About the Author

KATLYN DUNCAN grew up in a small town in Massachusetts with her head always in the clouds. Working as a scientist for most of her adult life, she enjoyed breaking down the hows and whys of life. This translated into her love of stories and getting into the minds of her characters. Currently, she has published twelve books with HQ Digital and has ghostwritten over forty novels.

When she’s not writing, she’s obsessing over many (many) television series. She currently resides in Connecticut with her husband, kiddo, and adorable senior citizen dog (who will forever be a puppy at heart!).

Also by Katlyn Duncan

The Life After Trilogy: Soul Taken

The Life After Trilogy: Soul Possessed

The Life After Trilogy: Soul Betrayed

This Summer

This Christmas

Darkest Dawn

As You Lay Sleeping

Six Little Secrets

The Sisters’ Secrets: Rose

The Sisters’ Secrets: Reen

The Sisters’ Secrets: Pearl

Wrapped up for Christmas

Barefoot on the Beach
KATLYN DUNCAN

HQ

An imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd.

1 London Bridge Street

London SE1 9GF

First published in Great Britain by HQ in 2020

Copyright © Katlyn Duncan

Katlyn Duncan asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins.

E-book Edition © April 2020 ISBN: 9780008364915

Version: 2020-03-25

Table of Contents

Cover

About the Author

Also by Katlyn Duncan

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Acknowledgements

Want more?

Author letter

Extract

Dear Reader …

Keep Reading …

About the Publisher

To J&J, “Finally!”

Chapter 1

All Renee Clarke wanted was to be alone to complete her work in peace. Waking up at the crack of dawn on a Sunday was her routine for claiming the private office at the co-working space in downtown West Cove.

But the tapping on the glass in front of her was hard to ignore. Renee focused hard on her screen, hoping Darby, the maintenance manager of the building, would move along. When she finally met his eye, he grinned with his large and brilliantly-white false teeth.

Renee removed her headphones and placed them on the wooden desk. The calming sound of waves from the ocean soundtrack faded away. The rush wasn’t anything compared to at home where she could hear the ocean roaring in real time, but it was bearable twice a week when she removed herself from the comfort of her small office in the corner of her bedroom. The days she chose to work in the office building downtown were after her father Marcus’s bocce nights at the local club, when he required more sleep. Renee didn’t mind the distance either since their two-bedroom home wasn’t exactly spacious, and at thirty-three years old, she needed her own space too.

“Good morning, Darby.”

“Good morning, Miss Clarke,” Darby said through the glass. He continued to smile, and Renee had no idea how long they’d have to make pleasantries. There were times he talked to her for the entirety of the time she was there and a few instances where it was a quick hello. It was the way of small towns. Normally, Renee wouldn’t have minded, but her working time outside the house was precious. Especially since she was paying by the day. “You know it’s a holiday weekend, right?”

Renee stifled a sigh. “I’ll be out by noon at the latest.” Most were preparing barbecue meals for their Memorial Day celebrations, but Renee already had that covered. Her fingers tapped over the paper planner open next to her laptop. Shaded areas of various colors blocked out all her activities.

“No rush, Miss Clarke. You have a good day now.”

“You too.”

With a wave, Darby shuffled away, leaving her in peace.

As she replaced her headphones, a vibration radiated up her fingers. With barely a glance at her phone screen, she shoved it in her bag. It wouldn’t bother her there. Everyone she cared about knew her morning work hours were from six to eleven, and she still had an hour to go.

Renee rolled her shoulders and inhaled a calming breath. The window across the hall was the only one facing the distant ocean, which was why she always chose that working space. It didn’t quite match up to the golden dunes and the relaxing waves from the Long Island Sound in front of her house, but the sliver of water in the distance and the ambient beach sounds in her playlists were enough to get the job done.

Once she had centered herself, Renee glanced at Cait’s grin staring back at her from the screen. Between projects, Renee had promised to help her sister set up a wedding website. It was a little over a month before she’d watch Cait walk down the aisle, and she couldn’t help feeling the ten-year gap between them like a lead weight in her stomach.

Renee hoped Cait was making the right decision. Twenty-three was so young, and most of the tourists Renee observed in town over the summer months were older than that and usually traveled in groups of singles. If Cait waited a few more years, she could be sure she wasn’t jumping into marriage too soon.

Jorden and Cait had been inseparable since high school, and Cait hadn’t ever strayed. Renee couldn’t help but worry that Cait had picked the only guy she had ever dated as her life partner.

Renee clicked the folder on the cloud drive, opening over two hundred pictures that Cait had shared. Some of the images were recent, but a lot of them were from years ago. Mostly Cait with Jorden and their friends, but a few sparked memories for Renee. Cait’s childhood was much more carefree than hers. Tendrils of a black cloud hanging over her own childhood blurred her thoughts. She tried to push them away the moment they appeared.

When brides contacted Renee to work on their website, she tried to capture the essence of their relationship as much as possible. For most, weddings were a one-time event, and she wanted to add to that perfect experience that all brides desired.

Renee enlarged a photo of Cait and Jorden.

Jorden stood over a foot taller than Cait. Cait’s fair hair was down, and the wind had paused its movement, splaying it over Jorden’s bare, brown chest. If she hadn’t known them since forever, she could have easily admired them on a billboard modeling swimwear. The photo captured the waves crashing over their feet. Jorden rested his cheek against the top of Cait’s head as she displayed her engagement ring for the camera.

Renee couldn’t count how many brides she’d worked with or seen on Instagram who had held photoshoots for their engagements, effectively making the “surprise” not so much. Cait was the exception and had one of the beachgoers take a picture the moment after Jorden had proposed. Her excitement beamed from her eyes and smile. Jorden’s matched hers in the most beautiful display of love she’d ever seen. Renee’s heart, hardened against marriage, softened slightly.

Another vibration radiated from the floor.

Renee peered at her bag, and her throat clenched. Twice in such a short amount of time? She broke her own rule and grabbed the phone. There were two missed calls from Cait. Cait was more the texting type so a phone call sounded alarm bells in her head. Her instincts pulsed through her as she dialed her sister.

Cait answered on the second ring. “Is everything okay?”

“Yes, of course.” Cait’s bubbly voice carried over the line.

Renee adjusted the phone against her damp palm. “You know I’m working.” Work time was coveted and carved out for only one purpose. Renee had always had an entrepreneurial spirit and could compartmentalize her life enough that nothing short of an emergency would get in the way.

“Guess who’s coming for a visit?”

“Who?”

“Guess!”

Renee glanced at the window, almost hearing time tick down until she had to leave.

“You know I’m no good at this.”

“Fine.” Cait dragged out the word. “Me! I’m coming to visit.”

“I already knew that.” Renee focused on her screen, uploading the engagement photo to the website. “The week before the wedding.”

“Not then. Today.”

Renee’s fingers paused on the touchpad. “What?”

“Catch up here, Nay.”

“Sorry, I wasn’t expecting— You’re coming here today?”

“I’m in an Uber on the way to you now.”

Renee blinked a few times, wondering if an entire month had sped by in a matter of minutes.

“Don’t worry. The GPS has crazy traffic on it. I don’t know how you live here. But I’ll see you soon.”

“Cait—” The line went dead. It didn’t make sense. After peeling the phone away from her face, she texted her father.

Cait is coming to West Cove?

Was this a joke? Why would Cait come for a visit, leave, and come back in the same month?

Without waiting for a response from her father, she quickly scrolled through the other webpages she had already made. Work distracted her, and she needed a minute to sift through her thoughts at the unexpected surprise. Besides, with Cait coming to West Cove, she’d want to see the website as soon as possible.

All the pertinent information was front and center on the main page: registry, address of the venue with an interactive map, and their hashtag #CaitGotJordened. She curled her lip, unsure if Cait would think it fit her plan. Plenty of weddings impressed her with their hashtags for guests to post on social media at all the events before and during the big day. Renee was still astonished by how people were so creative with them. Cait had insisted Renee pick theirs, and she hoped she didn’t disappoint after an hour of searching online for what others had done.

The perfectionist in her didn’t want to reveal the final product until it was complete, but Cait always got her way. These websites usually didn’t take longer than an hour or so, but Renee wanted it to be everything Cait dreamed. It was a small gesture, but for someone who didn’t believe in marriage, it was the only thing Renee could offer other than her services as a bridesmaid.

On the wedding party page, the only missing photo space was for her. Renee grabbed a picture of herself from Cait’s Instagram. It was of her and Cait from the last time Renee visited Arizona. It was two years ago, so Renee’s hair was in its highlighted phase but Cait looked stunning as usual. Renee doubted anyone would look too closely and notice she had gone back to her natural tawny. The night of the photo, Cait had forced Renee into a selfie at an outdoor restaurant. Even with poor lighting, the image captured their personalities. Cait with her over-the-top smile and Renee reserved as always. Granted, every time she went to Arizona, she was wary at every corner as she thought Cait might set up a surprise meeting with their mother.

Renee stopped herself there. Thinking of Isla wasn’t going to help her already agitated mood. She packed her laptop and checked around the desk to make sure she hadn’t left anything behind. Her stomach groaned.

Marcus hadn’t responded yet, so she texted him again. I’ll pick up lunch from TCP. See you soon.

Then she flipped over to the message chain she shared with Sadie.

I need a to-go order for three. Surprise me.

Seconds later, Sadie responded. Extra peppers, right?

Renee shook her head. Sadie took every opportunity to mess with her, especially her tastes in bell-shaped vegetables. But what were best friends for? Triple peppers.

You got it.

***

The Coffee Pot sat at the corner between a craft store and one of the only massive parking lots downtown. As it was only a few doors down from the co-working space, Renee tended to stop by there often, especially when Sadie was working. As she wasn’t much of a breakfast person—other than two cups of coffee before leaving the house—she always pushed her first meal closer to lunch.

The sun was almost at its peak, and the heat clung to Renee’s skin. The distance from the beach meant the constant breeze off the water didn’t offer the relief she needed to get through the warmer days. It was not even June yet, and the temperatures were already getting upwards in the eighties.

The glass front of the restaurant gave a clear view of the people inside. Renee didn’t recognize any locals, so at least her visit would be short. At this time of year, most wanted to talk about the tourist season, but Renee had to get home to Cait.

Sadie rushed to the window and slapped her hands on it, before leaning back and laughing. She hadn’t startled Renee, but the idea of the possibility gave Sadie the most satisfaction.

