“I’ll see you soon, Chaz.”
When he walked away, her heart hammered against her ribcage and she fumbled with her keys. What had just happened? She found it hard to believe any of what she’d experienced was real. Bradford Rushton, the tall, handsome, athletic businessman who every single woman in the island noticed, had escorted her home, kissed her hand and asked her out. She must be living in some kind of alternative universe. Things like that didn’t happen to her — ever.
Six
The coffee machine buzzed.Evie stood in front of it, staring at it, but not seeing it. Instead, her mind flitted between memories from the past she didn’t often ponder. Having Emily come to stay had triggered images that rose up from the recesses of her mind unbidden. She and Emily dancing at the Tivoli together. Their parents so full of pride as they met them after the show with two matching bouquets of flowers — one yellow, one pink. As always. Or the time they went ice skating and Emily broke her ankle. She cried and Evie dried her tears and helped her from the rink. They’d been so close all those years ago.
They were a pair, always together. And now, they hardly spoke. It wasn’t what Evie wanted — she longed for them to be close again like they used to be. But how could she trust Emily again after what she’d done? She could put the past behind her, forget her sister’s actions, but trust wasn’t so easily resolved.
How could she trust someone who had repeatedly betrayed her — the closest person to her in all the world, who hadn’t stopped for a moment to consider Evie’s feelings before taking what she wanted over and over again? It was too much to bear. Wherever she went, Emily would show up — eager to reunite, acting as though nothing had gone wrong. And so eventually Evie had returned to Coral Island to hide away from her past. A place where she knew Emily wouldn’t follow—there were too many ghosts living on the island for Emily’s taste.
“Penny for your thoughts,” Emily asked, poking her head through the back doorway.
“I was thinking about how much you hate this island. I’m surprised you’ve come.”
Emily shrugged. “A lot of bad things happened, but it was an age ago. I almost can’t remember it now.”
“You mean Bea’s mother?”
“And Penelope’s grandmother. Not to mention my high school years — complete disaster. How did I manage to have so many friends turn against me in such a short period of time?”
“I plead the fifth,” Evie replied with a grunt.
“You’re not American.”
Evie grinned. “I know.”
Emily wiped her feet on the mat, walked inside with a handful of flowers from the garden. “These are beautiful. I didn’t realise you were a gardener.” She raised the flowers to her nose and inhaled their perfume.
“I’m an accidental gardener,” Evie said as she poured milk into the two coffee-filled cups, then handed one to Emily.
“Accidental? What does that mean?”
“I was sitting on the back porch one day when I saw these wildflowers growing in the yard. I had an impulse to water them. Then I pulled the weeds from around them. Next thing I knew, I was building a garden bed and mulching. I thought I should add a few more so they didn’t look so lonely… and here we are. I’m not sure what I’m doing, but I’ve read a couple of books, and so far it seems to be going okay. I haven’t killed them all, at least.”
“It’s amazing.” Emily searched cabinets until she found a vase, then filled it with water. “I love your house.”
“It’s tiny,” Evie said with a grimace.
“Cozy,” Emily countered.
They moved out to the back porch and sat in rocking chairs side by side while they sipped coffee.
Evie rocked herself slowly. “I’m sorry you’re having such a hard time with your marriage.”
Emily shrugged. “It’s fine. We’ll work it out. Or we won’t. But either way, I’ll be fine.”
“You’re calm these days.”
“I’ve changed,” Emily said. “I haven’t seen you in so long, you’ve missed it.”
“It takes two.”
“I know it takes two, but you’re the one with all the time. I’ve got a husband, two boys, and a life.”
Anger churned in Evie’s gut. It was always the same with Emily — she was the victim, and Evie was the selfish sister who didn’t help. “I have a life.”
“You know what I mean.”
