“So why did you agree, beyond my asking you to? You had a good reason to scrap this when she ran away.”

“Maybe it was because she didn’t seem to care whether she went back to Cedar Point or came with me. That acceptance scared me. It was something I sometimes glimpsed in Marley’s eyes. So I brought Chase here. And book or no, I’m stuck with her, and I’ll finish the job.”

“And the second part? Why do you avoid me all the time? We said we’d always be friends.”

“What do you want me to say? You know why it’s hard for me.” Olivia fixed her gaze on the horizon. A boat jetted by, kicking up ocean, oblivious to the hurt that oozed from her. She didn’t want to talk about why she ignored his calls. Why she’d never given him her private number at the office.

Conrad’s sigh was deep enough for her to hear. “I miss you.”

She couldn’t help herself. She raised a hand to her chest as if she could hold in the pain. “Don’t, Con. It’s in the past.”

“I know. Still.”

She had to get back on track. Chase. That was what they had between them now. “Chase is physically healthy. Completely sober and detoxed. So the next phase addresses her spiritual and mental health. Time for me to get to work.”

“To do what, exactly?”

The sea breeze whipped her hair into her face, and she wished she’d slept better the night before and worn mascara. She felt too vulnerable on every level. “Tear away her walls, mend her heart, and teach her how to be the best version of herself.”

At that moment, she saw Chase out of the corner of her eye. Thank God. She did not want to continue the conversation with Conrad regarding their odd relationship.

The actress walked slowly toward them, too far away for her to see Chase’s expression but close enough to read her body language. Reminded her of her younger sister so much.

Conrad, too, turned and watched as Chase approached. Though her demeanor still seemed belligerent, she looked much healthier than she had days ago. Her skin glowed from the daily walks on the beach, and her face seemed more relaxed and less tense. She wore her hair in a ponytail and no makeup, which made her look much younger than the pictures displayed in tabloids. Olivia had gone back and looked at Chase’s life in news clippings, and the trail of excess in the photos showed a young woman nearing a hard crash. Maybe Olivia had gotten to her in time.

Or maybe not.

Chase stopped a few feet away from them and held up a shell. “Last one for my collection. Rick said I’m sober and healthy, so when do you want me to start, Con?”

“Actually, you’re not done,” Olivia said.

Chase snapped her head toward Olivia. “Uh, yeah, I am. I’m sober. I’ve done this a lot, ya know.”