Renee laughed and shook her head. As kids, they had lived by the beach four doors down from each other until Isla had lifted Renee out of West Cove. During the pre-internet days, they had stayed in touch by writing each other letters. Renee had kept most of the letters from those dark eight years she had spent with her mother and Cait’s family. Cait had been a byproduct of her mother’s second marriage, which was the best part of the deal and had made it worth it for Renee.

When Renee moved back to West Cove after college, she and Sadie picked up where they had left off. Sadie’s parents had moved south for half the year, while Sadie remained in West Cove with her husband. As Renee settled once more into life in West Cove, the two friends’ lives had returned to a time where everything was perfect.

A couple walked out of The Coffee Pot, and Renee thanked them for holding the door before strutting inside. A rotating fan blew warm air into her face as she passed the counter filled with homemade desserts wrapped in plastic. Renee inhaled the scent of chocolate and cinnamon as she claimed her usual seat in the corner of the dining area. She had timed it perfectly as there were only two tables full. It was early enough that the breakfast crowd was gone, and the lunch patrons would arrive shortly.

Renee settled into her seat as Sadie plopped into the one across from her. Sadie blew a chunk of frizzy blonde hair that had escaped from her bun and wrinkled her freckled nose. Sunburned skin peeled from her cheeks. Sadie had moved away from the beach the moment it was possible. Her pale skin was never white for too long when the summers took over. Instead, a seasonal flush swooped in, and her avoidance of the beach intensified. “I thought taking care of three kids was hard. I forgot what tourist season felt like. This isn’t getting any easier.”

Renee grabbed the damp towel from her friend’s hand and wiped the table in front of her. “It’s not going to get easier, especially the weekends.”

“Every year it starts sooner.”

Renee nodded. The locals knew of the arrival of the season from the amount of traffic flooding I-95 each weekend. Unlike Sadie, Renee looked forward to the change. Only for three months out of the year, new faces appeared. There were new possibilities of people who could learn to love her hometown as much as she did.

“Your order will be right out,” Sadie said. “I have to admit I outdid myself. But I need to ask why three orders? Have you found summer love already?”

Renee knew the mocking about her summer flings would come up soon enough, but at least she had a better excuse for the third order. “Cait’s coming.”

“Yeah, in a month.”

“Today.” Renee checked her phone. “Anytime now.”

“Okay?” Sadie dragged the word out. “What’s that about?”

“No idea,” Renee said. “I don’t see the point in her coming to visit, leaving, then coming again for her wedding.”

“This wedding is going to be a disaster, isn’t it?”

“I hope not.” Renee couldn’t help internally agreeing, but she wanted to believe that Cait had grown out of her carefree nature as she got older. As a kid, Renee was there to stop Cait from crossing a busy road toward the next shiny distraction. Renee’s last visit at Cait’s was stressful enough as Cait had insisted they stay out all night and then had a fit on her neighbor’s porch wondering why she couldn’t get the front door open with her key.

“Well, at least you can stay out of most of it until the bachelorette. Where are they doing it anyway?”

“No idea,” Renee said. “I’m not involved with any of the planning for that party. Cait put that all on her friends.”

“And the rest of it? On Isla the Terrible?”

Renee shrugged. “I’m not involved.”

Sadie pressed her lips together.

Renee was desperate for a subject change. “Do you need anything for the barbecue tomorrow?”

Sadie grabbed her phone and opened her notes application. She was a compulsive list-maker. She had been since they were kids. “We could use some ice. Maybe an appetizer. Only if you have time.”

“Not a problem. I’m looking forward to it. I know Dad is too.”

“He loves any excuse for a party,” Sadie said.

Any excuse to be the life of the party. Once Renee had moved back home, her father had changed from a depressed divorcee into a happy-go-lucky sort. Renee supposed after years of living without his daughter that he was glad to have her home. It did prevent any conversation of her moving out. Renee never wanted to leave West Cove. She was adamant that Marcus would not relive the feeling of being let down and neglected after her mother left him all those years ago, dragging Renee along with her. He didn’t mind her living with him, and neither did she. For the time being, they were making up for the lost time.

A bell rang from the kitchen, and Sadie popped up from the seat to retrieve Renee’s food. When she returned, Renee kissed her friend on the cheek and headed to her car. Before getting inside, she dialed Cait’s number to update her location. If Renee timed it right, she should arrive home before Cait. The call went right to voicemail. Cait was probably on the other line—her sister rarely removed her gaze from the screen. She didn’t leave a message, knowing she’d see Cait soon enough.

***

Renee drove through town on autopilot. West Cove was a relaxing place all year round, the only disturbance being wedding and beach season; the bed and breakfasts, inns, and rental properties filled with new faces and personalities, all adding a sense of change to the local haunts. Renee knew where to go in town at what times to avoid the crush of people visiting the strip of locally independent stores and the shopping outlet by the highway.

As she drove out of the quaint downtown area, space opened up on either side of the road. Like everywhere, West Cove had some chain food restaurants, but Renee’s gaze drew toward the inn on top of the hill, which had gone through a renovation several years ago after a fire had almost burned it to the ground. The citizens of West Cove helped with money and time to restore it. Life poured from that building, and it was one reason she loved her hometown. It held history to her and the community.

The turn onto her street curved by the West Cove Country Club, where Marcus was a member and had been for most of his life. He was a legacy, yet Renee hadn’t quite taken that step to join. She had all the family benefits of attending events with her father, but none of the commitments.

Out of all the places in the world to get married, Cait had chosen there. Renee had been both shocked and pleased when Cait had told her the location of the wedding. Cait claimed that she connected with West Cove as much as Renee had, even without the years spent there. Renee’s life wouldn’t be interrupted by having to plan a trip to another location, though she would travel across the world to see her sister get married. Marcus’s contribution had been using his legacy within the club to secure the date for Cait’s wedding.

The bend in the road curved toward the beach, and her shoulders relaxed. The left side opened up to the seemingly endless world above rippling water, while houses stuffed against each other filled the right side. They crowded each other in a battle to have unobstructed ocean views. Her home was the seventeenth one on the dead-end street. They were far enough away from the public beach that they weren’t much affected by the bonfires and surge of tourists, but close enough to people-watch from the front patio during the lazy afternoons and evenings.

The pale blue cottage had been in their family before Renee was born. Renee spotted Marcus in his wooden rocking chair on the front porch and tossed him a wave. Her dad nodded his head as she pulled into the driveway, the familiar sound of rocks under the wheels signaling her arrival home.

The salt in the air clung to her nose as she inhaled deeply. Brandy, their thirteen-year-old chocolate Labrador, let out a lazy woof at her arrival. Renee lifted the bags from the passenger seat and climbed the steps with an infinite view of the water.

Brandy shuffled to stand up, fumbling with her unsteady paws. With a helpful bump from Marcus’s foot, she rose and met Renee’s hand in greeting. Her nose snuffled the bags of food.

Renee leaned the laptop bag against one of the columns and rubbed Brandy’s ears. “There’s a good girl.”

Renee glanced at her father, sipping from a steaming mug of coffee. The sun reflected against his glasses so she couldn’t get a read on him. “Don’t think you’re getting that greeting from me.”

It might have been funny the first few times he had said it to her in the past. “Hey, Dad.” She planted a kiss on his wrinkled cheek. His stubble scratched against her skin as he patted his hand against hers. His summer tan had already started from his days out playing bocce at the club, and soon enough, an unnatural bronze would settle in for the summer. “I wish you wouldn’t work on the weekends. I miss our Sunday mornings here.”

Renee made a show of checking her phone. “It’s not morning anymore, and I did this with you last Sunday.”

“My time here is limited.”

Renee rolled her eyes at her father’s dark humor. It had been more frequent lately. Only one of them found it funny. “I’m taking tomorrow off. You know I do it to keep up with all the work coming in.”

Marcus shrugged before sipping from his coffee. Her dad’s veins were tainted with caffeine from the amount he drank daily, yet he somehow slept more soundly than her. Retirement suited him better than most.

“Did you get my text?”

“I did,” he said, glancing at his older-generation iPhone she had given him five years ago.

A high-pitched bark snapped from inside the house. It was a sound she’d only heard during Skype sessions with her sister.

Renee slowly turned as the sliding screen door opened.

Brandy backed away from the door, bumping her butt on the chair leg as Hunter, her sister’s brown and white Shih Tzu mix, bounded onto the porch. Renee did a double take at Cait standing in the doorway, paying no attention to her menace of a dog.

“Surprise!” Cait rushed into her arms for a hug.

Renee inhaled her sister’s hair, which hinted of raspberries and vanilla. Cait’s thin arms packed more strength than she remembered. Hunter’s sharp teeth gnawed on her toes. Even with the sincere regret in her choice in flip-flops, Renee couldn’t help how her heart filled with the presence of her sister.

Chapter 2

The rush of the ocean filled her ears as Renee tried to piece together her morning. “I thought you were on the way?” Renee held her sister at arm’s length. Cait’s cheekbones were sharper than Renee recalled. Cait had mentioned some wedding diet she’d seen on Instagram a while back. Apparently, she had ignored Renee’s insistence that she was already in great shape.

“I fibbed a little, Nay,” Cait said.

“I haven’t heard that name in some time,” Marcus mumbled.

“It’s going to be the last in a while.” Renee reached down and shooed Hunter away. He looked at her, his underbite on display, and then barked. Cait only used that nickname when she was up to something. Now the phone calls and surprise visit made sense. Cait wanted something, and it took a trip across the country for her to ask for it.

Cait had only visited West Cove a few times after Renee had moved back home after college. It was so like their mother to want to get rid of a child for a whole two months at a time. Renee never complained. Cait’s father, Jacob, had died when Cait was twelve—two years after his and Isla’s divorce—which made Marcus an adopted father during the summers. Marcus adored Cait. Most people did.

“I wanted to take the month and experience West Cove in the way that we did as kids,” Cait said.

Hunter started barking at a couple walking by. They were lugging two beach chairs, a massive canvas bag, and an umbrella to the beach.

“What about work?” Renee asked.

Cait lifted Hunter into her arms. She patted his head, and he angled his mouth to gnaw her vibrant pink, manicured nails. “Jorden and I found a temp to work in the office during the month before the wedding and for our honeymoon. It’s a win for everyone.”

Cait had gone to college for general studies where Jorden had gone for his business degree. He was on track toward taking over his family’s business while hiring Cait to work in the office after their graduation. From the Instagram posting several times a day, Cait had found her perfect job. She wasn’t ever tied down to any career in particular and liked going out at nights and on the weekends. Everything had fallen into place for her sister for her entire life. Renee wouldn’t have wanted it any other way, and she was desperate to keep Cait from the messy childhood that she’d had herself.

