Chapter Ten

Lauren was in the middle of a surprisingly comforting dream where she and Ethan were pushing their baby in a swing in their backyard. They were all laughing as the sun shone down through the trees. Even unconscious, there was a feeling of serenity that permeated every inch of her.

Sadly, the sweet image dissipated as she was torn away from sleep. Someone walked by her room, talking way too loud for—she glanced at the clock on her nightstand—six in the morning.

What the hell? She knew Grams and Gabby would already be at the café, which left one person. Freaking Brooke.

Annoyed, she pushed the covers back and stalked into the hallway. She followed the sound of Brooke’s voice downstairs to the kitchen.

“I know it’s early,” Brooke said. “You called me. Where else did you think I would be at this hour?” She paused, clearly listening to the person on the other end of the call. “Lucas, you were checking up on me, weren’t you? Trying to catch me in some kind of trap. What the hell? I’m your fiancée, and you should trust me.”

Lauren heard the scrape of a chair against the kitchen floor. “I’m sorry. Of course I’m sorry. I didn’t mean… Yes, you’re right. Fine, I’ll check in again in a couple hours.”

When Lauren was sure the phone call ended, she entered the kitchen. Most of her earlier annoyance had dissolved after hearing her sister’s end of that phone call. What the hell was up with Brooke’s fiancé? If she was understanding the one side she’d overheard, Lucas was questioning Brooke’s fidelity. Brooke wasn’t the type to ever cheat or lie or steal. She was way too much of a goody-goody.

The two of them were so…different.

Lauren was driven and ambitious. She liked being independent and taking care of herself and her problems. Brooke, on the other hand, had been waiting for her Prince Charming to climb up to her window and save her from all the world’s evils since she was a child. In her quest to find her happily ever after, she’d made herself a priority, oftentimes discounting her family’s feelings in her search for her own happiness.

Some might say Brooke was a tiny bit selfish. Lauren would say that she was a whole lotta selfish with a dash of egocentric thrown in for good measure.

Still, Brooke was her sister, and the idea that some dickhead like Lucas wasn’t treating her right made Lauren’s blood boil.

“Morning,” she called brightly as she sauntered into the kitchen.

Brooke practically jumped out of the chair, hand to her heart. “Morning,” she mumbled. Then she took in Lauren. “Why are you up so early?”

Lauren was going to point out that she was often up at this time and enjoyed getting her day started early, recent pregnancy exhaustion aside. However, she was not in a good mood when someone’s screaming with their possessive fiancé woke her up. But since Brooke already looked miserable, she decided to keep her thoughts to herself.

She crossed to the coffeemaker and started a fresh pot. “Well, you are always up at this hour, and you are typically in a great mood because you’re an early bird. Yet, you’re not looking so happy today.” She pointed her finger in Brooke’s general direction and twisted it in a circle. “What gives?”

Brooke raised a hand to her mouth and chewed on a nail. Then she quickly dropped her hand. Good thing, Lauren thought. Don’t want to mess up that pretty French manicure.

“Nothing,” Brooke said, pushing her cell phone around in a little circle. “I was working, and Lucas called. That’s all.” She picked up the phone, then quickly put it back down. “He likes to check on me in the morning.”

Sounded more like he likes to check up on her. Had that jerk seriously been accusing Brooke of cheating on him? Lauren’s fingers curled into fists.

Brooke rose, grabbed two mugs, and put them next to Lauren on the counter. She eyed the coffee still brewing, grabbed the sugar, then fixed her gaze on Lauren. “Things okay with you and your frenemy now?”

Lauren nodded, relieved that she could.

Brooke gave her a genuine smile. It was moments like this when Lauren was reminded that her sister did, in fact, love her. It was almost enough to make her forget about the other 99 percent of the time when Brooke got under her skin.

Brooke flitted back to the table. “At least one good thing happened from us all returning here. Because I’ll tell you that me being here has really disrupted my life.”

There was that other side of the sister she knew and loved. All. About. Brooke.

“What exactly has been so unsettling about coming to Maine for a little while? You’re still getting to plan weddings. In fact, you’re planning that big society wedding that you really wanted to do. What’s the problem?”

Brooke tapped her phone, then pushed it around in a circle again. “You really have no idea about my life. About all the stress I endure.”

Lauren poured two cups of coffee, fixed Brooke’s the way she liked, and brought them to the table. “Oh, please inform me about all the stresses you have running around getting manis and pedis and socializing with your superficial friends and attending brunches and going to the theater with your posh husband-to-be.”

A slight red blush filled Brooke’s face, and a line formed on her forehead. Lauren knew what that meant. Her sister was working up a big old tantrum.

“Do you really think that’s all my life is? Manicures and brunches?”

And dating her shallow fiancé. But Lauren decided to try and defuse the situation instead. “Listen, B, I know you work hard. I do.”

“I love my job,” Brooke said quietly. Then she looked up, and her eyes were filled with fire. “You have no idea what I deal with on a daily basis.”

Lauren hated when she tried to be nice, but Brooke didn’t give in. “Either tell me what these supposed stresses are or go out there and figure out how to deal with them.”

