Maisie blinked before letting out a small, nervous laugh. "Nobody's everin the area."
She hadn't been wrong.During the off-season, the island housed only a few hundred residents, at least according to the internet. But even if I had arrived during the actual tourist season, the island still would've been a destination, not a waystation.
I mean, you couldn't even get here by car.
Stupidly, I mumbled, "You know…that's actually areallygood point."
Maisie only stared.
Damn it.
In Chicago, I had given countless presentations. Except for that final one, nearly all had been a raging success. And why?Because of planning.
But there on Maisie's doorstep?I'd had nothing. No script. No charm. Just low-grade panic. Under her polite, bewildered stare, I opened my mouth and delivered my best work yet – something between a croak and a laugh.
Maisie's brow furrowed. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, totally." It had been a lie, obviously. I'd been desperate for warmth, shelter, and the location of my sister.
And yet, I didn't dare ask about Delaney, because I'd known exactly howthatwould end – with Maisie, as nice as she was, brooming me off her porch.
So instead, I'd peered past her, scoping the place out, wondering if my sister was just up that stairway, listening to every word.
Speaking louder so my words would carry, I'd called out, "It's super nice to see you!"
This had been a message for Delaney.See? I'm here to make amends, not trouble.
After glancing over her shoulder, Maisie turned back with a puzzled frown. "Why are you yelling?"
"Was I? Sorry." And yet I couldn't stop myself from calling out again. "Everything's great! Just saying a friendly hello!"
Nothing.
Of course, even as a kid, Delaney had been great at hiding. But she had to besomewhere, right?
Maisie looked out toward the street, as if searching for a horse and buggy to carry me away. Spotting neither, she asked, "Do you…want me to yell back? I mean…is that a city thing?"
No. It had been a lose-your-mind sort of thing.Even worse, I had just realized something even more awkward.I needed a bathroom, desperately.
In front of me, Maisie's face revealed a new creeping dread. "So…where are you staying?"
For half a second, I considered lying again – pretending that I'd booked a hotel room or rented a cottage.I hadn't.Even worse, I couldn't. "You mean tonight? Um…well…"There it was…the moment of truth.With a pathetic little laugh, I replied, "On your couch?"
Maisie blinked long and hard before repeating slowly, "My couch."
"That is…if you don't mind. I mean, it could be just for the night."
I hadn't gotten the couch.What I'd gotten instead was a reluctant invitation to crash in one of the two upstairs bedrooms, where Ididn'tfind my sister –orany sign that she'd been there at all.
A deeper look in the middle of the night – searching with a little penlight and a whole lot of nerve – had been equally disappointing.
The next morning, I'd offered to leave – honestly, I had – but Maisie, being Maisie, had waved it off with a quiet, "It's fine. Don't worry about it."
I offered again a few days later, and then again after that. Both times, Maisie had brushed it aside like it was no big deal – even though in my heart, I'd known it was.
Eventually, I'd stopped asking, although the guilt never went away.
After two weeks, I'd known it was time to switch gears – which was why I'd begged Skip for that job at the coffee shop and worked out a longer stay with Maisie.
