by Olivia Miles
He blinked, looking downright confused. Kim fought back tears. Maybe it was her fault for not standing up for herself sooner, or maybe it was his fault for not taking an interest.
“Because you finished your degree?” He ran a hand through his hair. “Heck, I don’t know, Kim. And I certainly didn’t know it was enough to make you run off or think about canceling our wedding.”
They’d approached a bend in the road, near the big old hotel that was a nod to another era, right down to the shady, walled-in pool and cricket sets. She dropped onto a wrought-iron bench, and Bran did the same.
“Did I ever tell you that my mother was a teacher? Before she had all of us.” But of course, she hadn’t mentioned it. Bran had been an escape from thinking about her mother in many ways at first, but it felt wrong that he would never know her in person or through her stories now. “My mom and I were very close, and when I lost her…I suppose I was just trying to find a piece of her to keep with me. I wanted to feel like she’d given something to me, or like I could keep a part of her going.”
He nodded and reached out to squeeze her knee. “I wish you’d told me that sooner, Kim. If I’d known how much it meant, I wouldn’t have pushed for that honeymoon. Because it’s a temporary position, I guess I figured that you could wait for the next opportunity.”
She looked at him skeptically. “Really? Because I made it pretty clear that it was important to me.”
He had the decency to look ashamed. “I’m sorry. I should have respected your wishes. A honeymoon should indeed be something we both enjoy. Same with the wedding. I’ve gotten used to my family’s ways.”
“But I have a family, too,” Kim said. “And that’s why coming back here was so important to me. Not just this year, but every year. “
“Who said it has to stop?”
She nailed him with a look. “It’s one thing after another with your family, Bran, but if this is going to work, then we have to be our own family. That means you and me. And there are things in my life that are important to me. That job and this place, those are just two of them.”
“What are the other things?” He tipped his head, and Kim hesitated, wondering if she could even say it.
“I don’t want to get married if this is how the wedding or marriage is going to be.” She could feel her heart racing, knowing that she’d spoken the truth, knowing that she had been honest with Bran, and herself.
“Then I don’t want to either,” he said.
She blinked at him, realizing that her hands were shaking. Was he saying that he didn’t want to marry her? Because that’s not really what she was saying to him. She loved him. Seeing him here, in her favorite place, with his soft brown eyes that were looking right into her own, she could already feel herself missing him if he were to get up and walk away right now. They’d been so good together, and he’d been so good for her. Until…
“I think you’ve already established what kind of marriage you want,” he said. “One with more balance. One where you feel more comfortable having a voice. Now tell me what kind of wedding you want.”
She stared at him as the tears finally filled her eyes. “Bran. Are you serious? But…”
He shook his head. “But nothing. I don’t care what kind of wedding we have. I just cared that you were happy. But if what’s been planned isn’t what you want, then forget it.”
“And your mother?” She had to ask.
He gave her a little grin. “My mother will get over it. She’ll have to, because I love you, Kim. I want to marry you. I want to share a life with you, and I mean that. Share a life.”
She felt his hand slip into hers, warm and familiar, and she held it, not wanting to speak for fear of ruining this moment, and when she looked into his eyes again, she knew she didn’t have to say anything. That was one of the things she liked about Bran. They were comfortable together. They could sit in silence as easily as chat and laugh in a restaurant. They’d just gotten away from it for a while. But maybe, just maybe they could have a chance to start again.
26
Heather
Heather woke on Friday morning with a strange sense of dread, and one that didn’t have to do with the fact that she’d promised her article to Sally by the end of the day. Tomorrow she’d be leaving the island, and with it, this house, these memories, and a feeling that she hadn’t experienced in more than a year, and never thought she’d feel again. It was the company of her sisters, perhaps. The sounds of other footsteps on the floorboards. The feeling of life within the four walls.
Kim and Bran were downstairs laughing and making coffee by the time Heather finished showering. They’d been in good spirits last night over dinner, and Bran had been very grateful for the meal she’d cooked, even though Kim had reminded him that this talent fell solely with the middle Taylor sister.
Things had worked out for Kim. Heather was happy for her, no longer feeling the need to dodge her sister and all her excitement about this next phase of her life. Everyone had their struggles. And it was better when you had someone to share them with, much like everything else in life.
It was midmorning; she’d dragged out the time, but she couldn’t waste the day. It was her last day on the island. It needed to count.
“What do you say we do a big dinner tonight?” she asked Kim, trying to cheer herself up a bit. It was a tradition they always had—a summer’s end send-off dinner, complete with all the summer treats that they enjoyed here at the lake house. “We could invite Gemma and Leo.”
“Oh, I’d love for you to meet them, Bran,” Kim said, smiling at him. She turned back to Heather. “And we can ask Billy?”
Heather swallowed hard. She should invite Billy. It wouldn’t be summer’s end without him. But somehow, she was no longer so sure that he would agree to come. They’d left things off badly the other day. And that, well, that was almost as upsetting as the thought of packing her bags tomorrow.