“When did you put this together?”

Cait glanced at Marcus. “About a week ago now.”

“I’m surprised either of you kept it to yourself.” Even though they weren’t related, Marcus and Cait had a shared trait that they were terrible at keeping secrets.

Hunter barked viciously at a jogger who ran too close to the house. Brandy started to whine. She peered up at Renee as if asking how long Hunter was going to stay.

“He’ll get used to this place,” Cait said.

Renee doubted it but said nothing. A whole month with that demon dog was well worth it if Cait was around. Though she wasn’t sure if Brandy would be so patient.

“Do you need help with anything?” Renee asked.

“Nope,” Cait said. “Papa Marcus already helped me.”

Papa Marcus was another nickname from their past. Cait had been around eleven when she came to visit West Cove. She couldn’t very well call him Dad. Papa Marcus came out one day, and it stuck.

“I need to go to the beach,” Cait said, handing over Hunter to Renee. “I’ve been waiting for it for so long.”

Hunter squirmed in her arms, and Renee kept him low against her hip in case he decided to bite her again. Her tight grip gave him enough of a warning to stop moving.

“Come, Nay.”

“I’ll be right there.” Renee loved the feel of the sand under her feet, but a crawling sensation skittered up her arms and she needed a minute alone.

“Papa Marcus?” Cait asked.

“I’m headed into town. Do either of you need anything?”

“Nope!” Cait floated down the porch steps toward the road. By habit, Renee made sure her sister was across and over the cement barrier before she walked inside the house.

Brandy and Marcus followed her. Renee double-checked the door before letting Hunter down. He yipped and sprinted through the living room and into the kitchen. He charged upstairs before he started barking again. He was in the room directly above her. Her bedroom.

Renee glanced at Brandy, and she stared back. “It’s only for a month.” She scratched Brandy’s head before the dog padded toward her bed next to the dining room table.

“I guess no one is eating,” Renee said more to herself. She placed the bags on the table and lifted the steamy containers from inside.

“I never said that.” Marcus walked over to the table and accepted the container from her. “She wanted to surprise you. And you seem surprised. Annoyed, too.”

“It’s fine.” Renee crossed the room and opened the refrigerator. The momentary burst of cool air relieved her flushed cheeks. The work schedule she had meticulously planned crept into her mind. There wasn’t a lot of room for entertaining Cait.

Marcus cleared his throat. “I know anytime someone says that, they aren’t. I lived with your mother for two straight years of ‘I’m fine’ before she filed for divorce.”

Renee grabbed three water bottles before closing her momentary oasis. “Well, I’m not going anywhere. And ‘fine’ is fine right now. I’m happy to see Cait. I’m surprised, is all.”

“I think having her here is a great thing. She brings a smile to your face.”

Renee handed over a bottle. “I smile all the time.”

“Not like you do when she’s around.”

Renee leaned against the counter and glanced out the front windows. The top of Cait’s head was visible from the beach. Being there for Cait from the moment she was born had certainly given Renee a purpose and helped distract her enough from her own life with Isla.

“It’s going to be tight in here.” There were only two bedrooms upstairs, and with Hunter around, it would be best for Cait to keep him in a locked room when she wasn’t there. Hunter could have her room for now.

“We’ll figure it out.”

“I’ll set up down here for the time being.” Renee returned to the living room and opened her laptop bag.

Renee pondered her life for the next month. She’d stay on the fold-out couch. While she preferred to work in her room during the week, Cait could make herself busy with the beach so Renee could work during the day. Maybe not in the morning, but she could shift her schedule if needed.

Her calendar stared back at her. The week of the wedding was light, but she had filled up her schedule for the summer since a lot of people were taking vacations or working from home while their kids were out of school. Renee looked for areas where she could plan for quality time with Cait during the week. There were intermittent chunks throughout her block scheduling, but not much. Cait required a lot of attention. Renee wiped a hand over her face, moving her hair away from her damp neck. It was possible to shift some of her client work to the evenings, leaving more time during the day.

“Take a break from work and go see your sister,” Marcus said from the kitchen.

Renee snapped the laptop closed. “I thought you were leaving.”

“You brought me home some delicious food,” he said. “I blame you.”

Renee cradled the two containers in her hand and balanced the waters in the other. “See you later.”

Her day off tomorrow gave Renee enough of a buffer to figure out what she needed to do. Having a plan prevented Renee from overthinking. With Cait in town, nothing was more important at that moment.

***

The sun was high in the cloudless sky, creating a sparkling effect on the water. Renee dropped her sunglasses over her eyes and crossed the road. The concrete barrier was short enough to straddle. Once her feet hit the sand, she kicked off her flip-flops and buried her toes in the coarse warmth.

To her right the private areas of the beach continued. Colorful towels and umbrellas peppered the sand while sunbathers sacrificed their bodies to the warm rays. A group of kids tossed a Frisbee around between shrieks of laughter.

The public beach had even more people. The warmer temperatures and holiday weekend gave way to more tourists flooding the shore.

Cait stood in the water with her jeans rolled up a few inches above her ankles. The edges were already soaked. Her hair was piled on her head. Like the water, the sun’s rays made her hair glisten.

“How was your flight?”

Cait sighed. “Long. I sat next to this guy who wouldn’t stop talking to me about his boring finance job.”

“You didn’t say anything?”

“Numerous times! And I was sure to mention Jorden like five times. He spoke more to my chest than my eyes, though. I have yet to figure out how to make them tell guys off.”

“Well, this is your vacation, and you can get all the rest you want. I’ll set up on the couch bed, and you can have my room.”

Cait wrinkled her nose.

Renee plopped down in the sand. “Your stuff is already in my room, isn’t it?”

“I knew you’d give up your room for a guest.” Cait sat too, reaching for a water bottle.

Renee couldn’t ignore the widening pit in her chest that told her Cait had more planned for her than she’d already let on.

Renee peeled the top from her container, revealing a chicken wrap.

Cait curled her lip at the thick grilled cheese and fries in hers. “Swap with me?”

Renee handed over her sandwich. “How are the wedding plans going? Everything all set?”

Cait bit into the wrap. Her words unintelligible around her bites.

Renee waited for her sister to finish, but Cait immediately took another bite. Renee’s stomach clenched, and the lunch no longer seemed appealing, even though it smelled heavenly.

It took two more bites before Cait spoke. “I can’t be expected to see a picture of a cake and decide. It’s the most important day of my life.”

“Do you need help? We can do a cake tasting while you’re here.”

Cait’s eyes widened, and a sigh floated from her lips. “Really? You would help me out?”

“Sure.”

Cait chewed on her lip. “Nay …”

It was the same almost-whine that Cait always attached to a problem. Renee ground her teeth. “It’s more than just the cake, right?”

Cait slapped her hands against her legs. “Planning an entire wedding by myself is hard.”

“All right, well, what’s left?”

Cait blew a raspberry, and her gaze slid away from Renee. “I only have the dresses picked out and the vendor deposits.”

“So, the flowers, food, music …” Renee trailed off, expecting Cait to stop her. She didn’t.

“You work from home, so I figured you’d be able to help me. I’m not good at organizing stuff. Besides, you know all the people here. I’m sure they would rather deal with you than some stranger.”

The excitement for Cait’s visit, which she had convinced herself was a welcome blessing, quickly weighed on her. “Freelancing doesn’t mean I don’t work, Cait. You can’t expect me to do all of this.”

Cait shook her head hard enough that wisps of hair fell from her bun. “I’m not asking you to. It’s my wedding after all. We could go to appointments together. I want to make this day perfect for Jorden. His parents had left money for his wedding in their will. They were so generous that I don’t want to ruin it.”

Renee bowed her head. Of course her sister wanted to make sure Jorden’s parents’ legacy was intact. “Nothing you could do would ruin it.”

“It’s a lot of pressure, Renee. You’ll never know that unless you give up your hatred of marriage.”

“I don’t hate marriage.” The lie fell out before she could stop it. Watching two marriages fall apart under different roofs had soured the sacrament. Over the years, she had to defend her view by denying it altogether. Not with Cait, though. “I support you.”

“I know you do. Which is why you could take this as an opportunity to help plan a wedding since you’ll never have one.”

There was nothing Renee could do other than help. But if it meant immersing Cait in her world in West Cove and making her sister happy it was worth it. “Okay, I’ll help you.”

Cait squealed and embraced Renee. “I knew you would help. This is going to be so fun!”

Renee wasn’t sure fun was the word she’d use. “I need to stay on schedule with work. We have to make a plan and stick to it.”

“You’re in charge. Like my personal wedding planner. Tell me where I need to be and when.” Cait ate more of her sandwich with a grin on her face.

As they ate, Renee counted the days to the wedding. It seemed much closer than it had a half-hour ago. Instead of only producing the website, Renee was now in charge of much more than that. Why hadn’t Cait been honest from the start? If she had told Renee about her problems a month ago, Renee could have easily adjusted her schedule. She instantly regretted filling her days before the wedding, but how could she have known this was going to fall on her?

The conversation drifted to Jorden. The smile across Cait’s face was the most genuine and excited she’d ever seen from her sister.

Renee would do anything to keep Cait happy. It was only a month. In the grand scheme of life, it was nothing but a blip. Besides, after Cait was married, Renee didn’t know when she’d see her sister next before marital obligations took over. With the idea of helping with the wedding settling in her chest, Renee shoved her doubts away for the moment. They could do this together.

Chapter 3

The next morning, Renee woke as a low vibration shuddered the bed. Her eyes peeled open to find a grumbling Hunter sitting inches from her face. Cait had warned Renee that Hunter was an early riser, yet she thought the dog was locked in her bedroom upstairs.

“Go back to bed.” Sharp pain radiated down her neck, and she remembered that she wasn’t in her own bed but on the lumpy mattress from the sleeper sofa.

Hunter answered with a bark.

“Shh, all right.” The night before, Cait had given Renee and Marcus instructions on how to care for Hunter if she wasn’t around. The twelve-pound ball of fluff ate three times a day with unlimited treats. Both the food and treats were some foul-smelling organic brand. Marcus and Renee had silently agreed to store the food in a cabinet closest to the door at the back of the kitchen. At least the fresh air from the screen door might lift the stench from the house.

Renee pulled at the sheets, and Hunter let out a yip. He was small, but his barks were forceful. Enough to startle a sleeping Brandy curled on her bed in the corner of the room.

