Page 32 of The Lake House (Southern Charm #2)

Chapter Thirty-Two

Rita took a sip of tea and studied the edge of the lake where the water slowly lapped rhythmically against the bank.

It was hypnotic. She’d always loved to watch the water—the ducks waddling around the edges or jumping in to swim with a wag of feathered tail.

The water bugs dancing across the surface, the plop of a bass coming up to grasp one.

Her final treatment was done. She was spent, but it felt good to be at the end of it. Now they would wait to do the tests to see how it’d gone. Until then, she could relax. Rest, as her doctor suggested.

She picked up the phone to call Cathy at the café.

She couldn’t go in today—she didn’t have the energy.

But she wanted to check on them and make sure they were all okay.

Julie was here with her. She hadn’t been scheduled onto a shift.

She’d driven Rita, and was currently working on putting together some cheese and crackers, not that Rita would be able to keep them down.

The phone rang, and it took Cathy a while to answer. Finally, she did.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Cathy. How’s it going?”

Cathy’s voice was bright. “You’ll never guess who came in today.”

“Who?”

“Tim… oh, darn… What’s his name? You know that guy, that Tim guy?”

Rita frowned. “I can’t think of any Tim. Not off the top of my head.”

“Oh, this is frustrating. It’s on the tip of my tongue. He’s real famous. You know him. I’m sure you do.”

“Oh, well, I’m glad you had a famous Tim come into the café. I hope you got a photo.”

“Definitely—I had Amanda take one with me and Tim so we can hang it on the wall.”

“We’re not really a celebrity-on-the-wall kind of place…”

“You’ll love it.”

With a sigh, Rita chose not to pick that particular fight today. She didn’t have the energy. If Cathy wanted to hang some random guy named Tim on the wall, she could have at it.

“So, everything’s fine, then?”

“It’s kinda slow, but everything’s great. No issues here. How about you? Feeling okay?”

“I’m done with my treatments, so that’s something. But I’m not feeling very well. I won’t be in for a while.”

“Don’t you worry about us. We have everything under control here.”

As she hung up the phone, Rita couldn’t help being thankful for Cathy, something she’d never thought she would possibly think. But her cousin had really come through for her when she needed it, and she wouldn’t forget that.

Julie slid the glass doors open and set a tray of cheese, crackers and glasses of sweet tea down on the small round table next to Rita.

“I know you’re probably not hungry, but I brought this out here for me, and if you’d like to try to eat, you’re welcome to it.”

“Thanks, hon. You’re the best.” Rita smiled up at her and took one of the glasses of tea to sip.

Julie piled cheese onto a cracker. She didn’t say anything more. Rita knew her well enough to realise there was something on her mind. The furrow in her brow, the wistful stare into the distance—something was wrong.

“What’s up, buttercup?”

Julie sighed. “I don’t want to burden you.”

“You’re not a burden. I want to help. I need something to take my mind off my nausea. So, what’s going on?”

“James kissed me.”

“Well, hallelujah! It’s about time.” Rita chuckled softly. “What’s the problem? Was it a bad kiss?”

“No, it was a great kiss. A truly great kiss.” Julie hesitated. Rita waited. “The problem is that he’s moving. He got a job in Boston.”

“Really? Well, that’s terrible timing.”

“You’re telling me! I can’t go to Boston. And it’s like he didn’t even consider me in the equation. He just informed me that he was moving, like I was a friend who didn’t figure into his thinking at all. But then he kissed me. So, now I’m totally confused. I have no idea what to do next.”

“Have you spoken to him about this?”

“No, I can’t talk to him. I don’t know what to say. I don’t even know how I feel.”

Rita sipped her tea quietly for a few minutes. Finally, she said, “I think you do know how you feel, hon.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right. I care about him.

There—I said it. I like him. I want to be more than friends.

He’s just so great, in every way. And I thought we were on the same page.

But he never made a move, and then said he was leaving.

It wasn’t until I pointed out that he hadn’t kissed me that he finally did.

And so I can’t be sure if it was in reaction to my words, or if he really wanted to… This whole situation is such a mess.”

“Do you want some advice?”

“Yes, please. I’m dying for advice. I’m completely at a loss.

I have my studies at UGA. I have you to take care of.

I can’t just leave here. But at the same time, I don’t want to lose James.

And even as I’m saying all of this, I still don’t know what he wants.

” Julie looked at her, her lower lip trembling.

Rita cupped Julie’s cheek with her hand a moment, then sat back in her chair to look at the sky.

“We don’t get a lot of chances to find love.

I loved your uncle, you know. But I never found someone else who made me feel the same way after he died.

And that’s fine—I’ve made a good life for myself.

But every now and then, I find myself wishing I’d made more of an effort.

There was a man once who was interested in me.

I liked him—more than liked him, really.

But he lived in a different state, and I didn’t want to give up the café to go over there.

He couldn’t give up his firm to come here. So, it never resulted in anythin’.”

“Do you regret that?” Julie asked.

Rita nodded. “When you come to the end of things, or when it looks like you might be, you start ponderin’ your life and the choices you’ve made.

And one of my very few regrets was that moment—I should’ve said yes.

I don’t know if it would’ve worked out, but I should’ve at least tried.

Given him a chance. Given us a chance because as much as I love the café, it’s not the thing I’ve thought about lately—it’s the relationships, the family members I don’t see as often as I’d like, the romance I let slip away.

Those are the things that matter. So, my advice is this—if he wants to move to Boston, and he wants you to go with him, you should do it.

Life is short. You can study anywhere, hon.

And I don’t want to see you let go of something that could be great just because of me. I couldn’t live with that.”

Tears pooled in Julie’s eyes. She dabbed at them with a napkin. “Are you sure?”

“I’m absolutely sure, honey. I’ll be perfectly fine. I’ve so appreciated you being here for me during this time, but I don’t want to hold you back. You have a whole life to live.”

A big tear wound down one of Julie’s cheeks, followed by another. “Thanks, Aunt Rita. I’ll think about it.”

“And talk to him. You’ve got to communicate .”

“You’re right. I will.”