Aria locked the door of her café and took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the day lifting from her shoulders. It was only six in the evening. The sun was still shining and the townsfolk bustling about as their days were coming to an end as well. But she felt like it was the middle of the night after a forty-eight-hour shift.
Being the owner of a bustling business was a good problem to have. Aria knew not every business in town could boast the same issue. Lucky for her, people needed their caffeine fix every day. Sometimes more than once a day.
The thought of caffeine addiction brought her mind back around to the soldier who’d visited her shop. Jace, he’d said his name was. She was surprised she didn’t know his rank and a few of his greatest battle stories as well.
That was her experience with most soldiers. They puffed up their chest and showed off their medals of bravery. More like medals for stupidity.
Aria was all for serving country and community. But some of the young soldiers that passed through Honor Valley treated service more like a video game they could score points in than the life-changing event it was for the people they served. It left them with an inflated ego and a hero complex they couldn’t see past.
It hadn't appeared that way with Jace, whose last name and rank she did not know. The fact that he wanted to help was another thing she hadn’t seen coming. What she had seen were the worry lines pulling at the edges of his eyes. She’d seen the groves at the corners of his mouth where his lips rested in a frown that seemed permanently carved into his face.
Yet he’d smiled at her. It hadn’t been a big smile. It had seemed like work. It had seemed like the facial expression had surprised him more than anything.
A smile like that, with eyes like those, needed more serenity. Hence, the tea mixture of lavender, chamomile, and vanilla.
She’d gotten that one right. She could tell as he sat in the back of the café. His shoulders had relaxed. His gaze had softened. True, his eyes kept coming back and resting on her. But that was all she’d let them do; rest on her. She was not going to let that gaze go anywhere further or take her with him.
“You would not believe the day I had.”
Aria turned to spot her friend Grace coming up from the other end of the street where the town library was housed.
“It’s going to have to wait until you hear about mine,” said Sarah, coming from next door where she worked at the flower shop.
Grace, Sarah, and Aria had been friends right out of the womb. They lived on the same block. Each had birthdays in the summer, meaning their parties were never a class affair. And they’d each chosen to stay in the small town they loved after college.
“The city council is considering getting rid of the after-school reading program.” Grace put her hands on her hips, stretching the cardigan she wore over a lacy blouse.
“That stinks, Gracie. But you wait ‘til you hear who’s coming to my family reunion.” Sarah paused for dramatic effect. She’d pursued drama in high school, but found her calling arranging bouquets in the flower shop. “My ex and…” She held up a finger for dramatic effect. “His new fiancée.”
“No,” Grace and Aria sighed at the same time.
“This calls for ice cream,” said Aria. “Double scoops all around.”
Linking arms with her two best friends, Aria treated the duo to Neapolitan ice cream with sprinkles and fudge at the town creamery. She let her friends wax on about their personal lives. Her meeting today with the new soldier in town she kept to herself. It wasn’t like anything would come of it.
And she was right.
She’d expected Jace to come into the café on the next day. But he was MIA. Her eyes scanned the gathering crowd on the beach, searching for any sign of Jace. Her heart fluttered with a mix of anticipation and uncertainty, unsure if he would actually show up for the beach cleanup.
And then, amidst the bustling activity, she spotted him. Jace emerged from the distance, walking with purpose toward her. Time seemed to slow as her breath caught in her throat. Her heart skipped a beat, a rush of excitement coursing through her veins.
He looked resolute, his strides confident, as if he had a clear purpose in mind. The sunlight played off his rugged features, emphasizing the strength and determination etched upon them. Aria’s eyes traced the lines of his face, the way his short-cropped hair caught the gentle breeze, adding to his rugged charm.
Her emotions were a tumultuous mix of longing and hesitation. Her past experiences had left her wary of getting involved with soldiers, the unpredictability and heartache that often accompanied their lives. But seeing Jace walking toward her, the walls she had built around her heart trembled, threatening to crumble.
Aria’s grip tightened on the clipboard in her hand, her knuckles turning white. She reminded herself of her resolve, the need to protect her own heart. She couldn’t let herself be vulnerable again, not with someone who carried the weight of the military on his shoulders.
Still, her heartbeat quickened, echoing the sound of the crashing waves nearby. With every step he took, the distance between them closed, and Aria braced herself for the whirlwind of emotions that awaited her.
When he finally reached her side, the small smile he’d worn a couple of days ago had grown wider on his face. Only slightly, but because the vision of the first hard-won smile had been etched in her memory, she clocked the growth.
“Hey,” she greeted him, her voice filled with a mix of excitement and vulnerability. “I’m glad you made it.”
“Wouldn’t miss it,” he said. “I figured I’d start at the farthest edge of the beach. Maybe take a few young men with me to get started.”
Aria blinked, feeling the spray of cold water on her face. “I haven’t given out assignments yet.”
Jace glanced down at the clipboard cradled in her arms. The list of assignments was facing outwards. She caught the quick flicker of his eyes as he took in her typed notes from top to bottom.
“Are you sure this is the most efficient way to do it?” he said. “It seems like we could save a lot of time if we split up into smaller groups and focused on specific areas.”
Aria raised an eyebrow, surprised by Jace’s boldness. She had been a part of this cleanup for years. True, this would be her first time in charge, but she had seen its success. And that success had always been done this way.
“Interesting idea,” she said slowly. “But we’ve always done it this way, and it’s worked pretty well in the past.”
“I’ve done my fair share of military operations, and I know a thing or two about efficient logistics.”
Aria’s heart sank as Jace pushed back on her plans for the beach cleanup event. She knew it was important to get everyone on board with the assigned tasks to make sure everything got done efficiently and effectively. But Jace was not backing down.
“It doesn’t make sense to have people do tasks they’re not comfortable with,” she said. “It’s best to let people choose what they want to do.”
“That’s less efficient. Some people are just doing things to hang out with their friends.”
“That’s why they show up,” she pointed out. “It’s community building.”
“I thought the point was to clean up, not hang out with friends.”
“The point in community building is always to hang out with friends.”
Jace opened his mouth like he wanted to argue but then closed it.
Aria bit her lip, feeling frustrated. She had spent countless hours organizing the event and felt like her efforts were being questioned. But she also knew that Jace was trying to help, and she didn’t want to push him away. She needed those big, strong hands to carry the heavy load from down at the far end of the beach.
“Look, I appreciate your input,” Aria said, trying to keep her voice calm. “But I think it’s best if we stick to the plan.”
Jace looked like he wanted to argue more, but he ultimately sighed and nodded. “Fine, I’ll go with your way,” he said, still sounding grumpy.
Aria smiled, relieved that the tension had dissipated. “Thank you, Jace. You’ll see, this will go smoothly.”
“Where do you want me?”
The question made her cheeks color. She pointed to the dunes, which happened to be the farthest end of the beach, exactly where he’d recommended placing himself. Jace nodded and headed that way.
As they walked away from each other, Aria felt a flutter in her chest. There was something about Jace that drew her in, despite their disagreements. She shook her head, trying to push the thought aside. There was work to be done.
