Lia scoffed. “My career is slowly killing me, if my husband doesn’t do it first, and the penthouse in New York is beautiful but lonely.”

Sarah blinked as she stared at her. “Wow. I had no idea.” Social media really did make it easy for people to portray their lives in any way they wanted. No one really knew what was happening beyond the internet connection.

“That was on purpose,” Lia said. “I’m always trying to give the illusion that everything is wonderful. But it’s actually exhausting.”

“So why does Malcolm want to kill you? Is he…abusive?” The man had been slightly standoffish and high and mighty, but he hadn’t seemed dangerous.

Lia shook her head. “No. I didn’t mean it like that. He’s just as fed up with me as the rest of you.” She hesitated. “We’ve had our issues over the last few years, and they’ve driven a wedge between us.”

“You both work long hours; that has to take a toll on a marriage,” Sarah said.

“It’s worse than that.” She paused. “I kissed my boss about a year ago.”

Sarah’s mouth dropped.

“It was after a big court case win; we were all out celebrating…Malcolm and I had been arguing about starting a family, about where my career was heading, about everything, it seemed. And one thing led to another. It just happened. Nothing more—just one kiss. He can’t forgive me. I can’t forgive myself. My marriage was definitely heading south. That’s why I planned this reunion. A last attempt to save it.”

“Do you think it worked?” Sarah asked, feeling sympathetic toward Lia for the first time now that the facade, the mask Lia always hid behind, was gone.

“Maybe. Malcolm actually smiled at me…like a real smile. The first one I’ve seen in a long time. That’s a start.”

They sat in silence for a long moment until Sarah said, “Hey, we could be stuck here a while. Wine?”

“Wine opener?”

Reaching above their heads, Sarah felt along the edge of a deep stone cutout in the wall and retrieved one. “Grandma left one here for wine cellar tastings she used to hold years ago.”

“Your grandma was a genius.”

Sarah looked at her hands. “That’s why it will be tough to sell the B&B.”

“Then why don’t you keep it?” Lia asked.

“I don’t think I’m cut out to run a B&B. This whole thing is so far outside my comfort zone.” And could she really stay in Blue Moon Bay now without being with Wes? Staying in town, seeing him and Marissa, and not being part of their lives would be torture. But without a job to return to the city for, maybe staying was the right thing. She certainly felt more connected to her hometown now more than ever.

“What about you and Wes?”