Page 54 of Lovers at Seaside
“She’d written about that guitar since the very first entry, and this one’s dated two years later. It makes me so sad to think that’s the thing she clung to with all the stuff she was dealing with. She wrote about having a ton of cash, and in all that time she never bought the guitar. I think she must have been saving up to run away all that time.” Parker closed the diary. “I guess Abe was always giving her money.”
“Instead of love,” Jessica said. “It happens a lot in wealthy families. And the guitar? If she’s anything like I am with my cello, it signifies something much bigger than just an instrument to her.” Parker knew Jessica had played for the Boston Symphony Orchestra before having Dustin.
“Maybe it signified freedom,” Parker said. “I have to find her mother and return this to her.”
“Definitely.” Leanna petted Christmas, who was snoozing between her and Jessica. “I can’t imagine not knowing where Sloan was. That’s a parent’s worst nightmare.”
Parker thought of her own mother and wished for the millionth time that she’d been a little older when she’d lost her, so she could remember her face, her voice.Anything.
“We can help you,” Jenna said. “Do you know anything about her? Name? Where she lives? I guess if she’s remarried, she’d have a different name.”
“I bet Caden can do some kind of search at the police station,” Bella offered.
“Jamie knows how to pull anything and everything off the Internet, and I know he’d help.” Jessica smiled reassuringly.
Parker knew Jamie had developed OneClick, a search engine rivaling Google.
“Kurt’s friend Treat Braden has connections with private investigators in and out of the country,” Leanna said. “I’m sure he’d be willing to connect you with them.”
“You guys are so awesome.” Parker was overwhelmed by their support. “But I’m hoping Helga, Abe’s nurse, might know where to start. She worked for him for several years, so maybe she has her new last name or an address or something.”
“Okay, but if she doesn’t, we’re here to help,” Amy reassured her.
“Then we have a plan. If Helga can’t help, the Seaside girls are on the case!” Jenna took the diary from Parker, set it in the box, and carried the box to the far end of the dock. When she returned she pulled her sundress over her head. Christmas’s head popped up to watch the pretty girl in the blue bikini that barely contained her enormous boobs. “But before we start this mission, we have to initiate Parker to our group.”
Parker watched as each of the others pulled off their dresses and dropped them to the deck. “Initiate?”
“It’s time for you to become a Seaside sister.” Jenna stripped off her bikini—right there on the dock! She yelled, “Chunky-dunking!” and leaped into the water, splashing them all.
Christmas barked, leaping around the dock as bikini tops flew in the air, bikini bottoms fell to the girls’ feet, and naked women dove into the water, one after the other.
“I’ve never skinny-dipped!” Parker knew her cheeks were bright red, but as the girls laughed and splashed, urging her on, her embarrassment slipped away with every cajoling plea.
“Take it off!” Jenna hollered.
“Come on! It’s totally fun!” Amy yelled.
“Don’t be a chicken!” Bella called out.
She looked at her new friends who had come over despite the fact that she’d sent Grayson away, somehow knowing what Parker didn’t, what she couldn’t, having never had sisters—they knew she needed them, regardless of how well she thought she was doing.
GRAYSON PULLED DOWN the driveway, waving to Sky and the girls as they passed on their way out. Christmas greeted him as he stepped from the truck.
“Hey, buddy. Where’s your mama?”
Christmas ran to the cottage, and Grayson let them both in. He found Parker sitting at the kitchen counter wrapped in a towel. Her hair was soaking wet, and her cell phone was pressed to her ear. The box Abe had given her sat open in front of her, and a handful of empty chocolate wrappers were piled on the counter to her left. He scanned the contents of the box—a red cloth partially covered the letters Parker had left for Abe, and a pink journal lay on its side. He was glad to see she’d opened the box, but he wished he hadn’t gone to work so he could have been with her when she did. He leaned down and kissed her cheek.
She turned a smile his way and held up a finger, mouthing,One sec. Don’t go away.
Like there was anywhere else he wanted to be? It had been hell staying away all day, but at least Sky had texted him when she arrived at the cottage to say Parker was there and the girls were with her.
“Okay, thank you,” Parker said into the phone. “I look forward to meeting you, too.” After she ended the call, she jumped to her feet and hugged Grayson. “I’m so glad you’re here. It’s been a crazy day.”
“Looks like it. So, you’re okay?”
She looked down at her towel and her smile widened. “The girls initiated me into their group, and I looked through the box, and now I have to go to New Jersey.”
“Whoa, towel girl. New Jersey?”
