I was glad that Kenna had Bell and Caelyn, that they had one another. Still, the anger simmering in my blood at Kenna’s mother and the Abbots wasn’t cooled by that knowledge. The pain she’d endured, whatever it was, had left a nearly impenetrable shell in its wake.

I pushed to my feet, sliding my wallet out of my back pocket and pulling out a twenty. “Thanks for the meal. Tell Bell I said hi.”

“Will do. You want to hit up some rock climbing this weekend?”

I grinned. I’d gotten Ford hooked on the sport, and we went out a few times a month now. “Just name the time.”

“Sounds good. I’ll shoot you a text.”

I gave Ford a chin jerk and headed out. The dusky twilight of early fall meant I barely needed my headlights to navigate the winding island roads. The air was still tonight. No sea wind shaking the trees. I rolled down my windows, hoping the scent of the salt air would calm the twitchiness running through my limbs.

It didn’t help the way it usually did. I gripped the wheel harder, my hands making the leather squeak. Instead of heading up the mountain toward the bluffs, I turned left in the direction of the sea and The Gables.

Paved roads turned to gravel, and I soon caught sight of the grand main house and its miniaturized counterpart. I pulled to a stop outside the guest house. Before I could think too hard about what I was doing, I hopped out of my truck.

I didn’t bother beeping the locks, just strode up the front walk and gave three quick knocks. I held my breath as I waited, straining to hear any sound within. Just as I was about to rap again, I heard soft footfalls coming from the other side of the door. The lock flipped, and the door swung open.

The light from the lanterns that hung on either side of the door hit Kenna in a way that made her look like an oil painting. Her hair was fixed in a low bun at the nape of her neck. Her skin, smooth and free of makeup, seemed to gleam in the low light. But her eyes… They told the truth. They were dull with none of their usual spark, and they were ringed in dark circles.

She gripped the door frame. “Crosby.”

There was no welcoming note in her tone. “Hey, Brown Eyes.” I hoped for a flicker of annoyance in those amber depths, but there was nothing.

She sighed. “What are you doing here?”

“I came to check on you.” The words sounded bizarre to my ears. I wasn’t her confidante. I wasn’t even sure she’d classify me as a friend. I was more of an annoying acquaintance.

“Why?” The question was devoid of emotion. Even the word sounded exhausted.

“I don’t know. Just bored, I guess.”