Mary rolled her eyes. “Men always think flowers, jewelry, and meals pay for their sins.”
Zach laughed. Tosh leaned back and grinned. They didn’t worry about who they were or what they did. One day, it might bite them in the ass. For now, though, they got away with a lot.
“Everyone has a price,” Zach said.
“I have to agree. Those who value themselves are priceless, though,” Harmony said.
“Diamonds are a girl’s best friend. Don’t you listen to the good music?” Cass added.
Tosh laughed before tossing Cass a large amethyst. “Not a diamond, but close enough.” He winked.
“Only diamonds will do,” Cass replied. “Dipped in champagne.”
Everyone laughed.
Joe looked at Mary as he held out a drink. “Are you hungry, Mary? I’ll buy you anything you want.”
She took the drink but didn’t lift it for a sip. “I’m not hungry for anything you’re offering.”
The tenseness turned into laughter as Joe put his bottom lip out in an exaggerated pout. There was an edge to the laughter, though, as if the group knew too much and were trying to cover it with noise. The tide could change in a single heartbeat.
Harmony stood and walked along the curve of the beach, letting the water lick at her ankles. Pebbles clicked beneath her feet. Cass called to her as she ran into the water once more.
“Come on, Harm. Let’s swim!”
“In a minute,” Harmony replied, waving but not drawing closer. She couldn’t seem to shake the feeling that they were being watched. Torie wasn’t far behind her when a gull swooped low, screeching as if startled. Torie flinched.
“Damn bird nearly took my head off,” Torie said, her eyes wide in fear.
“Maybe it was running from something,” Harmony told her.
Torie stiffened. “From what?”
Harmony shrugged.
Mary approached with a fresh drink in hand. “We aren’t looking for ghosts today. We need at least one day free of them.”
“We’re not alone out here either way,” Zach said quietly, squinting up at the cliffs. “Hikers, rangers, whoever drew the short straw for patrol.”
Harmony followed his gaze. From this distance, the cliff line was a jagged silhouette; if anyone was up there watching, they blended in perfectly with the rock. She shook her head. No.
“I agree,” Harmony said.
Mary walked away, and Harmony glanced at the imposing cliffs again. One long shadow stretched across the rocks—nothing unusual. Yet something about its shape made her pulse skip.
Cass called from the water again. “Seriously, Harmony, you either voluntarily get in, or I’m gonna make it hurt.”
Harmony took a step forward, then another. The surf wrapped around her ankles like an invitation. The hum grew inside her. Zach caught her eye. He smiled, warm and open, and for a moment, it anchored her. She went deeper. The cold stung her skin.
Cass ran closer, and Harmony splashed her. Cass shrieked with laughter. Harmony wished she could be as free as hercousin. The others watched them play, and everything felt normal for a moment.
Then the tide pulled sharply, a sudden force that swept her off balance. Zach reached out just in time.
“Careful.”
Harmony held on as she regained her footing. “That was strong,” she gasped.
“It happens here,” he told her. “The undercurrents sneak up on you.”
