Page 101 of No More Secrets

Lucas isn’t sure how he feels about that.

Olivia rests a gentle hand on his shoulder and meets his eyes. “I know you miss her. But she left us long before she actually did leave.”

He nods. He realizes that. He’s been trying to accept it.

“Our parents were toxic,” Lily adds.

And like the alcohol he gave up over a month ago, he needs to cut his mom out of his life. Stop thinking about her. And stop feeling guilty about his mistakes.

His cheeks puff as he looses a long breath and looks around.Tabby’s Squirrelbanners fill the house front. The theater is packed. Lily’s movie will be this summer’s blockbuster animation. There’s already Oscar buzz. Incredible given how his baby sis started out. The odds she’d faced.

He takes in his sisters. His family. The three of them aren’t their parents. Never have been and never will be. They’re good people. People who’ve been broken, struggled, and have put themselves back together. Lucas is trying to do that now. He’ll get there, that he believes. They have the power to break the cycle of abuse and neglect and are doing so.

They’ve done so, he amends.

The best thing Lily did was run away. Distance herself from them. Because look at her now. Her smile takes up the entire room.

Lucas does something he hasn’t done in a long time. He makes the first move. He reaches for Lily. His palm cups her face. Emotion tightens his throat.

“I’ve missed you,” he whispers thickly.

Her eyes shimmer and smile quivers. “Missed you, too.”

“Gawd, you guys, you’re gonna make me cry.” Olivia throws her arms around them. “You have to come to the lake for Christmas. Both of you. The house should be done by then. Bring everyone.”

“Only if you come to the beach for Thanksgiving,” Lily says.

They look at him.

He groans as if visiting them is the most tedious chore. Then he laughs and strong-arms their necks, dragging them against his chest. They both shriek.

“Yes, I’ll be there. Ow.” He grunts when Lily punches his chest. Olivia pinches the underside of his arm. “Stop it. Fuck.” Sisters. He lets them go only to drape his arms over their shoulders.

Like Olivia’s superheroes, Ruby, Titian, and Dahlia, they’re stronger together.

And like Lily’s characters onTabby’s Squirrel, they still know how to have fun.

Arm in arm, Lucas walks with his sisters into the theater.

The Carson siblings. Together again.

EPILOGUE

Two months later

“That’s a wrap.” Lucas adds the last suitcase to Ivy’s car and closes the trunk.

“Thank you, Lucas. You don’t realize what you’ve done for me.”

He has an idea. He gave her the freedom to live out the rest of her days as she sees fit. And she gave him more than he could ever repay her for. A purpose, an expanded family, and a home.

After he learned about the money his mother left him, and after they sold the house in Seaside Cove, Lucas made an offer on the Dusty Pantry.

He hugs Ivy, smiling at Shiloh and Sophie over her head. They stand to the side, waiting for their turns to say goodbye.

“I’m going to miss you, Ivy.”

She snorts a laugh. “You’re going to miss my lasagna.”

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