The ache in Renee’s neck traveled down her spine as she sat up. Hunter leaped from the bed and skittered into the kitchen. She piled the blankets in the narrow pantry and folded the mattress back into the sofa and adjusted the cushions on top.

Marcus and Cait were notoriously late sleepers, but Renee did a double take at the clock over the stove. It was a rare day for her to sleep past seven, never mind eight. Last night after dinner, Cait had gone to bed early to cure her jet lag. Renee took advantage of the time and worked until around midnight on projects she had originally scheduled for later that week.

Brandy glanced up at Renee from her bed, and she rubbed a hand under her chin. “Good morning, sweet girl.” Brandy licked her hand and stood. She stretched out before padding behind Renee toward the kitchen.

Hunter sniffed at the cabinet with his food before running over to Renee with his sights set on her feet.

Since she wanted to keep all of her toes, she fed him first before filling Brandy’s bowl. Once the coffee was brewing, she headed upstairs to shower. There was only one full bathroom in the house, and Cait always took longer than necessary in the morning.

There was no rush as Sadie and her family were the party-all-day types, but Renee looked forward to relaxing by the pool, surrounded by her friends and family. The warm water flowing from the shower should have soothed the ache in her back, but tension rose within her as all she could think of was the to-do list swirling in her mind for Cait’s wedding. At the top of her list was recruiting Sadie for help with how to stay organized. Renee knew enough about her sister to realize that she would have to do most of the planning. If Cait hadn’t already done what was needed, she wouldn’t start now.

After gently rousing a blurry-eyed Cait, Renee left her sister to get ready on her own. Marcus was already in the kitchen, pouring himself a mug of black coffee.

In the corner of the room, Brandy and Hunter were at a standoff. Where Brandy usually ate a leisurely meal, Hunter had devoured his and he licked his chops for more. More specifically, the remainder of the food in Brandy’s bowl.

“Come on, outside,” Renee said to Hunter. Yesterday, she had looped a long cord around the railing outside.

Brandy perked up at the word outside, and ambled out first. She hobbled down the steps, and Renee closed the gate before hooking Hunter to the chain. He snorted and paced the edge of the railing, investigating the small patch of grass below.

It was Brandy’s only break from Hunter, and Renee wished there was a place she could hide from the devil dog too.

***

Later that evening, they arrived home, sun-soaked, and surprised to find two of Brandy’s toys ripped to shreds on the floor. Brandy coveted her stuffed animals. But Ricky the Raccoon, and Barry the Bear were no longer whole. Their parts and tufts of fluffy white stuffing were spread across the room.

Cait clicked her tongue. “Bad Hunty.”

Renee gathered the pieces of stuffing and fabric from the floor. Brandy watched her intently.

“Goodnight, girls,” Marcus said. “I’m off to bed.”

“Night,” Renee and Cait chorused.

Marcus was lighter on his feet after visiting Sadie’s hot tub more than once that day. The aches in his bones were usually less intense in the summer.

Hunter yipped and spun in a circle.

“You need to go out, boy?” Cait hefted Hunter into her arms and kissed his cheek. They vanished outside while Renee continued to clean the mess that Hunter had made. Brandy trotted over to Ricky’s head and sniffed. “We’ll get you some more toys when he leaves, okay?”

Cait reappeared and sunk into the recliner with a long sigh. One hand cradled her phone while the other flipped the leg rest open. “Hunter doesn’t like stuffed toys. He destroys them.”

“No kidding.”

“Do you have a pet store around here? I can pick up some rope or rubber toys.” Cait never took her eyes from her phone screen.

Once Renee cleared the room of the massacre, she piled up the cushions from the sofa and pulled out the bed. The edge bumped the open recliner.

“Oops,” Cait said as she swiveled the chair in the other direction.

“Did you have a good time today?”

Cait’s yawn formed around the word, “Yeah.”

“Why don’t you go to bed? You can catch up on sleep since you don’t have to be up early tomorrow.”

“Or any day if I don’t want to. This is the life, Renee. I wish I had a freelance job.”

Renee stiffened. “I get up at five every morning.”

Cait pulled a face. “Why? You can make your own schedule.”

“You know I’m not a night person.”

“Yeah, well, if I had your job, I’d never get up early.”

Then you wouldn’t make any money. Renee bit the words off as Cait’s phone rang. Her sister sprung from the chair, and it smacked the edge of the bed.

“It’s Jorden. I’m going outside to take this. He has to see how close we are to the beach. He didn’t believe me!” Cait bounded out the front sliding screen door and left it open behind her. She held her phone at arm’s length while Jorden’s tinny voice filtered into the house. Cait turned the camera around to face the direction of the water. The sun was almost entirely set. Even though it was pretty on the screen, it was nothing compared to real life.

“This is going to be great for all the pictures. I told you, Denny.”

Renee sneaked over and closed the slider, spotting several insects gathering nearby. Hunter was enough of a pest.

Cait walked across the street and sat on the barrier, showing Jorden the beach. A swell of pride filled Renee’s chest that her sister was as happy with this place as she was. While it had so many terrible memories from Renee’s childhood with Isla, she had lived there longer as an adult. Enough that the good replaced the bad.

Renee barely had the fitted sheet on the bed before Hunter started barking uncontrollably from the back of the house. Renee glanced outside, and saw that Cait was still across the street. She hustled over to the door and let him inside before he annoyed the rest of the neighborhood.

He darted to the cabinet and lifted his sharp claws and pawed at the wood.

Renee shooed him away. “Stop that.” He hadn’t marked the cabinet yet, but she didn’t want a physical reminder of him in her kitchen when he and Cait inevitably left. He sat once he spotted the bag of treats. Renee chose one shaped like a tiny bone. He gobbled it up and swooshed his tail for more.

Renee asserted her dominance and refused, closing the treats away. Hunter shimmied past her into the living room, and onto Brandy’s bed.

Brandy tried to scoot away, but she wasn’t quick enough before Hunter settled into a tight ball between her legs.

Renee sighed and glanced outside. At least when Cait came back in, she’d take Hunter upstairs.

“Only a few more minutes,” Renee said to Brandy.

Brandy harrumphed and made herself as small as possible against the intruder.

***

Those few minutes turned into forty before Cait came back. It was enough time for Renee to get ready for bed and read the first three chapters of her book club novel for the month. She was hosting the Wednesday after the wedding.

Once again, Cait left the door open a crack. She yawned again and then winced. “Oh, no.”

“What is it?”

“We didn’t have time to take Hunter for a walk today since we were gone.”

“I’m sure it’s fine.”

At the word “walk”, Hunter pounced and skidded to the slider door. With her dog’s life in danger of the road, Cait slammed the slider shut.

Hunter barked and jumped against her legs.

Cait chewed on her lip. “Nay?”

Renee dropped the paperback book on her face, willing herself to disappear for the next ten minutes.

The bed shifted, and Cait tickled her toes. Renee pulled her foot away. “Please? I won’t ask you any other time. I’m so tired. Jet lag and all that.”

Renee pushed aside the book. “You could have taken him out while you were on the phone.”

“You know I don’t think ahead like you.” Cait yawned again.

Renee shoved her bookmark between the pages. “I’m not going to accept any more jet lag excuses after tonight.”

“Yes, Mom,” she said with a smirk.

Renee removed the sheet and padded to the door where she had parked her flip-flops. She wiggled her toes around the strap and grabbed the leash by the door. It was Brandy’s, but Renee didn’t want to search for Hunter’s. He liked to play with it, and she didn’t have the patience at the moment.

Brandy rarely took walks anymore, but they tried to get her to the beach a few days a week. She loved the water, but there was no way Renee could handle Hunter in the waves. Besides, she wanted to be in and out with this dog.

“Night!” Cait trilled from the stairs, and Renee waved her sister away.

***

Outside, a cool breeze rolled off the waves. The moon shone bright, high in the sky, and between that and the streetlights, there was enough illumination for her to see there was no one else on the beach. She crossed the street and walked along the sidewalk next to the barrier.

It wasn’t until she passed three of her neighbors’ houses that she regretted her clothing choice. In shorts and a tank top with no bra, everything was out there.

Hunter dragged his nose against the ground as they practically sprinted down the street. A short, fast walk was just as effective as a long, slow one. At least that was what she told herself. Hunter veered to the left, tugging the leash toward a grassy area. While he sniffed around, Renee peered at the moon. With the crash of the waves in front of her, she inhaled deeply, releasing the tension in her shoulders.

A splash of liquid smacked her in the cheek before two more hit her forehead.

“Come on.” Renee tugged the leash, and Hunter strained as he sniffed the spot. Two more tugs broke him loose from whatever he found, and he eventually followed. They kept the same quick pace as before. A bright pair of headlights appeared at the other end of the road. Renee launched onto the steps of her porch, and Hunter huffed his displeasure with the pace she had set. She ducked inside as the car pulled into the driveway next door.

Safely inside, she peered through the window at the idling truck. Renters frequently stayed at the Hardy house during the summer, but Marcus hadn’t told her of anyone coming there that week. Usually, Marcus had an idea when people were coming in and out of the houses on their street. As a rule, all the homeowners looked out for each other.

Hunter bit at her toes, and she slid her foot backward before grabbing his collar. She unhooked the leash and patted his butt. “Go upstairs now.”

For the first time since knowing him, he listened. His little footfalls scampered up the stairs.

Brandy sighed, and Renee gave her a good scratch behind the ears before turning out the light.

The truck door slammed from outside. Her heart raced from the run, but her eyelids were heavy. Renee slid into bed. The familiar squeak in the Hardys’ screened back door creaked before it slammed closed with finality. Renee briefly wondered about her temporary neighbor before she drifted to sleep.

Chapter 4

Renee woke to the sound of tinkling claws against the hardwood floor. They were heavy enough to pick out which dog was up without opening her eyes. Brandy settled her jowls against the bed. A snuffling, wet nose filled her hand. An exasperated sigh came next.

“Outside?” Renee croaked.

Brandy lifted her head, and her ears perked up.

Renee peeled herself off the bed. The sunlight barely peeked over the horizon. Hunter wasn’t frantically scratching at the cabinet. Cait must have kept the door closed all night.

“Come on.”

Brandy trotted behind her through the kitchen. The clock on the stove read six-fifty. There had been no reason for Renee to wake that early. She wanted to start with Cait’s wedding planning, so she’d put off her client calls to the end of the week, and none of the vendors opened until at least nine.

