Page 44 of Just Like Home

Quinn pulled a sheet of paper from her planner. “Jules and I worked up a great plan for the recital a few months back.”

Charlotte half listened as the group carried on, bouncing from topic to topic. They covered everything from refreshments to hair and makeup to publicity. Everyone already knew their place and had their job. And now, Charlotte did too.

She’d proposed the idea of holding the recital, and she was all for it, but including community members as a way to honor Julianna could prove to be more than she’d bargained for.

After all, the thought of reaching out to the couple who ran Haven House was slightly uncomfortable.

The thought of convincing Cole Turner to be a part of this event?

Thatwas downright terrifying.

15

The next day, after practice, Cole got a text from his high school buddy turned tech mogul, Josh Dixon.

Meet us at Hazel’s? I had to get Connor out of that house.

On my way.

Dread twisted in his belly. He didn’t want to go to the diner, where the morning crowd would consist of a mix of tourists and locals who made it their daily stop before heading off to the beach for an afternoon of carefree fun.

But Connor was more than his friend now, he was family. And he owed it to Jules to keep an eye on the people she loved, no matter how much he didn’t like thinking about the fact that his sister was gone.

Losing her so quickly, without any warning, it was working him over, like salt on an already opened wound. Cole hadn’t figured out how to manage the pain of so many disappointments, and talking to Connor only served as an unwanted reminder of what he didn’t want to face.

Still, this wasn’t about him. Josh and Connor had seen him through the dark days of his divorce—he’d be a lousy friend if he didn’t return the favor.

Cole parked in the lot behind Hazel’s, got out of the truck, and walked around the building toward the front entrance. Josh and Connor sat at a table right in the center of the busy restaurant.

Cole tried not to groan. Running into people he knew was inevitable here—that’s why he usually ordered carryout or came during the off times. He caught a glimpse of Connor’s face. Whatever grief Cole felt right now about being out in public, it was a thousand times worse for his brother-in-law.

He needed to grow up and stop being such a baby.

He opened the door and beelined to the table, not bothering to look around at the crowded space. Josh looked up and gave Cole one of those slow head-shakes that said,He’s not doing well.

Cole sat, trying not to think of the day Julianna and Connor told him they were dating. Connor and Josh were Cole’s best friends—and they both knew his sister was off-limits.

But when she’d left the dance company and come home to figure out her next move, she and Connor connected almost instantly.

“We didn’t want to keep it a secret from you,” Jules said. “But we’ve been dating for a month now.”

Cole looked at Connor, whose expression turned sheepish. “You’re dating my sister?”

“She asked me out,” Connor said. “Like I was gonna say no.”

Cole watched as Julianna slipped her hand in Connor’s.

“We aren’t asking your permission,” she said. “But we’d love your support.”

He knew it mattered to her what he thought—Cole was her only real family now that Dad had found a new wife and they had their own kids. He wasn’t about to mess that up, and Connor was a good guy. Still, that didn’t stop Cole from saying, “You hurt her, and you’re a dead man—you understand?”

Connor hadn’t hurt her. He’d loved her well until the day she died.

Why would God take her away? Why would He leave such a hole in the fabric of their lives by allowing something so tragic to happen to someone so good?

Cole sat down across from Connor. His brother-in-law looked terrible. Red eyes, pale face, broken spirit. Was it possible he’d gotten worse in the few days since Cole last saw him?

“Hey, man.” Cole clapped a hand on Connor’s shoulder. “How’s it going?”

---