The Last One (34 page)

I rubbed my face. “Ali. . yes, I’m in love with her. But it doesn’t change the fact that the farm is here and needs me, and so do you. I have to think about that, too.”

My sister gazed down at her hands, fingers twisting. “Sam, do you remember the night Flynn left?”

I drew my brows together in surprise at this abrupt change of subject. “Sure. It was the day after you graduated from high school.”

She nodded. “And that night, the night of graduation ... he and I had a huge fight. We were parked down by the lake—oh, don’t give me that look. It was eight years ago, and you can’t do anything about it now.” She made a face at me. “Anyway. Flynn had been talking for months about leaving. Getting out of town after graduation, just the two of us. He’d been working hard to save money, and we were going to travel, to see the world together. But that morning, before graduation, you told me about all your plans for the farm, how well things were going, and how if the two of us worked together, we could save it. We could keep it in the family, just like we’d been hoping.”

“Oh, God, no, Ali. Is that why you and Flynn fought? Why you didn’t go with him?”

She turned a miserable face toward me. “I couldn’t leave you here by yourself. I couldn’t abandon you and the farm. I thought—I really thought he’d come back. Or give in. Compromise. I would’ve traveled with him that summer if he’d promised we’d come back to Burton. But we both said things we didn’t mean, and then the next day he was gone.”

I reached across to take her hand. “Ali, I’m so sorry. I had no idea.”

She smiled at me, but one tear ran down her cheek. “It’s old news, Sam. Over and done, and too much time has passed to wonder what might have been. But I don’t want you to make the same mistake. Meghan will never give you a her-or-us ultimatum. This isn’t the same thing as Flynn and me, because she’s willing to become part of your life here. You
can
have both. All you have to do is reach out and take that chance. Don’t fuck this up, big brother. Please.”

I stood up and pushed my chair in. Ali watched me, curious.

“So what’s it going to be?”

I grinned down at her. “I think it’s time I checked out the beaches in Florida. I hear they’re perfect this time of year.”

“WHO’S THE CUTEST BOY on the beach? Who’s making all the girls check him out?” I bounced DJ on my hip, tickling him under the chin.

“Please, don’t remind me.” Lindsay, my sister-in-law, ruffled her son’s dark hair. “I know he’s just a year old, but I see these guys on the beach with the girls making eyes at them, and I think ... if they were looking at DJ like that, I’d want to scratch their eyes out.”

I laughed. “You’ve got some time. But yeah, I think this boy’s definitely going to be a chick magnet in about fifteen years.” I nuzzled his plump neck. “Don’t worry, sweetie. Auntie Megs will keep all the nasty girls away.”

“Hey, are you two planning to crimp my son’s style?” Joseph came out onto the deck of the restaurant, where Lindsay and I were playing with the baby. He stood behind his wife, wrapping his arms around her middle and pulling her back against him. He growled into her ear, and she giggled, blushing. A pang of loss and longing hit my chest, and I had to focus on standing still, forcing myself to smile again.

“We’re looking out for his welfare. We can’t have him getting tangled up with some skank.” I winked at my brother.

Joseph took the baby from my arms. “Don’t worry, kiddo, Dad’s got your back. I’ll keep the womenfolk in line when you need to check out hot babes on the beach.”

Lindsay shook her head. “You’re a bad influence, Joseph Hawthorne. Now give me my baby so I can go upstairs and put him down for a nap before the lunch rush begins.” She scooped up DJ and headed inside.

“You need any help?” I pulled out a chair, scraping it against the wood of the deck, and sat down.

“Nah, we got this. You don’t have to work on your vacation.” He laid a hand on my shoulder and squeezed. “You okay, sis? You’ve been sort of quiet since you got home. Mom’s worried.”

I rolled my eyes. “Mom worries if we breathe the wrong way. I’m surprised she notices much, though. She’s so wrapped up with Uncle Logan.”

Joseph leaned against the deck railing. “Yeah, she is. But don’t think she doesn’t see everything going on.” He paused, gazing out over the ocean. “Does it still really bother you? Mom and Logan, I mean?”

I shrugged. “No, not really. I guess it’s always kind of a shock, though, you know? While I’m away, I don’t have to think about them. Then I get home, and we’re in the kitchen at his house, which is now her house, too, and I walk in on the two of them making out in the kitchen, with Mom on the counter.”

Joseph winced. “Yeah, that’s not a visual I need. But I guess because I’m around them all the time, I’m getting used to it.” He ran a hand through his hair. “She’s so happy, Meggie. And he would walk across fire for her. His eyes never leave her, and he’s always trying to do things to bring her joy. I’m glad about that.”

“I guess so.” We were quiet for a minute, listening to the waves break on the shore and the sound of the tourists on the beach.

“But you didn’t answer me. What’s going on? Did something happen at school? Or this summer?”

I reached behind my back to tie the top of my bikini tighter. “No, nothing happened.” I stifled a sigh. “Okay, well, something did happen, but it’s nothing. It’s over, and I just need some time to move on.”

“Aha. And was this something that happened named Sam?”

My eyes flashed to his. “How did you know that?”

Joseph chuckled. “Meghan, I’m not stupid. None of us are. You talk about everyone from Burton, but whenever you say his name, you get this look on your face. This careful, blank look. It’s your tell. You did that when you talked about Dad, too, after he died. Like you could control how much you felt.”

I crossed my arms on the table and dropped my head into them. “I made a mess, Joseph. I forced him into a no-ties, friends-with-benefits-only summer affair, and then I was stupid enough to go and fall in love with him. And now it hurts, and I miss him, and it feels like nothing will ever be good again.”

