by Ciara Knight
“I think I’m immune to her manipulation now.” He chuckled.
“How did you know she’d believe you about not being able to have kids?” Dustin asked. “I mean, she could’ve called you on it to string you along until she came up with another plan.”
“Maybe, but I saw it in her eyes. The desperation to make things work with me. I knew then that she was only manipulating me long enough to figure out a new angle or she already had one. It doesn’t matter. All I know is that I need to tell Julie the truth.”
“Go. Don’t waste time with me.” Dustin shooed him off.
Trevor ran all the way to the shop, but it was locked. He pounded on the door, but no one answered. He abandoned the shop and went to the house where Kat, Trace, and Bri stood like Roman warriors in a human shield line.
“You’re not welcome here.”
“You don’t understand. The baby isn’t mine. I can’t have children,” Trevor blurted.
They looked to one another and then to him. “Doesn’t matter. If she ever wants to speak to you again, she’ll let you know. Until then, I’d advise you to leave before we do something that we might all regret.” Trace stepped forward and tossed his dinghy keys with the red float keychain at him.
“I don’t want to leave things like this.” He knew it was now or never if he wanted a chance to ever speak to her again. “I’m in love with her.”
Despite his declaration, Trace pointed to the front walk. “Leave, or we’ll call the police for trespassing and harassment. Trust me, they’ll believe us. We know the sheriff. Do you?”
He thought about ignoring them to prove how much he cared, but when Bri cleared her throat, she said the only few words that would make him go.
“If you really do love my mother, then don’t hurt her anymore.”
He knew in that moment, he never wanted to harm Julie in any way, but he had. When he’d hesitated to tell her the truth, he effectively told her a lie, and that lie lead to great unhappiness. He’d come to tell the truth, and he’d done that. Even if she couldn’t hear him, although he was sure she could with the open windows, the girls would tell her what he’d said. It was Julie’s decision now, so he did the hardest thing he’d ever done in his life.
He walked away.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Bri entered the old storage shed Julie had turned back into her studio. It wasn’t too hot this time of year, but if she was able to make any money at her chosen profession, she’d shut down the souvenir shop and make that her studio. If she decided to remain in Summer Island. Lately, she’d had her doubts, but where would she go? This had always been her home.
“Mom, I know you’re busy creating, but you’ve barely been out for fresh air in three days.” Bri approached with coffee in hand and a tentative smile.
“I’m fine. Actually, I’m close to being done. It’s just missing something.” Julie wiped her hands on her towel and tossed it onto the old sink in the corner.
“Really, can I see it?” Bri asked, stepping closer, but Julie cut her off.
“No, not yet.” She took the warm mug and sipped the magical elixir that always promised a pick-me-up.
“You should get ready. The grand finale is in an hour.” Bri scanned the studio as if analyzing every container or color or brush.
“Right, sure thing. I’ll come up and shower now. It’ll be weird having all the girls leave, but I’m happy for them. When’s your flight?”
“Don’t have one booked yet.” Bri headed up the path to the house. “Told you, I don’t know if I’m going back or not.”
Julie hurried to stay with Bri, who obviously wanted to usher Julie into Operation Birthday Finale. “You are, because I’m fine.”
“Are you? Because Trevor isn’t.” Bri blocked the back door to the house. “Mom, would it hurt to go talk to him? You saw the news. The baby wasn’t Trevor’s. He never meant to lie to you.”
“I know that.” She studied the floating swirls of milk in the dark pool of coffee. “That’s not why.”
“What is it, then? Why won’t you speak with him?” Bri grabbed the doorknob but didn’t turn it. “I’m not trying to put you two back together. I just don’t want to see you unhappy.”
“I’m not, or I won’t be. Listen, you did what you came here to do. I’m no longer in a widow’s funk. I’m living again. I’m creating, so you can move on with your life.”
“Is it because he didn’t tell you the truth and you found out from that awful newscast?”
“No. It’s because he took her to the beach.” She hid behind the rim of her mug and sipped on the brew to hide from the world, but it didn’t last and she had to come back up for air and to face Bri’s sorrowful gaze.
She bowed her head and opened the door. “I know, Mom.”
Wind swooped by and grabbed Julie by the arm. “Come on. Time to get you dolled up.”
“It’s a beach party,” Julie protested, but she knew better than to argue and never had the chance before Wind shoved her into the chair and was wielding a hot curling iron. “You know, my hair will be flat in ten minutes outside. What’s the point?”
“The point is that today is your special day and I want you to always remember it. Good or bad.”
Julie held up her hand to block the approaching iron. “What’s that supposed to mean? Tell me you didn’t invite Trevor to the party.”
“No, of course not.” Wind returned to work, and they were left in silence until the front bell rang.
Kat called from the front room, “Julie, it’s for you. I think you’ll want to come see this.”
Julie looked to Wind, who tried to appear innocent, but Julie saw through her act. “I’ll get you for this, and your little iron, too.” She went out to the living room, bracing for the impact of seeing Trevor Ashford again, but she didn’t. Instead, she found Houdini waiting at the door. He held up a zip tie with a squawk.
