“I haven’t forgotten.”
“Then what happened, Brianna?” she asks in a tight voice.
“Drinks were had. Words were said. People were asked to leave.”
“When you two fight, it just kills me,” she says, blinking back tears. “I was up half the night worrying.”
“Try a meditation app and some melatonin.” I’m being a brat, but I don’t even care.
“Oh, nice,” she says, glaring at me.
“Look, sometimes siblings fight. That’s why I’m just having the one child,” I say with a satisfied grin.
“You’re impossible,” my mum says, waving a hand at me before turning and opening the gate.
I slip past her and hurry around the house to Izzy, who is looking very regal as she rides a unicorn floaty while my dad pushes her around in the water. When she spots me, her eyes light up. “Mummy! I’m the queen of the sea!”
Striding across the wet grass, I stop at the side of the pool, which comes up to my chest. “How do you do, your majesty?” I say with a formal bow.
“Very welly,” she answers, chin lifted as my dad pushes her over to me.
“Hi, Dad,” I say as Izzy reaches out and clings to my neck with her wet arms. Not caring if she soaks my T-shirt, I pluck her off the unicorn and swing her around, planting kisses on her chubby cheeks.
“How was your weekend?” my dad asks as he climbs up the ladder to get out of the pool.
“Not as fun as yours, I see,” I answer, setting Izzy down on the lawn.
“You’re staying for lunch, right?” my mum asks as she holds a towel out for Isabelle.
“I think we should get going. Thanks, though.”
“Good call,” my dad mutters. “Your mum has invited the above-ground pool salesman over.”
Raising one eyebrow, I glare at her, but she doesn’t see because she’s busy scowling at my father.
“Omar, he’s not just a sales guy. Heownsthe company.” Turning to me, she adds, “And it’s not just above-ground pools. It’s patio furniture, barbeques, outdoor kitchens…”
“And I suppose he’s single and ready for a committed relationship,” I say, rubbing Izzy’s hair with the towel.
“Newly divorced. Two kids, so he already understands what parenting is all about,” my mum says.
“Newly divorced, you say?” I ask, feigning excitement.
“This one’s a catch. Trust me. Someone’s going to snag him, and it might as well be you.”
“Okay, well, in that case…” I smile down at Izzy. “If you can be dressed and ready to leave in under five minutes, I’ll stop at the treat store on the way home.”
CHAPTER 24
Unwanted Feedback and Tap Water
Leo
“So how’s working life?” Pierce asks, setting his beer down on the table.
“Brilliant, really. The lifting and the stacking…can’t get enough of it,” I answer, popping a tortilla chip into my mouth.
It’s late Sunday afternoon, and I’m at the Turtle’s Head Pub, a popular local eatery, with Pierce and Emma. We’re seated at a corner table on the busy roof-top patio that offers a lovely view of the sea. My brother has his back to the crowd (not to mention the view) and is wearing his sunglasses despite the fact that we’re shaded by a large umbrella. Word has gotten out that the great Pierce Davenport, author of theClash of Crownsseries, lives on the island full-time now, so tourists are always on the lookout for him wherever they go—especially the “Crownies,” as they call themselves. My brother, not being a fan of “real people” does his best to avoid being noticed.
