The Remaining Sister (Sister Series, #9)

by Leanne Davis

  As was Chloe.

  After being interviewed thoroughly by the police, Chloe was honest and explained everything. If anyone thought she shot Crystal on purpose, no one said so. No charges would be pressed at a later date. It was a closed case of self-defense for Chloe. Ebony’s murder was also blamed on Crystal based on Chloe’s statement as well as Tara’s.

  Lance was released after many apologies. But Chloe felt guilty and made a separate trip to his house alone. She gave him her heartfelt and sincerest apology. That was one part of the entire ordeal she did regret although she realized it could not be undone.

  The grief still filled her heart as heavily as before. The acquisition of new information and an ending provided closure for her and it all helped, sure. The guilty party was dead and gone. There was no longer any reason for her to fear staying alone, driving alone, or being alone at night in her own house. But the pervasive sadness remained.

  Her parents were called when she was in the hospital. They hurried in to see her, rushing over to where she sat on a hospital bed. After hugging and kissing her, their reunion was heartbreaking but they finally looked right at her and saw her. They saw Chloe now, not Ebony. Perhaps the fear of losing her made them appreciate what they still had. It helped them over the next few weeks and months. Although they still grieved outwardly and inwardly, at least now they didn’t try to punish each other. It actually became a kind of bond that drew them closer and allowed them to rely on each other in order to survive the crippling grief.

  And she had Chet. He was right there with them. He helped her parents as much as he did Chloe. The quiet, always productive backbone for Chloe, the man who fixed things without being asked, and silently maintained their yards, doing all the chores before anyone even realized it. He became the glue that held them all together, but mostly, he held Chloe together.

  After a complete account of what happened was published in the local newspaper, it even made national coverage. Silver Springs and the café suddenly became famous for the gruesome circumstances of fatal attraction. It lasted for several months before it died down.

  As spring bloomed in its fullest array of colors, the events of the fall started to fade away for everyone else. But never fully for Chloe. But every single day of her life was no longer consumed by Ebony’s absence. She went back to working full-time. Though she knew she’d never again be back to the Chloe Carrington she was before her sister died.

  Chloe called out to Tara to come in her office. “Hey, did you need something?” Tara inquired.

  Chloe leaned back in her chair. Flashbacks of Tara’s painful cries still infiltrated her thoughts. She knew they often still affected Tara too. They spent a lot of time discussing, rehashing, grieving and working out what happened to both of them. But Chloe stiffened her spine. She was all business now. “So, have you ever thought about… I don’t know, taking some college classes?”

  Startled, Tara tilted her head. “I thought… I thought you were happy with my work here… that we’d…”

  Chloe was happy with Tara. They had become close friends after the strange circumstances that they experienced. It bonded them like soldiers in battle, Chloe believed. All the intense range of emotions, that became so visceral, emphasized the thin line between life and death and its fragility had been crossed. They became quick friends and remained close friends. Honest friends.

  “I am very satisfied with your work.”

  “Then what are you asking?

  Chloe leaned forward, smiling. “I was just thinking you might be exceptional if you took up accounting, you know, bookkeeping, payroll and taxes—?”

  Tara jerked her head back. “Wait. You mean here? You want me to learn how to do that stuff for the café?”

  “Yeah. I was just thinking—”

  “That was Ebony’s job.”

  Shutting her eyes for a split second, Chloe sucked in a breath and suppressed the stab that sometimes still struck her heart when she referred to her sister in the past tense. “Yes. It was. Because I hate doing the business end.”

  Tara stared at her, dropping her mouth open, her eyes going wide. “And you want me—”

  “To take it over.”

  Tara nodded, straightening as she leaned over and stretched her hand out to Chloe’s in a shake. Both their eyes sparkled with excitement. There was no need to spell it out. Tara got it. Chloe got it. “I could still register for summer classes.”

  “And I could start teaching you what I know. If you’re staying on, that is, after the wedding.” She and Ryder were due to be married this coming June.

