Chapter Text
Therese stepped off the plane in the small beach town of Nerinda, with a creeping sense of dread. Her summer getaway had only just started, but had already been tampered with.
She had felt incredibly appreciative and touched when her boyfriend, Richard, surprised her with the trip, it was exactly what she needed after months of non stop working. They both loved their careers as journalists, but the job required a high level of commitment. The time off was what kept her going these past few weeks, as well as the promise to have undisturbed time with Richard, however that plan was quickly uprooted. At the last minute, her boyfriend had been given the opportunity to cover a story overseas for the summer. Richard didn’t even consult with Therese before accepting and now they were on separate planes going to separate destinations. Yes, the offer had been an incredible one, but Therese had hoped that they would have talked it through together like an actual couple.
Walking through the small airport, Therese was determined to not let the situation get to her. She was here for a break, to reset and relax and that was exactly what she was going to do. She didn’t need to have a companion or boyfriend with her, she was perfectly capable of entertaining herself and enjoyed her own company. As Therese gave herself the mental pep talk, she tried her best to believe these statements, which was easier said than done. She was disappointed and frustrated, but she needed to put all of that aside now. She couldn’t spend her whole summer mulling over Richard.
Therese collected her bag from the luggage carousel and got into one of the available taxi’s out front.
“Where to?” the driver had asked her after she put her seatbelt on.
Therese checked an address on her phone, “A bed and breakfast called…”
“-got it,” the driver started the car.
Therese was puzzled, “Don’t you need the address?”
The driver smiled at her in the rearview mirror, “There’s only one bed and breakfast here. There’s only one of everything in Nerinda, actually.”
Therese smiled weakly, “I suppose that makes it easy.”
She looked out the window as the taxi pulled away from the airport and onto a main road. How small was this town exactly? She asked herself. Great, she was going to be all alone in the middle of nowhere. So much for a romantic getaway.
“Where are you visiting from?” the driver asked after a while.
Therese felt defensive, “Is it that obvious?”
She heard a faint chuckle, “As I said, Nerinda is small. There are few faces here that I don’t know. We only get a handful of tourists throughout the year.”
“I’m from New York City.”
A low whistle, “And you decided to come here?”
“I must say, you’re not a great ambassador for your town,” Therese cracked a smile.
“It will definitely be a change of pace for you,” the driver said as a conclusion.
“Well that’s exactly what I want.”
The car passed through residential streets and a school with children playing outside. Within a short amount of time, Therese already picked up on the sense of community within the town. The people who lived here displayed an idyllic sense of courtesy and kindness towards each other. Everyone seemed to know each other and watch out for one another. It all looked almost too perfect, the journalist inside Therese desperately wanted to find the cracks within the flawless facade. She wanted to know the truth buried beneath all the smiles and picturesque scenery. Perhaps this trip would prove to be more interesting than she previously believed.
They arrived at what looked to be the main strip of the town. Therese looked through the window at the several stores and businesses that decorated the area. The area led down to the marina and docks as well as a beach. She could make out a historic building at the far end of the beach, away from everything else. It was made of brick with a beautiful wraparound porch and ivy climbing the sides. It stood out from the rest of the town and left Therese intrigued.
“Hey, do you mind stopping here? I think I want to get out and walk around a bit,” Therese asked the driver.
“No problem. Just follow the beach and you’ll get to the bed and breakfast. It’s at the end there.”
The car pulled off to the side of the road and Therese handed the driver several bills.
“Thank you so much.”
“My pleasure.”
Therese got out and collected her bag, “I guess I’ll see you again sometime?”
The driver smiled, “The odds are pretty good. I’m Phil by the way. See you around, new girl.”
The taxi took off down the uneven road and Therese was soon left in the middle of town square with her suitcase and bag. She wasn’t sure what to do next, but then spotted a cafe. When in doubt, coffee is always there for you, she thought to herself. She felt a little self conscious about lugging her suitcase into a coffee shop, but oh well, the caffeine was much more important.
Once inside the establishment, she got an Americano and sat down at a table by the window. The cafe was quaint and charming, but she figured that would be an accurate description for everything and anything in Nerinda. The town was a backdrop for a photo op wherever you went. Even the people seemed fictional and a part of some constructed world, Therese wondered if the constant politeness and friendliness would get to her by the end of the summer. She had to develop a thick skin living in New York that she was incredibly thankful for, but she knew it established within her a tendency to be a little guarded and blunt. She’d often been described as stand-offish and bitchy, when she thought she didn’t earn it.
