He struggled not to frown as he realized what he’d volunteered to do. Still, Bluestar was a small island. How hard could organizing it be? And it would give him something to do besides walk the dog and watch movies on television.

“Don’t worry. I’ve got this.”

Aunt Birdie beamed. “Have I told you lately that you’re my favorite great-nephew?”

“I’m your only great-nephew.”

They both laughed. It was a real laugh—one that came from deep inside. It felt good. Maybe this time off work wasn’t so bad after all.

Just then PT guy stepped back into the room. “Everything taken care of?”

Aunt Birdie smiled and nodded. “Everything is just fine.” She turned back to Ethan. “And don’t forget my yarn.”

“I won’t.” If he didn’t know better, he’d swear his aunt just pulled a fast one on him.

“Okay,” the PT guy said. “Let’s get you out of that bed.”

Ethan turned to his aunt. “That’s my cue to go. I can stop back this evening.”

Aunt Birdie shook her head. “That’s okay. Once he gets done with me”—she gestured to the therapist—“I’ll be exhausted. So you and Peaches can hang out together.” She held out her arms to him. He leaned over and gave her a hug. She placed a butterfly kiss to his cheek.

“Love you,” she said.

“Love you too.” He straightened. “Don’t give your physical therapist a hard time.”

“And make this torture easy for him? I don’t think so.”

Ethan smiled and shook his head once more as he walked away. He wondered what exactly he’d gotten himself into. As he searched his memory, he vaguely recalled attending an Easter egg hunt on the island many years ago. How hard could that be?

Her PT session was finally over.

Beatrice “Birdie” Neill leaned back against her pillow and sighed. She’d given her all. The older she got, the slower she moved. It wasn’t fair that her body was failing her, because mentally she still felt as though she were a spry and energetic thirty.

In all of her eighty-one years, she’d never been sidelined before. If only she’d paid a little more attention when she was walking Peaches. Instead she’d been focused on chatting to Agnes Dewey. She hadn’t realized how close to the edge of the sidewalk she’d been and her foot had slipped off the side. She cringed as she recalled landing in the street with a painful thud.

Still, something good had come of it. Ethan was back on the island. Her frown lifted into a smile because she was thrilled to have him back in her life. Sometimes she regretted not picking up and moving after her husband, Gilbert, had suddenly died. She could have been close to her family once more.

But the people of Bluestar Island were also her family. Maybe they weren’t blood kin, but she loved them and them her. Plus, all of her happy memories with Gil were there on the island. She couldn’t leave. And she didn’t want Ethan to leave either. Not yet.