Rewind to You (26 page)

Mom turns to me. “You know him?”

“Austin knows him, actually. Really well.”

“Oh, wonderful.” Mom rolls her eyes and heaves a deep breath. “Officer Greene, I assure you Spencer will hear an earful tonight. This sort of thing won’t happen again.”

Officer Greene gives a simple nod in reply. “Y’all take care. Good night, Spencer.”

Spencer is too busy fighting off tears to respond. Mom closes the door, and the space between us becomes dangerously quiet. I think about our lost house and the repairs to Marjorie’s Café we’ll have to fork up money for. Somehow.

“Spencer!” Mom’s voice shatters the silence. Spencer flinches. I place my hand on the banister, taking in a deep breath. Here comes the earful.

“What were you
thinking
!” she yells, not really asking a question at all. “You could have hurt someone. You could have been killed! I’m going to have a word with Bobby’s parents. You shouldn’t be playing with fireworks without adult supervision in the first place. And you set a café on fire! Was it an accident?”

The tears welling up in Spencer’s eyes spill over.

“Was it an accident?” she demands again.

He shakes his head, his eyes glued on the floor. “No.”

Her voice rises. “No? You intentionally threw a firecracker at a restaurant? Why would you do that, Spencer? Why would you do that!”

Tears pour down Spencer’s cheeks, dripping from his chin to the floor. “I was trying to get him.”

“Get who?”

Spencer draws in a long, shaky breath, barely managing a reply. “Two-Face.”

Mom falls silent.

“I . . . saw . . . him . . . inside.” Sobs fragment his sentence. “He was in there. I know he was. I have x-ray vision.”

My eyes shift to the tinfoil batarangs poking out of his back pockets, and my heart contracts. My mom stands, speechless, for several drawn-out seconds. Finally, she drops to her knees, fresh tears in her own eyes. She draws my eight-year-old brother into her arms.

“Oh, Spencer,” she cries, stroking his head and holding him tight.

I slump onto the bottom stair, thinking about the house and the café and everything that made this night go from amazing to bad to worse. I recall Brian’s party, how everything around me and Austin faded as we danced. A moment that now seems a lifetime ago. And I’m reminded of one more awful turn of events, something I haven’t had a chance to fully process until now:
We’re leaving Wednesday morning
.

Summer is over. My time here is up. And then what? When will I see Austin again? This fall at one of his football games? And that’s only if I can scrounge up enough money for a flight. Either way, even the idea of not seeing Austin for months at a time guts me out, leaving me hollow. I bury my face in my hands, hardly able to bear the thought that tomorrow—Austin’s birthday—is the day we’ll say good-bye.

CHAPTER 39

Austin

I
step out of the beach shop after my shift, glancing at Marjorie’s Café. Again. Can’t stop looking at it. “Firecrackers,” my boss explained. “Apparently some kids were fooling around last night.” So that’s the explanation I gave curious customers throughout the morning, thinking about old Jesse and the restaurant he and his wife, Marjorie, built together from the ground up. The balcony looks no better than a hunk of charred wood. Caution tape zones off the area. Marjorie’s definitely won’t be open until repairs are done.

With no second job now, I have an entire afternoon with nothing but Sienna on the docket. And every other afternoon for the next few weeks. I pull out my cell and dial her number.

The phone rings once, twice, five times before . . .

“Austin?”

“Hey, babe.”

“Happy birthday!” she says, the excitement in her voice coming out a bit forced.

I smile, passing Marjorie’s Café as I head to my motorcycle. “Thanks.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t call,” she says. “This morning has been crazy.”

“No worries. Everything okay?” I ask, remembering how her mom sat slumped on the barstool last night, like she’d hit rock bottom. I wonder if I’m actually starting to feel bad for the woman who so obviously hates me.

There’s a long pause on Sienna’s end before she finally replies, “Not really. We need to talk.”

“Okay.” I pause, giving her a chance.

“I’d rather talk to you in person.”

This can’t be good. “Are you all right?”

Another long pause. “Austin, we lost our house.”

I have no idea what to say. I look up at the burned balcony, realizing I’ve stopped in the middle of the street. “Your house? In Virginia?”

“Yes.”

What do you say to that? “Wow, Sienna—”

She exhales. “That’s only the beginning of it, too. I really need to talk to you.”

“Sure. I was going to pick you up for lunch anyway.”

“Austin, I should be the one taking you out. It’s your birthday.”

