by Taryn Quinn
The vast, mirror-like lake shone and in the distance. Now I could see the white string lights around the gazebo. Night was creeping over the town and the sun was sinking behind the trees with fantastic red and pink slashes across the sky. Music and laughter traveled with the occasional snatches of breeze on the heavy night. The pier and park was all tricked out already for the reunion. It was time to celebrate the ten years of our lives we’d put behind us.
Ten years I’d spent not moving forward.
I swallowed hard. “I don’t know. That would be why I’m here. I don’t know anything.”
“Not surprising since my brother is the king of cowards.”
“What?” I turned back to Oliver. “No, he’s not. He—”
“No, that’s exactly what he is. Both of you are. There’s a reason no one ever fit either of you over the years. I may not want to tie myself to one woman, but Seth has been a family man since the moment that little girl was put into his arms. I just put the wrong woman in his path.”
I flinched. “What does that mean?”
Oliver tugged at his tie again until it snapped out of his collar. He jammed it into his pocket before shrugging out of his suit coat. “It’s too blasted hot.”
I lifted a brow. “I thought you were impervious.”
“Yeah, well, don’t look at the line of sweat down the middle of my back. I’m not a fucking machine, no matter what you people think.”
“I…” I didn’t even know what to say to that, actually. Oliver had always been cool and aloof around me. Had I started it? Or had he?
He blew out a breath. “This wasn’t where I wanted to go with this. I’m here to save my meathead brother from making a mistake.”
“Meathead?” I blinked. First he was de-suiting and now he was plain-speaking.
I squinted at him to make sure he wasn’t Seth playing a joke on me, but the edges of his tattoo told me better than anything else. They were both covered in ink, which was interesting considering Oliver’s penchant for suits. But their ink was as opposite as their personalities. Seth’s was more dark and heavy, while Oliver’s contained more streaks of color.
Not that I would ever mistake the twin brothers for each other. The differences were staggering to me, if no one else. But there was a new glint in Oliver’s eyes. Frustration and an openness I’d never seen before.
“Look, Ally.” He swiped his hand over the back of his neck and my heart melted. Such a Seth gesture. For the first time, he really looked and acted like his brother. They always seemed like the opposite sides of a coin. “I may have had an idiotic moment when I pushed Marj into Seth’s life. Intentionally.”
I wrapped my arm around my middle, the quick flash of pain hitting me harder than I though it would. I knew it. At least a part of me always knew Oliver didn’t want him with me. And it wasn’t like the revelation was a total surprise. Oliver had mentioned introducing Seth to Marj at the diner. But a casual intro wasn’t the same as an intentional one. I could tell from Oliver’s expression he’d had a method to his madness far beyond Seth just meeting his friend.
“Why?”
“Because he didn’t need me anymore, dammit.”
My eyes burned and I blinked away the quick rush of tears. “What? Of course he did. Of course he does. You’re his brother.”
“The minute you came into his life, there was nothing else. We even went to different schools, for fuck’s sake. He was supposed to try out public school for a year and then come back to prep school junior year if he didn’t like it, but he met you. He didn’t want to leave here after that, no matter what he thought of the school. He didn’t say that, but that’s the truth of it.”
I frowned. “You think he chose me over you?”
“I know he did.” Oliver’s dark eyes were fierce. “And I hated you for it. Stupid, petty, and small, I know, but I did.”
“We’re just friends.”
“You were never just friends. You both may have hid in that role for the majority of your relationship, but deep down, you both knew it wasn’t just platonic.”
“I…” I had to swallow hard. I’d always loved him. Even when my mother’s caregiving took over my life, I’d always put him in the back of mind as the end goal. The unattainable goal.
Maybe that was why I couldn’t ever choose a college away from Crescent Cove. The only thing I’d ever really wanted was here—Seth, and the family we could make. Simple maybe, but honestly, it was the only thing I’d ever really wanted.
“I love him so much,” I whispered.
Just saying it was like dropping a burden. I’d held those words back for so long.
“I know you do.” Oliver sighed. “And he loves you too.”
“How can you—”
“Look, if you want to question it after all this? After he found every reason in the known universe to get you to stay in his life, then I don’t know what to tell you. But I had to at least try to help out for once. Because that man is drowning. You’re everything he ever wanted, he’s just too stubborn to put the label on it because he’s afraid you’ll run.” Oliver shook his head. “You’re both so fucking afraid.”
“Well, look at what we come from.”
“Guess what, sweetheart? We aren’t what we come from. We’re exactly what we choose to be. You want that idiot I call a brother, then you go after him.”
A loud pop and whistle startled me and I swung around. A huge spray of white fireworks fanned up into the night sky. Then in the center of it was a spray of red that shot out in dual arcs.
A heart.
My vision wavered when another one went up. Then another. A succession of them lit up the cove and kept on coming.
“Well, finally.”
I tried to turn back to Oliver, but I couldn’t pull myself from the display. “They’re beautiful.” And I should be enjoying them with Seth, not locking myself away in the little shame-shack his family owned.
We’d spent hours here as kids. We told each other secrets, we even confessed a few dreams, and shed some tears. But this was our past. And out there was our future. Those hearts had to be a sign.
