Forget Me (Hampton Harbor) (27 page)

Have a Happy Birthday
tomorrow. I still miss you.

It's the first I've heard from him in months. How did he know my
birthday, and why is he texting
me
now? After all this
time.

Unless... and he still.
He couldn't possibly...

"Mel?" Robbie sits up straighter. "You look like
you've seen a ghost."

I stand up and shove my phone into my back pocket and set my bowl
of popcorn on the coffee table.

"Melissa, what is it?" Robbie sounds worried now.

"I have to go," I tell him.

"Where? It's almost nine o’clock." He is looking at me
like I'm crazy.

"No, I have to
go
go,"
I respond. Then I shoot him a half smile, knowing just how to explain in a way
he’ll understand. "I have to go see about a boy.

The cold sea breeze
nips at my face and blows my shoulder length hair across my face. I've only
seen Hampton Harbor in the summer, so seeing the sky such a cold gray and the
boardwalk devoid of tourists is depressing. The trees that cover the island are
pretty shades of orange, yellows, and reds. My drive into town was beautiful,
with leaves falling on my car and blowing all over the road. I packed a bag
quickly that evening and caught a morning flight out of Chicago. I rented a car
in Portland and drove into Hampton Harbor in the early afternoon. 

I stopped to see Charles and Marie first, to ask if I could stay
for the weekend and to tell them my plans. Now I’m standing at the marina,
watching the boats sway in the rocky water. Most of them are covered with large
tarps, ready to be boarded for a long winter. A few spots are empty, for those
boats that are moved onto land and into large storage warehouses. I know why I
came to the docks, but now that I’m here
I’m
feeling
lost.

I felt so certain flying across the country and coming here, but
my confidence was stripped from me somewhere between here and Portland.

           
I’m
trying to do this the right way, at least the way I believe to be right. I gave
myself time, and waited until my divorce was finalized. I don’t even know if
Will will receive me well, but I have to hold on to the hope that his text
message meant something more than just a simple ‘happy birthday’ message, and
that maybe he just missed our friendship.

           
I
turn and head back up the dock, wondering if I’ll find Will in his office. It
will be odd, walking into the building and being recognized as
that girl
. The one who had no memories,
the one who sucked Will in and then left him behind while she ran home to her
husband. At least, that is how I assume they see me.

           
I’m
almost to the boardwalk when I hear it.

           
My
name.

           
“Jane?”

           
It’s
strange to hear my name uttered in Hampton Harbor, my real name. I’ve grown so
used to being Melissa these past two months that I immediately turn around.
Part of Jane lives in me when I’m in this town, but I have come to accept that
I am Melissa.

           
Will
is leaning over the edge of a boat.
The
Anna
.

           
His
dark hair is shorter than I remember, not even touching the tops of his ears. I
can’t make out his expression in the shadows, and I see him squint, as if he is
really trying to decide whether he sees me or not.

           
I
raise my hand slightly and wave, and then he is gone. My stomach rolls over
itself, disturbing the butterflies that have been mostly dormant since July.
They had awoken slowly from their slumber on the drive over, and now they are
ready to fly.

           
Will
skids around the corner of the dock, as if he’s mid-run. He’s just ten yards
away from me, and we are both standing our ground. We stare. His eyes flick to
my hand, which is devoid of my rings. Marie told him about my divorce. I asked
her to.

           
One second. Two. Three. Four.

           
Will
moves first, covering the distance in long, quick strides. He doesn’t speak; he
just grabs my head and pulls my mouth to his. I grip his back and my feet leave
the ground for a moment and he pulls me close.

           
The
kiss is deep and meaningful and everything I’ve been wanting since I left in
July. It’s everything I’ve thought of and dreamt of since leaving Hampton
Harbor.

           
Will
loosens his grip and my feet are back on the ground. He takes a step back.

           
“Hey,”
he says.

           
“Hey,”
I respond.

           
I
do something silly then, but for some reason I feel led to. I hold my hand out
and after careful speculation; he reaches his forward and shakes it.

           
“I’m
Melissa,” I say.

           
He
grins, one corner of his mouth pulling up higher than the other.

           
“Will,”
he responds.

           
“Do
you always kiss girls you’ve just met?” I tease.

           
He
shrugs. “I like to make a great first impression.”

           
We
both shift anxiously.

           
“Did
you hear? It’s my birthday.”

           
“Is
that so?” He runs a hand through his hair and I realize how much I’ve missed
that gesture.

           
I
nod. “And I’ve heard that there’s a restaurant here that serves the best cheese
ravioli in the state of Maine.”

           
Will
smiles, but this time it isn’t out of humor. There is affection in his
expression now, a softness. He reaches his hand out and laces his fingers
through mine.

           
“Well,
I wouldn’t want you to spend your birthday alone.”

           
We
fall into step beside each other, walking toward the boardwalk.

           
Will
leans to the side and places a kiss my head.

           
“Welcome
back
,” he whispers into my hair.

           
I’m not just back
, I think.
I’m home
.

Thank you to all of my readers. Thank you to those who have
reached out to me via Facebook or email, and have shared your thoughts,
critiques, and encouragement. Thank you for making my dream a reality, and
inspiring me to continue to write, no matter the genre.

Thank you to Randi, who sat in Applebees for three hours and went
over my book piece by piece.

Thank you to Kaylen, who let me share my original brainstorms for
this story and helped me decide what direction I would take it.

Thank you to Kellen, who helped push me toward the idea that
Hampton Harbor needs it’s own series.

Thank you to Jaime and Amber, who read several drafts and took the
time to point out glaring errors, and talk me through inconsistencies.
 

Thank you to Alexis, who read over my book and said “WRITE MORE”.

Thank you to our gorgeous cover model, Angelica.

Thank you to my husband and children, who once again put up with
weeks of soup for dinner, lack of clean clothes, and dirty dishes in the sink.

Jess Petosa is a Philly girl transplanted to the middle of Amish
Indiana.
 
Somewhere in between
chasing two toddlers and meeting her one hundred books a year reading goal, she
writes young adult fiction.
 
She is
a wife and mother, a reading teacher, and a photographer as well. You could say
she likes to keep busy.

Look for Jess Petosa’s YA dystopian series, Exceptional.

Find Jess Petosa on Facebook!

Look for updates at…

http://jesspetosa.blogspot.com