“No way. I was planning on taking you to Jesse’s café, but you should see the place.”

Sienna heaves an exhausted sigh. “It’s burned pretty bad, isn’t it?”

“You heard?” I ask.

“Spencer’s the one who did it.”

“
What?
Spencer? Is he okay?”

“Yeah, everyone’s fine. But I don’t know how much money the repairs will cost, and our finances aren’t so hot right now. Things are a little . . . on edge around here.”

“Let me come get you,” I say. “I’ll buy you lunch, and then I’ll go talk to Jesse. Maybe we can work something out.”

I hear a faint rustling sound on Sienna’s end, like she’s moving stuff around. “Actually, I can’t do lunch. My mom had to reschedule a lunch with Judy for today, and I’m watching Spencer. Besides, I told her I’d get things . . . cleaned up here while she’s gone.”

“Can I help?”

“That’s sweet of you, but I’m fine. I’ll meet you in an hour, okay? At the pier. I have a present for you.”

“I told you not to get me anything.”

I can picture her smiling as she replies, “I’ll see you at the pier.”

“Okay.” I try not to let her hear my disappointment. With an hour to kill, I could go to Jesse’s, but I don’t want to talk to him before I get the details of last night. So I fire up my motorcycle and let my hungry stomach guide me down the street.

When I reach a restaurant that looks good, I instantly regret that Sienna’s not with me. It’s nothing like the Aqua Star, but it’s as fancy as restaurants come on Tybee. I glance around as the waiter seats me, noticing almost everyone sitting in couples or groups.

I order right away, anxious to split as soon as I eat. A candle-lit slice of cake is served to a table near me, and the group sings “Happy Birthday.” I catch myself smiling at the birthday kid, who is all eyes for the candle he’s about to wish on.

My waiter returns with a glass of water and a Coke, slicing my trance.

“Thanks,” I say. As my fingers touch the cold glass of Coke, I recall the unfinished soda I threw away after Sienna teased me about it killing me off early. I remember the first date I took her on, sitting across from her at the Pirate’s House restaurant. I told her I couldn’t see myself living long. I laugh now, because I honestly used to think that.

I reach for the glass of water instead, smiling. Next thing I know I’ll be drinking kale juice. Pathetic. Oh well. It took meeting Sienna to realize I wasn’t heading anywhere, not really. She showed me that there is something more to life than football, independence, and big dreams. Maybe Sienna’s right. Perhaps I’ll miss my mom more than I thought.

A glimpse of Sienna in my peripheral vision snaps my attention to the front door. Only it’s not Sienna. Two women walk through the door. It’s hard to miss Sienna’s mom. Looks just like her daughter, only older. And I recognize Brian’s mom from the party last night.

Awkward.

A waiter gestures them to follow him, and I quickly lean back, hiding behind the skimpy cover of a palm bush beside me as they draw near. I freeze. Brian’s mom plunks a shopping bag down at the table on the other side of the bush and chuckles.

Just my luck.

“Well, Nancy,” Brian’s mom says and picks up her menu, “if there’s one thing I don’t mind about a crummy economy, it’s all the cheap deals. I’ve never had so much fun shopping!”

“Oh, I know,” Nancy agrees, and I hear the lie in her voice.

I glance toward the kitchen, trying not to eavesdrop.

“I appreciate your rescheduling this lunch, Judy.”

“Oh, it’s no problem at all,” Judy replies. “I wouldn’t have missed our last chance to do lunch for the life of me! I’m only sad you’re leaving so soon.”

I try not to look their way, but I can’t help it. Her words replay in my mind.

Leaving so soon.

Nancy places one of those women’s magazines on the table and scans her menu. “Me too.”

“But I understand you need to get back, what with Sienna starting college and this . . . incident with Spencer.”

I peer through the palm leaves to see Nancy shaking her head. “Impulsive child. I love that boy, Judy, I really do. But mark my words, he is going to be the death of me.”

“Excuse my big mouth,” Judy drawls. “I’m sorry I even brought it up. We don’t need to talk about that.” She waves off the subject with a flick of her hand. “You know, if things don’t work out between Sienna and Kyle, Brian’s only an airplane flight away. We’ll send him anytime.”

This is unreal. What could possibly be taking my waiter so long?

Nancy smiles. “Wouldn’t that be fun?”

“Well, I hate to count my chickens before the eggs hatch, but can you imagine those two together?”

