himself.

Beatrice was nearby pushing the twins’ stroller back and forth to keep them quiet, while a very pregnant Britton looked on adoringly. Beth could see Britton’s husband smoking a cigar out back on the veranda, while Beatrice’s husband was busy wrangling the older children on the lawn. Bianca sat next to their mother smiling at something Parker said.

Beth took a step further into the parlor, trying to hear what they were saying. She was about to continue into the room when she heard her mother and Brenna whispering to each other. They were closest to Parker with their backs to Beth.

“I don’t get it,” Brenna hissed. “I can never get him to take a nap!”

“That’s because you’re too lenient with him, sweetheart,” Beth’s mother crooned.

“I am not.” Brenna turned her attention to Parker. “Spill it. What’s your secret, Parker?”

Parker yawned. “It’s no secret. We just played tag all morning. I think I tired him out.”

“Looks like he tuckered you out, too,” Beth’s mother added. “You look like you didn’t sleep a wink last night.”

“That’s because I bunked with Harold,” Parker added sheepishly.

Beth’s mother shook her head. “I swear, I don’t know how in heaven he doesn’t wake himself up with that awful snoring.”

“Why aren’t you staying with Beth?” Brenna asked.

“She still wasn’t feeling well and I wanted to give her some space.”

Brenna looked like she was about to probe Parker for more so Beth quickly left her sheltered post at the doorway and breezed into the parlor like she hadn’t just been eavesdropping.

“Morning,” Beth sang in what she hoped was a breezy voice.

“Hey, Bethy,” Brenna replied shrewdly. “You never told me Parker had such mad baby whispering skills.”

“Parker has all kinds of hidden talents,” Beth replied softly, meeting his eyes.

Brenna grinned conspiratorially. “I’ll bet.”

Beth noticed Parker watching her and Brenna’s banter. His eyes bouncing back and forth between them like he was following a tennis match.

“You look awfully well-rested for someone who wasn’t feeling well last night,” Brenna continued.

“Why, thank you. I feel much better this morning,” Beth said ignoring Brenna and smiling at Parker.

“I’m glad,” he said.

Beth grinned and mouthed a quick ‘thank you’ to him, to which he returned a wink. It made her insides glow. How had she seriously never dared to wish for things to be like this between them?

“Well,” Brenna said. “Since you’re feeling so much better, I was hoping you could help with a few last minute wedding things?”

“Isn’t it all last minute?” Beth muttered.

Brenna ignored the dig and handed Beth a list of ridiculous wedding tasks.

Beth groaned. “Seriously? You want me to track down Nana’s gloves?”

“They’re my something old,” Brenna whined.

There was an entire storage room full of Nana’s things at Bellemora. “It’ll take me all day to find them.”

“Then you better get started,” Brenna replied with a syrupy sweet smile that Beth knew was only for their mother’s benefit.

“But I still have to finish filling the wedding favors with sand,” Beth complained.

“Parker already did that,” Beth’s mother replied.

Beth started at him. Of course he did.

“I’ll help you with your list,” Parker offered.

“Oh, no you don’t,” Brenna said. “You’re not going anywhere. When a fourteen month old takes a nap, you do not wake him.”

“Amen,” Beatrice added.

Beth looked at her mother for help, but she was just smiling along with everyone else.

“Fine,” Beth muttered. So much for her great day.

* * *

Beth was fuming as she stalked across the grounds to the old stables that had been converted into a climate-controlled storage facility. It was where her family stored all their Bellemora heirlooms and antique furniture. When the estate was renovated so it could be turned partially into a hotel, a lot of the family’s personal belongings were moved into storage. There just wasn’t room from everything in the house anymore.

Bellemora was still a bit too cluttered for Beth’s taste. She had a more minimalist style. Beth liked clean lines and white linen. Bellemora was all ruffles, roses and varnish. But she supposed it was beautiful in its own right. There was at least something to be said for the way it preserved history. But Beth still preferred her modern Boston home. The only thing she truly loved about Bellemora was its sprawling grounds and the vivid childhood memories it held.

She unlocked the doors and stepped into the storage building, still cursing Brenna under her breath. “When a fourteen month old takes a nap, you do not wake him,” Beth mimicked in Brenna’s sassy voice.

Beth rolled her eyes. Brenna was infuriating. Not only did she dole out orders like she was the Queen of England, but she still talked about Michael like he was a baby. Fourteen months. Why not just say he’s one? Beth hated when people counted baby time in months instead of years. Who cared about months? She didn’t go around saying she was 219 months old.