I stepped forward, then stilled, clutching my arms around my middle.
“Stop fighting it. Why the hell are you so afraid?”
I whipped around. “You’re one to talk, Oliver Hamilton. I don’t see you getting caught up with anyone.”
“No one has ever mattered enough.”
“No, you never let them matter enough.” I was breathing heavy. But he was right. I’d let fear rule my life for long enough. “I’m sorry. That was uncalled for. I know how it is to hide.”
Oliver’s chin lifted. “There’s a difference, Alison.”
I tilted my head. So much Seth in him and yet, not nearly the same. He put Laurie first—put me first in so many ways. Maybe Oliver would finally get that someday.
But now I had to trust in Seth. And myself. “I’m going after him.” I grabbed my bag off the chair.
“Hallelujah.” Oliver lifted his arms then waved to the window. “He even gave you a map for once.”
“Huh?” I hooked the huge hobo bag over my shoulder and made sure I had my wallet, keys. My fingers brushed the early pregnancy test at the bottom of the bag.
“The fireworks. He said he was going for the fairy tale.”
My eyes flooded. “He did? That’s him?”
“God, you guys are so dense. Of course it’s him. Even if he paid to put hearts in the sky, you still question it?”
I dashed away tears with my wrist. “Guess he should have taken out a skywriter.”
“I’ll tell him to do that next.”
I laughed and jangled my keys. “Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.” I swallowed down the nerves threatening to slow me down. “It’s time to go get my man.”
“Finally.”
20
Ally
I ran through the cabin and out the front door. My fingers shook as I got in the car and tried to get my
keys in the ignition. I saw more sparks through the trees and the fireworks floated higher into the sky with each explosion.
The white made the crinkly fuzzing sound that made my skin crackle in reaction.
Another heart speared the sky.
Then a succession of three.
For all of us?
The family we made?
The red and white shimmered as my eyes burned. I slammed my car into drive and hit the winding road with a scatter of dirt and gravel in my wake. The lake never felt so big as it did tonight. In my head I knew it was a mere seven minutes into town. Thirteen years of traveling these roads had left an imprint. I could probably drive them blindfolded.
Good thing since my eyes kept filling and glancing up to the sparkles and hearts dotting the sky.
“I’m coming.” I didn’t realize I’d said it aloud until my voice wavered. Sureness filled my chest and my heart pounded in my head, echoing in every nerve of my body.
I finally turned onto main street and slammed the heel of my hand on the steering wheel at the line of cars. Some were leaving the park, but others were simply sitting there in awe of the light show. The lake held fireworks for the Fourth and sometimes Labor Day, but it was pretty rare. They were expensive and the restrictions were a headache.
I only knew it because I’d stupidly signed up to help with one of the celebrations. Sage was a joiner and a pleaser. Watching her flounder during the Fourth of July preparations a few years ago had prompted me to help. Never again. Small towns were full of way too many helpful hands that never ended up doing anything but complain.
No thanks.
I’d rather volunteer to babysit a dozen three-year-olds.
And right about now, I’d empty my bank account to get rid of every car on the road. I looked around for a place to park, but of course that wasn’t going to happen either. My fingers ached from squeezing my steering wheel in frustration.
I rolled down my window and looked for a break in the line of cars to get to a side street at least. I slapped the side of my old car when the hearts started slowing in the sky. I didn’t want him to think I wasn’t paying attention. I scanned the people on the sidewalks. I was about ready to scream for help from sixteen year old Madison Kohl when a familiar laugh floated my way.
Sage.
I twisted and turned looking for her familiar flyaway blond hair and my mouth dropped at the bouncing curls that swung down a woman’s back. A woman with more curves than I’d ever seen in Crescent Cove.
Sage was talking to the new teacher, Mike London. And had she just tossed her hair over her shoulder?
“Sage?”
She twirled at my call then slapped her bare thighs.
Sweet hello, was she wearing Daisy Dukes?
“Finally! Where the hell have you been?” She turned back to Mike. “Um, sorry. I didn’t mean to curse, Mr. London.”
“Mike.”
“Right, Mike.” Sage’s voice was unusually breathy. Her sunny smile lit up her face and Mike’s eyes glazed over.
Of course half of that was probably the miniscule strappy tanktop Sage was wearing that showed off just how generous God had been when stacking her deck. Jeeze.
“Can you come over here?”
Sage glanced up and down the street before she carefully picked her way over the cobblestones of the sidewalk to the asphalt in her espadrilles with the navy ribbons climbing up her ankle to calf. “Are you cock-blocking me?”
“I’d have to have a cock, Sage.”
“Oh, right.” She huffed out a breath. “You know what I mean.”
I slammed my car into park. I knew I was going to regret asking, but I just had to to know. “What the heck are you wearing?”
“Oh.” She frowned. “Don’t you like it?”
“You look hot as hell, girlfriend.”
She smiled. “Well, thank you. Just something I found in my closet.”
“You did not find that in your closet.”