“I’m sure that Andrea will want to invite John,” she said. “I’ll make a list and pick some things up in town.” It would give her something to do, even though what she should be doing was finishing that article. She’d have to think of something or use one of the topics Kim had suggested that didn’t quite inspire her.
“We’ll divide and conquer,” Kim said. “Bran and I are spending the day in town so we can help. I promised him all the sights, including some fudge tasting.”
With that settled, Heather left them to talk. She sensed that they craved more privacy, and she was yet to get Kim alone for enough time to ask how things were going. She’d learned from personal experience that it was best not to assume what anyone was going through, even her own sister. People shared when they were ready. And she was finally ready to do just that.
The Island Hospital was on her way into town, a short bike ride from the house. She parked her cruiser against the picket fence that was lined with blooming hydrangea and walked up the brick-paved path to the front porch, knowing that the door would be open. A woman she didn’t recognize looked up from the front desk, the only indication that this was a place of business and not someone’s home.
“Do you have an appointment?” When Heather shook her head, she asked, “Emergency?”
Suddenly, talking to Billy felt like an emergency, like something she had to do right now before she lost her nerve.
“I was just hoping to speak with Dr. Davidson for a few minutes. I can wait.” She went to take a seat near the big bay window but the woman waved her over. “It’s fine. Things are slow at this hour. It will pick up as the day goes on and people rent bikes or hit the pubs.” She grinned. “He’s just down the hall and to the right.”
Heather pulled in a breath. Down the hall and to the right. It didn’t take long to find him. The building was quiet and Billy was sitting at a desk reviewing some charts when she stopped in the open doorway. She reached out to knock anyway, but instead, she lingered for a moment, thinking of the boy she’d known, the one who shared all her happy memo
ries, the one who shared this place, and the man he had become.
What did he really think of the woman she had become? She supposed she’d know soon enough.
“Hey,” she said quietly, forcing him to look up at her. His hazel eyes were soft and kind, and her stomach rolled over at how handsome he was. That was a feeling that had never completely faded. Some things in life would always stick with you.
His expression shifted from one of surprise to confusion but still, behind it all, she could see that he wasn’t displeased.
“I hope it’s okay that I’m stopping by. We’re leaving tomorrow, and I couldn’t go without saying goodbye.”
Now the light went out of his eyes and he nodded. “I see. That’s right.” He sucked in a breath and leaned back in his chair. “Back to your city life then?”
Back to her empty life. She’d gotten so used to a full house. And a full heart. Two things she hadn’t expected to ever find again.
“I’m sorry for how our conversation went the other day,” she started, but he held up a hand.
“It’s fine, Heather. You were being honest. I respect that.”
She could stop now, leave things as a truce, no hard feelings, at least not completely. But she didn’t want to leave things like that. She didn’t want to leave Billy at all.
“But I wasn’t being fully honest,” she said. “The reason I don’t want to get married again is because of how my marriage ended.”
He tipped his head, staring at her intently.
She drew a breath and closed the door behind her, stepping closer into the room. “The reason that Daniel and I broke up is that I can’t have children.”
His face folded into one of understanding as he shook his head. “I’m sorry. I had no idea.”
She shrugged. “No one did. It was easier that way. At least I thought it was. If I didn’t talk about it, I didn’t have to think about it. I guess I thought that I’d learn to adjust, be content with less.” Only now she wanted more, so much more. She wanted Billy. She wanted this island. She wanted to believe it all could last. “Now, after telling my sisters, I realize how much better I feel opening up about it.”
He gestured for her to sit. “I can only imagine that it put a lot of stress on the marriage.”
“In the end, we wanted different things. Daniel wanted to move on, accept life as it was. But it wasn’t enough for me. I wanted to keep trying. I wanted more.”
“And what do you want now?”
She swallowed hard, almost afraid to speak the truth as she was to admit it to herself. “I want what I’ve always wanted. A family of my own. Trips here to the island. I want to show my children the house on West End Road, and I want to hear their laughter from the playhouse.”
“But the other night you said that you didn’t ever want to be married again,” he said.
She nodded. It was true. She had said it, maybe even meant it at the time, or wanted to convince herself of that at least.
“I guess I’m afraid. To try again. But I realized that by doing that, I’m no different than Daniel. And I loved him, but he wasn’t willing to keep trying to make that dream come true. And I’m not willing to stop trying either.”
Billy lifted an eyebrow. “Does that mean that you’re open to a relationship?”
She sighed. Here came the tough part. “You want children, Billy. I heard you the other night, dreaming big, the way I always did. What if…” She shook her head. Her cheeks felt warm. He was just talking about a relationship. Not marriage!
“There are other ways to have a family if two people want it badly enough.” He grinned at her, his smile crinkling the corners of his eyes. “I just want to see you happy, Heather. That’s all I ever wanted. Well, maybe not all I ever wanted. I’d be pretty bummed if you told me you’d be happier going back to Chicago this weekend.”
