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Emmaline shook her head. “No, I’m fairly certain Ollie buried it, but it’ll turn up again. He always brings things back for another run. Just the other day, I found my left beaded sandal. I lost that at the Brown Resort before it burned down. The dog is magical that way.”
“Speaking of the resort, how is it going at The Kessler for Brie and Carter?”
Charlotte expected to see sadness in Emmaline’s eyes. She’d lived for her family’s resort, and when it burned down, so did all her dreams. Or maybe what burned were others’ expectations. Looking into her friend’s eyes, all she saw was satisfaction and pride. There wasn’t an ounce of regret.
“It’s great. Carter and Brie melded the properties together to make it uniquely theirs, and I’m so proud of them. The new park is beautiful and taking down the old boathouse and dock opened up the space for the guests to enjoy the beach. It’s more than anyone could have expected.”
Expectations were a tricky thing. She was born and raised with none except to smile and look pretty. She always thought she was the lucky one, but maybe if someone had expected more from her, she would have been motivated to go after it. The truth was, she should have expected more from herself. Winning Miss Lone Star State by default shouldn’t be anyone’s only claim to fame.
“Should we close up shop and visit my neighbor?”
Marybeth frowned. “You are not closing your door twenty minutes after you opened it. What does that say about you?”
“It says that I care more about people than things.” She picked up her coffee and took a drink. Rather than focus on the soothing warmth, she latched on to the bitter chicory as it washed over her taste buds. “You’re not even her neighbor, and you’re visiting.”
Marybeth tugged on the hem of her jacket. “I’m going over as a liaison for the church. I have paperwork to drop off.”
“So sad to be so young and lose a battle with the big C.” Emmaline hung her head. “And to think I told Brie I had it when it was crow’s feet I was suffering from. It makes me feel like an awful person.” She took a cookie from the box and shoved the whole thing in her mouth. Powdered sugar poofed into the air when she breathed out, making Marybeth step back. She brushed away the dusting of it that settled on her black jacket.
“And that little girl she’s leaving behind. Her name is Ivy, and she’s as cute as a ladybug,” Marybeth said.
“Where’s the father?” Charlotte asked.
Both Marybeth and Emmaline lifted their shoulders.
“She isn’t from here, so we don’t have the 4-1-1 on her, but she’s got a nanny, and I’m sure someone will come to the rescue. Let’s hope they get here soon.”
The door opened, and in walked Cricket and Tilly. Cricket brought her own cup of coffee. Not the paper cup she filled for them but a diner mug that read,Sometimes you need to say Cluck It, and walk away.
“Look at this place,” Cricket said. “It’s fancier than an updo at your first cotillion.”
Charlotte tried to see the place through her friends’ eyes, but all she saw when she looked at the linens, the sample invitations, and the fresh floral arrangements was the minimum payment she’d be hard-pressed to make on next month’s credit card bill. She had a bougie appetite on a bologna budget.
“If I ever get married,” Tilly said. “You’re planning my wedding.”
Charlotte laughed. “Well, I’d hope so, being I’m one of your best friends.” She smiled and buried all self-doubt. There was no room for it in her life. This had to work, or she was screwed.
Tilly looked at her watch and dug a bottle of champagne from her bag. “It might be nine o’clock in Willow Bay, but it’s five o’clock somewhere. Shall we toast to new beginnings and dreams coming true?”
CHAPTERTWO
Bastien Richmond stared out the window of the small beach cottage his sister had bought that summer. It was easier looking at the waves lapping at the shore than at Chloe, who had wasted away to nothing.
“Look at me,” her weak voice pleaded.
He slowly turned to face her. Gone were the long locks of chestnut hair that used to frame her face. A smiling emoji bandana covered her bald head. Her eyes had slipped farther back into their sockets, as if they were saying farewell first. He'd been visiting as often as he could, but the weeks that passed since his last visit hadn't been kind to his sister. She told him she was dying, and he chose to believe she'd live, but looking at her now, he realized she'd never lied to him.
“What can I do?” His voice quivered, so he cleared his throat to cover his emotions.
“I told you what I needed.”
He closed his eyes. “Please don't ask me to do that.”
She patted the bed beside her. “You're her only chance.”
He scrubbed his face with his palm and sat. “How can you say that? What do I know about raising a child? According to our mother, I'm still one.”
She laughed a little, but it made her cough, which racked her insides until she lay limp against her propped-up pillows. “You need to promise me you'll take her. No matter what, you'll fight for her. Mom is going to come after her. You know it, and I know it. Promise me you'll do whatever it takes to ensure she doesn't get to raise my girl.”
