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“That’s fucked up.”
“So was he,” Noah adds. I turn to look back at Noah, realizing he’s dead fucking serious. “I fear for the first guy who breaks her heart.”
“The first, but there will be more,” Loch says, unbuckling his seat belt. “Guys are fuckers. Noah’s going to end up in prison before Marina graduates from high school.”
Noah laughs. “We’ve got two weeks. Want to wager?”
I pop the door open. “Nope.”
Loch says, “It’s not a wise bet to take.” He gets out, and we walk to the door.
Marina comes running down the steps and throws herself into my arms. “I missed you so much.”
“I missed you, too, kid.”
She drops to her feet and plucks at the skirt of her dress. “Not such a kid anymore.”
“Yeah. We’ll talk about that another time.”
“Huh?” She trails me up the steps. “Talk about what exactly?”
The sound of the trunk closing has me looking back. Noah has my suitcase, so I go inside the house. “Where are Mom and Dad?”
Marina wraps her arm around mine and rests her head against me. “Mom’s probably out back. She cleans the pool to destress. She’s been anxious all week and it finally came to a head this morning waiting for you. One leaf made its way into the pool, and she treated it like a national emergency. I think she just wants everything to be perfect for you.”
“I don’t need perfect.” Wrapping my arm around my sister, I kiss her head. “I just need you guys. It’s good to see you.”
“You, too, Harbor.” Her feet stop at the edge of the rug in the living room. I walked a few extra feet, my eyes on Mom through the windows, and then I glance back at Marina.
She says, “I think I’ll give you guys some time together.”
My sister’s grown up without me. She used to be a clingy kid who would harass me into buying her sodas and stuff our mom didn’t allow. My memories sneak back to the first time I met Lark at TJ’s convenience store. I wouldn’t have been in the right place at the right time if it weren’t for my sister begging for a caffeine fix before we got back for the party that day.
Lark always believed in destiny and fate. I might hedge my bets on Marina.
I walk outside and say, “Hey, Mom.”
She turns back, her face instantly turning a shade of pink as tears overwhelm her. Doesn’t matter that her emotions get the better of her. My mom is beautiful, but her eyes lighting up when she sees me makes me happy I came back to Beacon.
I walk to her. She sets the skimmer down and opens her arms to me. She brings me into her fold and hugs me like she’s been saving up to do this for years. I guess she has.
Her head drops against me, and I hear her sniffling. “I promised myself I wouldn’t cry.”
“It’s okay.” I hug her tight. “It’s good to see you, Mom.”
Seeming to collect herself by sniffling once more and wiping under her eyes, she raises her chin. “You look . . . you look so grown up, Harbor.” I’ve changed on the inside, so maybe that’s reflected on the exterior. She touches my cheek. “You’re so handsome.”
“I take after you guys.”
My dad comes around the back corner of the pool house with a garden hose in his hands. “Where should we put the garden—Harbor. I didn’t know you were home. Hold on.”
He disappears again.
I turn to Mom and ask, “When did the two of you start taking care of the property yourselves?”
“We don’t, but we’ve rediscovered our joy of being outdoors when the weather is nice and decided to take on a few projects to spend time together.”
They’re cute. If it keeps a marriage together, I’m all for it.
