The Path to Sunshine Cove (Cape Sanctuary #2) - RaeAnne Thayne Page 0,86
on the court with you?”
Rachel laughed and shook her head. “I can’t believe you’re using a basketball analogy.”
“If that’s what it takes,” Jess said again.
Her sister rose and hugged her again. It felt so much like the old days, the Clayton sisters against the world, that Jess’s throat thickened and she almost started crying, too.
“Thank you. I came here to apologize for the way I ruined your party and the terrible things I said.”
“You didn’t ruin anything,” Jess assured her. “It was a wonderful party. I’ve never seen such a gorgeous birthday cake. I’ll never forget all the trouble you went to in order to make it special for me.”
“We should get together again before you go home. What do you think about driving up to the Redwoods? It’s not that far.”
“I would like that. I’m probably leaving Monday. Maybe we could go Sunday.”
Rachel’s face fell. “I wish you could stay longer.”
“I do, too,” she said, and was slightly shocked to realize she meant it.
“Maybe we could meet up somewhere during the summer,” Jess suggested on a whim, without really thinking it through. “In late June, I’ve got two jobs in a row lined up in the San Diego area. The kids might like to come down and enjoy Southern California. I have a week on either end. Maybe we could find a vacation rental together and do all the touristy stuff. Legoland, the San Diego Zoo, Disneyland, Universal Studios. I don’t know if Cody could take the whole week away from work, but maybe he could fly down for a few days.”
It wasn’t her idea of a relaxing vacation, but it would be fun to spend more time with her nieces and Silas, and she knew planning the trip would be Rachel’s idea of paradise.
As she expected, her sister immediately lit up. “That would be fantastic! Oh, Jess. I would love it. Especially being with you.”
“Good. Talk to Cody and let me know.”
“I will,” she promised.
Rachel hugged her tightly and Jess closed her eyes, feeling as if a small bruised corner of her heart had begun to heal.
“I love you, Jessica Marie,” her sister said.
She had to smile. How long had it been since someone called her by her full name? “And I love you, Rachel Elizabeth. You’re going to be okay.”
“I hope so.”
“I know you will. You called me a badass. As far as I’m concerned, what you’re doing as a mom to those three precious kids requires next-level badassery.”
Rachel laughed. “I might have to make a bumper sticker out of that. Motherhood. Next-level Badassery.”
“It’s got a ring.”
Rachel smiled, waved at her and climbed into her minivan, looking a hundred times better than she had when she showed up.
As she watched her drive away, Jess felt as if they had turned a corner in their relationship. She and Rachel had been pulled apart by life and circumstances. She wanted to think maybe this time in Cape Sanctuary had helped them begin the process of finding their way back together.
Now on to her next challenge: persuading Eleanor to let Jess tackle what the other woman had actually hired her to do.
32
Rachel
As Rachel drove away from Whitaker House, the entire day seemed more beautiful, somehow. The sun seemed to shine more vividly on the water and the sky was a pure porcelain blue, with only a few puffy clouds above the mountains to the east.
On impulse, Rachel pulled into one of her favorite spots in Cape Sanctuary, a pull-out along the cliffs overlooking the water and downtown.
She didn’t do this enough. She was always rushing off somewhere and didn’t take time to stop and breathe and think.
Maybe it was the good hard cry that, like the rain of the night before, had cleansed the sadness out of her system, leaving room for her to remember the joy. She felt a renewed sense of optimism about so many things.
She loved and admired her sister. The strain between them over these past years had felt like another loss. That Jess had suggested a trip together, especially one with a theme park itinerary Rachel knew perfectly well her sister would never choose on her own, meant the world.
It would be so much fun to spend that time with her sister. Rachel loved planning trips and couldn’t wait to get started on this one, though she planned to factor in plenty of downtime for all of them. Pool time at the hotel, walks along the beach for just her and Jess to talk.