“Hannah, this is Tucky, Lucy, Sweets, and Taz. Guys, this is Hannah.”
“Hi, Hannah,” they all reply in unison.
She offers a shy wave. “Are your real names as confidential as your work?”
“No, ma’am,” Tucky says, extending a hand across the table. “Name’s Rory. Boys call me Tucky ‘cause I hail from the great state of Kentucky.”
Next up is Noah. “Noah Sweet. Pleased to meet you. I’m Sweets.”
“And I’m Carter. These pricks call me Lucy ‘cause they have a death wish.”
All at once, we singsong,“Lucy in the sky with diamonds.”
Lucy just shakes his head, throws us the middle finger. “Apparently it’s a crime to enjoy a little bling when I’m not in uniform.”
Hannah chuckles and reaches a hand to the last brother on my right.
“Tyler,” he offers. “I’m Taz because?—”
“Because we watched the dude take down four men by himself in a bar fight. Goddamn Tasmanian devil, this one,” Dubs cheers with a proudHooahwar cry on the end that we all echo.
Taz dips his head, looks back to Hannah. “Trust me, ma’am, those drunks deserved it.”
I pull Hannah onto my lap as the guys carry on, joking around and throwing jabs. A glimpse of Bri from the corner of my eye pulls my attention. She walks through the trees toward the dock by herself. A glance over my shoulder reveals Mom and Lydia deep in conversation.
Tapping her thigh, I offer Hannah my seat while I go after my stepsister.
Bri doesn’t hear me closing in until the last minute. She quickly swipes under her eye before turning to face me.
“Hey.” The greeting is peppier than those tears made it look.
I take the rocking chair next to her. “Everything okay?” She bobs her head but keeps her gaze on the water. “You’re a terrible liar.”
A heavy pause sits in the air as she works out a response. “It’s weird being here. I never really had a clear picture of where you went all those summers when I was little.” She looks at me with a sad smile. “It’s beautiful.”
“Yeah,” I rasp. “I love it here.”
Her eyes hold mine, a well of emotion stirring under the surface of what she’s about to say. “Tess is gonna be fine, Rowan. Her brain scans are good, her therapy is progressing, and her surgery schedule is promising. Shewillmake a full recovery.”
“I know.” I say it, though I don’t sound very convincing.
It’s a platitude at best. I know Mom’s medical team is trustworthy. Bri’s a doctorandshe’s family—I should trust her even more. But it all feels too slow, and I can’t help the doubt that creeps in. The fear that things will never be like they were before Mom’s accident. And worse, I may never know peace enough again to leave her to live alone in a house that’s falling apart.
Bri levels me with a heavy-lidded gaze. “Now you’re the liar.” She settles deeper into the rocker. “I overheard your conversation in the kitchen earlier. Your dad’s flag and your parents’ dream of building a house out here.” She folds her arms across her front making her look small. Too small. “I’m sorry you never got that.”
“Got what, exactly?”
She gestures broadly. “This. The picture-perfect family and home your parents wanted.”
I hear it now. The blame she’s taken upon herself. Before I can respond she continues.
“She never talks about your dad with me.” She sniffs, unable to hide the pain anymore. “I don’t blame her. Truly. He was obviously the love of her life and to lose all of this when he died…I don’t think I understood the extent of what you both lost before today. Tess deserves good things and I’m sorry she never?—”
“Hey,” I cut her off. “Don’t do that.”
Her hands paw at her cheeks. “Ugh, you’re not supposed to be consolingmetoday.”
“No, stop.” I roll my lips and take a deep breath. “I do love this place. And, yes, I miss my dad, and I know Mom loved him very much. But she loved your dad, too. Still does.”