Renee burst into a huge smile.

“But I have to do a final check-in with Ethan,” Sadie added firmly.

“Of course,” Renee agreed. “I’ll contact Essie and see if she was able to secure the Old Red Mill.”

A quick reply confirmed her fears. Essie wrote back: Me go out in this weather? I just had a blowout. No way am I risking it. You shouldn’t either. Whatever will be, will be.”

Renee lowered her phone. “Dan? Do you think we have time to stop at the Old Red Mill and board the windows up?”

He sighed, running a hand through his hair as he did some quick mental calculations. “Enough to make a difference. Let’s get Lincoln to Bree’s first.”

Sadie and Renee agreed, and the four of them (plus Moe) hopped into his SUV. Despite his pleas for them to move fast, he knew to linger in Renee’s driveway just a few seconds longer. The women stared at their respective cottages for a long moment before Dan threw the car in reverse.

“Mommy, why you cry?” Lincoln asked, rubbing away the fresh tears on Sadie’s cheeks.

“I’m a little sad, baby,” she admitted.

“What are you thinking about?” Renee asked.

“My wedding reception,” Sadie said quietly. “It was when Ethan gave me the gift of this cottage, this larger-than-life present. It was supposed to be the start of our happily ever after.” She paused, tears caught in her throat. “It’s where we went from being a couple to a family.”

“I know.” Renee reached into the backseat and squeezed her hand. “It’s hard driving away, isn’t it? Like we’re abandoning our cottages, leaving them to fend for themselves.”

“What if the hurricane destroys our house?” Sadie hiccupped. “What sort of sign of impending doom is that? My marriage might be crumbling. The house getting demolished would just be the cherry on top of our disaster sundae.”

“Stop that,” she said. “You can’t think that way, especially now.”

But just as they were pulling out of the driveway, Renee gasped. “Please, stop the car! There’s something I forgot.” She jumped out of the passenger door and ran for a mosaic stepping-stone in her walkway. She carried it back to the car and held it up. It read I love you, Mom! in pieces of multicolored glass. “Okay. I’m ready now.”

They sped toward Bree’s Victorian on Starboard Court. “You called her first, right?” Dan said. “She knows to expect us?”

“Uh-huh.” Sadie and Lincoln would be a bit of a surprise, but Renee knew Bree wouldn’t mind.

Sadie and Renee ran Lincoln up to the front door while Dan and Moe waited in the car. Renee rang the doorbell twice and rapped against the woodwork, sounding as desperate as she felt. “Bree?” she said with each knock. “Bree!”

The door flew open.