Renee opened the door for Brandy, and she ambled onto the landing and down the steps. Renee closed the screen door in case Hunter decided to break out of the bedroom and follow Brandy outside. It was time for coffee. Renee added more water than usual to the machine since Cait was there. She prepared Brandy’s bowl of food, and that brought Hunter down in a flurry of fluff. His tiny black nose sniffed the air before he sneezed and trotted over to the pantry.

Already learning from past mistakes, Renee left Brandy’s bowl on the counter and scooped out the gag-inducing wet food for Hunter. After setting it down, he charged after it as if he hadn’t eaten for days. Brandy still hadn’t come up, so Renee opened the back door and whistled for her. Brandy usually heard her kibble from outside and hobbled up the stairs without her having to call. Not this morning.

Renee whistled twice more. “Brandy!”

The familiar clinking of Brandy’s tags didn’t ring out in the air as they usually did. Renee walked onto the landing and peered over the railing. No Brandy.

Renee’s heart skittered in her chest. The screen door slapped closed, and Renee swooped down the steps. “Brandy!”

Brandy never ran off. But she was getting older. Renee couldn’t help but wonder if the dog got confused and wandered away. She rounded the corner of the house and sprinted to the road. Her heart slammed in her chest at the thought of a car striking Brandy. There must have been a rabbit or squirrel nearby to entice her away from her normal routine.

Both sides of the road were clear, but Renee couldn’t spot Brandy on the beach either.

Harsh breaths fluttered out of her. Where would she go?

Renee walked to the back of the house again to retrace Brandy’s steps. There was only one way out of the back area and that was the path she had taken. The only other logical way to go was—

A Brandy-sized paw print caught her eye. Now that she saw it, she couldn’t unsee the trail of them. They were under an overhang, which had kept that spot of the neighbor’s driveway dry. The truck from last night had a Massachusetts license plate. The renter wouldn’t be happy if he found a strange dog going to the bathroom on the property. She jogged over to the truck, fully expecting to find Brandy doing just that but she was nowhere to be seen. As Renee neared the house, she found something much worse.

The back door hadn’t closed all the way, and there was a space just enough for a chocolate-Lab-sized body to squeeze through. If she had any doubt, the paw prints leading to the door and then disappearing inside were the finishing touch.

Renee ground her teeth together and debated her choices. It wasn’t her place to tell others to keep their doors shut, mainly because most residents in West Cove didn’t even lock their doors. It wouldn’t be a warm welcome for the renter to find a strange dog in his house. Rocking on her heels, she contemplated her next choice. If she were inside the house and got caught, it would be even worse than finding a dog inside. But if she could get Brandy out of there before the renter saw, then she could avoid an awkward conversation. With the excuse on her tongue, she grabbed the door handle and opened it. The renter would have to believe that it was a mistake. Heat gathered under her arms and she wiped her damp hands against her shirt. This was a terrible idea. Yet her body propelled her forward.

“Brandy!” she hissed. Renee prayed that Brandy would listen to her for once that morning, but she had no such luck. The scent of bacon floated in the air. It had to be what drew Brandy inside.

The sunroom was much cooler than it was outside, forcing a cascade of goose bumps to erupt on her arms. Renee peered around the piles of garbage bags, beach chairs, and fishing equipment for her dog.

A fishing rod lay across the floor, threatening to trip her. Renee sighed. The door to the kitchen was open wide. The old girl had barged in with no apologies. If she ran into the renter, Renee would have a lot of apologizing to do. The next week or so would be incredibly awkward when they passed each other. Her throat tightened.

Even though she hadn’t been in the house for years, it looked the same as the last time she was there. The summer between her junior and senior years of high school brought her into that house more than a few times. Her stomach quivered at the memories of the boy she’d spent most of her vacation with.

The kitchen had the same vinyl flooring with various shades of brown in diamond shapes, just as she remembered. Renee clicked her tongue, another warning that Brandy needed to get out of there. The tempting bacon popped and sizzled inside a pan on the stove. The burner was off, and Renee’s stomach swooped. The renter was up, but somewhere else in the house. Had Brandy interrupted him making breakfast, and he ran off to call animal control?

Renee rounded the oval table and chairs opposite the countertop in the galley kitchen. A female voice locked her in place at the threshold to the living room.

“Record-breaking highs are expected for the end of the week,” the familiar voice said. Jeannine Lynch, the local weather girl.

Renee’s chest deflated. It was just the news. Inside the wood-paneled room, an older television sat on a stand with a surface just large enough to hold the device, which had to be a relic from the early Nineties. A couch stood opposite from it, hosting a familiar elderly dog who sniffed the air in her direction.

Brandy turned her head, and her tail thumped the surface of the brown couch. Like every space Renee had seen so far, the house was exactly as she remembered.

“Come on,” Renee said, looping her finger under Brandy’s collar. It took considerable force to pull her down. Brandy snorted and settled onto the floor and shook. Her tags slammed against each other, sounding like an alarm bell. Her glossy eyes fell everywhere except in Renee’s direction.

Hard footfalls careened down the stairs. Renee’s heart hammered in her chest as a man appeared at the bottom across the room from her.

They both were at a standoff.

The words burst from Renee before she could stop them. “I’m sorry. She never does this. I-I live next door …” Renee’s words trailed off as a spark of recognition flooded her.

The man was in the middle of tugging on his shirt, revealing the grown-up face of the boy she had lost her virginity to all those years ago.

“Luc?”

Luc blinked and shoved away his mop of sandy blond hair. Even though the only light in the room emanated from the television, the depths of his hazel eyes weren’t the type she could forget. In the sunlight, they shifted toward green, while at that moment they were a darker shade of brown. He hadn’t shaved, so sprigs of hair hid the chiseled cheekbones that she’d traced with kisses over that eventful summer with him. Her insides warmed and twisted at the same time.

“Renee?” He broke out into a wide smile. His teeth were perfectly straight now, given the last time she saw him, he had a mouth full of braces. “Wow.”

As she had been last night, she became fully aware of the state of her dress. Still in a tank top and shorts, the cool morning air, and most definitely Luc’s presence, affected her body in ways she didn’t want.

Renee crossed her arms over her chest. “I didn’t know you were here.”

“I didn’t expect you either.” He stepped closer to her, and the tingles spreading from limb to limb intensified. They moved lower this time. A fresh, clean smell radiated from him. His damp locks hung over his eyes.

“I live with my dad.” Renee loved West Cove, but Luc didn’t have enough context to know she’d gone to college and then come back. She’d never been embarrassed about her lack of growth before. He probably thought she had never left.

“Marcus. That’s great,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck.

Brandy shook again.

Luc chuckled, a deep, hearty sound.

“This is Brandy.”

He scrubbed a hand over Brandy’s head and her tail ticked in time with the touches. “She sneaked in here while I was making breakfast. I was just headed out to find the owner, but it looks like you’ve found me.”

“Guess so.” Renee let out a high-pitched laugh. She stopped herself and shook her head, wondering where that had come from.

“I, um, never thought I’d see you again.”

Now that she was hyper-aware of her body, she noticed the dampened accent around his words. As teens, he had a thick Boston accent, giving her enough fodder about his “R’s” to tease him. Luc had changed in so many ways, yet from his standpoint, she hadn’t changed at all other than her age.

“I should get going.” Renee reached for Brandy’s collar again before backing away from Luc. “Sorry to interrupt your morning.”

“I was up anyway.” Luc shrugged. “I’m an early riser. I’m helping out at the high school for the girls’ volleyball clinic starting next week.”

“You’re a coach?” Renee bumped against the doorframe as Luc slipped by her. He was at least a head taller than her. She didn’t recall such a difference when they’d first met.

“I’m a teacher and a coach.” Luc opened the cabinet above the stove. “Do you want some coffee?” He reached up to grab the machine, revealing a sliver of his sinewy frame between the waist of his shorts and the hem of his shirt.

Her eyes watered as she focused on his face instead. “I’m already making some next door. Thanks, though.”

“No problem. I’m guessing we’ll see a lot of each other now considering.”

“Considering what?”

His full lips quirked into a smile. “Considering we’re neighbors.”

“Oh, right. How long are you here for?”

“At least until the Fourth. The clinic ends that week.”

Brandy trotted toward the sunroom, understanding that she wasn’t getting the bacon she had wanted.

Luc started to fill the reservoir of the coffee maker. “I guess I’ll see you around, then?”

“Yeah.” Luc shot her another grin and she smiled back. “I mean, yeah, of course.”

“It’s really good to see you, Renee.”

Words were hard to form, as if her brain had dumped them to fill up with her last memories of Luc instead. The entire night they had spent together before he had left for good without another word. Their last kiss …

Renee tossed out a wave and stumbled out the back door. Outside, the air cooled her burning skin, and she was finally able to breathe.

***

Brandy was already halfway across the driveway toward the house, leaving Renee behind. “Now you’re in a rush to get home?”

The dog peered over her shoulder as if to say, “keep up!”

As Renee trudged up the steps, she replayed the conversation with Luc in excruciating detail. She could have done without the breaking and entering, and the chance meeting with Luc. She wished it would have unraveled a different way. Even more memories flooded her mind.

“Morning!” Cait trilled from the half-bathroom.

“Morning.” The comfort of her home enveloped her, and Renee collapsed on a chair, hiding her face in her hands.

“Pour me a coffee?” Cait asked before the toilet flushed.

Renee stood and headed for the cabinet with the overflow of mugs. The two she had in her hands clanked against each other. The sound snapped her thoughts together, and she took a deep breath to calm her trembling hands.

Cait bounced into the room, the bun on her head flopping to one side.

“Thank you!” Cait grabbed the mug from Renee’s hand and then stopped. Her nose wrinkled and she stared at Renee. “What’s up with you?”

“Nothing. That was mine, by the way.”

“You have another mug right there. And don’t change the subject.” Cait paused, and Renee could almost hear the questions in her sister’s mind. Questions she wasn’t prepared to answer just yet. “Where were you? I heard you calling for Brandy outside. You woke me up.”

Renee turned away from her sister, overly focusing on pouring her coffee. “Brandy got loose. I found her in the house next door.”

“She was inside?” Cait slid into her chair and held out her mug to Renee. “Sneaky little girl.” She rubbed Brandy’s back, and the old girl sat down, wanting more.

“Yeah.” Renee filled her mug, wanting to delay the conversation as long as possible. It wasn’t as if Luc was going anywhere and Cait was the only one in the house who knew about her brief relationship with him.

“Someone is renting there?”