Blowing a loose strand of hair out of her face, Beth sighed. She knew she was just being bitter about being sent to the musty old storage room. The place sort of creeped her out. She didn’t particularly believe in ghosts, but she didn’t not believe in them either. If ever there were a place for spirits to flock to, it would be the old storage shed at Bellemora. The place smelled like tears and lost love. Okay, it mostly smelled like mothballs and dust, but Beth’s imagination always ran wild there. Especially since Brenna used to fill her head with scary stories about Civil War soldiers wandering the grounds searching for vengeance.

Beth shivered the thoughts away. “You’re not ten anymore, Beth. Suck it up.”

After her mini pep talk, Beth walked down the rows of climate-controlled storage lockers looking for the one labeled with Nana’s name. Nana had moved back to Bellemora when she was in her sixties, saying the warm climate was easier on her. She’d grown up at Bellemora, but moved to Boston to be closer to Beth’s mother and all the grandkids. Beth and her sister’s were Nana’s only grandkids and she’d spoiled them rotten.

Being the youngest grandchild had its perks. Nana always spent extra time doting on Beth. She took Beth to bridge night with all her hoity-toity old lady friends at the country club in Boston. She taught Beth how to make chocolate-chip cookies from scratch and always let her lick the spoon when they were done. Beth never got to do that at home. Her older sisters always beat her to it. But Nana never let that happen. She always found little ways to make Beth feel special.

Rolling open Nana’s storage shed unleashed a flood of emotions Beth hadn’t been expecting. A lump formed in her throat as she surveyed Nana’s belongings. She’d been very close to her, but being here, pawing through her things, felt wrong. Beth wanted to hold onto the good memories she had of Nana, not dig through a storage unit of her unused things.

When Nana passed away, Beth thought she’d never smile again. She’d missed her so much it physically hurt. Parker had been the one who got her through her grief. He’d come over every night and watched movies with Beth until she fell asleep. He’d been the first person to get her to laugh again by recounting numerous funny stories about Nana.

Beth closed her eyes and held onto those memories. They brought her warmth in such a cold place. Steeling herself, she opened her eyes and flipped back the lid on one of Nana’s trunks. A familiar scent wafted out and the space filled with Nana’s watery rose fragrance. Tears stung Beth’s eyes and for a moment she swore she could feel Nana in the room with her.

Regaining her composure, Beth peered into the trunk. She found a pair of white lace gloves resting on top, like they’d been waiting to be found for this very occasion. Beth sighed with relief and carefully tucked them into her purse. She was about to turn to go when a photo caught her eye. It was a framed photo of Nana and Pop. She ran her fingers over the glass lovingly. They looked so young and happy.

Beth had never met Nana’s husband. He died before she was born, but Nana talked about him all the time. It was obvious they’d been in love. In the photo, Nana was smiling at the camera, but the handsome man at her side wasn’t. He was holding her hand and looking at her like he’d never seen something so lovely in all his life.

A twinge of emotion thumped in Beth’s chest. She knew that look. It was the way Parker had looked at her last night. Suddenly, Nana’s words found their way to the front of her mind. ‘Never be afraid to ask for what you want in life. When you find your happiness, speak it out loud and hold onto it with all you got.’

Nana had said those words to Beth one day when Brenna was playing with a beautiful pearl necklace of Nana’s that Beth had always coveted. Beth had cried about it, and Nana told her that Brenna asked to borrow the necklace. If Beth had wanted it, all she’d had to do was ask. Then Nana had taken Beth’s cheeks in her warm hands and said those words. ‘Never be afraid to ask for what you want in life. When you find your happiness, speak it out loud and hold on to it with all you got.’

Like most things, Beth hadn’t realized the true wisdom of those words in that moment. But Nana was right. The statement was powerful and one Beth definitely needed to apply to her life. She never asked for what she truly wanted. If she had she wouldn’t be here. She let Jared make all the decisions about their relationship. She let her family boss her around at every turn. The only true happiness Beth had in her life was Parker. And her own timid nature had prevented her from ever telling him how she felt. He was what she wanted. He was her happiness. She wanted him in her life. She wanted him to stay in Boston. She wanted to explore what this thing was between them. And it was time she told him.

A new sense of purpose filled Beth as she began flipping furiously through the trunks in the storage room. Nana’s words spurred her on. She needed to start going after what she wanted in life or it would pass her by. Her heart pounded as she searched for the symbol that would remind her to keep Nana’s words with her. And when she saw that pearl necklace gleaming back at her, Beth could’ve cried.

She gently picked it up. The strand of rope length pearls was so long it had been knotted three quarters of the way down and there was still plenty of room for Beth to slip it over her head. The pearls settled cooly against her skin and Beth felt a chill sweep through her. It was as though Nana had a hand on her shoulder, guiding her toward her destiny.

Beth righted the room and checked one last time to make sure the pearls were secure. Then she prepared to march back to the hotel with purpose. As she was about to leave, an idea dawned on her and she turned back to look for one last thing.