Standing on tiptoe, I searched around the area, looking for the tall grump with a glower that could make grown men wet themselves, but before I could spot him, an all too familiar voice squealed from behind me. “My baby!”
I didn’t even have time to turn around before her arms surrounded me from behind, the familiar scent of sage and lavender washing over me.
“I’ve missed you!” she said, walking around to my front and holding me at arm’s length, a bright smile on her face. “Are you surprised?”
“That’s one way of putting it,” I said, peeking around her as I searched for Brady. Normally, I would’ve been thrilled to see my parents—Mom, especially—but I had more pressing issues right now. Namely, finding my grump and making him see reason. “I wish you would’ve warned me.”
Mom’s brow furrowed as she regarded me. “I did warn you. I said your dad and I should take a trip up this way.”
I rolled my eyes, spotting my dad talking to Mabel several yards away, her camera trained on his chest, probably cutting off his face as she was wont to do. To Mom, I said, “Yes, but you’ve also told me you were moving to Dubai, getting a phoenix rising tattoo over your entire back, and going to learn how to speak Mandarin, yet not a single one has happened.”
She laughed, swatting a hand on my arm. “Well, you know me…” She shrugged. “Fickle as can be. Aren’t you happy to see us?”
“I am. I just…” I waved my hand around, encompassing the crowd. “This is a lot of attention. Did you hear what I said about this? I told you I was laying low, waiting for the discovery to pan out.”
“Yes, honey, I heard you.” Mom scoffed. “Idolisten when you talk, you know.”
I wasn’t so sure about that. Mom tended to hear exactly what she wanted to. “If that’s true, then why’d you comehere?”
She lifted a single shoulder. “Your dad wanted to take a peek, and we didn’t think it would be a big to-do. We stopped by that cute little café in town when we arrived, and this nice lady was all too happy to show us where to go.”
Mabel. Goddamn meddling old woman.
“Besides, getting coverage like this will only help your cause, right?”
“I’m trying to keep thisoutof the news for right now. But Mabel’s Facebook videos aren’t exactly going to make headlines.”
“Oh, but she’s not the only one here. There’s another woman. The one who showed us how to get here. Tall, blond, gorgeous in that aloof sort of way,” Mom said distractedly as she glanced around. “Now, where did she go…”
Harper. It had to be. I didn’t know why she was back already, or why she’d helped my parents find this place, but those were the least of my worries. Not when she had the ability to sway the article one way or another. Not when I could paint this town in a different light—not as one of troublemakers, but of a family of concerned citizens, only wanting what was best for the town.
Brady may have wanted me to shut my mouth and behave like a good girl, to make me fit neatly into his life, but that wasn’t me. And I wasn’t going to sit idly by when I could make a difference. I just hoped he would come to understand that.
“I need to talk to her.” I pushed away from my mom and traversed the ever-growing crowd, always on the lookout for Harper’s head of blond hair.
I finally found her, talking to my dad, of all people. He was studying some papers, his reading glasses on the end of his nose, as Harper stood by, tapping her phone against her thigh.
“Harper,” I said, my voice too tight to be considered friendly, but I couldn’t help it.
“Luna, hey.” She smiled at me. “I’m glad you’re here.”
“Hi, sweetheart,” my dad said, not bothering to look up from the papers he was focused on. “Just give me a minute while I read through…” He trailed off, such as was the usual with him when it came to work, and I focused my attention back on Harper.
“I was just coming to find you,” she said. “I wanted to—”
“Wait. Please.” I held up my hand to stop her, ignoring the growing crowd behind us. I couldn’t think about who was back there…if Brady was back there. “I need to say this first. Your magazine is looking for a compelling story, right?” Without waiting for her response, I continued, arm outstretched and gesturing to those gathered behind us. “Well, what’s more compelling than a community coming together? Because that’s what’s here. That’s what’s happening. We might not always agree, but I’m certain every single person in Starlight Cove only wants the best for this town, whatever they think that may be.
“I love it here. I love this town, and I love the residents.” Then, under my breath, I said, “One in particular, even if he is a stubborn ass most of the time and too much of a rule-follower to step out of line and question whether the status quo is right or wrong.”
“Okay…” Harper said, drawing out the word. “There’s a whole lot to unpack there.”
“I’m not done.” I pointed to the trailer that housed Holton Group’s on-site office. “I know what they will do to this town. What this development will do. I’ve seen it too many times in countless small towns I’ve visited. That shopping center will put the Handy Mart out of business. Not to mention the hardware store, the grocery store, the bakery, and half a dozen others. And I don’t have to have lived here for a decade to know that’s not what the residents want. Starlight Cove isn’t about chain establishments. It’s about family legacies, and allowing this chain store to be built will only ruin that.”
“You make some excellent points, but I need to—”
“Still more,” I said, holding up my hand. I took a deep breath, knowing I was about to either make the worst mistake of my life or have a happy accident because God knew I hadn’t planned a single word of this. “You should do the feature on the resort because it has beautiful cottages steps from the ocean, the best farm-to-table omelets I’ve ever had, a personal yoga instructor, and in-room massages given by the best massage therapist in Maine.”
“Youarevery good,” Harper said.
