Chuckling, Zander looks over to Sue. “Tell me what you need done, Sue, or I’ll go hunting to find it.”
Sue hesitates, looking between us. “Okay, okay, you two. The faucet in my bathroom is leaking a bit. It just started a few days ago, but I can call the plumber on Monday.”
“Lead the way,” Zander says, standing up and waiting for her.
We follow her through her bedroom into the bathroom. She just redid her bathroom a few years ago, so it’s still modern. You can see the faucet dripping into the sink, though. Zander grabs the toolbox, and he gets to work. Less than half an hour later, thedripping has stopped, and the faucet works like new. “Thank you, Zander. I appreciate your help.”
“Of course, Ms. Sue. Happy to help,” Zander replies with a genuine smile.
We decide it’s time to head back to the hotel for the night, and Sue sends us off with some brownies to snack on. I text the guys, and Seb calls immediately, so we chat while Zander has a shower.
Sunday morning, we meet Sue at the diner for breakfast before driving to the cemetery to visit Mom and Lily bee. It’s a beautiful sunny day, so we spread out a blanket and visit for over an hour.
Once I’m ready to leave, we visit Jake and Mal again. “Sugar, those boiled peanuts were so fresh and good. Thank you for bringing them up here.”
“Glad you liked them, Mal. If you want anything from down south, just let me know and I can mail it to you or bring it with me on my next visit.”
“I’ll think on that, Sugar. Now sign in so we can head back there.” Sue and Zander join me in Jake’s room. We take several combinations of pictures of us before they leave me alone with Jake. There’s not much to tell him today except my visit with Mom and Lily bee, so I fill him in on that, then just lie with him until Zander tells me we need to leave. Mal thanks us again for dinner and her presents before Zander gives her a big hug. When they separate, I step up and open my arms for a hug, too. “Are you sure, Sugar?”
“Yeah, Mal,” I smile.
She envelopes me in a warm hug, and when we pull back, she has tears in her eyes. “I’m so proud of you. Thank you, Sugar.”
I smile back, then head out with Zander and Sue. After more hugs at Sue’s house, Zander drives us to the airport to fly back home.
Somehow, I feel both lighter and heavier after visiting. My spirits have lifted after seeing three people so important to me, but there’s an underlying stress being in the town from my past and a bit of sadness from missing my family. It’s a complex ball of emotions and thoughts inside me, but overall, the happiness wins out.
Chapter 21
Summer
Nick and Seb are waiting for us just past security when we arrive back in Charleston. “Hi Grumpy,” I smile as Seb picks me up in a hug.
“Shortie. Z,” Nick nods before grabbing my bag and leading us out to the Jeep.
“I didn’t expect to see you, Hurry,” I smile.
“Things are happening, Sunshine. We’ll talk when we get to your house,” he tells me.
That’s not ominous at all. Seb looks a little tired today, but that’s all I can discern. “Okay,” I reply.
The humidity is really high when we get outside, and I take a few deep pulls of air as we walk to the parking area. Seb chuckles at me, so I just shrug. Zander and Seb talk as Nick drives us back to our house.
“Hydrate, then run,” Nick tells me when we get inside. I raise a brow at him but change and chug some water before the three of us go for a run.
Once we’re on the road, I ask Seb what’s going on. “E went to the society stuff and the fundraiser last night and ended up in the newspaper.”
“Okay?” I don’t see how that’s an issue. He was bound to end up there at some point with all the things he’s going to.
“He wasn’t alone,” Seb says, handing me his phone.
I see several pictures of E with one girl. One polished, pretty girl. In the first picture, he’s dancing with her. The second is of them laughing and leaning towards each other, sitting at a table with her arm on his. The third is them walking in a garden with her arm around his waist. I stop running. Reading through the article, they tout E as the next Seagrave heir and ask whether this is his match. They’ve been to three events together apparently, and his grandmother is quoted as saying she approves of the relationship. Wow, just wow.
I look up and see Nick has stopped several feet ahead of us. He raises one eyebrow at me, so I wave the phone around. He walks back and takes it from me to have a look. I wait while he reads the article. “Idiot,” he mutters, and gives Seb his phone back. “Are we running?” he asks me.
I nod as Seb and I follow him. “Have you talked to him today?” I ask Seb.
“No, I didn’t try to, and he hasn’t reached out.”
