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Sandi walks off with our orders scribbled on a pad of paper, and conversations swirl back to life.
Delilah mentions working more with her family at Sage Whisperer, the metaphysical shop in town. When I ask if she needs more money since I moved out, she assures me she doesn’t need the extra income. Like Travis, Delilah’s family is one of the Stone Bay Seven. Unlike majority of the founding families, the Foxes don’t flash their money or titles. Not since Delilah’s grandparents, Zachariah and Amelia Fox, opted for a different way of life. Between the shop and all the properties the Fox family owns, they have more money than they let on.
Though I don’t know the full story as to why Zachariah and Amelia decided to raise their children with a different set of values, I love the entire Fox clan for their big and generous hearts.
Goose bumps paint my skin as frigid air gusts from the open door. Rubbing my arms, I shiver and snuggle into Travis’s side as he and Lawrence discuss saving for the future.
Delilah sucks in a sharp breath as her body tenses on my right. My eyes flit to hers, Skylar and Oliver also locking onto her pale face. I follow her gaze to the pickup counter and spot a woman with fiery auburn locks.
Phoebe Graves.
The mostin your face, snippy person in town. The youngest Graves in Stone Bay—another of the founding families. And the woman my dear best friend, Delilah, has crushed on for a decade. Why? I have no fucking clue. It sure as hell isn’t for her personality.
Releasing Travis, I give my weight to Delilah. On her right, Oliver mimics the action.
“You alright, Dee Dee?” I ask in a hushed tone.
Eyes locked on Phoebe as she carries a large paper bag and heads for the door, Delilah twists her lips and nods. When Phoebe disappears from view, Delilah’s body turns to mush.
Oliver grabs Delilah’s head, one hand under her chin and the other on her crown, and places a loud, sloppy kiss on her cheek.
Delilah flails her arms in his direction and tries to pull away. “Ew, Ollie!” She clutches his face, the same as he’s doing to her, and shoves. “Get off me, weirdo.”
Laughter erupts around the table as Oliver refuses to let go and Delilah tries to free herself. This lasts far longer than necessary, but ends the second Sandi sets plates on the table. Conversations cease as we eat and moan over our meals.
And it is in this moment, as I stare around the table at my closest friends and sexy as hell boyfriend, that gratitude washes over me for all I have. There is nothing good about what happened to my father. Losing him was tragic and is forever tattooed on my soul.
But if Mom had never uprooted us from Smoky Creek to Stone Bay, I wouldn’t know a single person at this table. My found family. The most incredible friends I could ever ask for.
I miss Dad like hell. But the love I get from everyone here… it envelops me with constant warmth and heals my tender heart.
“I don’t want chicken tenders,” a young voice complains from a nearby table.
Every set of eyes at our table shifts to the table closest to the kitchen, where a young boy with dark curls plays a game and not looking at Ray—also known as Tré or Raymond George Calhoun III. The Calhouns aren’t a founding family, but the Calhoun and Kemp families garner almost the same level of respect as the Stone Bay Seven.
“Well, whatdoyou want? Papa RJ gets upset when we waste food,” Ray says with a sigh, shoulders slumping forward.
The boy slams the game down, his entire face tightening as he looks up at Ray. “Fine,Dad. I’ll eat the stupid chicken.”
“You’re welcome, Tucker.” Ray does some royalty hand flourish, then hinges at the hips and bows. “So happy I pleased his highness.” And then he disappears into the kitchen.
Skylar leans across the table and cups her mouth. “Can’t believe Ray’s ex abandoned their kid,” she whispers. “Ray Sr. says the whole family has been trying to undo all the shit his mom did to him.” She sits back, loads her fork with home fries, and slathers them with sausage gravy. “Sad.” She nods. “Hope he heals soon.”
The whole table hums in agreement.
Though we all haven’t found happy endings yet, I sense a shift on the horizon. Something else brewing in this affluent small town.
Question is… which of my friends will get their happily ever after next?
Need an extra dose of Shattered Sun? I’ve got bonus content to appease your needy heart. And after you’ve grabbed the bonus content, be sure to preorder Fractured Night, the next standalone in the Stone Bay series.
