“What?”She shrugs.“Would you prefer I say as dry as the Sahara Desert?”
Leighton’s face is red.She’s two years older than Courtlynn, but she’s always been the shy one out of the four of us.“Stop it.”She gently smacks at Courtlynn’s arm.
“We all know Ellie is a born-again virgin, and Lei, from the redness of her cheeks, is not getting any either,” Courtlynn says.“And Bay, I’m calling bullshit because Todd is always ‘working.’”She does air quotes when she says working, and I know I need to step in and shift this conversation before sisters’ night becomes sisters’ fight night.
“Moving on,” I say, trying to change the subject.
“Good idea,” Leighton says.Her cheeks are getting redder by the second.
“What are we watching tonight?”I ask, just as headlights shine through the living room windows.
“Who’s that?”Courtlynn asks.
“I don’t know.We never get visitors.”It’s true.We live on the family’s land, which we call Magnolia Estates.It’s where the inn is and has been in our family for four generations.Guests never stop at our house, especially not this late at night.
“Does someone have a hot date you didn’t tell me about?”Baylor asks through the screen, just as a knock comes at the door.
“I’ll get it.”Courtlynn stands and bounces her way to the front door, not bothering to peer through the window next to it or the peephole before pulling it open.Magnolia Ridge is a safe town, but still.We’re three women alone in our pajamas.She should have looked.
“No dates,” Leighton says, answering Baylor as we watch the front door.
“Turn me so I can see,” Baylor says.Leighton does as she asks and moves the laptop to face the front door, just in time to see Chandler James enter through the front door.My three best guy friends from high school and my best friend, Kinzie, follow him inside.
My heart falls to my feet, and there’s an instant ringing in my ears.
Chandler is here.
That can only mean one thing.
My heart grinds to a halt and then starts back up at a heavy pace.Copeland.Something has happened to Copeland.I worry every single day about him, and this is my greatest fear.He might not be mine, and it’s been years since I’ve seen him, but I need him to be okay.A world without Copeland James, even from afar, is not something I want to think about.But I might not have that option anymore.
Please, God, let him be okay,I silently pray.
Chandler is eight years older than me.We were never close growing up.Plus, he was gone—deployed—the entire time I was dating his brother.His younger brother was my whole world, until he left us all behind.
He joined the military like his big brother.The only difference is that Copeland never came home.He made a career out of it.
If Chandler’s here, standing in my living room, that can only mean one thing.
Tears instantly well in my eyes, and I swallow over the lump that’s formed in the back of my throat.It’s been seventeen years since I’ve laid eyes on him.I gave Copeland James my heart all those years ago, and today, he still owns it.Now, he’s about to break my heart all over again.
He might not be in my life, but I know that he’s out there somewhere.A world without Copeland… I shake my head.I don’t even want to think about that, but his brother being here is bad news.
“No.”I force the word past my lips, and my voice cracks.“No,” I say again, losing my battle with the tears as they flood my eyes and race unchecked down my cheeks.It’s bad.Chandler brought everyone with him.All of my closest friends are standing behind him.He wouldn’t have done that unless it was bad.My heart feels as though it’s going to crack inside my chest.
No, this can’t be happening.Please God, no.
My sisters stand and stare.They know it’s always been Copeland for me.They also know that if Chandler is here, it’s not to report good news.I see him and his family around town.We’re cordial, and I still talk to his mom every week.She’s the sweetest lady, and this is a small town.It’s not like I can ignore them.
Besides, I don’t want to.
His mom was always good to me, and when we lost our parents, she checked on us, made us countless dinners, and so much more.She was my rock during those first few months.
“Ellie,” Kinzie says, rushing past the guys to wrap me in a hug.“What’s wrong?”she asks.
I pull out of her hold and stare at her incredulously.“What’s wrong?Really, Kinz?”I ask, wiping at my eyes.
“Why are you crying?”she asks, her brow furrowing.
