Wendy steps inside, carrying a stack of fresh towels. Her hair is pulled back into a ponytail that’s haphazardly on her head. The purple Seaside polo is tucked into the front of her shorts. She sets the towels in the bathroom and moves to the balcony doorway.
“I thought you finished your last book yesterday?”
“I did. Made a stop by Salty Pages.” I close the book and show her the cover. “Mia recommended it.”
Her brows lift. “A romance book?”
“A vacation romance book. I was bullied into it and was threatened on the way out.”
Wendy closes her eyes. “I’m going to kill her.”
“She’s good at what she does. I didn’t realize I was being interrogated until it was too late.”
“That’s Mia. And to think, Josie makes her look like an amateur. My sister will have you spilling your entire life story without even realizing it.”
I place the receipt in the book and close it.
Wendy glances at it. “Is it good?”
“Actually, yeah. Have you ever heard of the author? Apparently, a lot of her books are based on her real-life experiences,” I explain.
Wendy glances down at the name. “Oh, yeah. I’ve read one of her books before. Massive fan base.”
She presses her lips together, and she holds back a laugh. “Never expected you to be reading romance.”
“To be fair, I read a lot of different genres.”
“It’s kinda hot,” she admits.
I grin, meeting her eyes. She looks relaxed, comfortable even.
“She mentioned something about this place.”
“Oh, I’m dying to know.” Wendy steps onto the balcony and leans against the railing, facing me, waiting for me to continue. The wind blows hard, and she twists her ponytail into a messy bun.
“Mia said broken people come here, and many leave healed. She’s convinced there’s magic in the walls.”
This makes her chuckle. “That’s the rumor.”
“Right. But usually, with rumors, there is some truth to it.”
“And?”
“Do you believe it?” I rest my head against the chair.
“Hmm. No one has ever asked me that.”
An acoustic guitar drifts in the breeze, and she turns toward the water.
“It sounds ridiculous, but legend has it that every person who checks out is different from when they checked in. Many people who end up here have something to heal inside of themselves.”
“It doesn’t sound ridiculous. Hope it works.”
She grins. “Hope it does too.”
“Is that why you’re here?” I ask.
“Truthfully?” She sighs. “Yeah.”
