From the restaurant side of the barn, my sister walked toward us. Her brown hair swung past her shoulders, and pure happiness made her green eyes glow. Being in love looked good on her.
“This is a nice surprise!” Elodie wiped her hands on a rag before she greeted us with hugs. “Sorry. I’m a mess. We’re all dusty over there.”
I smiled at her. “This is incredible. I can’t believe what you’ve done with the old farm.”
Her grin widened. “Isn’t it great? Wes and his guys do some really impressive work.”
When I had seen Wes at the Lantern, I was shocked at how handsome he still was. My brother’s friend had always turned heads, but there was something about him now that had changed. His blond hair had darkened over time, but his eyes were the same icy blue.
The change in him was more than his accident. There was a broodiness to him that hadn’t been there before—like a lost soul walking around in my brother’s best friend’s body. I was intrigued and more than a little turned on by his grumpy demeanor. Apparently my type was “emotionally unavailable with a tragic backstory.”
Fantastic.
“I have so many ideas I can barely keep up,” Elodie continued as we walked behind her. “Good thing I have Cal to keep me reined in.”
Beside me, Kit snorted. “Please. That man has never told you noonce.”
Elodie blushed, and I assumed it was true. She turned to me. “How’s life with Mom and Dad?”
I rolled my eyes. “Stifling.”
“Aww, come on. They’re the best,” Kit said.
I shook my head. “Look, they’re great. I know that. But I’m not a kid anymore, and living at home feels like I’ve become the biggest loser in Star Harbor. It’sembarrassing.”
I could practically hear the whispers already.Poor Clara Darling. All that time in the city just to come home single, jobless, and sleeping under her high school stuff.
“Oh please,” Kit said, “you’re not the biggest loser. That’s still Peter Pilling.”
Elodie’s face twisted. “Peter fromthird grade? The one who dumped a container of chocolate milk down your back?”
Her eyes narrowed. “I still hate that kid.”
Whatever else was a disaster, at least my sisters were still exactly who they’d always been—one ready to fight anyone who hurt me, the other building empires out of old barns.
I wrapped my arms around my little sister. “God, you’ve not changed at all. I love you.” I turned toward Elodie. “Do you have time for a grand tour?”
Elodie nodded and she showed us everything in the barn and shared her and Cal’s plans to continue to expand the farm. Romance and excitement laced through her words, and I caught myself feeling oddly jealous.
Her life was falling into place, everything coming together for her, and I was just ...stuck.
In high school, I’d always assumed I’d be the one to leave and come back with stories and success. Elodie had been the homebody. Somewhere along the way we’d swapped roles, and I hadn’t noticed until now.
Jobless, loveless, and living at home. One wrong move and I wasthis closeto stealing Peter Pilling’s loser crown for sure.
“You’re going to start coming to the meetings, right?” Elodie asked, shaking me from my self-pity spiral.
“Meetings?” I asked.
Kit nodded. “The Keepers.”
I looked between my sisters in disbelief. “Please don’t tell me you guys bought into that.”
They both looked shocked at my dismissive tone. “Bought intowhat?” Kit asked, clearly offended. “Hanging with the Star Harbor Historical Society is my favorite night of the week.”
The Star Harbor Historical Society was a local women’s group that had been around since the late eighteen hundreds. Our entire town revolved around the Lady of the Dunes, part silly ghost story, part local legend. The women of the historical society were informally known as the Keepers.
I raised my palms. “I thought it was just a bunch of bored old ladies gossiping. Clearly I’ve missed something.”