“Gotta say… the suitcase is a dead give away,” said a voice from behind her.
Therese looked up to see a young man, probably about the same age as her, with dark hair and a kind face.
“I thought it would stave off the questions,” Therese explained sarcastically.
“I’m Dannie McElroy,” the man offered, “I own the local newspaper here.”
Therese nodded towards the seat across from her, “Do you want to sit?”
“Really?”
Therese shrugged, “You look pretty harmless.”
Dannie sat down, “I’ll take that as a compliment. You here for work? Vacation?”
“Vacation. I’m here for the rest of the summer.”
“In it for the long haul, huh? Well, I’d be happy to show you around. The tour is only five minutes but it’s a good one,” Dannie joked easily.
“That’d be nice. I’m here alone so I’d appreciate having a friend,” Therese admitted.
Dannie paused, “Was someone supposed to come with you?”
Therese looked away, “My boyfriend, but he had a work thing last minute.”
“A work thing that lasts two months?” Dannie’s eyebrows were raised.
“Yeah…”
“It’s okay you don’t have to talk about it,” Dannie said quickly, “Fuck him, it’s his loss. He’s going to miss out on my amazing five minute tour.”
Therese couldn’t help but laugh, “I think we’re going to get along well, Dannie.”
“We’d get along great if I knew your name,” Dannie quipped.
“Oh it’s Therese. Therese Belivet.”
“Well, Therese Belivet,” Dannie stood up, “Shall we?”
“We’re going for the tour now?”
“Do you have anywhere else to be?”
“You’ve got a point.”
They left the cafe and Dannie glanced down at Therese’s bag, “I forgot. Do you want to drop that off first?”
Therese shrugged, “It’s fine, it’s not too heavy.”
“We’ll make Carol’s place the last stop then,” Dannie said as he started to walk.
Therese hesitated, “Carol’s place?”
“Yeah, Carol Aird. She runs the bed and breakfast here, it’s been in her family for years.”
“Is there a lot of money in her family?”
“I don’t know,” Dannie answered honestly, “She’s pretty mysterious. But most people who live here own one of the local businesses, there’s so few of us. I have the newspaper, Abby Gerhard owns the pub over there, the bookstore is run by this woman Genevieve Cantrell and so on.”
They walked through the main street and Dannie pointed out the several businesses and stores to Therese.
“Wow,” she said after a while.
“I really wasn’t kidding. Nerinda is small.”
“I’m just wondering how my boyfriend even found this place. I’d never heard of it before,” Therese said as she looked around.
“A lot of people end up here because they took the wrong exit and meant to go to Portland.”
“Ouch.”
“It’s true. The people who intentionally come usually end their vacation early. Or just stay for a couple hours to take pictures for their Instagram.”
“You’re just like my taxi driver,” Therese observed, “A horrible ambassador for your town.”
Dannie threw his head back and laughed, “Your driver was my brother. Don’t get me wrong we both love living here, but we recognize how isolated it is here. The people here either get stuck or leave the minute they can.”
“This town sounds like one that would be in a Nicholas Sparks novel,” Therese said sarcastically.
“That’s a very accurate assessment.”
Dannie guided them down to the docks and they looked out over the small marina and at the ocean. It truly was beautiful and idyllic. Therese could understand why people felt so compelled to stay. Nerinda was a perfect, safe little bubble. The town may be small, but it had everything a person could need, it wasn’t necessary to leave.
“I didn’t know air quality like this existed,” Therese half joked.
“I gotta say, this sight never gets old.”
The duo stood there for a while before Dannie eventually cleared his throat and looked at Therese.
“Well we have one stop left, then that’s it. You’ve seen basically all of Nerinda.”
They walked by the docks and along the beach towards the bed and breakfast. The closer they got the more Therese realized how different the establishment was than other buildings in town. It was old, yes, but had a haunting yet intriguing quality to it. The place looked like something out of a gothic southern novel and Therese was desperately excited to see if the inside was just as beautiful.
They reached the porch and Dannie helped get Therese’s bags up the stairs. He glanced through the windows and turned back with a smile.
“She’s at the front desk. Come on, I’ll introduce you,” he said.
Dannie opened the door and walked ahead of her, “Hey, Carol.”
“Hi Dannie.”
Therese couldn’t see Carol from behind Dannie, but the woman’s voice sent a shiver through her whole body. The voice was deep and warm with a melodic tone to it, it belonged to a 1950’s hollywood starlet draped in furs with a cigarette posed between her fingers.
When Therese finally caught a glimpse of Carol, however, she realized that description wasn't far off.