The Summer of Lost Wishes (21 page)

“I love her,” I whisper, unable to form
solid sentences.

“You have no idea how hard it was to find a
flamingo,” Mom says, standing next to me. “But Rooks was
determined. I told him if he could find it, I’d pay any price for
it.”

“She’s perfect,” I say. I hug my mom and
then tackle-hug my boyfriend.

Mom goes downstairs to grab her ringing cell
phone, but Rooks stays with me and the flamingo. I run my fingers
over the bottle charm. Mom will never understand how important and
symbolic that little bottle is, but it represents what we found in
that wall. It was like discovering a message in a bottle, from
another era, and seeing a glimpse into the past.

“Now the real question is, what are you
going to name her?” he asks.

I don’t even hesitate. “Hanna,” I say. “This
was her house. She’s earned that.”

“Hanna,” Rooks repeats. “I should have
expected that.”

Mom taps on my door, even though it’s open.
“I know you’re in flamingo heaven, but that was Mr. Carter,” she
says. “You guys can follow me to the restaurant if you want. He and
Mac are already there.”

When Mom said she wanted to take the Carters
and Mac out for a celebratory dinner to thank them for all of their
hard work, I knew in my gut that we’d end up here. Mom promised not
to say anything negative about the decorations. I warned her that
Casa Garcia wasn’t exactly the style Mom is aiming for with her
designs.

My heart thumps with nervous anticipation of
Mac’s first visit to Rosa’s restaurant. He stands in the parking
lot with Mr. Carter when we arrive. Rooks parks next to Mom’s car
and exchanges an anxious smile with me. He can probably feel the
nerves radiating off of me.

“Oh, this is nice,” Mom says, as if she’s
shocked. “Piper had me scared with all the warnings. The cacti are
cute. It’s a nice touch. Very western.”

She slips inside with Mr. Carter to confirm
our reservation, but Mac hangs back with Rooks and me. I was hoping
he’d have that county fair feeling. The lights, the music, the
smell of the food. But I have to get him in the door before he can
have that moment. Part of me wonders if Rosa remodeled her family’s
business after that night. The twinkle lights really don’t seem
fitting with the rest of the scheme now that I think about it.

“You coming?” Rooks asks, looking at
Mac.

Mac nods, but he seems hesitant. Rooks waits
a moment and then decides to go inside and leave me to speak with
Mr. McIntosh on my own.

“You don’t have to tell her,” I say, hoping
he knows that his secret can remain among us. “She doesn’t have to
know who you really are unless you want her to. But that doesn’t
mean she shouldn’t meet Mac. This is your chance to fix those lost
wishes. You can give her all of those stars she never caught.”

He laughs. “It’s amazing how I haven’t seen
those words in five decades, yet I know exactly what you’re
referring to,” he says. “She did end up having her summer of lost
wishes. She lost me completely.”

“Well, not to be completely morbid, but her
husband is dead and you’re magically alive, so there’s no harm in
meeting her, even if it’s not today,” I tell him.

“Morbid is fair. I broke your window. We’re
even now,” he says.

We both inhale like we’re about to walk into
a war and may not see each other on the other side, but if there’s
anyone who can survive this battle, it’s Mac. I believe in him.

Mom waves us toward her when we walk inside.
Music plays softly in the background, and the colors of the
restaurant burst around us. If a building could ever radiate
happiness, it’s this one. We join Mom and the Carters at a rounded
booth. I slide in next to Rooks, and Mac sits on my other side.

After ordering our celebratory dinner, Mom
raises her Dr. Pepper glass. “I’d like to make a toast,” she says.
“To new beginnings and new friends.”

I could add to that list for a while. To our
new home. To my new boyfriend. To love letters hidden in walls. To
Coral Sands. To Shark Island. To the ones who were lost in the
tragedy. To the ones who were left behind. To Frank. To Rosa. To
Seth.

“Cheers,” Mac says, clinking his glass
against mine. “I can’t believe I’ve never been here. Rooks is
right. I might have to make a habit of it. The atmosphere is better
than any seafood spot we have in this town.”

Rooks clears his throat. “You know, you
should really meet Ms. Rosa,” he says. “She’s the best cook in
town, hands down. I also hear she’s a pretty good dancer, and she’s
single.”

Mr. Carter elbows his son, but Mac simply
laughs. I glance over at the register, where Rosa talks to a
customer as she handles their payment.

“Thank you for that knowledge,” Mac says.
“You’re right, though. I should meet her. It’s long overdue.”

Rooks shrugs. “Well, now’s as good a time as
any,” he suggests, nodding toward the checkout register.

Mac thinks about it for a long minute before
he stands. He nods to us to excuse himself. Mom whispers for us not
to stare because it’s rude, and Mr. Carter shakes his head at his
son’s blatant attempt to hook up two senior citizens.

Rooks turns toward me and smiles. I stop him
before he can even ask.

“You’re good,” I whisper. “You’re really
good.”

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Jessa Gabrielle is a young adult author who
lives in the land of salt water, palm trees, and sandy shorelines.
She believes that summer love is pure bliss and that she was a
mermaid in a past life. The Summer of Lost Wishes is her debut.

For more information, visit
www.jessagabrielle.net