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Chapters (82)
  1. Cover
  2. ALSO BY JAMIE BRENNER
  3. PART ONE
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. 11
  15. 12
  16. 13
  17. 14
  18. 15
  19. 16
  20. 17
  21. 18
  22. 19
  23. 20
  24. 21
  25. 22
  26. 23
  27. 24
  28. 25
  29. 26
  30. 27
  31. 28
  32. 29
  33. 30
  34. 31
  35. 32
  36. 33
  37. 34
  38. 35
  39. 36
  40. 37
  41. 38
  42. 39
  43. 40
  44. 41
  45. 42
  46. 43
  47. PART TWO
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. 51
  56. 52
  57. 53
  58. 54
  59. 55
  60. 56
  61. 57
  62. 58
  63. PART THREE
  64. 59
  65. 60
  66. 61
  67. 62
  68. 63
  69. 64
  70. 65
  71. 66
  72. 67
  73. 68
  74. 69
  75. 70
  76. 71
  77. 72
  78. 73
  79. 74
  80. Acknowledgments
  81. About the Author
  82. What’s next onyour reading list?

“Well, that’s a darn shame,” he said. “Maybe if you stayed there you could work on that.”

“I’m doing just fine. There’s nothing that needs working on,” she said, a little defensive. He must have sensed her irritation, because he reached out for her hand. She went in to shake it—like a friend. No hard feelings. But then he held it—like more than a friend.

“Elodie,” he said.

“Yes?”

“I only mention it because I want you to be happy. And part of that is selfish.”

“Selfish? How so?”

“I figure the happier you are, the longer you’ll stick around.”

And then he leaned over and kissed her.

Romantically.

53

After weeks of distractions, Celeste finally got around to having Clifford Henry’s antique walking stick restored.

She delivered it to his real estate office herself. The door heralded her arrival with a tinkle of the small bells attached to the interior knob. Clifford sat at his desk with a cup of coffee in one hand and an open laptop in front of him.

“Sorry to disturb,” she said.

“Oh, not at all,” he said, closing the laptop. “Just down the wormhole of the P’town Community Facebook page. Did you see the video of the seal getting eaten by a shark on Race Point Beach yesterday?”

“No. And I’m not sure I want to,” she said with a laugh.

“Trust me, you don’t. It’s put me off my latte.”

“Well, here’s something that will hopefully cheer you up: your walking stick, your majesty.”

“Oh, it’s glorious! Just glorious. Looking at this, you have to wonder if we weren’t born in the wrong century.”

The bells on the door sounded again. She turned to see her sister walk in with Pearl on a leash trotting behind her.

“What are you doing here?” she said.

“What are you doing here?” Elodie crossed her arms.

“Ah, the lady returns,” Clifford said.

“Yes, well, I lost the room I’ve been renting, so now I’m hoping you can find me someplace else.” Elodie fanned herself with her hand, sat in the nearest chair, and pulled Pearl onto her lap. “It’s exceedingly warm in here. Do you happen to have a water bowl for my dog?”

Clifford asked if she could work with a large mug and Elodie said that would be fine.

“How much longer are you planning to stay?” Celeste said.

Elodie hesitated for a beat. “The rest of the summer.”

Clifford seemed even more surprised than she was.

“You want me to find you a place in July for the rest of the summer. Does it read ‘Wizard of Oz’ outside my door? Why do people expect me to work miracles?” Clifford said. Celeste glanced at Elodie and they shared a smile.