“It’s just your head injury,” she muttered to herself as she put on comfortable pajamas and climbed into bed. “You’re imagining things.”
But even as she said it, June knew deep down that something big was coming her way. Something that would change her life forever, and the frightening part was that she suspected her family would be caught in the aftermath.
Carmen appeared with a proper cup of Earl Grey and a plate of reheated Chinese food, fussing over June until she was comfortable against the pillows with the television remote within easy reach.
“Get some rest,” Carmen ordered. “I’ll be downstairs if you need anything.”
As her sister left the room, June ate as much as she could and a few sips of decent tea before pushing it aside. It was not long before she found herself growing drowsy despite the afternoon sunshine streaming through her bedroom windows. The head injury and the emotional stress of the day were taking their toll, and her eyelids felt heavier with each passing minute.
She was just drifting off when a name echoed in her mind with startling clarity, accompanied by a face she hadn’t allowed herself to think about in years.
Holt.
And the feeling of impending change was stronger now, no longer just a whisper but a roar of certainty. As she slipped into a deep dream state, June knew without a shadow of a doubt that her past was about to collide with her present, and there was nothing she could do to stop it.
The only question was whether she’d have the courage to face the truth when it came calling.
7
JUNE
The drive to Sandpiper Shores had been longer than June remembered, even with Carmen taking frequent breaks to check on her. By the time they pulled into Willa’s driveway on Sandpiper Lane, June’s head was pounding, and exhaustion weighed on her shoulders like a heavy blanket.
But the sight of her daughter’s house always lifted her spirits. The six-bedroom beachfront home was everything June had dreamed of when she’d helped Willa and Shaun choose it twelve years ago. White clapboard siding weathered to a soft gray by salt air, wraparound porches that caught the ocean breeze, and windows that seemed to glow with warmth from within. The small apartment attached to the main house had been Shaun’s idea, a place for visiting family or rental income during the busy summer months.
Now, as June sat in the passenger seat looking at the home her daughter had made for her family, a wave of melancholy washed over her. In just a few weeks, it would be ten years since Shaun had left them. Ten years since Willa had become a widow attwenty-six, left to raise three children and carry on his legacy at the fire station.
The sadness was interrupted by the front door bursting open and three familiar figures rushing down the porch steps toward the car. June’s heart lifted as her grandchildren surrounded the vehicle, all talking at once in their excitement.
“Grammy! Grammy, you’re here!” Becky bounced on her toes, her dark hair flying around her face as she tried to get closer to the car window.
“Careful, Becky,” Grace warned, opening the passenger door and offering June her arm for support. At sixteen, Grace had inherited her mother’s sense of responsibility along with her auburn hair and determined chin. “Remember Grammy’s still recovering from her accident.”
“I’m fine, sweetheart,” June said, though she was grateful for Grace’s steady hand as she climbed out of the car. “Just a little tired from the drive.”
Andy appeared at her other side, vibrating with teenage energy. “Grammy, wait until you see my new drone! It has a camera and everything, and I’ve been taking pictures of the whole town from the air. Mom says I can show you later if you’re feeling up to it.”
“And I found three baby birds that fell out of their nest,” Becky added, not to be outdone. “I’ve been taking care of them in a box on the porch. Do you want to see them? They’re getting their feathers now and they’re so cute?—”
“Where’s your mother?” June interrupted gently, looking around for Willa.
“She took Tyler to see his great-grandmother,” Andy explained, his face lighting up at the mention of his new friend. “Tyler’s dad had to go to Miami because his grandfather is really sick in the hospital. Tyler was pretty worried about it.”
Tyler. June filed the name away, though something about it nagged at her. “I’d like to hear all about your new friend,” she said.
“Oh, you will,” Andy grinned. “Tyler’s really cool. He knows everything about computers and baseball, and he’s teaching me how to code. His dad’s a detective, and Tyler says he might want to be one too when he grows up.”
Carmen emerged from the driver’s side, immediately swept up in hugs from the children who adored their great-aunt. While they helped carry luggage from the car, all four talking at once, June allowed herself to be escorted up the porch steps and into the familiar warmth of Willa’s home.
The interior was exactly as June remembered it, but somehow more so. Beach glass and driftwood sculptures that Willa had collected over the years, family photos covering every available surface, and the comfortable furniture that invited you to put your feet up and stay awhile. The house felt lived-in and loved, filled with the organized chaos that came with three active children.
“Grammy, would you like some tea?” Grace asked as they settled June in the living room’s most comfortable chair. “I was just about to make some when you arrived.”
Before June could answer, she heard Willa’s voice calling from the kitchen, followed by rapid footsteps. A moment later, her daughter appeared in the doorway, and June felt her heart swellwith the familiar mix of pride and protectiveness that Willa always inspired.
At thirty-six, Willa had grown into the kind of woman who commanded respect without demanding it. Her auburn hair was pulled back in a practical ponytail, and she wore the casual clothes of someone who’d spent the day managing both her job and her children. But it was her eyes that caught June’s attention. They were tired but bright with genuine happiness at seeing her mother.
“Mom,” Willa said, crossing the room to envelop June in a careful hug. “How was the drive? How are you feeling? You look tired.”