Brooke crossed her arms over her chest. “You are so freaking bossy.”

“Hey. You’re here, aren’t you? Our baby sister needed us.”

Brooke rolled her eyes. “She’s hardly a baby anymore.”

“Gabby will always be the youngest.”

“You’re so annoying,” Brooke retorted.

“Guys, stop.”

Both of their heads snapped up to take in Gabby, who had just entered the kitchen.

“Gabs, why aren’t you at the café?” Lauren asked.

“I’m filling in for Kelsey later, so Grams told me to go home and take a break for a couple hours. And don’t change the subject. I hate when the two of you fight about me.”

“We weren’t fighting,” Lauren said at the same time Brooke proclaimed, “She started it.”

Gabby sighed. She went to the coffee pot and poured herself a cup, then sat down across from the two of them. “Not that I don’t appreciate it, because I totally do. But I didn’t ask for either of you to come back here and help me with anything. Just for the record.”

Lauren reached over and squeezed Gabby’s hand. “You had a really rough couple of years, Gabs. I was happy to come here. Plus, I wanted to see Grams, too.” An idea began to form. “We should actually utilize this time to go over different job options for you,” she said to Gabby. “Where are you on the vision board project I gave you a couple weeks ago?”

Gabby groaned. “Ground zero. I hate the vision board.”

“That’s okay. We can work on it together. I found a really good career aptitude test the other day. See,” she said to Brooke. “I’m here to help our baby sister.”

Brooke started shaking her head. “There you go again. Making yourself out to be the martyr.”

Calling on all of her reserves of patience, Lauren faced her sister. “I’m not trying to be a saint here. It’s been a sucky time, and I wanted to see my family and make sure everyone is doing okay. What’s wrong with that?”

Brooke’s response was a huff.

“You didn’t have to come to Seaside Cove,” she said to Brooke.

Mouth falling open, Brooke threw daggers in her direction. “You wanted me to return.”

“Yes, I did. But that doesn’t mean you had to do it,” Lauren said rationally.

“The only reason Lucas let me come here was because his longtime family friends are having a wedding nearby and I’m helping them plan it.”

Brooke’s comment had Lauren sitting up straight while alarm bells went off inside. “Let you? What do you mean let you?”

“Oh boy.” Gabby sat back, crossing her arms over her chest in a mirror image of Brooke.

Brooke blushed, but she kept going, jutting her chin out and pushing her shoulders back. “When you are in a committed relationship—something that neither of you know anything about—you don’t just do things all willy-nilly. You consult the other person. You give them that courtesy.”

“I’ve been in committed relationships,” Gabby said as her lips puckered up into a pout.

Lauren ignored the relationship slight. “I agree with you, Brooke. You do need to give when you’re with someone.”

“You do?” Gabby asked with surprise.

“Yes. But there is a big difference between consideration and permission.” Brooke narrowed her eyes, but Lauren kept going. “When you decided you wanted to come here, did you tell Lucas? Did you discuss it with him and have a mutual conversation? Or did you ask for his permission?”

Lauren already knew the answer, and it broke her heart. Her sister was a pain in the ass of the highest degree, but she deserved someone so much better than Lucas.

The red on Brooke’s cheeks deepened to scarlet. “You don’t know anything about my relationship, Lauren. You don’t, either,” she said to Gabby.

Gabby uncrossed her arms, her face softening. “We know what you just said, B. You said that Lucas ‘let you’ come here. That’s not okay.”

“Maybe I misspoke,” Brooke stuttered.

Only, she hadn’t, and they all knew it. Lauren felt like she should offer some big-sisterly advice. Something wise that would help Brooke see that she wasn’t tied to Lucas.

“What is it you like about Lucas?” Lauren finally asked.

Brooke snorted. “Like you really care.”

“I’m being serious. What attracted you to him?”

“I don’t know. He’s very handsome. I’m not going to deny that’s what I noticed first.”

Gabby wiggled her eyebrows. “Nothing wrong with that.”

Brooke offered a little smile. “He was so cute and really smart. He’s traveled quite a bit and has all of these interesting stories about other areas of the world. And he’s romantic. He gets me lots of sweet things.”

“Such as?” Lauren prodded.

“Flowers, candles, champagne.”

Lauren huffed out a laugh. “Cliché, cliché, cliché.”

“Sorry if my idea of romance isn’t as passionate as getting knocked up by a one-night stand with the local boy you don’t even like.”

Well, Brooke always did know how to shut her up. Gabby’s mouth dropped open. But Lauren knew she deserved it. Every mean, if not false, word.

She did like Ethan. Would she have sought him out if she hadn’t come back to Seaside Cove? Probably not. Would she even be doing anything with him now if she hadn’t gotten pregnant? Clearly no, since she’d been all but avoiding him until she saw that positive test.

Lauren and Ethan had always had that kind of push-pull relationship where they were fighting one second and agreeing the next. And that had nothing to do with Brooke’s situation, anyway. No matter what Lauren did or didn’t do, or how she was feeling in that particular second about Ethan, Brooke was still her sister and Lucas was still an asshole.