“Not you, too.” Julie knelt down and picked Houdini up. “I thought you didn’t like Trevor.”
Houdini nuzzled her neck and handed her the tie. Inside she found writing in black permanent marker.
You are the only woman for me.
Trace grunted. “You did hear that man say he loves you, right?”
“I know. But…” Something still held Julie back, but she wasn’t entirely sure it was about the lie.
“But what? Do you know how many of us wish we could find a man who would confess their feelings, look at us, or even pay half the attention that Trevor Ashford pays to you?” Kat said with an air of jealousy.
“It doesn’t mean anything when the man’s a liar.”
“Why do you think that? The baby wasn’t his,” Kat said, stating the obvious.
Bri sat on the arm of the couch. “She means because of the beach incident.”
Wind joined the other three girls and sat between them on the couch facing Julie. “He didn’t invite that queen of mayhem to Friendship Beach.”
Julie snapped her attention to Wind as if she were the only one in the room. “I saw them. Together. He had his hand on her belly, and they looked intimately entwined.” The words were bitter on her tongue.
“No. Dustin said that Skip took Marsha to the beach. I asked Skip about it and she claimed the SMSB line told her that Trevor had been looking for Marsha to straighten the mess out. Trevor didn’t invite her. He’d never betray you like that.”
“More like Rhonda wants Trevor for herself and sent her mama after him. Remember when she tried to foreclose on Trace’s land so she could knock it down because it blocks her view of the ocean?” Kat went to her side. “Listen, if you want to get rid of his body, I’m your girl. Heck, any of us are, but if you love him, which I’m guessing you do, don’t let him go. There aren’t many men out there worth fighting for, but this one might just be worth it.”
Julie twirled the zip tie between her fingers. “I don’t know. It’s too much.”
Kat tucked Julie’s hair behind her ear. “Of course it is,
darling. Anything worth living for comes with difficulties. Do you regret the years you spent with Joe?”
“No, not for a second.” Julie blinked at her, shocked at Kat’s question.
“So, despite the pain that you felt, you wouldn’t have wished to spend your life differently?”
“No.” Julie looked to Bri, who nodded.
“Then how can you let a chance at love again go without a fight? You already know how good it can be once you have it.”
“Yes, but when you lose it…” Julie choked. “It hurts so much you don’t know how you’ll take your next breath.”
The girls closed in around her. “That’s when instead of pushing us away to show how strong you are, you let us in and allow us to hold you up until you can stand on your own. Because from this day forward, none of us will be alone again.”
She held tight to Kat, Trace, Bri, and Wind. They were her zip ties that kept her together. “You promise?”
“We so swear as members of the Summer Island Book Club to never abandon each other today, tomorrow, or in the future,” Wind announced and held her hand out between them.
They all piled their hands on with an unanimous, “We so swear.”
“As an honorary member and your daughter, I so swear,” Bri added.
“Guess we’ll have that decision by the end of the night, kid.” Kat looked between them. “That is, if Julie isn’t too busy for us today.”
She threw her arms around them. “No, never again. You are welcome here anytime.”
They huddled together for a couple of minutes with Houdini jumping from shoulder to shoulder, chattering at them.
Wind pulled away. “Are you going after that man or not?”
Julie headed for the door. “I’ll meet you all at the beach.” She swung it open to find Trevor dressed in his suit, holding flowers tied together with zip ties.
His gaze was desperate and longing, and she didn’t need to know anything else because she saw it in his eyes. He loved her and would never betray her.
“Julie. I’m so sorry,” he whispered. “I never wanted to hurt you. You’ve been through so much. I wouldn’t be here now if I thought I couldn’t make you happy.”
She cupped his cheek, “Will you accept my apology?”
He dropped the flowers as if forgetting he’d ever held them. “For what?”
“For not trusting you more. I got scared and didn’t know if I could handle losing someone again.”
He took her hand. “You won’t lose me.”
“There’s no guarantees in life, but I’m not looking for guarantees anymore. I want you.”
“You have me.” He pulled her into his arms and kissed her long, hard, and passionate until the room spun and her legs went weak.
“Wow, that’s a hot flash and a half right there,” Wind called when Trevor released her lips and pulled her tight to him with a half spin before he put her back on her feet.
“I thought I was the only one who had those.” Julie looked between them.
“Ha, darling. I’m not sure you’d know the difference right now after that kiss. You’d burn from the inside out either way.” Wind fanned herself.
Dustin walked in and stopped short. “What did I miss?”
“Everything as usual, darlin’,” Wind announced.
“You must be the no-good friend who gave him bad advice.” Trace offered her hand, but Dustin didn’t move. He stood star-struck in the doorway looking at Trace as if he’d found the pot of gold at the end of a rainbow after a good storm.
Julie looked to Wind, but she only smiled. Apparently she didn’t mind. “We should all head to the party. Hey Dustin, you swimming or paddling to Friendship Beach?”
