No more hiding. No more wigs, hats and dark glasses. If Ashley could show that much courage, then so could she.

She could not make up for Cliff’s deficiencies, but she could make sure Ashley knew she wasn’t alone. And if that meant walking through her own version of hell, then she’d do it. She’d see Nate, and handle her feelings whatever those were. She’d handle the locals, and the press, and anyone else who showed interest in her.

She turned onto the road and headed toward town.

So many of her childhood memories were wrapped up in the Surf Café. She and Nate would regularly raid the kitchen and then consume their spoils on the beach. Seafood rolls, chunky fries, perfect chewy cookies. Nate and Mel’s parents had inherited the place from their own parents and it had always been a family-run concern. When she was growing up Joanna had occasionally served and cleared tables. The one thing she never did was cook, not since the day she’d cooked a romantic meal for Nate and almost burned the place to the ground.

Nate.

Nerves slithered in her stomach. Their relationship had been over for two decades. It felt like a lifetime ago. The special connection they’d once shared was long gone. Meeting him probably wouldn’t even feel awkward. She’d be polite and friendly, and no doubt he would be the same. That last distressing encounter was so far behind them there was no point in even discussing it.

And anyway, this wasn’t about her. All her focus was going to be on Ashley.

It was strange to think that only a short time before she’d been panicking that having Ashley with her might be a mistake, and now she was panicking that Ashley might be leaving. She didn’t want her to leave, and not just because she was worried about her.

She enjoyed Ashley’s company. She enjoyed her sense of humor, and her frankness, and her way of looking at the world.

She drove into town and saw tourists with ice creams and cameras strolling down the pretty streets and snapping photos. No one paid her any attention. Their interest was in Silver Point, not her. There was no sign of reporters.

She kept her gaze fixed straight ahead and drove down Main Street and it felt achingly familiar, even after so much time. There was the Beach Bookstore, and Ocean Boutique where she’d once spent almost all her money on a white bikini with green spots. At the time it had seemed like a fortune for so little fabric, but it had the desired effect. She and Nate had made love for the first time the day she’d worn it.