“Language,” Vic chided.
I rolled my eyes. “I think I’ve heard the word damn before.”
Vic pulled me into a tight hug and then covered my ears. “Let me keep you young and innocent forever.”
I immediately went for his sides, where I knew he was ticklish. “What was that?”
Vic’s hands flew off my ears with a shriek. “Uncalled for, young lady!”
Nathan just shook his head at the two of us.
Eventually, we settled onto the couch with bowls of ice cream in hand—extra whipped cream on mine, no peanuts, just the way I liked it. I burrowed into the couch cushions between the men who always had my back, no matter what life threw my way. But the ice cream sat heavily in my stomach, and I couldn’t help but imagine where Jenn was. Wondered if she was having so much fun, she hadn’t thought about me.
By the time the movie had ended, I was a walking zombie, brushing my teeth on autopilot and falling into bed. I pulled back the curtain to peek out the window. I saw no light on in Jenn’s room at her cabin. My stomach twisted. Clearly, she was having way more fun than I’d thought she would. I lay back on my pillow and stared at the ceiling. It was a while before sleep finally came, and when it did, it was fitful. Dreams of being stuffed into a high school locker, kids laughing and pointing.
When an arm shook me awake, I thought it was because I’d screamed in my sleep. Nathan’s face filled my vision. “Did you hear from Jenn last night?”
I blinked the sleep out of my eyes. “No.” Cell phones barely worked on this end of the island. You had to stand in one of three spots to get service.
Nathan’s jaw tightened. “Do you know where she was going? The truth, Piper.”
My heartbeat fluttered, wings beating against my rib cage. “Sh-she wanted to go to a bonfire. With some high school kids. What’s going on?”
He eased down onto the bed. “The Brantons can’t find her. She wasn’t in her bed this morning.”
“What?” I croaked. Jenn might stay out late, but all night? Never.
Nathan took my hand. “No one’s seen her. She’s missing.”
1
Piper
PRESENT
My SUV jolted as I guided it off the ferry ramp and onto the streets of Anchor. Rolling down my window, I took in the scents of salt air and a hint of pine. The smell was the same, even ten years later. My heart gave a stutter step as I took in The General Store. We’d always stopped here directly off the ferry to stock up for our few weeks on the island, Jenn and I trying to sneak extra candy and cookies into the carts.
I let out a slow breath, trying to balance the healthy doses of nerves and excitement that flooded me. “We’ve got this. Right, Bruno?” I glanced in the rearview mirror as if my one-hundred-and-fifty-pound dog might answer me. Instead, his tongue simply lolled out of his mouth. “I’m taking that as a yes.”
I guided my vehicle onto Main Street, following the steady stream of cars. It wasn’t high season yet, but late spring brought a healthy dose of tourists to the small island. From what my realtor had told me, at the height of summer, the thirty-mile island could swell to over two thousand people. I just hoped some of those tourists stayed at Whispering Falls once I got her up and running.
I rolled down the back window so Bruno could feel the wind on his face. As soon as a crack appeared, he attempted to shove his massive head through the space. “Don’t hurt yourself,” I muttered.
Traffic moved slowly through town, a combination of too many vehicles and vacationers not knowing their way around yet. I didn’t mind. It gave me a chance to take things in. The central street in town was mostly the same—the buildings, at least: a picturesque mix of Victorian, Craftsman, and raw brick. But many of the shops and restaurants had changed hands. Or maybe I’d simply forgotten in all my years away.
I smiled as I caught sight of The Catch Bar & Grill. Their BLTs and Shirley Temples had been my favorites, and I knew that Nathan and Vic would be thrilled to hear that the place was still in business. I saw an Italian restaurant I didn’t remember from years past that looked promising. The ice cream shop and The Mad Baker bakery were still around. Farther down the street, an antiques and furniture shop called Second Chances looked new and had me wanting to pull over for a closer look.
“Tomorrow,” I said to Bruno. “We’ll come into town and check everything out.” He lifted his head into the breeze as if to say that he liked the idea.
Traffic fell away as we drove out of town. The island had always been a mixture of historic neighborhoods, farmland, and protected nature preserves. I was relieved to see that none of that had changed. Glancing ahead, I took in Mount Orcas to the northeast. I couldn’t wait to spend some time hiking her again, but I had a feeling I wouldn’t be getting that wish anytime soon.
The road bent and curved, taking me away from the neighborhoods and through farmland. A handful of cows raised their heads as I drove by, and Bruno let out a bark. “You’re not a city dog anymore. You’re going to have to learn to make friends with creatures other than fellow dogs.” I quickly glanced back at him in the rearview mirror. God, I hoped he didn’t get into a tussle with some wild animal, thinking he was protecting me.
The paved road turned to gravel, and I was suddenly thankful that Nathan had insisted I trade in my sedan for an SUV. A pothole jarred my spine, further cementing my gratitude. After a few minutes of bouncing along, I came to a stop at the entrance to the property. The resort sign I remembered had clearly seen better days. The wooden posts holding up the sign were crooked, and Whispering Falls Lodge & Resort had faded to the point where it was barely readable.
It would be the first thing I fixed, I decided on the spot. And it wouldn’t be hard. The posts themselves seemed to be in good shape; they simply needed to be secured better. A little paint and the sign would shine again.
I slowly took my foot off the brake and switched it to the accelerator. As the resort came into view, my chest constricted. Cabins dotted the hillside, leading up to the cliffs, and the lodge stood proud and majestic with a view of the sea, the old barn peeking out in the distance. Memories slammed into me, one after another, a slideshow of the good and bad. But no matter which kind passed, they left an ache in my heart that I wasn’t sure would ever go away. Because I had come back without Jenn.
An SUV door slammed across the drive, jarring me free of my memories. I pulled into a spot near the other vehicle. As I climbed out, the woman waved.
“Welcome home,” she beamed.
My lungs seemed to shake as I inhaled. Home. Thanks to foreclosure and the inheritance my grandparents had left behind—plus a healthy dose of insanity that made me think I could make this work.
Nathan and Vic certainly thought I was crazy. Even with degrees in hospitality and interior design, almost ten years helping with their restoration business, and two years working for a premier hotel in Seattle, they still worried. Maybe I was a little overly ambitious to tackle this alone, but I couldn’t wait.
Losing Jenn had taught me that life was fleeting. When an opportunity presented itself to chase your dreams, you didn’t let it slip through your fingers.