My mom tapped her champagne glass, getting everyone's attention.
"Thank you all for coming," she said. "I can't believe my baby girl will be married in four short days." She gave Kelsey a proud smile.
"Aw, Mom," Kelsey said, smiling back at her. "Let's not get emotional yet."
"Don't worry. I'm not going to cry, not today, anyway."
I wasn't worried that a tear would drip down my mother's cheek. I couldn't remember her crying about anything. It would mar her cool, controlled image.
My mother continued with her speech. "It means so much to Kelsey and Gage that you've all made the trip here. I can't believe it's been so long since we've been together on this beautiful island. You're all very special to us, and we're grateful for your presence. I want to especially thank Eileen." My mom waved her hand toward Mrs. Chadwick. "Eileen put together this lunch, and all the gorgeous floral centerpieces. Many of the flowers came from her greenhouse. Aren't they beautiful?"
There was a round of applause for Eileen's flowers, and she gave a shy smile. Then my mother took back the attention. "As you all know, Gage has been delayed, so we'll toast him when he arrives. In the meantime..." She lifted her glass. "To Kelsey. May today be the beginning of a beautiful celebration and an amazing future filled with love and happiness."
"To Kelsey," the crowd echoed.
I dutifully raised my glass along with everyone else. Then I set it down on a nearby table and moved through the French doors leading into the dining room.
I hadn't been to this house in a long time, and I wanted to take a few minutes for myself. My parents had done some remodeling over the years, and I hoped that would make being here feel different.
I paused by the dining room table, my gaze captured by the magnificent glass sculpture that my mother had commissioned for the wedding. It featured two lovebirds in a beautiful glass tree, standing about three feet tall. Apparently, it would be the centerpiece for the wedding buffet. It was extraordinarily beautiful, and a sign that everything about this wedding would be first class and luxurious. I wouldn't expect anything less.
I left the dining room and grabbed my suitcase, which was by the front door, then headed up the stairs to the second-floor bedrooms. When I got to my former bedroom, I barely recognized it. The bedding was new, as were the curtains and the rug. There was nothing personal, no mementos from our past summer trips. That was actually a relief.
But when I opened the closet, I saw a stack of boxes with my name written on them. I couldn't remember what I'd left behind, so on impulse, I dragged the first box off the stack and set it on the floor. It had only one strip of tape holding it closed, so it would be easy to open. But just because it was easy to open didn't mean I should open it. I was trying not to go back into the past, but I couldn't stop myself.
I opened the box, and the first item sent my pulse racing. On top of a pile of clothes was my digital camera, the one I'd taken all over the island when Melanie and I went exploring.
My breath came a little fast. I could pick it up. I could click on the screen, but anything on that camera would take me back to seventeen, to a summer of innocence that had ended in despair.
I closed the box and rushed out of the closet. I went straight to the window and threw it open, needing air. I felt as unsettled as I had on the ferry earlier. The ground kept shifting beneath my feet, and I couldn't even blame the waves this time.
As the cool air washed over me, my breaths finally slowed down, and I noticed other little details. The tree outside my room had gotten even higher, and the wide branches were still inviting to climb out on, not that I was going to do that now. Although it was tempting. Using that tree, I'd escaped my life and this house on many summer nights. Even Kelsey and Brooklyn had used the tree to get out without being noticed. It was probably the one secret we'd all been in on.
Beyond the tree was the carport in front of the three-car garage. My room looked out over the street that ran along the bluff where at least ten mansions boasted stunning décor and spectacular ocean views in the neighborhood known as Chambers' Point.
A shadowy figure at the edge of the property caught my gaze. Someone was standing near the garage and a grove of trees. I couldn't tell if it was a man or a woman, but there was a sudden flicker of light and then it was gone. Probably one of the serving staff out to have a smoke, which reminded me I needed to get downstairs. Lunch would start soon.
As I left the room, I heard a shockingly loud crash, followed a moment later by a scream. I ran down the stairs, halting at the entry into the dining room. There was a pile of shattered glass on the table and floor. The caterer, a middle-aged woman wearing a white shirt and black pants, was staring at the disaster in horror.
My mom and dad came running into the room with Kelsey and Brooklyn, the rest of the group crowding in behind them.
"What happened?" my mother demanded.
"I heard a crash," the caterer replied, shock and worry in her eyes. "When I came out of the kitchen, I saw this." She waved her hand at the mess. "I don't know what happened."
"Is that my wedding sculpture?" Kelsey asked in shock.
"All the servers were outside," the caterer added quickly. "I don't know who could have knocked this over. Everyone was on the patio. I don't know what to say."
"It was in the middle of the table, safely away from any casual contact," my mother said. "I made sure of that. It took some work to break this." Her gaze swept to the caterer once more. "You're sure you didn't see someone knock this over, Dana?"
The caterer shook her head. "I did not. I'm sorry."
"I can't believe this. It was so beautiful." My mom shook her head in despair. "It took months to make."
"Every wedding has one thing go wrong," Brooklyn interjected. "This is it."
I thought the one thing that had gone wrong was when the original wedding venue had canceled, but I wasn't going to put myself in the middle of this mess.
"We won't have a centerpiece for the table," my mother moaned.
"I'll help you find something to replace it," Eileen Chadwick offered.
"It will work out, Mom," Kelsey said, a tense expression on her face. "Let's go back outside. We don't need to worry about this now."
"I suppose," my mother conceded. "Dana—"
"I'll clean it right up," Dana said.
My mother allowed Kelsey to lead her away, and the rest of the group followed, with Brooklyn staying behind.
She gave me a sharp look. "Did you see anything, Willow?"
"I saw what you saw—the broken sculpture and the caterer standing next to the table."
"Do you think the caterer did it?"
"I heard her scream. I guess it's possible. But if she did, I don't think it was deliberate." I saw a worried glint in Brooklyn's eyes. "Do you think it was deliberate?"
"I don't know. Maybe someone wants to ruin Kelsey's wedding."
"Like who?"
"One person comes to mind." Brooklyn's lips tightened. "What were you talking to Drake Maddox about?"