She shook her head, the image of it filling her mind with such dread that she almost couldn’t bear it. “I can’t think of anything that would be more unhappy.”
He looked at her with fresh excitement. “You mean?”
“I have nothing to go back to but an empty house. And here…I have more than a house. I have good memories, and good friends, and…I have you.”
He gave her a slow smile. “Sounds like you’ve convinced yourself then.”
“No. You did that. You made me think that maybe I could be happy again. That maybe my life could be full again. It’s been a long time since I’ve felt like that.”
“So you’ll stay?”
She nodded before she could change her mind. “I’ll stay.”
He grinned broadly now, pushing himself out of the chair. “I think we need to celebrate! What do you say? A big lunch, with champagne—”
She shook her head, laughing as she stood. “We have time for all of that. All the time in the world. But today I have an article to write, and hours to finish it.”
And she knew exactly what she was going to write about. She was going to write about home life, as she always did, only this time she was going to write about the things that defined a home. For it wasn’t the shiny new appliances or the hand-sewn window treatments, or the imported bathroom tiles. It was people who made a house a home. And simple traditions, like her summer pie recipe. Any other place, it was just pie, but here, it was special. And here she was home.
“I almost forgot. It’s still summer’s end.” She might be staying on the island, but her sisters would be leaving, back to their lives. “We’re having our dinner tonight. Per tradition.”
Tradition. Oh, how she loved a good tradition.
“Wouldn’t miss it.” He grinned as he came around the desk. “But you forgot one other thing, too.”
She looked at him in surprise. “Oh?”
He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close. “This,” he said, before kissing her. And this time, she didn’t hurry off.
27
Andrea
It was officially summer’s end, a day that Andrea hadn’t thought about in too many years. It was a day that was meant for celebration, not just goodbyes. A day that was meant for reflection and gratitude, and this year, strangely more than ever, Andrea was able to do just that.
Her design for the Morrison house was complete. It was, in her opinion, her finest work yet. A clear winner, one that would no doubt earn her the business and quite possibly the partnership.
But somehow, that didn’t matter anymore.
The sisters were gathering the dishes and linens that were always used for the party, the ones that their mother had collected over the years, held on to, and cherished. Andrea stroked the paisley-printed tablecloth in her hands, knowing that this was one of her mother’s personal favorites, because of the bright colors. The food had been purchased by Kim and Bran, and Bran had even been sent back out with another list. Gemma and Leo would arrive shortly, a few others, too. There would be candles and wine and lots of reminiscing.
“I’m glad we’re doing this,” she said to Heather. “What I should say is that I’m glad we did this. Coming here was long overdue. I haven’t felt this good in too long.”
Still, she couldn’t fight the heaviness in her chest as Kim roped an arm over her shoulder and squeezed it. The last night at the house was always bittersweet, and this year would be no exception.
“I…I wish Mom was here.” Andrea pushed back the tears that had threatened to spill. Her work had been her salvation this past year—her purpose, but also her crutch. She could let her guard down here, with her sisters. She could open up, share her sadness, and she could know that she wasn’t alone. That they didn’t care about whether or not she made partner or got picked from the latest shortlist or if she was ever featured in a trade magazine. Truth was, her father probably didn’t care either. All her family wanted was the same that she wanted for them. To find happiness, even if it wasn’t the way she might have chosen it.
“She is here,” Kim said. “I’ve felt closer to her since being back tha
n I have since she left us. I think she knew that we needed this time. I think everything is going to be better from now on.”
Heather was quiet for a moment, but now she set down a stack of plates and turned to them. “I have an announcement to make. I’m not going back to Chicago. I’m going to stay on the island.”
“Billy?” Kim’s grin was sly but pleased.
Heather couldn’t fight her smile. “Billy, but also, this island. Coming back here made me realize how little I have back in the city, and how much I have here, and always did. I thought I needed certain things to have a full life, but it’s not how much you have, but what you make of it.”
Andrea nodded slowly. She’d been thinking about that all morning—all week really, even though it had crept up on her. What did making partner even mean? More prestige? More money? Who was she even trying to impress? The people at work went home to their spouses, children, family, and friends. They didn’t care about her, not in the way that her sisters did. Not in the way that John possibly could.
She hadn’t seen him since Wednesday, hadn’t known what to say. She knew she would see him again, if only to say goodbye, or until next time, and now she saw no reason to delay. John, like Gemma and Billy, was part of the story that made up their time here on the island. It was only right that he should be here tonight.
“I’ll go into town for some extra bottles of wine,” Andrea said, knowing that they could only manage a couple each trip, given the weight of the grocery bags.
“Hurry back, because I have an announcement too,” Kim said, with a devilish waggle of her eyebrows. “Although, I think that Bran and I should share it together. If you see him on the way, don’t let him say anything.”
