stretched along Main Street to her right and left, all of them facing a town square that was quintessential Americana. It covered more than an acre, with lush green grass, a little pond, and a bright white band shell in the center. A group of tiny children played in a sandbox while their mothers and nannies looked on, and Jess could see an elderly man and woman sitting on one of the benches in the shade.
Sitting here under the striped umbrella, feeling the warm breeze on her skin, smelling nothing but fresh mountain air, roasting coffee beans, and Jenny’s cinnamon rolls, she felt a peace steal over her. Boston was frenetic on the quietest of days, but the pace here in Carefree was just—calm. She hadn’t heard a car horn since she’d arrived, and SUVs and sedans meandered around the square like they were in no particular hurry on this gorgeous day.
She watched people walking up and down the four streets that bordered the park, and was struck by just how unpretentious it all was. She saw way more L.L.Bean than Ralph Lauren, way more sneakers than fancy boots, and way more T-shirts than sundresses.
As she smiled and waved back at the fifth person who passed, she realized she saw a lot more smiles out here, too. While city dwellers were used to passing less than a foot away from one another and never raising their eyes, people in Carefree went out of their way to say hello.
“Your tea, m’dear.” Kyla sat down at the table, placing Jess’s tea in front of her. “They even have your favorite kind. See? It’s a sign.”
“That I should move out here?”
Kyla took a big sip of her cocoa, leaving a whipped cream smudge on her upper lip. “Yup. Just think—you could have your favorite tea with Jenny’s cinnamon rolls. Heaven, right?”
“Just sitting here is heaven.”
“I’ve been telling you that for over a year now.”
“I know, but it’s different when you feel it.”
Kyla set down her cup. “Jess, I know we keep joking about this, but is there any, any chance you’d actually consider staying for the rest of the summer?”
Jess sighed. “That’s such a big, huge question.”
“I know, but it’s got an easy answer. Listen, be honest. How is your studio doing back east right now?”
“You know how it’s doing.” Jess rolled her eyes. “We’re in the height of summer, the students have all gone home for the summer, and everyone would rather exercise outside. I only had twenty students all last week. It’s dismal.”
“How in the world are you paying the rent, if you have no students?”
“With a savings account that’s moving quickly in the wrong direction.” Jess felt a little stab in her gut when she thought of Grampy’s check.
Kyla fiddled with the cardboard handle on her cup. “You know, I’m not just asking you because personally, I’d love to have my two best friends out here. I’m also asking because I could really, really use your help getting the spa up and running.”
“I appreciate that, Kyla, but you don’t need me for that. I’m sure there are people out here who’d be more than happy to help. I’d love to do what I can while I’m here, but you don’t really need me for the whole summer. You know you don’t.”
“I’m not talking about a pity job here. Yes, there are spa people out here. We’re planning to compete with some of them, as a matter of fact. But I don’t want their expertise. I want yours.”
“Sweetie, I run a yoga studio with a little herb shop in the corner. I’m really not sure I’m qualified to design the kind of thing you want to have here.”
Plus, there’s the small matter of my past getting closer in the rearview mirror, and that’s something I’m certainly not going to draw any of you into.
Kyla put down her cup, her expression serious. “Jess, I saw your face when you saw that space, and I know you felt it, too. Wouldn’t it be a dream to help me design it? To make it a reality? To make it a destination like no other?”
Jess laughed. “Is that your Marketing 101 class coming out there?”
“Maybe. But seriously. You said you have a grad student covering the studio, right? Couldn’t you convince her to stay on for the rest of the summer? Just think how great it would be to come work with us all summer. You and Hayley and I would be back together again,