I chuckled, shaking my head. “It was my mom’s idea.”
Each member of the family—including my brother, who didn’t even live on our land —had their own special golf cart. One day Mom had asked me what my dream car was. I’d answered a vintage red convertible.
A few months later, this golf cart arrived. It was shaped like an old red convertible Mustang and looked more like an oversized children’s toy car than something we used for our family business. It even had a roof for rainy days. Eventually, all the golf carts at the inn would be customized.
“Does she have one too?”
“Yes, but it’s not a red convertible.”
“What is it?”
“A hot pink Barbie Hummer. Apparently, my mom wished they had those around when she was a kid, so my dad made sure she got one.”
Gunner laughed and grabbed the handle in front of him as I whipped around a curve and rocks hit the hood.
“Sorry.” I shrugged and smiled sheepishly. “Tuck and I are used to those sharp corners. Probably should’ve warned you.”
“If you throw me out of this thing, I guarantee my agent will be on your doorstep the very next morning.”
I chuckled and faced him for a second. “You’d do that to me? Rat me out to your agent?”
“Never,” he said and laughed. “Can I drive this sometime? How fast can it go?”
“Sure. It can get up to about thirty-five miles per hour. My dad disabled something or another so it would go faster than the fifteen it originally topped off at. That was a total mistake for my mom though. If you think I take corners fast, you should see her zooming around in her hot pink Hummer. She’s dangerous.”
He chuckled as I pulled up to the front of the inn and slid off the seat. “If you want to wait right here, I’ll bring it out for you. Want a coffee to go? Something for your mom?”
“Two coffees would be great.” And for the first time that morning, I got the full force of his smile. I wanted to dance a little jig that it had been me who’d brought it out after his stormy mood just a few minutes ago.
I raced inside, spotting my brother, Colt, leaning against the far wall, fully decked out in his police uniform as he talked on the phone. He lifted his free hand and waved me over. I held up my finger to let him know I’d be a minute.
Swiftly chopping knives, flames hissing under metal pans, and the aromas of the lunch I’d planned for the day greeted me. My kitchen staff was prepping for the meal, and the smells and sounds calmed me. When people are falling asleep, some listen to rain, some listen to crashing waves; I could listen to the sounds of a busy kitchen forever.
I snagged a couple of breakfast burritos, wrapped in parchment paper, from the refrigerator and popped them in the microwave as I prepared two coffees. I nestled each cup in a to-go container, threw the burritos in a bag, and hustled out to Gunner. He was leaning against the side of his truck watching the sky and twirling a baseball in his hand. The heaviness I’d sensed earlier was back.
“Here you go,” I said, handing over the goods.
“Thanks, Delilah. I really appreciate it.”
I nodded, taking a step back. I curled my fingers into the palm of my hand, letting my nails dig into the skin, forcing myself not to ask any questions.
“Tell your mom I said hi. Have a good one.” I waved and turned toward the inn, walking at a fast clip. I peeked over my shoulder before I opened the front door. He was still in the same spot, leaning on his truck, but he wasn’t watching the clouds anymore. He was watching me.
My cheeks were still flushed when I walked up to Colt. He’d always been tall and burly, but in his uniform, he appeared even bigger. When he walked, his arms were several inches from his body to accommodate the heavy gun belt slung around his hips. The bulletproof vest made him larger, and the black boots, already shined to perfection this early in the morning, added to his already substantial height. I raised my hand and messed up his perfect hair. He knocked my hand out of the way.
“Hey,” I said as he hung up his phone call. “I haven’t seen you in like two weeks.”
He ran a hand over his face. “We’re investigating a string of robberies in the area, and I’m working a lot of overtime. Why didn’t you call me? I had to hear about Shayla from Mom?”
“Maybe I was hoping that it was all a bad dream and would just disappear?”
He shook his head. “Do you have the note?”
I nodded and handed it over to him. It had been folded in my pocket since I’d taken it out from underneath the mattress except while Mom and Dad read it. I brought it everywhere with me, taking it out at random times to read it again even though, by now, I had the words memorized.
“How’d I know you’d have it on you? How many times have you read this? The paper looks like it could tear apart and fly away if a breeze blows against it.”
“Pretty sure I have memorized not only every word, but each cross out and swoop of the letters. I can’t stop looking at it. I’m scared she’s going to show up at any second. Here or at the school. Tuck and I were at the grocery store yesterday, and I swear I held my breath each time we turned down an aisle, like she was going to be standing there, just waiting for me.”
“Do you have any ideas about where she could be? Y’all were thick as thieves growing up.”
“You know I don’t. We haven’t seen her in years.”
He blew out a frustrated breath. Even though Shayla had been closer to me, she’d still been like a sister to Colt. He’d taken her drug addiction the hardest, and I knew he’d have the most trouble forgiving her if she did come back into our lives. Colt saw the world in black and white and wasn’t fast to forgive. “I know, I know. Just trying to think of anything. I want to track her, but without even a thread of an idea, it’s like looking for a specific drop of water in the ocean. Fucking impossible. Where was the postmark on the envelope from?”
I bit the side of my nail. A bad habit I’d broken as a kid that had come back with a vengeance these last few anxiety-filled days. “It wasn’t legible, but maybe you can see something I couldn’t. It’s back at the cottage though.”
“Get that to me and maybe I can find something. Call me if you hear from her again. I’ve got to run, just wanted to take a look at the letter myself.”
He wrapped an arm around my shoulders, bringing me in for a hug. He’d been the type of big brother that was always protective and there for me. “Thanks, Colt.”
“Nothing is going to take Tuck away from you. I think you should find a lawyer and see what they say.”
I hit my head against his chest. It bounced against the bulletproof vest hidden beneath his uniform. I rubbed the spot where my head had hit the thick vest. “I can’t believe this is happening. I want Shayla safe, but I don’t want her here. I know that makes me awful.”
“It doesn’t. You’re his mom, there’s nothing a mom wouldn’t do for her child.”
“She’s his mom too.”
Chapter 6
Gunner
I pulled up to a stoplight in the middle of town and unwrapped one of the breakfast burritos. The town hadn’t changed much in the past ten years, but there were a few new stores along Main Street and definitely a fresh coat of paint on each storefront. The chipped paint had been replaced by bright colors, and the brick walls were now covered in art.