“Because I love you.” Natalie had an easier time with emotions—good and bad. And she’d embraced her role as the emotional Hargrave sister.
Roni chuckled. “You make it so hard to stay annoyed with you.”
“Whoops, my secret is out.” She squeezed Roni’s shoulders. “Keep talking.” When Roni hesitated, she pressed. Just a little. “You’ll feel better and then you can be a better listener to whatever is on Celeste’s mind.”
“Fair point,” Roni conceded. “He was older than Mom. Which made the whole thing harder, I think. And the pain in his face… He’s willing to do the work, but still. He’ll make good progress, but some things can’t be recovered.”
Natalie tucked her dark and gloomy piece into a corner and covered it with a drop cloth. “I’m sorry. That really sucks.”
“It was like she was right there in the room watching me work.” Veronica sniffled and blinked rapidly. “That sounds way more like you than me.”
“You mean way more woo-woo than you.” Natalie embraced it. Emotions were her superpower in her work and her relationships.
“Potato, po-tahhh-to.” Roni shrugged, clearly trying to shift her mood. “It’s all good. My last client was a total finance bro.” She rolled her eyes. “Newly-divorced and determined to get ripped. He might have the genetics for a six-pack. Either way, he’s a short-term client.”
Natalie had a hard time melding intense finance-bro energy with the slower pace of the Lowcountry. Then again, money, industry, and opportunity were everywhere. “Did he hit on you?” Nat asked, gleefully horrified by the prospect.
Roni was beautiful, inside and out, and invariably some of her clients wanted to cross the line into personal territory. Usually, she could dissuade them gently and graciously, but there were a few clients that made for memorable stories.
Veronica laughed. “He’s thinking about it.”
Natalie locked up her storage room. And made Veronica tell her all the silly details as they biked to the house. She thought Roni had the most fascinating job, helping so many different clients with various physical concerns. Though she’d never say it, her sister was an artist in her own right, shaping human bodies into better health.
They arrived with just enough time to clean up before they heard Celeste’s car pull into the drive. “Parker’s!” they shouted in unison, dashing out to help her.
With a cool breeze moving through town this evening, Veronica wanted to eat outside but Celeste vetoed the idea. “I’d rather stay inside and keep this as private as possible.”
Natalie swallowed, her stomach twisting. “Oh, no. Who was it on our beach?”
“No, not that,” Celeste added in a hurry. “Completely unrelated. I’m so sorry.” She hugged Natalie. “Are you okay? Finding him must’ve been awful.”
“Zero out of ten,” Nat replied. She exaggerated a shiver. “Do not recommend.” That earned a small smile from her oldest sister. “I’m really okay. Just curious about this whole secret meeting.” The only thing she could think of was that their dad had called. If he had finally reached out only to tell them he was sick or something equally terrible, Natalie would wring his neck. None of them needed another medical crisis to manage. And considering how he’d left everything behind—including his daughters—after the memorial, she wasn’t feeling particularly charitable toward her father.
“No one’s sick,” Celeste said, as if she’d read Nat’s mind. “But it is about the Hideaway.”
Natalie’s mind went directly to Trent. “It’s my week. I’m the contact. Trent—I mean Mr. Blakely—hasn’t called. Roni can vouch that I had my phone on.”
“She did,” Roni said, unwrapping the hushpuppies. “Take a breath, Nat.”
She tried. “It’s already been such a long day.” She smoothed a hand over her damp hair, woven into a braid after her shower. “Can you just tell us whatever is going on?” she pleaded.
“Eat a hush puppy first,” Celeste ordered.
Natalie obeyed, as did Veronica. And when they were all seated, Celeste pushed an envelope to the center of the table. “This is the news. It’s an offer for the Hideaway.”
Natalie swore and Veronica choked on her iced tea.
“Is this from Jackson?” Natalie snarled.
“No.” Celeste looked shocked. “Why would you think that? Have you seen him again?”
Nat shook her head. “Not since a few months ago. That was more than enough to keep me on edge.”
“He’s living in your head rent-free?” Roni’s shock was obvious. “Not cool for the queen of all things positive. Didn’t you scrub your aura or something?”
“Stop,” Celeste chided.
“But he’s in her head,” Roni pressed.