Nancy laughs, and her giggle fuels something hot inside me. “Brian is the picture of perfection, Judy, really. So charismatic and gracious. Think of how much fun we’d have planning their wedding.”

“Too much fun, I’m afraid.”

“But actually, Sienna and Kyle are quite ideal for each other.”

“Aww,” Judy sighs, the noise making me sick. “They’re two peas in a pod, aren’t they?”

“And he comes from a good family,” Nancy goes on.

“Oh, I agree,” Judy says. “I’m so glad I got to meet them. Kyle’s dad has made quite a name for himself, partner at that big accounting firm and all. And his mom is the neatest lady.”

Nancy smiles. “Yes, Sienna and Kyle will continue dating, of course. They’ll be so close, going to the same college. Aaand . . .” She draws out the word as though she’s holding back a dirty secret.

“One thing will lead to another,” Judy chimes in.

“Precisely,” Nancy says, and both women laugh.

My waiter returns, finally, placing my order on the table. I stare down at the Philly cheesesteak sandwich and fries, my appetite gone.

“Now, what about that other boy?” Judy asks, and my ears perk. “You know, the one she brought to the party last night. Brian told me his name, but I—”

Nancy grunts. “Dallas,” she spits out. “Or Houston, or whatever it is.”

“That’s right!” Judy says. “
Austin
is his name.”

I glance at Brian’s mom, impressed she remembered.

Nancy nods. “Who knows what Sienna sees in him?”

“Actually, he is quite a dreamboat, you’ve got to admit.”

Nancy exhales. “Yes, I’m sure he has a herd of teeny boppers drooling over him, but he’ll never get someone like Sienna.”

I scan the room for the nearest exit.

“His friends did give me the heebies,” Judy admits. “But Austin seemed like a nice young man.”

I glance at Judy, reluctantly appreciative.

Nancy sighs. “Oh, Judy.
Please
. Their worlds are poles apart. Really, he doesn’t deserve her. Why it’s taking her so long to realize it, I have no idea. I have to remind myself that Sienna will be in college soon. This little fling under the Georgia sun will seem a lifetime away, and she’ll move on.”

A drop of condensation slithers down my glass of Coke. I stare at it, glued to my seat now, my mind captured by the image her words paint.

“So when exactly are you leaving?”

“First thing tomorrow morning,” Nancy answers, pulling me out of my trance.

“So soon!” Judy pouts. “Does Gary know?”

“Mm-hm,” Nancy says. “I told him this morning.”

“And?” Judy prods. “How did he take it?”

“He wasn’t happy.”

Judy lets out a victorious squeal, elated by the poor guy’s misery. “I always knew he still had a thing for you, Nancy. Even before his divorce, I just knew it. Did Gary say he’d stay in touch?”

“Yes,” Nancy replies, “but who knows if anything will come of it. Either way, we really need to get home. Naomi needs my help with Brittney’s wedding. You should see the dress they have for Sienna!”

“I’ll bet Kyle will be in a tux, too,” Judy says. “You’ll have to send me a picture of them together.”

“Oh, I will. Here’s a picture of the wedding cake Brittney picked out.” Nancy opens the magazine, but I tune out the rest of the conversation. I’ve heard enough.

I stand with my back to them and fish a twenty from my wallet. Sienna’s leaving tomorrow, on her way home to Kyle. A fling? Is that all this was? A month of messing around with a guy who could never deserve her?

I toss the cash on the table beside the sandwich and cold fries. I pick up the Coke, fighting off images of Sienna at that wedding, in Kyle’s arms once again. I should have known. I down the Coke in three gulps, slam the empty glass on the table, and start for the door.

CHAPTER 40

Sienna

I
push on the patio door, the sound of it creaking open causing a pang in my heart. It used to remind me of my dad, this and the other distant sounds of our family as it used to be. But from now on, it will remind me of sunny days during the summer after my senior year, running out the door to meet Austin by the pier.

With a heavy heart, I set out across the beach, glancing down at the wrapped present in my hands. The thought of telling Austin that I’m leaving tomorrow has been eating away at me. I tossed and turned in bed all night, hoping he will understand. I’ve played it out in my mind a hundred times. He’ll wrap his arms around me. He’ll tell me everything between us will be okay. Breaking the bad news surrounded by a crowd of swimmers and surfers at the pier will lighten the situation, make it easier somehow.