She’d spent the better part of the week floating from Maggie’s birthday party to day-to-day errands for a client named Josephine Rebeck to dreaming about the Coast Guard fundraiser. She’d given Cody and Duncan the basics. She already knew Duncan liked the idea. Why was she so nervous?

She forced herself out of bed, showered, and dressed in a casual yet professional blue wrap dress and a pair of sandals with straps that twined around her ankles. She might’ve chosen the dress because every time she wore it, people complimented her bright-blue eyes, and she might’ve wanted Cody to notice them too.

Maybe.

She fastened the buckle on her sandal and gathered her notes. As she picked up the stack of folders on her desk, a white envelope fell out and landed on the floor.

She’d mailed all the invitations to Maggie’s party except this one.

Something about the way Cody had asked her to leave his family out of the festivities had given her pause. Normally she would’ve ignored him and done what she wanted anyway, but he’d been so earnest.

She wondered—not for the first time—what their life had been like after Daniel had died. Cody had obviously channeled his pain into something good and become an expert swimmer who saved the lives of foolish people like her.

But what had become of Marissa and Marley? All Louisa knew was that after Daniel died, Marissa sold Seaside and moved the family back to Illinois.

Now wasn’t the time to think of any of these things. She should be practicing her pitch. But she couldn’t help it. Cody’s return to the island had her mind reeling. Their families had been so close once upon a time. And their circle had always included Maggie. Cody’s mom would want to know if the old woman was dying.

Wouldn’t she regret it if she didn’t get to say good-bye? Surely she, more than most, knew the value of a life.

But maybe Marissa was remarried with a new family now. Maybe she’d moved beyond all the sorrow and had found a way to exist without the love of her life.

Louisa’s heart lurched at the thought. It seemed impossible. Their love had been so true. And it seemed wrong that Marissa not only lost her husband, but her best friends too.

She turned the invitation over in her hand. She’d found an address for Cody’s mom through an online search. All the envelope needed was a stamp. This party was the perfect excuse to get them all together again. To clear the air. To say how sorry she was.

This was her chance to make things right.