“Luc Hardy,” Marcus’s voice carried from the stairwell. He shuffled down, and Hunter yapped at the new person in the room. Marcus didn’t bother to pet Hunter until he stopped jumping and nipping. “The owner’s nephew.”

As if Cait didn’t already know.

“Luc Hardy!” Cait shrieked. “No wonder you look like that.”

Renee shot her sister a glare. Of course, Marcus had no idea about Luc and her all those years ago, and she didn’t need to inform him anytime soon. Or ever.

“Brandy sneaked into the house this morning.” Renee glanced at Brandy, slowly munching away at her food as if she had done nothing wrong. “He’s here until July to help with the high school volleyball team.” She tried to keep her tone light and conversational, hiding the prickling embarrassment pinching at her skin.

“Until July, huh?” Cait’s face split into a wicked grin. “That’s a while to reconnect.”

Renee ignored her. “You didn’t tell me he was coming, Dad.”

“I didn’t think it was a big deal. It’s better than an unknown renter.” With four beds in that house plus the sofa, there had been plenty of summers where groups of college kids took over the house and Marcus wasn’t shy about calling the police for noise ordinances and bad behavior.

“That place still looks the same,” Renee noted.

“It needs a lot of updating.” Marcus gestured for Renee to scoot over. He poured himself a coffee and settled in his chair. “I’ve told Audrey there are plenty in town who could help for cheap. She never took us up on the offer.”

“Maybe Luc is helping,” Cait said.

Marcus blinked. “Maybe. What else did you talk to him about, Renee?”

Renee spotted her reflection in the microwave door and balked. Had her hair been like that all morning? She smoothed the tattered brown nest down as if somehow erasing the memory from both her and Luc’s minds. “Not much. I was just there to get Brandy. He arrived late last night, so I didn’t want to bother him.”

“You seem to know his whereabouts pretty well.”

Renee took a long pull from her coffee, ignoring Cait’s thin eyebrows jumping up and down. She was enjoying this too much.

Marcus leaned back and watched his daughter for a few seconds before shaking his head. “I have no idea what you two are on about, and I’m not sure I want to.”

Cait burst out laughing, and Renee tossed a dish towel at her. Her sister moved quickly to the side to avoid it.

“I know you’re allergic to hard work, but you can put the dishes away while I start on breakfast.” Renee opened the refrigerator and reached for the carton of eggs she’d picked up from the farmers’ market the other day. For some reason, the scent of bacon filled her nose. Then the onslaught of a shirtless Luc popped into her mind. Squeezing her eyes closed only solidified the details of his body. How was she going to get through a month of this?

“Don’t be upset.” Cait lifted a dish from the rack.

Marcus stood and clicked his tongue for Brandy to follow him outside to the front patio. It was their spot in the morning and Hunter didn’t waste the opportunity to chase after Brandy.

Renee doubted Brandy would leave Marcus’s side, unlike earlier when she invaded Luc’s home. It was so unfair. Renee waited for a beat before turning to her sister. “I’m not mad, but he can’t know about Luc. It’s incredibly awkward. Please just tone it down a bit.”

Cait rolled her eyes. “It was like a million years ago, Renee. Besides, I’m sure he would never think the guy next door and his daughter were together together.”

Renee balked.

“So, is he hotter than he used to be? He has to be. I can practically see the drool on your lips. Give me the details!”

Renee swiped at her mouth and gathered her supplies before moving to the other counter, away from her sister’s curiosity. She cracked four eggs on the side of the bowl a little harder than necessary. “There’s nothing to say.”

“So, he is hotter?” Cait said, bumping her hip against Renee’s.

“Hand me the whisk?”

Cait handed her a spatula.

“That’s not a whisk.”

“It works the same.”

Renee reached across to the wire rack for the whisk. “He isn’t unattractive.”

“So, I’m right?”

“He was cute that summer, in a teenager-y way, but he’s, like, gorgeous now. And he’s nice. Which makes it so much worse.”

“Why? There is obviously some attraction there.”

“It’s been years, Cait. Are you still in love with your first fling?”

“You know I am,” Cait said.

Renee shook her head. Cait was the exception.

“Are you embarrassed because you broke into his house looking like that?” Cait half-smiled and cringed.

If Renee could ever make a physical manifestation of how she felt about that morning, Cait’s expression would be it. “It wasn’t my finest moment.”

“Well he slept with you once. I’m sure after showering you’ll increase your chances exponentially.”

Renee focused on whisking the eggs into a yolky soup. “I’m not going to sleep with him.”

“Don’t close that door so quickly. You said he’s hot. Is he married or does he have a girlfriend?”

“I have no idea.”

“And when was the last time you had sex?”

Renee whipped around, making sure Marcus was still outside. He might have been out of earshot, but the slider had a screen. Their conversation wasn’t exactly private.

“The last I heard you went on a date was a year ago.”

“That was with a tourist, and there was no sex involved.” Renee didn’t even recall his name. That hazy night buried itself somewhere deep in her mind, where it belonged.

“So, it’s been longer?”

Renee whisked the eggs, making enough sound to drown out Cait.

“I need your help, so I’m not going to push you. But don’t discount him. He’s only here for a little while. This might be the chance to have fun for a change.”

“I have plenty of fun.”

Cait indicated her shorts and waggled her eyebrows. “Not fun enough.”

Renee swatted at her sister. “All right, that’s a bit gross coming from you.”

“I’m not a prude, Renee. I live with my fiancé, and you were the one to give me the sex talk.”

Another way that Isla failed Cait. Renee wasn’t sure she had done the best job, but for a twenty-six-year-old, she’d had enough experience to give her little sister advice on safe sex.

“Don’t become an old lady before your time. I’m going to shower. Let me know when breakfast is ready.”

Cait skipped up the stairs while Renee concentrated a bit too hard on whisking. Her hand cramped and she shoved away the bowl. She needed a bit more caffeine. Sipping from the mug, she drifted into the living room.

Hunter sat by the screen door, his tiny tail at attention. Small whines came from his throat. Marcus turned in his seat to look through the window at her.

“Scrambled okay?” she asked as if coming over to him had been her plan all along. The draw from the house next door was unbearable. The window gave her full view of it. Luc’s truck was still there, and she wondered if she had had any effect on him too.

Probably not. There wasn’t a ring on his finger or any hint of a woman at that house, but she couldn’t get involved with him. Not when their families were so intertwined. Not when his time in West Cove was so short.

Didn’t stop you the first time.

Renee’s cheeks burned.

“Whatever you want to make. You know I don’t care.” Marcus’s voice snapped her out of her thoughts. He glanced next door as if he knew what she was thinking.

Renee broke away from the door and went back into the kitchen, determined to scramble the eggs, along with Luc, out of her mind.

Chapter 5

After breakfast, Cait insisted on spending the day at the beach.

Renee placed the final clean dish from the rack into the cabinet. “We need to get started on the planning.”

Cait glanced at her floral sundress. The ties from her bikini peeked out around her neck. “It’s my first full day here. I haven’t had a beach day yet. Can we push it to tomorrow?”

Renee understood why none of Cait’s plans were confirmed. “No, we can’t.”

Cait stuck out her bottom lip, the way she used to do when she was a toddler. As a teen, Renee used to flick her fingers at that lip, which would cause Cait to tumble to the floor in a fit of giggles.

“Nay, don’t be like that.”

Renee sighed. “How about we take the time and make appointments for this week?” She doubted the vendors would have space to fit them in that day anyway.

“Yay! You’re the best.”

“I said ‘we’.”

“I know, I know,” Cait said, reaching for her phone. She tapped away as Renee brought the coffee machine parts to the sink to soak.

Renee’s phone pinged from the table several times in a row. Cait placed her phone on the counter and swooped her hair back into a bun at the very top of her head. “Those are from me.”

“What are?” Renee asked.

“The list of vendors. That’s my part.”

“Cait, that’s not what we agreed to.”

“I don’t know anyone here, remember? You said you would call them. After that, I’m all in, okay?”

Renee tapped the screen of her phone and sifted through the emails. They were forwarded from each of the vendors asking for confirmation of times, and some even had attachments of surveys, which Cait hadn’t filled out.

Renee counted seven of them in total: the bakery, the venue, the DJ, hair and makeup artist, the dress shop, florist, and photographer. It seemed comprehensive and a little overwhelming. Cait wasn’t the organized type, and Renee wondered how long she had expected to put off these details.

Some of the emails were a string of follow-ups that Cait had chosen to ignore. Renee recognized all the names from the emails. They were established businesses in the area, and she knew a few of them would need smoothing over before she could ask them to make an exception for Cait. Some might not have held the date open without the proper responses.

The sliding door closed, and Renee glanced up from her phone. Cait was already outside, crossing the street with a towel under her arm.

A grumble vibrated in Renee’s throat, and Marcus chuckled from his spot on the couch.

Hunter rushed to the door and barked in Cait’s direction.

Renee crossed her arms. “What’s so funny?”

“You can say ‘no’, you know.”

“What else am I supposed to do? She’s done nothing. She chose West Cove for her wedding. I can’t let her have a bad time.”

“I understand.” To Renee, it sounded like he didn’t. She climbed the stairs to her bedroom.

Renee hadn’t been in her room since last night. The amount of clothes covering every surface made it look as if Cait’s suitcase had exploded. She wondered how much of it was from Cait being careless versus Hunter’s need to make every room a mess. His quick feet hurried up the stairs, and Renee closed the door before he could invade her space. A soft thump sounded from the other side. A whine and a bark came next. But Renee needed to get her work done before she could join Cait at the beach.

A bra hung from the side of her computer monitor, and Renee delicately tossed it on the bed before logging into the desktop.

First, she checked her schedule and answered emails. She left Cait’s emails as UNREAD and moved on to the rest. A few clients wanted updates. She fielded those she could answer with a few sentences before opening Cait’s emails. The only way to work through them was to jump in.

Her phone buzzed. It was a text from Cait. Are you coming?

After I plan your wedding, sure. But Renee didn’t type what she wanted to and instead sent a thumbs-up emoji.

The bakery was the first email on the list, and cake tasting seemed like the perfect place to start. West Cove Country Club wedding packages included local vendors. But it was up to the bride to select the details. Cait had done half the work, and it seemed like Renee was in charge of the other half.

Sprinkles and Crumbs was the go-to place for any baked goods in the local area. The owner, Eileen, answered.

“Eileen, it’s Renee Clarke.”

“Hey! I’m a little swamped this morning—how can I help?”