Sage gave a lengthy sigh. “All right, it was a store in Laurel. This isn’t exactly the kind of thing you can buy in Kinleigh’s”
That was for sure. But if Kinleigh got a look at the outfit, she might make some changes to her little shop. “Can you drive for me?”
“What?” Sage looked over her shoulder at Mike and wiggled her fingers. “Just a sec,” she called out.
He waved and then slid his fingers into his thick black hair.
“Isn’t he dreamy?”
I blinked and peered around her, then back at Sage. “For real?”
“I mean he’s cute right?”
“Um…” I honestly hadn’t looked at anyone since Seth in so long it felt foreign to actually look at a man objectively. “I guess.”
“You guess? Do you see how he fills out a pair of jeans? I mean he’s from Texas first of all and then he wears honest to God cowboy boots. The kind that are actually broken in because he rides real horses. I mean just wow.”
I nibbled on bottom lip. “I’m sorry. Can I be the altruistic best friend tomorrow? I really need your help.”
“Of course. I’m sorry. I’m just not even paying attention. All these blasted hormones are messing me up. That’s why I’m on the hunt. I figure I gotta get this virgin thing done. How else am I going to breathe in this town? All the lovey stuff with you and Seth. I mean he did those fireworks for you, you know?”
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. “I know. I’m trying to go find him. But…” I waved at the traffic snaking down Main Street and around the park.
“Oh.” She grabbed my door handle and hauled me out of the car. “Of course. Honestly, that man finally is listening and you went MIA. You two are going to be the death of me.”
“You had something to do with this?”
“Well, not exactly. I just told him that he’d have to be knocked over the head before he did something really special to let you know how much he loves you.”
My eyes filled again and I blinked the tears away. I simply didn’t have time for them. The sky was smoky with the aftermath of the fireworks, but they were getting few and far between. “Well, I really hope so.”
“Oh, girl. He does. How can you even question it?”
“I’ll remind you of this conversation when you’ve got real hearts in your eyes, not just the lusting kind.”
Sage blushed and fussed with the strap of her tiny tank top. “He is dreamy. But we’re not here to talk about Mike London. Go get that big hunk of real estate before he turtles again.”
“You do have a way with words, Sage.”
She bumped me out of the way and slid behind the wheel of my old car. “Go on.”
I looked up at the sky, then to the pier. There was only one place that would allow for those kind of fireworks. “Can I have my bag?”
“Right.” Sage leaned over and hauled my backpack onto her lap. “Good, Lord.”
“It’s my life.”
She handed it through the window. “Now go get him.”
I grinned. “Thanks, Sage.”
“I didn’t do anything. He had all the bright ideas, I just told him to get with the program. Just like I’ve been telling you.”
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Actually, as of late, she’d been lamenting how stupid Seth was, but it was just easier to nod. I took off across the street and through the grassy hill that lead to the path around the lake to the park.
My heart raced inside my chest as a single heart speared the darkness. My legs pumped and I was eternally grateful for my sneakers right then. They squeaked as I rounded the bend and the gazebo and lights came into view.
So close.
Don’t lose patience with me now.
A stitch lanced my side and I slowed to a fast walk. I was not a runner by any means. I could hike for days, but speed was definitely not my thing.
I stared up at the star-strewn sky as sulfur and smoke burned my nostrils. Please, just one more.
The pop and whistle of a single flame
speared the sky. And there was a huge purple heart shining in the sky over the lake. A lonely boat was tethered to one of the fishing docks off the shore. Two men stood on the little steel deck.
But only one mattered.
The tall, broad shoulders of Seth beside the short burly man. They were arguing. Only snatches of conversation came across with the wind as it kicked up. Seth was shoving his hands into his hair and pacing the tiny space.
I dropped my bag as I got to the end of the pier.
Relief bubbled up inside me and out on a sobbing laugh.
“Seth!”
The wind had kicked up and the boats along the pier were slamming around. There was no recognition. Just more of Seth stalking around with his phone to his ear.
I dug into my bag, but I couldn’t find my phone in all the clothes and books inside.
I stood up again and climbed onto the lower rungs of the rail enclosing the lookout end of the pier. I cupped my hands around my mouth and yelled his name again, but the wind was too strong and just kept snatching my voice.
I turned around and saw people at the other end of the pier. Some I knew, some I wanted to forget. But so many of them—and they were all voices I needed right now.
I jumped and waved. When Brad, one of Seth's best friends, broke off from the group, I quickly motioned him closer. “Can you help him hear me?”
Nodding, Brad waved people up from the gazebo to the wide pier that jutted out of the park. Our entire class—or what was left of it at this late hour—came tromping toward me.
My eyes burned as everyone came to help. People I’d barely spoken to in my myriad of classes started jumping, shouting, and waving. Girls, I recognized, and others I didn’t were jumping up and down like manic puppies.
Brad slung an arm around my shoulders and hauled me in close. He was a bit rounder than I remembered from school, but he was still one of Seth’s sweetest friends.
Jessica, the head of the cheer squad, was clutching my hand. “I can’t believe how romantic this is. Is this man for real?”
“Yeah, he really is.”
She sighed. “You’re so lucky. I don’t think my husband has ever done anything like this for me. Like ever.”