“And you’ve apparently seen each other in Windy Harbor too because you were able to get right over here,” Goldie says, assessing Dylan and me.
“There’s an Airbnb we stay at when I’m in town,” I say.
“And before the last cabin was ready, we stayed in that one night too,” Dylan admits.
“You guys are just too cute for words,” Juju squeals.
“How could anyone be opposed to this?” Grandma Donna asks, shaking her head. “Look at the two of you. You’ll have the prettiest babies.” She sighs.
Dylan looks at me apologetically, and I giggle.
“If they have his hair,” I say, which is a hit, especially with the grandmas.
“You have such pretty hair!” Goldie says. “And you remind me so much of Ava. Oh, wait. This is crazy. Like, you’re sisters and we’re sisters.” She covers her mouth with her hand, and her eyes widen as she snorts.
“Oh, Erin already has a whole routine about it,” Dylan says.
“Erin knows?” Goldie shrieks. “How did she find out about this? And why hasn’t she said anything? I’m her best friend!”
Dylan gives her an apologetic look. “She caught us kissing at The Loon,” he says. “And we begged her not to say anything…because of Bruce.”
“That was the only time I ventured into town. Learned my lesson,” I say, wiping my brow. “Dylan had told me about Ava already…you were there too, Goldie and Juju. And Erin assured me that Ava wanted to meet me as much as I wanted to meet her.”
Ava and I smile at each other across the room.
“How long has all of this been going on?” Camden asks.
“Early December,” Dylan says.
“What?” is the collective gasp throughout the room.
Dylan and I look at each other sheepishly.
“You’ve been in a relationship that long? We’ve missed out on so much,” Goldie says, her eyes welling up. She snaps her fingers. “You’re cherry blossom emoji!”
“You saw that?” Dylan smiles. “Yes, she’s cherry blossom.”
“I’m really sorry. All the secrecy is my fault,” I say. “My dad. I was so afraid of what he would do.”
“And that’s why we’re here today. He found out and confronted me on the boat this morning,” Dylan says, his hand finding mine without looking.
“Okay,” Everett says. “Tell us what happened.”
Dylan takes a breath.
And he starts.
I heard an abbreviated version on the drive over here. But hearing the details is rattling. The lies about Dad’s name. The moment he pulled back his hood. The threats to smear Dylan’s name and his business. The implication that no one would know if something happened out there on the water.
By the time Dylan finishes, my stomach has twisted itself into a hard, burning knot.
“I don’t think he intended to actually murder me or anything like that. He just wanted to scare me.” His eyes slide to mine. Soft. “I do believe he’ll do his best to ruin everything else, though.”
Something inside me breaks. I grip his hand with both of mine.
“I’m so sorry,” I whisper. “Dylan, I’m so, so sorry.”
“Don’t be, Doll. This isn’t on you at all,” Dylan says. “I’m sorry you’ve been living with this fear all this time.”
