"They're not together; they're just both in the wedding. They haven't been a couple for years."
"I know that, but James has been acting weird ever since he realized he was going to see Brooklyn again. He downed half a bottle of champagne on the ferry. I don't like what your sister does to him. He finally had his head together and now he sees her and falls apart again."
"I thought the breakup was mutual. And wasn't it like six years ago?" The details of Brooklyn's relationship with James were hazy in my mind now. They'd dated from the time they were in high school and through most of college, but they'd broken up in their early twenties, which didn't seem that unusual. How many young relationships went the distance? None that I could think of.
"I don't know if it was mutual," Rachel said. "James has never told me what happened, and Brooklyn just brushes me off with some vague reason that makes no sense. What I do know is that they're toxic together. I love them both, but they don't need to take any nostalgic trips into the past and recreate something that wasn't that good in the first place." She straightened. "They're all coming now. Don't say anything to anyone. Promise."
"Fine, I promise. But I think you're worrying about nothing. Brooklyn has dated many guys since James, and I'm assuming he's dated many women. Just because they have to walk down an aisle together doesn't mean they're going to fall back in love."
"Exactly. But don't say anything."
I didn't want to say anything, because butting into Brooklyn's business was never a good idea. My older sister could take care of herself. She certainly didn't want or need my help.
Brooklyn and Kelsey led the way down the dock, followed by Rachel's brother, James Connelly, who did look a little unsteady on his feet, and Carter Chadwick, who looked more grim than happy. Behind them was Alex Hamilton, a handsome man with short black hair and a perfect smile, Peter Jacobson, a tall, stocky man who had been one of Gage's defenders on the football field throughout his pro career, Dahlia Perry and Trina Alton, two ridiculously skinny model friends of Kelsey's.
As the group moved down the pier, I fell in behind them, steeling myself as we drew closer to the Crab Pot. The restaurant patio that edged the pier brought back a flood of memories. I could see the table where Melanie and I had sipped chocolate milkshakes and watched the tourists get off the ferry. We'd made up stories about who they were, what they were doing on the island, and their family secrets. Every imaginative tale had made us laugh. Then we'd simply kept an eye out for cute boys who might make our summer more fun.
When we reached the patio, I stiffened, shock running through me. I'd been expecting to possibly see Melanie's parents working the tables, but not her older brother—Drake Maddox. I thought he'd left the island years ago, but here he was, looking at me with his soulful blue eyes.
My heart jumped in my chest. My breath came short and fast. I felt slammed with emotion—from love to hatred and everything in between.
Drake had been my teenage fantasy—dark-brown wavy hair, broad shoulders, and powerful arms. Besides his physical gifts, he'd also been a smart and creative writer, and a guy who had always known what he wanted and went after it with stubborn determination.
At one point, I'd thought he'd wanted me. When he'd smiled at me, when he'd kissed me, I'd felt like I'd fallen off a cliff. I'd tried not to let anyone know. Not that anyone would have thought one of the hottest guys on the island would have been interested in me—the shy, often awkward teenage girl, who was three years younger than him.
Melanie might have guessed, but I'd never told her about Drake, about the times we ran into each other at the local newspaper office; the night we'd gotten caught in the rain.
My stomach churned as my steps slowed. I couldn't believe Drake was back on the island. He lived in Seattle now. He was a journalist, and according to my parents, he rarely came home, even though his parents still lived on the island. But he was here now, and that seemed like a bad sign.
I heard Kelsey squeal with delight. Then she ran straight toward Drake. She opened her arms over the low white picket fence to encourage him to get up and give her a hug.
Her friendliness shocked me. Drake also seemed taken aback. But he got up from his chair and embraced Kelsey. Up close, he looked even better than I remembered. He was the same age as Brooklyn, so he would be thirty now. I didn't see a ring on his finger, but that might mean nothing. Not that it mattered. I'd gotten over him a long time ago. And he'd gotten over me long before that.
"How are you, Drake?" Kelsey asked.
"I'm all right. I hear there's a big wedding happening this weekend."
"You heard right." Kelsey flashed her giant diamond ring in his face. "Gage and I are getting married on Saturday."
"Where is Gage?" he asked, his gaze sweeping the group.
"He'll be here soon. I had no idea you were going to be here this week, Drake. You must come to the wedding. It's on Saturday at the Belle Haven Lodge. Jenny is organizing it for me."
"She told me. I'm sure your guest list is set."
"Don't be silly. There's always room for one more. We'd love to have you there." Kelsey turned toward the group. "Wouldn't we all love to have Drake at the wedding?"
There was a vague chorus of half-hearted agreement. I couldn't bring myself to add to that chorus, and I couldn't imagine why Drake would want to come to the wedding. He'd accused all of us of knowing something about Melanie's disappearance. He'd even punched Gage in the face. We might have all been friends before that, but not after.
"I'd like to come," Drake said, shocking me with his response.
"Great," Kelsey replied. "Do you still have the same phone number?"
"I do."
"I'll text you the details."
I couldn't understand why Kelsey would want Drake at her wedding. And as I looked at Brooklyn, I saw a worried gleam in her eyes as well. At least I wasn't completely alone in thinking that Kelsey should have kept her mouth shut. But that was Kelsey. She never thought before she did anything.
"The limo is waiting," Brooklyn said sharply. "We need to go."
"We'll catch up later," Kelsey promised as Brooklyn pushed her down the dock, the rest of the group following.
As I drew even with Drake, I couldn't help saying, "Why on earth would you want to go to Kelsey's wedding?"
Drake's gaze swept across my face and down my body. I flushed a little at his scrutiny.
"Well?" I demanded.
"Hello, Willow. You look…different."
I stiffened. Different was never a compliment. "You didn't answer my question. Last time you saw Gage, you accused him of lying and knowing something about your sister's disappearance. Why would you want to see him marry Kelsey? Why would you want to see any of us? You hate us."
Drake stared back at me, an unreadable expression in his gaze. I'd always thought his eyes were like the sea, bright but murky, sexy but dangerous. I'd never known what he was thinking. That hadn't changed.
"Maybe I was wrong about what happened back then."