“I know that look.” Amelia leaned forward in her chair. “You think there’s more to the story, don’t you?”
Ellie shrugged, returning her attention to the tea in her cup. “I know it’s been almost twelve years, but did anything happen in the days leading up to her leaving? Anything at all?”
Amelia took a moment as she tried to recall the events of that summer. “Nothing comes to mind. Wait…” She put a finger in the air. “There was a phone call the day before she left. Yes, now I remember. After she hung up, I remember seeing her pale-faced and nervous, as if whoever had been on the other end of the line had told her something she wasn’t expecting to hear.”
“Do you know who made the call?”
Amelia shook her head. “You don’t think it was Aunt Clara, do you?”
Ellie considered the possibility. “I doubt it, but I can’t be sure.”
“But if it was her, why would she want Mother to pick you up early? Did you and Clara have a falling out?”
Ellie shook her head. “On the contrary. In fact, we were in the middle of discussing my return the following summer when Mother knocked on the door. The only thing I can figure is it had something to do with the guy I met when I was there.”
“You mean Jack?”
Ellie nodded and dropped her gaze. “I’m surprised you remembered.”
“How could I forget? He was the topic of conversation for many months. But what’s he got to do with this?”
“Nothing. Something. I don’t know.”
Amelia finished her tea. “What’s brought all this on anyway? Did something happen?”
“Last Friday, I received this in the mail.” Ellie took the book from her purse and handed it to Amelia.
Amelia examined the book. “So Jack’s an author. Impressive. I guess that just goes to show you that Mother isn’t always right. What is the book about?”
“His life, mostly.”
“And I assume since you’re here, he at least mentions that summer?”
She’d finally arrived at the heart of the matter—that summer.
“Yes. In fact, there are several chapters on the subject.”
Amelia straightened in her chair. “So this book is about you?”
“Some of it.”
“That must be difficult—to have the details of that summer out there for the world to read.”
Ellie hadn’t really considered that. “Now that you mention it…” She was overcome by a feeling of bewilderment. “But more than that, I get the sense Jack never stopped thinking about me.”
“Does he say that?”
“Not in so many words, but…”
“And I take it you’ve read the entire book?”
Ellie nodded along. “I hadn’t planned to, but I found myself hopelessly lost in his story, unable to pull myself away. And as I was reading, I came upon this one part…” Her throat tightened. “It talked about the day I left—the day Mother showed up unannounced. There’s something you should see.” She guided Amelia to a page with a dog-eared corner.
I stood on that dock beneath the moon and stars for what seemed like hours. I was as nervous as I’d ever been in my life. My knees and hands were trembling. I must have looked at the ring a hundred times, wondering what she’d say, imagining the look on her face when I got down on one knee. Was I crazy? Yes. But I was in love.
After an hour, I knew something was wrong. It wasn’t like her to bail on me. She’d never done it before. So I rushed to the house where she was staying, hoping to find her. But fate had whisked her away, ruining my chances of a happily-ever-after.
“Oh my God, Ellie. Is this what happened?”