“My sister, Cait Ingram, has a wedding on the Fourth—”

“That’s your sister?” Eileen’s cheery voice faltered. “I’ve been trying to get in touch with her for about a month now.”

“Sorry about that, I’m working with her to finalize the details. Can we come in this week?”

“I was about to write her off, so good thing you called. Let me get my calendar.” Shuffling sounds filled her ear as she flipped open her own calendar on her monitor. They found a date and time that worked for them, and Renee plugged it in.

“I appreciate this.”

Eileen grunted. As she hung up, Renee briefly wondered if Cait’s intention of having the locals want to help would do the opposite and hurt Renee’s contacts within the town. It seemed unlikely but scheduling the meetings sooner rather than later would help preserve those relationships. As she confirmed more appointments, the weeks ahead of her needed a lot of rearranging. The feeling of accomplishment somewhat overpowered the worry knotting her stomach.

When she finished, she looked at her work calendar. Most places weren’t open on Sundays, so she made a mental note to head over to the co-working space then.

Renee sorted her work—shifting more of it to the weekend.

This is only temporary. She wasn’t a stranger to working under tight deadlines, but there didn’t seem to be enough hours in the day. As long as she kept to her schedule on top of the wedding plans, everything would work out. She could host her sister and give her the best vacation and wedding while completing her work tasks.

By the time Renee was settled enough in her accomplishments for the morning, the clock read nine-thirty. How had it been forty-five minutes since she had sat down? Two more messages came in from Cait, insisting she come to the beach, and Renee finally conceded.

***

Renee’s bathing suit was a bit more modest than Cait’s as her body wasn’t quite the shape it used to be in her twenties. She stared at her sister’s almost concave stomach as she approached her lying on her towel facing the sun.

Cait rolled onto her belly and pulled her sunglasses low over her nose. “It’s about time.”

“I spoke with all the vendors.”

Cait’s jaw dropped. “All of them?”

“Yes.”

“That didn’t take long.”

Renee spread her blue and white striped towel next to her sister and smoothed the edges. “It wouldn’t have taken you long either.”

Cait took her sunglasses off and folded her arms in front of her. She cradled her cheek in her hands, turning away from Renee.

“Cait, I want to know why you didn’t ask for my help earlier.”

Cait shrugged, still not looking at her.

“At the very least, I deserve an explanation. I filled my schedule with a lot of work, including your website. Is everything okay?”

Cait sniffed and turned her head to rest on her other cheek. “Everything is fine. Jorden is so busy with work, I didn’t want to bother him with all this.”

“What about your other bridesmaids?”

Cait rolled her eyes. “I love them, I do. But none of them are married or even engaged. They don’t understand. I wanted to do this with you but wasn’t sure how to ask.”

Renee reached over and smoothed a chunk of Cait’s hair out of her face. “You can ask me anything. Anytime.”

Cait smirked against her arm. “I thought wedding stuff wouldn’t be on that list.”

Renee settled against the towel, peering up at the sky. “I want you to be happy no matter what. Even if you choose to spend your life with a ball and chain.”

A sprinkling of sand peppered her side, and Renee grinned. Cait wiped her hand on her towel.

There was a moment of silence, growing heavier by the second before Cait said, “You blame Mom for all of it?”

Renee ground her teeth together, holding back the venom she wanted to spew about Isla. Cait had never seen their mother at her worst. She had divorced Marcus when Renee was eight, then divorced Jacob before Cait was a teenager. Cait and her father’s relationship never suffered, and whenever she was around, Isla doted on Cait. Babysitting, feeding, and carting Cait around to activities had been Renee’s job.

“I’ve made my own decisions.” Years of therapy at college had formed a well-rounded, independent individual. But that dark thread weaving through every prospective relationship was tinged with her mother’s influence. Renee rarely spoke badly about her mother to anyone other than Sadie. Since Cait hadn’t been there for the dark times, it wasn’t fair for Renee to taint that relationship as well.

“I think you’d make a beautiful bride, and someone very happy.”

The sound of an engine roaring to life floated over the barrier from Luc’s truck. It took effort for Renee not to turn around to catch another glimpse of him. One instance of seeing her in partial clothes was enough for a lifetime.

“I know you want to get a peek,” Cait said.

Even with her eyes closed, Renee heard the smile in her sister’s voice.

“You still have a plus-one for the wedding.”

Renee couldn’t help the snort bubbling out of her. “Luc? Yeah, right.”

“Why is that so hard to believe? Did you see a ring? If not, he’s fair game.”

As far back as she recalled, her mother never wore a wedding ring through any of her marriages. “That doesn’t mean much. He could have a girlfriend.”

“Why don’t you ask him? What’s the worst that could happen?”

I could embarrass myself more than I did earlier this morning.

“Who else are you going to ask?”

“I’ve been to weddings alone before.” More than she wanted to count.

“There’s a wedding party dance after the first couple dance. Who are you going to dance with?”

“Dad?” Renee cringed saying it. As much as she loved her father, she couldn’t help the swirling glee within her stomach at the thought of dancing with Luc instead. It was completely ridiculous but enough to make her consider it.

***

The rest of the day at the beach was the most relaxed Renee had been in a long time. Work usually filled her mind but sitting in the sun with Cait allowed her to sink into the moment.

Cait did most of the talking—as she always did. But Renee missed being the listener. Even with the waves as their soundtrack, she fell into the memories of putting Cait to sleep when she was a kid or listening to what happened during her sister’s day.

Their mother had left Renee to care for her child while she did whatever she wanted, but Renee wouldn’t want her life any other way. Cait was the perfect result of all that heartache, and she couldn’t wait to show their mother how good of a job she had done for Cait when she was the one to help put the wedding together with her sister.

Chapter 6

The first appointments to get Cait’s wedding in the right direction were with the florist and photographer. Renee gave herself time in the morning to work at the co-office space before picking up Cait for their ten o’clock appointment.

Renee wasn’t much of a dreary-rainy-day type person, but she appreciated the thick gray clouds in the sky hovering over them. At least Cait couldn’t force Renee to attend to the appointments alone with an excuse of another “beach day”.

“Did you eat?” Cait asked, getting into the car. She wore a pair of micro jean shorts and a tank top. Cait shivered, and Renee grabbed a spare hoodie from the back seat and handed it over.

“Thanks.” Cait shoved her arms in the sleeves. As she turned away, Renee noticed the dark circles under her eyes. She blinked, wondering if she had imagined them.

Cait lifted her makeup bag from her purse and started doing her foundation using the miniature mirror attached to the visor.

“You sleep okay last night?”

“Of course,” Cait said quickly. “Your mattress is super comfortable.”

“I know,” Renee said with a smirk. “But make sure you eat enough. Sometimes Dad isn’t good at making food outside the essentials, so feel free to raid the cabinets.”

“Okay,” Cait said, dabbing her concealer brush under her eyes.

Renee opened her mouth but didn’t press the issue. Cait did what she wanted. She had since she was a kid. Pushing her to get over this diet would only get the opposite result she wanted.

“What’s first?” Cait asked cheerily as Renee backed out of the driveway.

“Greene Stems Florist.”

“Oh, I’ve been looking forward to picking out the flowers. It’s my favorite part of weddings.”

“What are you thinking?”

“Well, the scheme of the wedding is pinks and grays. The guys’ suits are gray, but I’d like to have pink boutonnières. For the bouquets, I was thinking pinks and whites. I have a whole Pinterest board full of ideas.”

At least that would help the initial process. As much as Cait seemed to want Renee to take care of the details, letting Cait take over where she shined—talking to people—would make the time go by so much quicker.

***

Downtown West Cove was bustling with people for a weekday. Summers seemed to carry their own schedule with the vacationers coming and going as they pleased. During most times of the year, Renee didn’t have to worry about parking. Now, the only free spots were at the bigger plazas, quite a walk from the florist. Renee wasn’t in a rush to get in and out of the area as they had plans, but it wasn’t convenient.

When they reached Greene Stems, Cait practically skipped through the door. Inside she twirled around and made a show of inhaling the scent around them. Pops of color peeked from various vases and displays across the space. A glass-front refrigerator took up half the size of the room, showing intricately arranged bouquets held by elaborate vases.

Cait peered around the room with a loud gasp. “This place is so adorable.”

“I’ll be right with you!” a husky female voice called from the back.

“Renee! Look at these.”

Renee wandered across the room to Cait, who stood at a handcrafted wooden table. Cait flipped through a binder filled with photographs from other weddings. The binder was arranged by color, filled with hundreds of pictures.

“What do you think of this?” Cait landed a finger on one of the pictures. It was the scheme she was looking for.

“Pretty,” Renee said about the bouquet.

Cait groaned and flipped to the next page. “I don’t want pretty. I need perfect.”

“They’re just flowers. You know everyone is going to be looking at you, right?”

“When I look back, I don’t want to have any regrets.”

Renee couldn’t imagine Cait regretting anything about her wedding. These jitters seemed to be consistent with a lot of brides, and Renee understood her sister wasn’t immune.

“Good morning,” Francis Greene said, squeezing her body through the narrow space between the edge of the counter and the front window. “Sorry about that.”

Francis’s grandfather had opened the shop ninety years ago, and she had taken over for the last forty. She was well past retirement, but she didn’t look a day over fifty. Sprigs of flowers stuck to the tight curls on her head, looking more like a messy, floral headband.

“Francis,” Renee said, kissing her soft cheek. “This is my sister, Cait.”

“Oh, I remember you,” Francis said. “You were a little menace when you were a child.”

Cait glanced at Renee.

“She has a great memory,” Renee said with a smirk.

Francis snapped her fingers as if plucking the memory from thin air. “You came in here with Marcus, sticky with ice cream on your hands, wanting to touch all my babies.” It gave Renee a little thrill to see her sister squirm a bit.

“You remember cutting your finger on that rose thorn after I told you not to touch it?”

Cait smiled and laughed. To anyone else, it would have seemed as if she had brushed it off, but the tinge of red in her cheeks said otherwise.

“While these are beautiful examples, I thought I’d show you what I was thinking. Take a seat at the table, and I’ll be right back.”

Cait and Renee sat at the handcrafted table. Renee smoothed her hands across it at the beautiful craftsmanship. Marcus used to refurbish furniture, so she appreciated the attention to detail. The placard on the side read, Bower Designs.

Francis returned, holding a tall vase. She hefted it onto the table as if it weighed nothing. “Alternating tall and short centerpieces works well for a room that size.”

