And now, life as I had always known it was going to change. Mom thought it would take at least a few more months to get Tilley settled and the back house spruced for her and Daddy to live in. It was bittersweet. I was losing my home, but my parents were gaining their lives back.

Once word had gotten around that Dogwood was for sale, the realtor had received two offers that very day, both cash, both over the presumed asking price. She’d tried to convince them to sell right then, but Mom just wasn’t ready. Dogwood was one of the most valuable properties in Cape Carolina. Mom and Dad said the sale was contingent on the owner keeping the home intact, not tearing it down and developing the land. While, theoretically, that might work, in reality there was really nothing they could do to control the next owner’s whims once it sold. So we all just prayed it went to someone we knew and trusted.

I patted what I thought might be Tilley’s knee underneath her massive crinoline. “You’re right, Tilley.” In moments like these, I worried more than ever about what moving to a new environment might do to her.

“Of course I am,” she said, looking offended. “You should never doubt that.”

I smiled at her. “There is a boy out there on that dock that I need to talk to.”

“Little Parker Thaysden,” she said. “He is a doll, isn’t he?”

I winked at her. “A real, live, true one. You know what? I think I might bring him to the ball.” And then I raised my eyebrows and whispered, “As my date.”

She winked back at me. “I think that would be marvelous.”

Bare feet in the grass, the long hem of my white linen maxi dress swishing along my ankles, I made my way to the dock, where Parker was standing, almost completely still, his hands in his pockets. He appeared to be staring at his boat, which, mysteriously, was at our dock, not his.

“Admiring your great love?”

He turned around, startled. When he saw me, he pulled me close. “Now I am.”

I knew it was risky, but I couldn’t help it. I kissed his soft, full lips, and I didn’t want to stop.

“They’re going to see,” he said, resting his forehead on mine.

I shrugged. “Let them all see. I think I’ve changed my mind.”

“About getting married?” he joked.

I rolled my eyes. “Nooooo. About telling them tonight.”

His eyes sparkled, and he reached his hand out to me. “Then let’s get to it.”

Maybe we should have planned what we were going to say or how we were going to say it, but it wouldn’t have mattered anyway, because before we had even said the blessing, Olivia started. “Anything you two want to tell us?”

I could feel my mom kick her under the table.

I cut my eyes at Mom. “What do you know?”

Olivia shrugged. “Oh, nothing. We don’t know a thing. Just wasn’t sure if there was any news you wanted to share, in particular?”