The Path to Sunshine Cove (Cape Sanctuary #2) - RaeAnne Thayne Page 0,7
miraculously dried as she launched herself at her aunt, who hugged her with a little laugh.
Rachel couldn’t seem to stop staring.
Jess was as stunning as ever, her sun-streaked hair shorter than Rachel remembered. She wore hardly any makeup but was still beautiful. Lean, fit, with a flat belly that had obviously never had anything to do with giving birth to three children.
Her sister lived almost the length of the state away and rarely even came for a scheduled visit, let alone an unexpected one.
“Jess. What are you doing here? Why didn’t you call and let me know you were coming?”
“Surprise.” Her older sister smiled, though it seemed forced. “I picked up a job in this area so that I can spend time with you and the kids.”
“A job?”
She knew Jess helped people, usually senior citizens, clear out their houses before moving. Rachel considered it a strange occupation but her sister seemed to thrive on it.
“Yes. I’ll be here for a few weeks cleaning out a place over near Sunshine Cove.”
Rachel knew a handful of people who lived in that area of Seaview Road but didn’t have time to figure out who might have enlisted her sister’s help. She was too busy trying to figure out what her sister was really doing there.
And also trying to face the fact that her relationship with Jess was yet one more area of Rachel’s life where she was failing. Their bond had been broken for a long time and at this point she didn’t know how to repair it.
“That’s great,” she said now. “So great.”
Did her voice sound as hollow to her sister as it did to Rachel? Could Jess tell her presence was a shock on par with a UFO landing in the backyard?
“I haven’t spent nearly enough time with the kids. A few phone calls and visits here and there during the holidays. I’m looking forward to spending more time with them.”
“Wow. They’ll love that.” Rachel tried to infuse her voice with warmth and delight but it took every iota of her limited acting skills.
How could she pretend to be overflowing with joy when her insides felt as hollow as her words?
She was tired, frustrated, afraid for her marriage, worried about her son’s future and upset about her book club cookies. She didn’t know if she had time to deal with all the guilt and pain inextricably tangled with her sister.
“I wish you had told me you were coming. I could have planned dinner for you or something. I was just about to make some macaroni and cheese for the girls. I can cook extra, if you would like.”
“Not necessary,” Jess said with that same blasted smile that Rachel couldn’t read. “Thank you, but I just went grocery shopping and have plenty of food back at my trailer. I can help you clean up that mess, though. Looks like we had a cookie accident.”
“Eat,” Silas demanded, his voice more urgent.
“You can’t eat those,” Rachel said again. “They have glass on them. Yucky. Owie.”
“Eat!” Silas said, more loudly and forcefully. He had temporarily stopped wriggling in light of their surprise visitor but continued his efforts now to be free.
“You deal with him. I’ll clean this up. Point me to your broom and dustpan,” Jess said.
Rachel didn’t want to accept her help, which she knew was stupid. Her sister was only being kind. There was just so much painful history between them, so many unresolved issues that hung in the air like their father’s cigar smoke.
The truth was, she did need help. Silas was gearing up for a full-on meltdown if she didn’t head it off first.
“In the closet off the mudroom.”
With her chin, Rachel pointed vaguely in the direction she meant.
“I can show you,” Grace said, ever helpful.
Jess followed her. Rachel gave in and found the tin containing all the less-than-perfect cookies she had saved for the kids and Cody. She pulled one out for Silas, and two more for Grace and Ava, then pulled another for her sister.
While Jess cleaned up the mess, Rachel held her son at the table while he enjoyed his cookie as Grace and Ava regaled her sister with a play-by-play of what had transpired a few minutes earlier.
“These look like delicious cookies,” was Jess’s only comment. “Were they for some kind of special event?”
“I was supposed to have book club tonight. But I guess it’s fine that they’re ruined. Cody has to work late so I can’t go anyway.”