She keeps her eyes closed. “Maybe.”
“And what exactly do I have to do to get more than a maybe?” I joke, but my voice carries a note of longing.
“Be a better sister.”
My foot slips off my pedal and the bike wobbles before I can straighten it again. She didn’t even say it harshly, but she didn’t have to.
I watch her profile, thinking how grown-up she suddenly looks. “There are so many things I wish I could do over from this summer.”
She rolls her eyes. “I know, I know, Tour Guy.”
I reach out to tap her arm until she looks at me. “Yes, things with him. But with you, too.” I inject a note of softness into my voice, so she can hear how serious I am. “Goldie, I don’t ever want you to feel like you and Mom aren’t the most important people in my life. I got caught up with a lot of things and I didn’t notice what you were trying to tell me. I know Dad used to do that with us, and he missed out on a lot because of it. I don’t want to be that way with you, and I’m really sorry.”
Goldie pedals her bike as she looks at me, gauging me, and then she says, “Okay.”
“Okay?” I almost laugh at her single syllable response. “That’s it? You’re not gonna make me grovel or be your servant for a week to earn your forgiveness?”
She screws her face up. “I’m not nine anymore.”
No, she’s not, and I think we both know she’s letting me off easy.
“So you liked that Wren guy, huh?”
Or maybe not so easy. “Yeah.”
“Doesn’t he have a girlfriend?”
I lower my head until I’m staring at the road under my tires. It comes out like more of an exhale when I say, “Yeah.”
“Well, I think he should’ve picked you.”
My throat gets tight as I look at her, caught between a smile and tears. “His girlfriend is actually really great.”
“So are you.” Before I can react to the sweetness I absolutely haven’t earned from her, she’s standing up on her pedals and racing ahead of me.
I ride the high of Goldie’s words until we’re standing in front of the museum a few minutes later and I’m clutching my bike handleslike a lifeline. The air is cool and crisp, but heat prickles along my skin.
Goldie skips beside her bike, her excitement palpable, as we guide them to the rack. “I can’t wait to see the mermaid. And you said they’re adding a boy mermaid too? Do you think they’ll let us see it?”
I shrug, trying to match her enthusiasm. “I guess we’ll find out. Can you lock the bikes while I make sure there’s someone here to let us in?”
She grins in response. “On it!”
The truth is, I’m dreading seeing Wren again. It’s only been a few days since I was here, but I still don’t know how to make things better. Or if that’s even possible.
That realization slows my steps as I reach for the door, only to have it swing open before I can touch it.
Tate leans against the frame, wearing a T-shirt with an outline of Rhode Island next to one of Nantucket, with a caption that says,That’s not an island.That’san island. He’s eyeing me like he doesn’t think I should be here.
I don’t exactly disagree, but I made a promise to my sister and I’m not breaking any more of those, so I eye him back. Neither of us says anything.
Goldie skids to a stop beside me a few seconds later. “Okay, we can go in now.”
“Oh, can we?” Tate turns and stares at my sister, causing me to tense and inch a hand protectively toward her. I’m not about to let him take his apparent anger with me out on her.
He looks her over. “So you’re the sister?”
She stares back. “And you’re some guy I don’t know.”
