to the prom even though he knew I was going to ask her.”
Oliver had been a jerk to do that to Caden. Taylor felt terrible that she hadn’t stood behind her brother, especially because he’d been so good when she told him about the baby. “It was just a stupid dance. Maybe he doesn’t think that should’ve been enough to ruin your friendship,” she said, hoping that when she told Caden she’d slept with Oliver she could claim she hadn’t thought the whole Miranda thing was a big deal.
“You’re kidding, right? I had it all planned out, and he purposely went over there and asked her before I could. You’d be royally pissed if one of your friends did that to you.”
It was true. She couldn’t deny it. So she didn’t try. Curving her fingernails into her palms, she dove into the inevitable instead. “What’d he say?”
“He asked how I liked being back in Sable Beach and when we’d be coming home.”
“That’s nice...”
“Because it was only the lead-in. Then he asked about you.”
She couldn’t quite meet her brother’s eyes. “What about me?”
“He said you two have been talking. That isn’t true, is it?”
“Not really,” she mumbled.
His chin jutted forward as he searched for the truth on her face. “That was a yes or no question.”
“Oliver and I are not talking.” At least she could say that with some certainty.
“But...”
Tears welled up. As soon as she felt them coming, she pressed her fingertips over her eyelids to try to stop them.
“No way,” Caden said and climbed off the bed. “Don’t tell me it’s Oliver, Tay. You’d never sleep with that prick, would you? He’s a junior, for crying out loud. Almost any guy in school would count himself lucky to get in your pants. You should hear how they talk about you. And...and I hate him! You know that! You know what he did to me!”
She wished she could reassure him, tell him she wasn’t that kind of sister. But she had been that kind of sister. She’d been angry and vengeful and out to hurt him because she was hurting so badly herself.
“Tay?” he cried.
She couldn’t hold back the tears any longer. They trickled down her cheeks as she peered up at him. “I’m sorry.”
“No!” He backed away from the bed as though she held a gun.
“I told you you’d hate me,” she whispered.
He stood there for a few seconds, looking as though she not only held a gun but had also just shot him. Then he shook his head in disgust and bewilderment. “You know what?” he said. “You’re right.”
And with that, he turned on his heel, stomped out and slammed the door.
* * *
When Autumn came out of the garage, she nearly stumbled over a vase filled with wildflowers. Then she glanced around, trying to figure out who’d left it—and if anyone was watching her now.
Her mother’s car was gone. Autumn had expected that. She’d heard the engine earlier, right before she stepped into the shower. She supposed Mary had left them for her as a sort of apology for all she refused to tell Autumn about her father—until she saw the card.
She heard the door of the house open and shoved it in her back pocket before Caden came striding toward her.
“Morning, honey,” she said and couldn’t help smiling because she was once again enjoying life, especially the time she spent with her children. Now that she was sleeping at night instead of spending hours upon hours on the internet searching for Nick, they were living like normal people—like they had before Nick went missing.
Dressed in swim trunks, flip-flops and an old T-shirt, Caden had a volleyball tucked under one arm, and he was moving toward the back gate. For a moment she thought he wasn’t going to respond to her, that he hadn’t heard her even though she’d spoken loudly enough. But when he spotted the flowers, he came to an abrupt halt. “Where’d those come from?”
Her face grew hot. “I don’t know. I just walked out and...and nearly knocked them over.”
“They’d better not be from Oliver,” he grumbled. “I won’t have anything to do with him, no matter what.”
“Oliver?” she repeated in surprise. “Oliver who?”
“Why does everyone say that?” he asked in exasperation. “Oliver Hancock! Who else?”
“Why would your friend send me flowers?” she asked in confusion.
“Not you, Tay,” he clarified.
They’d been left on her doorstep, but she could see why he still wouldn’t assume they were for her. She’d been absolutely devoted to her