Page 55 of The Lightkeeper

“Why not?” I grunted, unable to take my eyes off of them.

“Because it’s all clearly part of Frankie’s plan,” Lou said, jerking her chin in her twin’s direction. Only then did I notice Frankie was watching me… watch them. “She’s matchmaking again. So, first, she had Nox come over to ask if you two were together; if that answer was a no, her contingency plan was this… to see if you’d get jealous.”

“I’m not jealous,” I snapped.

“Well, your scowl says otherwise.”

I drew a tight inhale and faced Lou, making it impossible for me to see Aurora at all.

“One of these days, Frankie is going to plot herself right into a corner and the rest of us are just going to sit back and watch her squirm,” I muttered.

Lou laughed. “I hope you’re right.”

She glanced at her twin, the look in her eyes one I’d seen plenty of times before.Longing.For as much as she agreed, there was a part of her that envied the… boldness… of Frankie’s personality. Her sister took no prisoners when it came to what she wanted. When Frankie was sixteen, she decided she wanted to make candles. Not even a year later, she was selling them under the brandFrankie’s Scents,a cheeky play on the wordfrankincense.By the time she was nineteen, she’d had enough money put aside for the down payment on the cabin; the whole family chipped in to renovate, and a few months later, the Candle Cabin opened. When Frankie wanted to do something, she made it happen no matter what it cost—money or otherwise.

But while Lou might’ve been woven from the same genetic fabric, she was cut differently. Just like Jamie and me. But sometimes, I could see the way she felt like she wasn’t enough—hadn’t done enough.

It was amazing the kind of things you picked up when you lived on the periphery, assessing rather than engaging.Observing rather than living.

“Any news on the inn?” I pushed my back harder into thewall, partially wishing I could dissolve into it instead of facing the crowd of family and friends milling through the house; at some point, I’d have to talk to them, but for now, I could seclude myself in conversation with my sister.

Her attention snapped back, eyes brightening. “Not yet, but I checked in with my friend, Adele, the other day, and she said it will probably be soon. I guess he’s been putting the word out in the real estate investment community about the sale.”

Which confirmed she’d be competing against some big fish for the purchase.

“Christopher!” Gigi hurried over, her hands full of Mom’s appetizers.

“Hi, Gigi.” I leaned in to hug her, and she tipped back.

“Don’t you ‘hi, Gigi’ me.”

“What?” I mumbled, unable to stop my gaze from darting back to Aurora as soon as I heard the wisps of her laugh. Her head was tipped back, throat exposed, as she laughed at something Nox said. Instantly, the dangerous urge to sink my teeth into the skin of her neck and mark her exploded inside my chest, and I almost let out a snarl as my stare narrowed on my cousin.

“First, eat this. You haven’t eaten since you walked in.” Before I could act on… whatever it was raging inside me, Gigi aimed one of the prosciutto-wrapped brie bites at me, not leaving me much of a choice except to fit the whole thing in my mouth.

“Gigi!” Lou laughed.

“Here, this one is for the birthday girl.” She shoved one at Lou;they were one of Lou’s favorites, so, of course, Mom made them. Between the saltiness of the prosciutto, the creamy brie, and the sweetness of Stonebar’s fig jam layered in, they were pretty damn delicious.

A second later, Frankie appeared and barreled into me for a hug. “I’m so happy you’re here,” she said softly. Heaven forbid anyone hear that Frankie Kinkade knew how to be vulnerable.

“Are you?” I grumbled.

“Of course, I am.” She smiled at me, the twinkle in her eyes devious. “There’s no better present than seeing you give Nox the death glare for the last ten minutes.”

I turned that glare on her, and when she saw it, all she did was laugh.

“It’s okay to like her,” she whispered loudly.

“So, I guess you don’t want your present then?” I changed subjects. “If my expression is enough for you.”

“What? Of course, I want my present.” She pressed her hands together, begging.

I drew out the second and then reached behind me where their gifts sat wrapped in deconstructed paper bags. Aurora had been the one to wrap them this morning, but I’d keep that to myself.

I handed them their gifts, noting how Gigi, while curious, was far too interested in when she was going to get to say what she’d come over here to say, her knobby fingers tapping on her arm.

“Thank you,” Lou said before she’d even opened it.

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