  Tara scowled at her. “I love this place. I can only foresee leaving it when you fire me.”

  Chloe scowled right back. “Staff won’t let me do that, so I guess we’re stuck together, forever. So you might as well take over your half of it. You’ll own it in a few weeks anyway.”

  “No, I won’t. Ryder will. He’ll give his share back to you.”

  Grumpily, Chloe flopped down. “Oh, fuck no. I don’t want it. I can’t handle the full responsibility for this joint. I told you already, I hate the business end…”

  Tara smiled, but wavered with emotion. “Chloe, I—”

  “I know, Tara. Me too.” She warmly smiled and so did Tara, sharing it for a long moment before Tara spun around to leave. Chloe then got up and wandered to the doorway. Tiana was singing as she scooped hot fries from the deep fryer. Chet was busily washing dishes. Petra spun through the kitchen, yelling in her accented voice at Tiana, and griping about the overdone hamburgers.

  Chloe walked out of the kitchen into the main seating area. The place hummed. Customers were talking and laughing, while another family sat bored, staring out the window. A pastor came in with a whole group of people. Life went on. Heartbeats pulsated in all kinds of people. From the health food nuts to those who came into the café to indulge in one of her pastries. Life kept everything moving and this microcosm that existed—right there in the café that she and her sister built from nothing—had become a place for people to rest, eat, laugh, communicate, and share their experiences. They created a community focal point that meant something real and deep to most of the citizens of Silver Springs. It stood as a proud reminder of her sister’s vision. It continued to be a source of pride and Chloe continued to share that pride with her sister.

  Now? Her sister was dead and Chloe was all that remained, but fate was kind to her and provided her with someone new she could move forward with: Tara Tamasy. Who could’ve guessed Tara would eventually become a sister of Chloe’s heart?

  Wyatt ran inside, squealing in displeasure over his newest sprain. He was hitting a ball and it caught on his pinkie finger. Chloe pushed off the doorway she was daydreaming against and smiled at the sound of his voice. His unbridled joy and loud entrance were always so reminiscent of Ebony. She started to cross the restaurant and hug her nephew, but he ran right up to Tara, hugging her hard and Tara responded with equal affection. Chloe hung back, letting them have their moment. Wyatt was greeting his mother figure after school. He was anxious to tell her about his day’s adventures. Chloe’s heart sank and swelled with joy. Life really did move on for those who remained in the present.

  An arm encircled her waist. She didn’t glance back to see who it was because she already knew. He noticed, as always, when she either looked sad or contemplative. He didn’t know which it was, but he recognized it and he knew she liked to be touched, comforted, and hugged when she looked that way. She closed her eyes, inhaling a deep breath and letting his hug free her. Moving forward was okay.

  “She asked me to be her maid of honor. When she marries Ryder. My ex-brother-in-law. My twin sister’s husband.”

  “But now? She’s your nephew’s mother and your friend, right?”

  She smiled at his logic. “Yes.”

  “And? What did you say?”

  “I told her I was honored. And I can’t wait for it. Although it makes me a little bitter.” She turned and hugged him harder.
It was a bit of a surprise to all her employees and customers when she and Chet admitted they were dating. More than dating. They were in love. But Chet had a gift of being able to easily ignore the thoughts or prejudices of others. He was always ready to hug her if she needed it and he remained upfront. At first, Chloe wondered if he should work for her, considering all the complications. The hierarchy of her being his boss. The worry that it could bother his ego. But no, it didn’t. And it stayed as cut-and-dried as that. He liked his job and working with her, so it fulfilled his needs. It also allowed him to paint and spend the rest of the time with her.

  He kissed the top of her head, taking her hand and pulling her towards her office, saying, “What do you say, maybe next summer you could return the favor?” Puzzled, she glanced at his face and found herself staring at a ring as he smiled. “Will you marry me, Chloe?”

