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“Well, let’s all take a dip in the Jacuzzi then,” Emma said, patting the large tub.
“Ooh, yes please,” Jolene said immediately as she clapped her hands. The idea of soaking her aching muscles sounded amazing and sorely needed.
“Me too,” Clarissa agreed, “but just my feet.”
“I’m good,” Anthony replied, eyeing his brother oddly as if he didn’t want to see him in swimming trunks.
“But I’ll go grab the beer and a few board games from my place.”
“I’ve never been in a Jacuzzi before,” Jasper admitted, scratching his head as he looked at it. “To be honest, I don’t think I’d fit, but I’ll play a round or two of Yahtzee if anyone’s up to the challenge.”
“Figure out a way for me to play and soak at the same time and you’re on,” Jolene replied.
“Me too!” Clarissa added, her smile growing.
Jolene’s heart swelled as she saw her sister so happy. She decided then that it had been worth putting herself through the trouble it took to come check on her.
* * *
“Yahtzee!”Clarissa yelled triumphantly, winning for the third time in a row. Jolene and Jasper rolled their eyes as Emma cheered alongside her friend and added her win to her score.
“Okay, it gets a little boring when the same person wins so many times,” Jolene teased, winking playfully at Clarissa as she passed up her turn.
“Jasper, it’s all you.”
Jasper shook his head as he folded his hands.
“No, ma’am, a man has to know when he’s been beaten and, well, this ole dog has done been beat. Miss Clarissa, I believe you are the winner.”
“Yes, I am,” Clarissa crowed proudly, lifting her chin high in the air over her victory.
Jolene laughed heartily as she watched her little sister have fun with their friends, and she marveled at the change that Clarissa had undergone by moving away. Gone were the dark circles under her rich brown eyes, the tremor in her hands, and the anxiety in her voice. It had all been replaced with rest, healing, and growth, and it looked beautiful on her.
“So, champion, what do you want to do now?” Jolene asked, helping Jasper get the game supplies back in the box. From his chair, Anthony looked at his watch, and announced that it was almost midnight.
Clarissa’s eyebrows flew up in surprise, then furrowed as she began to pout.
“Dang, really?” she asked, pulling her feet out of the hot tub. Clarissa gave Jolene an apologetic look as she began to dry her legs off.
“I’ve got to open up the bar tomorrow morning,” she explained with a sigh. “But just because I have to go, doesn’t mean you guys should. Stay, if Emma’s okay with it. That way you can ask her about the rocks.”
“Rocks?” Emma asked, tuning into the conversation. Clarissa nodded as she looked over at her older sister.
“Jolene found a stack of them by her door today. Sounded a bit like what you’ve been findin’ around here.”
Jolene, feeling the night’s fun start to wind down, nodded in affirmation as she looked around the small group.
“They were set up in front of the screen door, almost like they were put there purposely to be knocked over when I pushed it open. There were maybe four or five in the pile, stacked from the biggest at the bottom to the smallest at the top. There was a black-eyed Susan with them too.”
Anthony shook his head as he walked over to Emma, putting his hands on her shoulders.
“I don’t like that,” he shared, looking down at Emma as she looked up at him. They held eye contact for a moment before Anthony looked over at Jasper, and asked him if he saw anyone out on the beach today.
Jasper shook his head as he crossed his arms. “No, but we were comin’ in and out all day workin’ on repairs. I didn’t pay too close attention.”
Jolene noticed his body language change subtly, shifting from a casual stance to a more protective one.
“But I will tomorrow,” he assured Anthony, turning his head to scan the now-darkened woods that encroached on Emma’s property.
