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“I haven’t lost it, but I might if you do something I’ll regret later.” Autumn sighed. “You don’t have to live here, but I do. And I’d be really grateful if you didn’t mess with Jackson, or make Griff upset. I love you, Lydia, but you have this tornado effect. You leave devastation in your wake.”
“I do not.” Lydia frowned. “When have I ever left devastation?”
“How about when we went out to celebrate my divorce and you made me drink all that tequila?”
“Hey, I didn’t force them down your throat,” Lydia pointed out. “And you needed loosening up.”
“I bought a pier while I was drunk,” Autumn reminded her. “That’s not loose, that’s bat shit wild.”
“And look at you now. Thanks to buying that pier, you moved here and met Griff.” Lydia blew a kiss at Skyler. “This little chunk of gorgeous baby wouldn’t exist if you hadn’t been wasted. So before you say I leave devastation, maybe you should thank me.”
“You’re right.” Autumn’s voice was quiet. “I’m sorry. And thank you.” She hugged her sister. “I just worry about you. And it sounds stupid, but I worry about Jackson, too. He’s Griff’s best friend. I just want him to be happy.”
“I know.” Lydia hugged her back. “I want him to be happy, too.” The thought hit her like a fist to the chest. She really did want to make him happy. By the time she left Angel Sands, Jackson Lewis needed to be smiling a heck of a lot more.
She just needed to work out how to make it happen.
“Can I help you?” the woman at the counter asked, as they wheeled the stroller up to the counter.
“Hey, you’re the new owner, right?” Autumn leaned over to offer her hand. “I’m Autumn Paxton, I own the pier. I’ve been meaning to come say hi. This is my sister, Lydia, and my daughter, Skyler.”
“I’m so pleased to meet you. I’m Meghan Hart. And the little girl sitting in the office there,” she said, pointing through the door behind her, “is my daughter Isla.”
“Are you local?” Autumn asked her.
“No, we just moved here. And to be honest, everything’s still a little weird.” Meghan grimaced. “We were due to move into our apartme
nt last week, but the upstairs neighbor flooded it, so we’ve been living in a motel until everything’s repaired.”
“So sorry to hear that,” Lydia said, grimacing. “What a nightmare.”
Autumn pulled out a business card. “If you need anything, call me. I remember what it’s like to be new in town with nowhere to stay. And maybe I can introduce you and Isla around to some of my friends.”
The woman took her card. “Thank you so much. That would be wonderful. Now what can I get you both?”
“I’ll have a scoop of vanilla in a waffle cone please,” Autumn said
“And I’ll have three scoops,” Lydia added. “Pistachio, lemon, and chocolate in a cup, please. With extra chocolate sauce and sprinkles on top.”
“And now you see the difference between us.” Autumn grinned. “Two sisters summed up by an ice cream order.”
“You only live once,” Lydia pointed out.
“You’re right,” Autumn agreed. “But I’d like to live without fifty extra pounds.”
They ate their dessert while walking home. Lydia had chosen the pistachio first, and she closed her eyes as the cool nutty ice cream coated her tongue, and slid down her throat. “Imagine,” she said to Autumn. “Skyler hasn’t tasted ice cream yet. She has no idea what an amazing life she has in front of her.”
“I’m kind of dreading weaning her,” Autumn admitted. “Right now all I have to do is flash the boob. It’s so easy. And portable.”
“Aww, but imagine her face when she gets to taste real things. Like chocolate and cake and candy.”
“And carrots and peas and potatoes,” Autumn added. “I want her to eat healthy.”
“She’s such a peach,” Lydia said, as Skyler waved her hands in front of her, staring at them like they contained the answers to everything. “You seem so happy. Are you happy?”
Autumn smiled. “Yeah, I am. Moving here was the right thing to do. I can’t believe I put up with living with Josh for so long.”
“Griff is a dreamboat.”