  She shut her eyes, never expecting it. But she didn’t cry. She didn’t cry at happy things. Never. No. Instead, she smiled and nodded and jumped on him, allowing her joy to overcome her. “Yes. Of course I will.”

  “You will return the favor?” He grinned and she laughed as she took the ring he held and put it on.

  “Yes, I’ll return the favor to Tara when I marry you.”

  His smile matched hers. “I was thinking, maybe it would be a good time to find a different job. Probably shouldn’t continue working together after we’re married. I read that it can be hard on relationships. Anyway, I signed up for some classes at community college. I’ll probably go ahead with the structural engineering major.” So easily and casually Chet threw out his plan of what would soon become several years of higher education. Solid. Rational. Without panic or undue concern. Having chosen that path, he was prepared to follow it. She loved that about him. No complications. No waffling.

  “You don’t have to do that.”

  “It pays more money too.” He shrugged and she laughed out loud. That was so like Chet. Doing whatever made the most sense.

  “I’m glad that you decided to help me through my grief, Chet, because I think you are the only reason I survived it. I love you, Chet Willapana.”

  “I love you too, someday-to-be Chloe Willapana.”

  It finally ended. The nightmare that exploded her whole life was somehow extinguished by Chet. He understood her and reached out to pull her back into the world of the living. Somehow, she managed to find life and love from the remains of the greatest loss of her life. Somehow, a new relationship formed, but nothing could replace the spot that was forever reserved for the face that once matched hers. Although that heart was no longer beating, it continued and would forever beat inside hers.

  ###

  Dear Reader,

  I would be so grateful if you took a few moments to leave a review of The Remaining Sister. It helps expand an author’s readership, and I really do appreciate the effort.

  Read on for Chapter One of The Step Sister. Keep up on my website for its release date.

  Otherwise, thank you for reading my book, and I hope you try another of my novels.

  If you would like to keep up on my releases, please go to my website and sign up for my email distribution list or contact me directly at dvsleanne@aol.com.

  Here is a preview of one of my other novels.

  Sincerely,

  Leanne Davis

  Connect with me!

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  And still to come, another spinoff of The Sister Series about the sons of Ryder and Tara Kincaid as well as Chet and Chloe Willipana (The Lost Sister & The Remaining Sister).

  Wyatt Kincaid-Everyone struggles to find their place in life but especially when your parents feel the need to save someone who wants nothing more than to break down the family you love. Everyone tries to sell Westley as his brother but Wyatt knows who his real family is and it isn’t Wesley.

  Wesley Kincaid-Adopted in his late teens, his new family has a lot of work to do to convince him he is truly their son.

  Devon & Damion Willapana-Identical twins as they come into adulthood they realize they are anything but identical and have a lot to learn in defining what brotherhood truly means.

  Julia Lindstrom has a family who loves her, but outside circumstances make her feel like she doesn’t belong. Suffering as a teen from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, she believes it is nature’s cosmic joke after having an emotionally messy woman for a mother. Living in fear that she will repeat the myriad mistakes of her biological mother and that her OCD will once again become uncontrollable, she takes a new job and starts working for Lloyd Cartwright and Chris Vaughn. She inevitably develops a relationship with both men, and fears her life has paralleled her biological mother’s history.

  Chris Vaughn began working for his dad through a twist of fate. Though he longed to know the man he’d never met, he ends up taking a job from him. Now, four years later, Chris manages to make a successful and lucrative career from it. It turns out to be a job that he likes. However, he both detests and reveres the man whom he calls his boss, his dad. Meanwhile, his boss/dad doesn’t realize any of that. Chris accidentally and quite unwillingly finds himself in the throes of a stiff competition for the new girl with his dad. Julia Lindstrom is precisely his dad’s type, and quite coincidentally, his type too. But Chris must determine whether he is subconsciously trying to destroy his dad for abandoning him, or merely intending to accelerate his own ambition. Ultimately, he worries that, in the end, what he seeks and desires the most could be at odds with what he should do.