My brother scooted his chair closer to me and put his arm around my shaking shoulders. “Aw, Meggie, don’t cry. It can’t be that bad. Did you tell him how you felt?”

I shook my head. “He made it clear from the beginning. He has obligations there, the farm and his sister. He didn’t want to get involved with me, but I pushed. And so I got what I deserved.”

He stroked my hair, and for one moment, it felt as though my father was standing there. Joseph was so much like him, and the sharp pain of loss struck me all over again.

“I don’t think you can know that until you’re honest with him about your feelings, Meggie. Wouldn’t you rather know than just assume he doesn’t feel the same way?”

I sniffled. “If he did, why wouldn’t he tell me?”

Joseph rolled his eyes. “If you do, why wouldn’t you tell him? Logic, woman, logic. If the two of you feel the same way, but no one’s admitting it, you’re both going to be sorry.”

I pulled a few paper napkins from the dispenser on the table. “And just how did you get to be so smart about this kind of stuff? Weren’t you the one coming to me just a few years ago, crying about girls and love?”

He winked at me. “One, I have a wife. Two, I have a son.” His face grew serious, and he added, “And I almost screwed that all up. Every single day of my life, I’m grateful that Lindsay gave me a second chance, after I left her alone and pregnant.”

“You didn’t know she was,” I reminded him.

“No, but that’s not an excuse. Everything could’ve been bad, and it would’ve been no one’s fault but mine. Instead, I have a beautiful wife, the cutest son in the world, and a life that I absolutely love. So I may not be smart about a lot of things, but I know one thing. Love doesn’t always give you more than one chance to get it right. You’ve got to grab it and hold on tight.” He looked over my shoulder. “Okay, Sadie’s in the window, glowering. Must be getting busy in there.” He leaned over and dropped a kiss on my head. “Want me to bring you anything?”

“No, thanks.” I shook my head. “I think I’ll go lay on the sand for a little bit. Maybe go in the water. See what this vacation business is all about.”

Joseph laughed. “Okay, sis. Have fun.”

I picked up my beach bag and went down the three steps that led from the deck to the beach. The sand was hot, and I ran toward the water to cool off my feet. The ocean was just the right temperature this time of year: not too cold to swim, and not too hot to enjoy it after being in the sun.

I played in the waves for a few minutes, going in as far as my hips. My first week in the Cove had flown by in a flurry of family get-togethers and catching up with everyone in town. I realized that while I hadn’t been lying to Sam about not having friends from high school here, I did have a town full of people who loved me, who cared about how I was doing. It had been fun to hear about everything that had happened this summer and plans for the rest of the year, and to tell them all about teaching in Burton and how much I’d loved it.

I hadn’t heard anything from Sam. Not that I’d expected to. I’d sent Ali a text telling her I was home, and she’d responded by telling me that they all missed me already. That had been it. And maybe it was better this way, making a clean break from everyone once and for all.

After floating for a few minutes, I let the surf carry me back to the shore. Shaking water from my hair, I twisted it up and clipped it off my neck, then dried off with the towel I’d laid out in the sun. When I’d stopped dripping, I spread the towel again and laid down on my stomach, letting the sun bake my back.

I was nearly dozing when I felt the cool of a shadow blocking the sun from my legs. I stayed still, hoping whoever was standing next to me would go away.

“So this is the beach.”

I scrambled to sit up, trying to get my Wayfarers back in place over my eyes so I could squint into the brightness.

“Sam?” If Santa Claus himself had appeared on the Crystal Cove beach, I wouldn’t have been more shocked, but there he stood.

He was wearing shorts, something I’d never seen him in before. They had that crisp, new look, as though he’d just bought them. He stood with his hands on his hips, staring down at me, the same serious expression on his face that I’d grown to love so much.

“Hey, Meghan.” He crouched next to me. “Can I share your towel? Ali made me go out and buy shorts and flip-flops, but she didn’t think to get me a beach towel.”

“Oh—uh, yeah, of course.” I moved over, and he sat down next to me, his scent filling my head as his hip bumped against mine.

“This is pretty.” He gestured over the ocean and the sand. “I can see why you love it here. I wouldn’t want to leave, either.”

I licked my lips, nervous. “It’s a place, Sam. I love the people here, and yeah, it’s beautiful, but then so is Georgia. Especially certain parts of Georgia.”

“Yeah.” I saw his Adam’s apple bob up and down as he swallowed. “And sometimes even the most beautiful places don’t mean much without the right people there.”

I nodded. “Did you drive all the way to Crystal Cove to discuss scenery, Sam? Or was there something else you had in mind?”

He looked down at me and with one finger, dragged my sunglasses down my nose. “I can’t talk to you while I can’t see your eyes, Meghan.”

I tilted my head. “How come?”

He smiled, and the finger moved from my glasses to my cheek. “Because your eyes tell me everything I need to know. If I’m smart enough to look.”

“So what are they telling you now?”

The smile faded from his face. “That you’re sad. That maybe you’re a little wary about why I’m here.”

“I have been sad.” I shoved my sunglasses to the top of my head and looked out over the waves. “But I’m not wary, exactly. I’m just ... curious.”

He drew in a deep breath. “I drove down here because Ali says I’m an idiot. She says everyone can tell that I’m in love with you, but I’m the only one who can act on it. Who can tell you.” He stared into my eyes. “So that’s why I’m here. To tell you ... I love you, Meghan. I don’t want you to leave. Or more accurately, I want you to come back. I’ve been miserable without you.”