And then another, clearer thought stamped out that one. Guidelines for how to live her life from this day forward.
Don’t fix. Listen.
Then leaving Shelley behind, Madison kicked into a run and caught up with her kiteflying sister.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Shelley & Gia
DRUNKARD’S PATH: A quilt block created from sewing a concave curve to a convex curve.
SHELLEY STUDIED HER sisters deep in conversation and felt her gut wrench. What she must do would not be easy.
She’d avoided this moment for as long as possible, but it was time to reveal her deepest secret. The one she’d kept hidden for five long years. The secret that had sent her seeking refuge in a cult. There was no way to avoid telling this truth. Not if she wanted a permanent mending to her family.
Unfortunately, what she had to say would emotionally destroy kindhearted Gia.
Hitching in a breath, Shelley gathered her courage and joined her sisters.
Madison was calm. Not speaking for once. Listening as Gia spoke a mile a minute, rattling about her fake engagement and her jumbled feelings for Mike. She loved him, but could she trust it? Was a relationship born in a lie really something she could count on?
“That’s something you need to discuss with Mike,” Madison said. “He’s manning the boardwalk kiosk if you want to go talk to him.”
As Shelley drew closer, she saw Gia’s body tense. The muscles in her sister’s jaw clenched. She turned her back to Shelley and started reeling in the pink dragon kite.
That hurt.
Even though Gia had refused to take sides after The Incident with Raoul, Shelley had known Gia agreed with her that Raoul was the wrong guy for Madison. And although she’d been hurt by Gia’s lack of support at the time, this seething anger directed toward her was new and hurt like hell.
Gia didn’t get mad. She zoned out.
Ahem, apparently not anymore.
Nervously, Shelley darted a glance at Madison. Her older sister shrugged, lifted her palms as if to say, Out of my hands.
How to start this conversation?
Gia busied herself with folding up the kite, assiduously avoiding Shelley’s gaze. Okay, she was not making this easy.
She reached to touch Gia’s shoulder, but her sister shied away, leaving Shelley patting air. Oh boy.
“Do you need any help?” Shelley ventured.
Gia folded the kite with practiced precision. “I’ve got it.”
“No, really, let me help.” Shelley grabbed for the dragon’s tail spilling onto the sand.
“Back off!” Gia said, high and shrill, as she jerked the kite from Shelley’s grasp. Then came a ripping sound that froze Shelley’s heart. She held Puff the Magic Dragon’s pink tail in her hand.
Gia stood in front of her, the body of the dragon tucked against her chest, her mouth agape.
Shelley surged forward, stricken. She had torn the first kite her sister had ever made. “Oh my gosh, Gia, I am so sorry—”
“Stay back.” Gia held up a palm. She was shaking all over. “Haven’t you done enough damage?”
That was a knife straight through her heart. “I am sorry about Puff and I’m sorry if I drove you to cut up the quilt.”
“Give me that.” Gia snatched Puff’s tail from her hand.
Shelley’s chin quivered as she fought hard not to cry. There had been too many damn tears today.
“Why did you do it, Shelley?” Gia rasped.
“I didn’t mean to tear Puff—”
“I’m not talking about Puff!”
Shelley stepped back at the anger in Gia’s voice. Felt the salt water lap against her ankles.
Madison stood to one side, not getting involved, which was pretty stunning, considering she usually had to be right in the big middle of any conflict.
“Why did you sleep with Raoul? Why did you do that to Maddie? Why, Shelley? Why?”
Oh, here they were. Knocking on the door of the secret she’d kicked into her mental basement and locked the door closed on half a decade ago. It killed Shelley to say what she said next, to watch Gia’s sweet face crumble with shame and remorse.
“Gia, I didn’t sleep with Raoul . . . you did.”
* * *
“EXCUSE ME?” GIA blinked. Had Shelley just said what she thought she’d said? “That never happened.”
“Gia, I saw you.”
“You saw me having sex with Raoul?” Why was Shelley saying this? Gia shot a glance over at Madison, who stood with her arms crossed and eyes bugging.
“Well, I didn’t actually see you doing the deed, but I put two and two together.”
“What on earth are you talking about?” Gia tucked the torn kite under her arm, her heart slamming