“No buts. My new motto is family and friends before work, whenever possible. Without losing clients, or sanity, that is.”
“Don’t worry about the Hortons, it was just a formality. You’ve shot every event for that family in the past five years and that’s not going to change.”
“Is that so?” I laughed.
“I’m glad you’re staying in Chance a bit longer, Teddi.”
“I’m not staying in Chance,” I said. “I’m visiting my parents in Portland.”
*
My phone clattered with Josie’s new ringtone.
“I’m up,” I said.
“Be ready in about half an hour,” Josie said. “You know, I’m really going to miss you.”
“I’m coming back Columbus Day weekend to stay with Shay, while Miles and Violet go to New York for a mini-moon, courtesy of Simon.”
“Wow. I should get married again if it means a free vacation.”
“And if I win that contest…”
“I can be your plus-one to the award dinner! I’m a really great date.”
“I’m sure you are.”
“It won’t be the same here without you.”
“You can visit me whenever you want, but I’ll never get out of here if I don’t get off the phone and finish packing. See you soon.”
“Be waiting outside, okay? I don’t want to have to drag you out of there.”
“Oh my God, Jos, yes, I’ll be waiting outside.”
*
A half hour later I stepped out onto the porch for the last time. Next time I’d be staying with Shay. The time after that, I’d promised Josie I’d stay with her. I made her promise that her book club would read a book and that the gossip girls wouldn’t be invited. I felt hollow as I watched the quiet street, drumming my fingers along the railing with impatience. I was going to miss this place and these people. I always had.
I left my bags near the steps and walked back inside, ran my hand along the mantel, the back of the settee. I could walk around the garden one more time.
A blue compact car drove down Lark Street and parked. It wasn’t one of Josie’s cars. Maybe Beck had booked another guest. Maybe one of the Wagoneers had thought to bring me a goodie bag for my flight. Then, Cameron stepped out of the car, turned, and smiled. He walked around the car toward the sidewalk. His pace quickened and I sprung down the steps and onto the path, where I scampered until we met, somewhere, but not exactly, in the middle.
“You’re back from Akron.”
“I came back last night.”
“I know.” I laughed.
“In Chance, someone always knows.” We both said it and snickered. I forced myself to stop.
“Josie?” Cameron asked.
“Deanna,” I said.
He shook his head and chuckled. “Beck texted me. He explained that things were cool between the two of you. I also got a call from Simon and one from your assistant, Annie. Josie has texted me about two dozen times and has launched an all-out campaign to make me understand the confusion on that porch.” He pointed as if accusing the porch itself for the mayhem. “I also know you’re going to Portland for a week.”
“People in Chance aren’t known for being subtle.”
“Or discreet.” Cameron held his arms behind his back. “A lot of people love you, Teddi Lerner.”
I blushed. “Josie’s on her way.”
“No, she’s not.”
“She better be or I’ll miss my flight.”
“I’m going to drive you to the airport if that’s okay.”
“It is.” God bless Josie.
“I’ll be back in Oakland in about a month. Maybe we can have lunch? Or go for a walk?”
I nodded again. “I’d like that.”
Cameron brought his arms around front, and when he opened his hand, I saw a small stone. “Bet you never thought you’d have a stone all the way from Akron.”
“How did you know about my stones?”
“Because you put me to shame at Jasper Pond. How quickly you forget crushing my stone-skipping soul.”
“I will treasure it.” I said it without an ounce of sarcasm, but then I inhaled and told Cameron about Shay and the cemetery, and about writing on twenty-two stones for Celia.
He lifted my right hand, laid the stone in it, and closed my fingers around it. “I wish I’d known her for longer,” he said.
“I wish I’d known her longer too.”
I reached into the pocket of my dress, released his stone, and pulled out another. This one I’d picked up in the garden right before The Porch Invasion. I opened my hand and showed the smooth stone to Cameron. It was not flat enough to skip in the pond, but sat perfectly still in the middle of my palm, as if floating.
“Maybe you’ll leave that one for Celia one day,” he said.
“I will when I come back. It won’t be the same if I don’t carry it around for a while first.”
“Maybe by then, you’ll have written my name on it.”
I already had.
*
I’d been back at work for a month, but today was different. Today I walked into the lobby of the San Francisco Hester Hotel carrying a briefcase. I reasoned (or was easily swayed) that as creative director of Hester Properties, I needed this accessory. Josie had helped me choose the perfect indulgence—Burberry in mineral blue. We’d shopped online in tandem, Josie sending photos and links across the country as if she were whisking me around the mall.
“Good morning, Fiona.” I stopped at the round glass table in the center of the lobby and waved to the hotel’s morning manager. Yellow, lavender, pink, and peach tulips dipped in unison over and around the sides of a glass vase large enough to hold a watermelon. “There must be two hundred tulips in here.”
“At least.” Fiona smiled. “I wonder who could have said she liked tulips.”
“I wonder who!”
“Someone starting in her new position today, perhaps?”
“Perhaps.” I walked to Fiona and laid my hands on the counter. “Thank you. It was a nice surprise.”
“Don’t thank me,” she said. “Simon wanted to make sure that your first official day was perfect.”
When I stepped out of the elevator on the twelfth floor, home of my new office, a vase of red tulips stood on the dark wooden hall table beneath a large round mirror. My hair was down and loose. I set my briefcase on the floor between my legs and adjusted the crew neck of my simple peach knit A-line dress. I smoothed the pockets, flat and empty.
I walked into Annie’s new space, a converted alcove, decorated with sleek wood furniture and a soft green settee—a definite upgrade from a cubicle. A vase full of peach and yellow parrot tulips sat at the edge of Annie’s desk.
“The tulips are amazing. I’ll have to thank Simon later.”
“He’s in Miami until Wednesday. He said to tell you to enjoy the view.”
“It really feels like the first day of something brand new and exciting,” I said. “Like everything up until today has been leading right to now.”