Renee and Cait stood. Renee couldn’t take her eyes off the assorted types of blush pink flowers. Matching sprigs from Francis’s hair were in the bouquet. She must have put it together for them right before they arrived. Several ivy-looking plants cascaded out of the vase nearly touching the table.

“With the regulation candles, these arrangements do sparkle.”

“Francis, this is amazing,” Cait said.

“It’s my job.” Francis stared at that centerpiece with a critical eye before moving one of the flowers over about a centimeter. She let out a satisfied grunt when she was done. “Besides, the Clarkes have been good customers of mine. I wanted to make it special.”

Francis winked at Renee, and Cait reached back to squeeze her hand. “It’s perfect. Thank you.”

“My pleasure. Now, let’s look at bouquets.”

***

The meeting with Francis took well over an hour and a half. Now that she was involved with the decisions, Cait had a lot to say. By the end, she and Francis were in perfect agreement on the arrangements.

Walking out of the florist, Renee mentally checked flowers off her list. If all the appointments were that easy, they could figure out the wedding in no time.

They weren’t due to meet with the photographer until one, so they had time to head over to The Coffee Pot for an early lunch.

Renee’s shoulders relaxed as they entered the restaurant. Cait seemed lighter in her steps too. Renee had put too much pressure on the appointments. It was easy enough.

Since it was a weekday, Sadie wasn’t there to chat with about the wedding. She was home with the kids during the week, but Renee was happy enough to unwind with Cait and get her opinion on how the meeting with Francis went.

The moment they sat at the window seat, Cait flipped open the menu. “This place hasn’t changed a bit, has it?”

Renee grinned. “Not at all.” The only update to the menus over the years was laminating over the same list of dishes. The specials were updated on the blackboard over the hostess station every day, yet the three-page spread had been the same for as long as Renee could remember.

“I’m starving,” Cait said, glancing toward the kitchen, which made Renee suspect that Cait hadn’t eaten breakfast that morning. It wasn’t like Cait to lie to Renee, but she had a way of stretching the truth.

Greer Huntley shoved through the double doors, holding a tray filled with food. The gray-haired co-owner of The Coffee Pot donned her signature impassive scowl. She called it her “concentrating look”, and those who knew her well enough didn’t hold it against her.

Greer spotted Renee and lifted her chin as if to say, “I’ll be right there.”

“Do you know what you want?” Cait asked.

“Sure do,” Renee said.

“I bet you order the same thing every time.”

“I have a rotating menu of about three items.”

Cait smirked. “Of course you do.”

Greer peered at the other patrons as she walked over to the table. She lifted a pen from behind her ear before posing it against a paper pad. “What can I get for you?”

Renee nodded for Cait to go first. “I always like to try the local flavor. Can you suggest something?”

Greer blinked, and for a moment, Renee thought she was going to give Cait a line about not having time for her. Instead, Greer tapped the end of her pen on her cheek. “That depends on how hungry you are.”

“We’re doing wedding planning today, so I’m plenty hungry,” Cait said with a smile.

“Greer, this is my sister, Cait.”

Then the impossible happened, Greer flashed her teeth in a wide grin. “I always feel like people are just lazy with that question, but any family member of Renee’s has to be sincere or else you wouldn’t bother with them, isn’t that right?” Greer sat back on her heels and tapped the end of the pen against her lips. “We have the Greer special: triple meat breakfast platter with eggs and French toast. The quadruple stack of buttermilk pancakes with or without chocolate chips. If you’re looking for lunch, I have the bacon supreme turkey club sandwich with a heaping supply of fries.”

Cait’s eyes widened. Since she had arrived, Renee hadn’t seen her sister eat more than a few bites of anything. When Cait ordered the Greer special, Renee rolled her shoulders and shed the weight she’d held there. Cait’s thinning out might have been due to a combination of stress from the wedding planning and traveling.

Greer left the table with their orders. Cait propped her arm on the table, resting her chin in her hand.

“You got through to Greer. Most people can’t get past the grumpy side of her.”

“I remember,” Cait said with a sigh. “After the meeting with Francis, I realized that I want to be a part of this place too. Just like you are.”

“You don’t need to try that hard to fit in. Everyone loves you.”

Cait rolled her eyes. “Everyone here loves you. They’re tolerating me because of that.”

Renee wasn’t sure where the dip in confidence came from. “You and Francis got along well this morning. You didn’t even need me there.”

Cait shrugged.

For a moment, Renee contemplated digging into the issue further, but the sudden appearance of Luc outside the restaurant stopped her. No, it wasn’t just his appearance. It was also the woman next to him. Even at their distance, Renee sunk into her chair, her shoulders curving inward.

Cait didn’t notice since her eyes were on her phone. Renee’s attention was equally glued to Luc as he and the woman with scorching red hair walked over to a white convertible parked across the street from the restaurant. Renee wasn’t a lip-reader, but from their body language—the closeness of their bodies and the way her hand brushed against his as he held the car door open for her—they knew each other very well. Cait’s earlier question about Luc’s singlehood had an answer. Especially when the woman tweaked Luc’s chin before sitting in the car. He grinned at the woman as he closed the door and lingered on the sidewalk watching her drive away.

Well, that’s that.

It’s not like Renee was going to start anything with Luc over the summer, but the sense of relief she should have felt never came. The urge to know more about the woman surged through her out of nowhere.

Cait’s phone erupted with music, breaking Renee’s attention from Luc.

“Sorry,” Cait said before picking it up. Her gaze locked with Renee. “Hey, Mom.”

By habit, Renee stiffened. She didn’t recall the last time she and Isla had a conversation. Isla’s efforts to “connect” involved Christmas and birthday cards, which had eventually stopped a few years ago. She had never been a mother to Renee. Marcus and Jacob had been the only responsible adults in her life. With Jacob gone, the list became even shorter.

Greer returned with their sodas and dropped two paper straws on the table.

Renee found it hard not to strain herself to listen to the conversation, pretending not to care. Cait’s posture straightened as if their mother was sitting next to them.

“I sent you a text,” Cait said, glancing at Renee, then at the table. “Yes, sorry. I can text you the details later. I’m having lunch with Renee right now.” A pause. “Uh-huh. Okay, bye.”

Cait cradled the phone in her hands. “Mom said hi.”

Renee mustered a smile.

Cait swirled her straw in her soda and sipped from it. “She wanted to know what’s going on with the wedding. I had texted her to check the website.”

“It’s not up yet.”

“Yeah, she wanted me to tell you that.”

“Why doesn’t she know any of the details?” Renee already knew the answer, but she wanted to hear it from Cait.

Cait sighed. “She hasn’t been a part of much of the planning. Work is busy, I guess.”

Renee didn’t want to get into whatever her mother was up to but had the feeling that Cait was trying to bridge the gap between them. It wasn’t the first time. Cait hadn’t noticed the strained relationship between Renee and their mother until about five years ago. At the time, Isla was seeing some guy almost half her age and going out every night to bars and clubs. Her distance from Cait forced her to catch on to their mother’s ways.

Cait had experienced a part of Isla’s selfishness when their mother had abandoned Cait at the airport, leaving her youngest daughter stranded. Renee had to send her sister enough money to cover the two-hour ride home. It was the first time in a long while that Renee had voluntarily called Isla. In that same fashion, it went right to voicemail where Renee unloaded on her mother to the recorded line.

Miraculously, Cait had received a new car several weeks later as a graduation present from Isla.

Renee hadn’t mentioned it since.

“What’s she doing now?” Renee asked, to keep the peace. She didn’t need Cait to worry about how she’d react at the wedding when Isla arrived. Renee wasn’t even sure what that would look like. Though, she had time.

“A temporary job. But I’ve been helping her look for something more permanent.”

Renee pushed away from the thought that Cait had that same carefree spirit as their mother. No matter what environment Renee hoped to give her, there was always that genetic link between her and Isla. While Renee had stressed safety and independence, Cait sat in front of her with no career aspirations and getting married before twenty-five.

A dark cloud started to form over her head as it always did with the thoughts of her mother.

“I hope she’s not upset that I came here early to ask you for help.”

“Why would she be upset?”

“I think she wouldn’t mind helping me, but West Cove isn’t exactly her first choice.”

Greer appeared at their table and plopped two plates of food in front of Cait and Renee.

Cait opened her mouth wide. “Wow. This is a lot.”

“Eat up,” Renee said, sensing the conversation about Isla was over. Good riddance.

***

The photography studio, Sullivan Meeks Productions, was at the edge of the downtown area, sharing space inside of a large Victorian house. Sullivan had been a transplant of the town about two years ago. He was in his forties yet could have been mistaken for older with his thinning hair and shortness of breath from walking down the stairs. “You have a great face for the camera. Have you ever modeled before?”

Cait’s nostrils flared. Renee sensed she had given the guy on the plane a similar look. But at least Sullivan kept his gaze at eye level.

“I’d like to see some of your samples,” Cait said, lifting her chin defiantly.

Sullivan smiled at her. Even annoyed, she disarmed him. “I have a stack over here. But first, tell me what you’re looking for. Sometimes my brides want candid. Some want more formal. Well, the mothers and mothers-in-law do.” He chuckled and lifted a red handkerchief from his pocket before swiping it across his sweaty forehead. “I can also do a mix of both.”

“I think more candid,” Cait said, glancing at Renee.

“Have a seat.”

Cait and Renee sat on the leather love seat opposite the desk. It yawned under them as they sunk into the thick cushions. Renee adjusted herself until her butt was on the edge to keep it from swallowing her whole.

Sullivan stacked two albums side by side in front of them, before grabbing three more. “You can have them matted or flush-mounted. I’ll give you some time, and you can let me know your thoughts.”

“Thank you.” Renee opened the one in front of her. The albums weren’t like the wedding photos from her parents’ wedding. Theirs was a three-ring binder with clear plastic slots for the photos. These were certainly the more formal type of portraits. The one in front of her was exquisite. The pictures were embedded in the thick page. She smoothed her hand across the smiling faces of the bride and groom and their wedding party.

Cait had the matted one, and she seemed equally enamored.

As she had done at the florist, Cait fell into her vision for the wedding. Sullivan took notes while regaling them with stories of some of the weddings he’d photographed.

Renee wasn’t sure about his boastful nature, but he did good work.

When they left, Cait seemed as energized as she had before she had spoken to Isla. On the way home, Renee noticed a change in her attitude as well. At least her influence was helping Cait. She hoped to keep that up for the remainder of her visit and during the wedding. No matter what antics Isla came up with.

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