“Ah, beach? Like across the river? Um, no. I’m not going. I have to go do…something.”
“Come on. You can ride with me in the canoe. Let the love birds take the dinghy.” Trace grabbed him by the wrist and scooted out the door.
Trevor laughed but didn’t let go of Julie. Not when they walked down the road or when they got to the beach. Not when they had cake and played horseshoes. He only let go when presents were being given and he had to slip away to collect his gift for her.
“Where are you going?” she asked.
“Not far. I have a present for you. Well, for all you ladies.” He summoned an uneasy Dustin, who still hadn’t calmed down since being forced into a boat by Trace. Not to mention the fact he hadn’t taken his eyes off her or made any suave comment since his arrival. How Trace got him into the boat at all based on what Trevor had told Julie about his fear had surprised them all.
They both ran to the other side of the lagoon and returned, each dragging three chairs with them. Each colored in a different paint—blue, green, and red. “These are for your book club.”
“We might need one more,” Julie announced, eyeing Bri.
Kat tossed another log on their bonfire. “I don’t know. Let’s find out what book she chose for our club.”
Bri looked to each of them and then held up one finger and ran to the canoe. She returned with a bag and pulled out bound paper a couple inches thick. “You never mentioned any rules about what kind of book or if it had to be published, so I wrote one.” She held it out for everyone to see. The title read Sisters of Summer Island. “I’ve actually been writing it for some time now. That’s why I originally reached out to each of you. It was going to be Mom’s birthday present. It’s a story about your childhood. I wrote down all your amazing stories with some fiction mixed in.”
Julie touched the cover. “Oh, sweetie. I didn’t know you enjoyed writing. Well, not since you were in high school.”
“I do, but I was too scared to try to pursue it as a career. That was until I saw how you overcame your fear. I have a couple of manuscripts that I’ve been working on, but I think this one’s the best. With your permission, I’d like to put it out on submission.”
Wind snagged the manuscript. “Only after I read it. You better have painted me as the talented, good-hearted, beautiful sister.”
Trace rolled her eyes. “It is fiction.”
Julie faded away from her friendship circle but not too far. Only enough space to allow Trevor to hold her tight but close enough to let them know they were always welcome on Friendship Beach. After all, Summer Island Book Club was where their hearts and friendship belonged.
* * *
The End
Friendship Salad Recipe
Ingredients
1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple (with juice, do not drain)
1 (3 ounce) package instant pistachio pudding mix
1 (12 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, completely thawed
2 large bananas, sliced thin
2 1/4 cups mini marshmallows
1 (15.25 ounce) can fruit cocktail, drained
1 (11 ounce) can mandarin orange slices, drained
* * *
Directions:
1. Pour the instant pudding into a large mixing bowl.
2. Add crushed pineapple (with juice), and mix well. Do not drain your pineapple!
3. Mix in whipped topping. Stir in bananas, marshmallows, fruit cocktail, and mandarin oranges.
4. Cover, and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.
Readers Guide
Julie was anxious about facing her childhood friends after so many years. Why do you think she was so nervous?
After being married for over half of her life, Julie faced living alone. Worse, she faced dating again. How do you think dating has changed from the time she was in high school to today?
Summer Island is a small beach community in Florida. Have you ever visited a beach area away from the tourist crowds? Did you find it charming or boring?
Julie’s daughter returned home to help her mother move on with her life. How do you think you would’ve handled one of your children giving up their own lives to look after you?
Do you think her daughter came home more for herself or for Julie?
<
br /> Have you ever been a member of a friend group with so many different personalities? If so, was there a lot of tension and arguing or did you embrace each other’s differences? How about in book club?
How do you think you would feel seeing an old friend from your childhood you’ve barely spoken to over the years?
Have you ever been around a pet ferret before? They can be the sweetest, smartest little creatures. Oh, and mischievous. Do you think you’d ever want one for a pet?
Trevor retreated to Summer Island to escape publicity and his former life. However, he obviously had a love for sailing. Do you think he found the happiness he was seeking?
Who was your favorite friend or neighbor in Summer Island?
Bonus Question:
Have you ever picked a Florida orange off of a tree and eaten it fresh? If not, you should. Trust me.
About the Author
Ciara Knight is a USA TODAY Bestselling Author, who writes clean and wholesome romance novels set in either modern day small towns or wild historic old west. Born with a huge imagination that usually got her into trouble, Ciara is happy she’s found a way to use her powers for good. She loves spending time with her characters and hopes you do, too.
Also by Ciara Knight
For a complete list of my books, please visit my website at www.ciaraknight.com. A great way to keep up to date on all releases, sales and prizes subscribe to my Newsletter. I’m extremely sociable, so feel free to chat with me on Facebook, Twitter, or Goodreads.
For your convenience please see my complete title list below, in reading order:
* * *
CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
* * *
Friendship Beach Series
Summer Island Book Club
Summer Island Sisters
