Page 53 of Love Notes & Lifelines
“What exactly did you tell them?” I ask again.
“That you were coming home with the girls, and you were bringing a girl with you.” Tabby attaches herself to Stella. “I’m so glad you’re here. We’re going to be the best of friends.”
Stella’s entire body is a tightrope, but she nods and searches my face, the street, even the dog, silently begging for an escape. What does she expect me to do? She looks near panic, so I tug her away from my cousin and into my side.
The entire town erupts into applause—or that’s how it sounds anyway, and now it’s my turn to search for an exit.
“Are they filming a Heartmark movie?” Stella whispers into the side of my chest, and my body vibrates with something foreign, yet familiar, but definitely not nostalgic.
Oliver’s voice cuts through the noise. “Cherish these moments, kids. Sometimes the simplest connection will lead to extraordinary happiness.” His voice is replaced with quiet background music.
Across the street are hot dog vendors and cotton candy. In front of us is a giant bouncy house and merry-go-round.
In less than twenty-four hours, they’ve created a goddamn festival for a homecoming that’s not permanent.
I lean in to whisper in her ear. “I’m not sure Heartmark could handle Sailport Bay. The people of Sailport Bay swear too much for that wholesome happy horseshit.”
She chokes on a laugh and buries her face further. It’s…nice. Daisie barks but thankfully is semi-contained in the SUV.
“There he is,” a familiar voice says to my left—Wanda Williams. A smile crawls onto my face when I turn in slow motion with my arm still holding Stella tightly. We called Wanda the Weather Witch when I was a kid because of her uncannyability to predict storms. And not only of the rain and wind variety.
“Mrs. Williams,” I say as a million memories hit me all at once. The candy she’d slip me when she thought no one was around. The advice she’d give that I’d never take and always, always end up wishing I had.
This is insanely overwhelming.
“It’s too much, I know,” she says, then reaches up and pats my cheek. Her skin sizzles against mine and her eyes dance with mischief. “You’re home.”
She removes her hand and inches closer to the girls. Emmy clings to Tabby, while Ruby climbs Stella like a tree.
“Yup,” she says. “Welcome home, girls.”
Then she turns, gives me a loud-smacking high five, and marches back into her store with her pointy little elbows swishing with each step. Coastal Comfort hasn’t changed since I was five.
“Tabby,” I say when my wherewithal returns. “What’s going on here?”
“It’s not every day the golden boy returns home with a gorgeous partner and his nieces. We wanted to commemorate the occasion, and you can’t take that away from us. We missed you, Bear.”
“I’m not the golden boy, and I’m not home—not permanently.” I ignore the gorgeous partner bit.
My cousin makes a show of staring at my arm tucked protectively around Stella and she quirks a brow. “Whatever you say, Bear.”
“Stop calling me Bear.” My words come on a terribly concealed growl and she smirks, hands Emmy to me, then stands with her hands on both hips. “Did you read the letter?”
The noise of the festival fades, and her words swish in my ears.
“I didn’t think so. Then trust me, you’ll want this,” she says, pointing between me and Stella, “to be your truth soon enough.”
My arm snaps back from Stella’s shoulder so quickly my watch gets caught in her hair and she yelps. Shit. “Sorry,” I mutter while Tabby tries to untangle us. “What do you mean, Tabs? What are you talking about?” I ask, trying not to notice how Stella rubs at her scalp.
Emmy’s grip on my shoulder tightens at the same time her little feet dig into my side.
“Em—”
Daisie Dog growls and barks from the open window of my car. It’s so aggressive it cuts through the noise of the parade.
“So it’s true.” The words slither from Danica Delacroix’s lips like the snake she is. Daisie goes nuts, but Leo, my childhood friend, raises his hand in greeting from across the street, and I know he’s got Daisie. If I’m going to let Tabby back into my life, I have to let Leo in too.
This town is so fucking messy.