  The Step Sister

  Prologue

  “SHE DIDN’T SHOW UP.”

  “I’m sure she’ll be there soon. You know your mother…” Tracy’s voice trailed off.

  “No, Mom, I don’t! I don’t know ‘my mother’ nor do I get her all! That’s why I’m calling you,” Julia Lindstrom said, resting her head on the post she leaned against. It supported the awning in front of her doctor’s office. Correction, psychiatrist’s office. Rain splatted down, making the puddles ripple with sparkles before her.

  Tracy Lindstrom sighed on the other end of the line. “I’ll be right there.”

  “Aren’t you always?” Julia’s snide tone made Tracy wince. Tracy didn’t deserve that because it was really about Vickie Stratton, her natural mother. But Tracy was her aunt-turned-stepmother and the only woman Julia considered her real mother, even if biology argued differently. Tracy raised her, sparing her the erratic, precipitous life that Vickie subjected her to. Julia couldn’t remember when her mother wasn’t Tracy. Her father married two sisters; the first was Vickie, with whom he had Julia and after they divorced, he married Tracy.

  Naturally, Julia couldn’t remember all the drama and shock surrounding it because she was a baby. She only considered Tracy as her mother. Not her aunt or her stepmother. Not her goddamned second mother as some people tried to play it off. No. Tracy was her mother. Mom. Mommy. Mama. Whatever you called that role, Tracy filled it one hundred percent as far as Julia was concerned and despite all the efforts of the people who pretended to practice misled diplomacy toward it all. They called Vickie flighty, shallow, erratic, and crazy but still considered her Julia’s “real” mom. Even as a child, Julia ignored them and called Tracy Mom from the time she could speak. She wasn’t so concerned as everyone else seemed to be about hurting poor Vickie’s feelings. As far as Julia was concerned, Vickie deserved it.

  Julia sat down on the curb and waited for Tracy. Glancing behind her, the idea that she could be waiting inside her aunt Gretchen’s office crossed her mind. Gretchen had a psychology practice there. Julia was currently seeing one of her colleagues. But Julia decided she didn’t want to talk right then, and set her ear bud in her ear before starting her music. Plucking at the frayed threads of her jeans, she frowned as she stared down.

  Why the hell couldn’t Vickie remember anything? She always seemed to forget Julia. Vickie was notoriou
s for failing to pick her up or to do routine errands she volunteered to do for Julia. Things as simple as running Julia to the dentist’s office or as mundane as grabbing her favorite makeup at the grocery store. Hardly anything Julia or Tracy asked Vickie to do for Julia ever got done.

  If Vickie were with her husband, Dane, however, she always managed to show up. Vickie only remembered her obligations because Dane or another adult, such as Julia’s dad or Tracy, reminded her. If left strictly to her own devices, Vickie always screwed up. Julia wasn’t wrong about that. She spent most of her eighteen years memorizing Vickie’s destructive dance. She almost missed her high school graduation because Vickie got the location wrong. Sure, everyone makes mistakes from time to time, even when it involves big, important stuff. But with Vickie, that was usually the rule, and not the exception.

  Julia’s phone rang. Glancing down, she groaned. Vickie.

  “What?” she answered without preamble.

  “I’m sorry! I know I’m late. I’m leaving right now. I just—”

  “Forget it, Vickie. I already called Mom.”

  Vickie sighed. “Must you insist on calling me Vickie and Tracy Mom? Right to my face?”

  “Yes. I have to. Because it’s true,” Julia answered in a cool, snippy tone.

  Vickie let out a sigh. “I’m sorry. But this time… well, some things are going on—”

  “Something is always going on with you, Vickie! Why can’t you try just once to keep your word and do what you’re supposed to be doing?”

  “It’s just… Dane and I—”

  Julia gripped her phone tighter, shutting her eyes. “What did you do? Oh, my God! Are you divorcing him now?”

  “Um, well, yeah. But look, honey—”