“For the record,” she said, “I do like Ethan. I’ve never not liked him. We’ve always been some form of friends. You know this isn’t about me and Ethan, though. I’m worried about your relationship with Lucas.” When Brooke shifted, Lauren held up a hand. “I may not have anywhere near the same amount of long-term dating experience that you have. And you and I have always been very different people. But even I can tell you’re not happy.”

Not exactly what she’d been thinking of for wise, sisterly advice, but it was the only thing she could think to say. Brooke huffed, causing Lauren to roll her eyes.

Clearly, Ethan wasn’t her only frenemy.

…

Not for the first time in her life—and sadly, it wouldn’t be the last, either—Lauren felt unsettled after her little tiff with Brooke. No one knew how to get under your skin quite like a sibling. And a sister, well, she had a map that led straight to all of your trigger points.

Lauren took a quick shower and threw on some clean clothes. She used her favorite red headband to push her hair off her face. For good measure, she added bright red lipstick. The pops of red complemented the denim jumpsuit she’d picked out.

Wanting a break from Brooke, she did her best to sneak out of the house quietly. She got in her car and started driving to the café so she could vent to Grams about Brooke. Even as she parked the car across the street from the café, she knew Grams would just roll her eyes and tell her to get over it.

“You’re sisters, and you will always be sisters. Work it out.”

She’d only been saying that to them for thirty years.

She dashed into the café, and she was instantly assaulted by the aromas that reminded her of her childhood: coffee and warm baked goods. The scents were more comforting than she could ever say.

She glanced around and was happy to see that Rose’s Café was pretty full. Most of the tables spread throughout the space were taken. People were also strewn about the oversize chairs and the two couches.

With its exposed brick walls and eclectic display of art from local artists, the café was cozy. Grams redecorated every ten years or so, and currently the decor was bright, vibrant colors. Soft music wafted out from speakers mounted strategically on the walls.

Grams was busy helping a customer. Lauren made her way toward her, with a quick stop at the large glass display case so she could drool over the baked goods. Everything was fresh. Everything looked delicious.

When she finished up with her customer, Grams checked her watch. “Why are you here?”

Lauren leaned on the counter. “Good to see you, too.”

Grams chose a bag of tea and then added hot water to a mug. She handed it over to Lauren, who apparently had no choice in the beverage or the flavor.

“I meant that you didn’t tell me you were coming in to do your work today. You normally give me a heads-up. Where’s your little computer?”

“I’m not here to work. Brooke’s loud mouth woke me up earlier than usual. And I don’t want tea.”

“You’re getting tea. It’s good for you.”

Lauren pointed to the display case. “Can I have two of the berry muffins that Gabs made?”

“How are you going to fit into your too-tight jeans if you eat two muffins every day?” Grams asked, even as she moved to put two muffins in a bag.

Lauren accepted the muffins with a tight smile. “I’m taking one to Ethan, if you must know.”

“The boy sings to you one time and now he’s your boyfriend?” Grams said with a sneer.

Lauren gritted her teeth. “He’s not my boyfriend.” He was just her baby daddy. Oh God, Grams was going to kill her.

Grams grabbed a rag and wiped the counter. “Not your boyfriend? What the hell is wrong with you? He comes to my house and screams his lungs out for you. And brings you roses. And makes out with you on the porch.”

“Grams—”

“Must be something.”

Lauren clutched the bag of muffins tightly. “I don’t know. I guess we’re two people who are seeing each other.”

“Boyfriend and girlfriend, then.”

She shook her head. “Do we have to put labels on it? We’re old friends, kind of, who are getting reacquainted.” Realizing her words and how fast Grams usually was with a witty comeback, Lauren shot a warning glaze. “Don’t say anything.”

Grams’s lips twitched. “I wasn’t going to.”

Yeah right. When it came to her, Grams never missed an opportunity to deliver a smart-ass comment or biting retort.

“Lauren Wallace, it’s so good to see you.”

Saved by the…oh shit.

Lauren had to hold in a grumble as she greeted Eleanor Davison, one of Grams’s gardening friends. Well, frenemy was more like it. Grams and Eleanor had been having a silent competition over whose hydrangea were better for decades.

Eleanor had always been nice to Lauren and her sisters. At least, to their faces. Everyone in Seaside Cove knew she was one of the biggest gossips in town. Maybe on the entire Eastern seaboard. That was saying a lot, considering how everyone in Seaside Cove liked to get their gossip on.

Lauren could tell that Eleanor was currently bursting with some kind of news. She could practically feel her excited vibrations from where she was standing. From the look of her arched brow, Grams apparently knew it, too. But neither of them made to ask Eleanor.

Finally, the older woman ran out of patience. “You’ll never guess what I heard.”

Grams snorted. Lauren leaned back against the counter and sipped the tea that Grams had forced on her. She had to admit it was tasty, though not as good as a double shot, dark roast cappuccino would be.

“Is it about Ava and Tony? Because everyone has been talking about them this morning,” Grams said, glancing through receipts as if she couldn’t care less about Eleanor’s gossip. Lauren knew she was dying to hear what Eleanor had to say, though.

Eleanor shook her hand and waved a hand. “That’s old news. Came up at the church bazaar last week.”

Grams began rearranging the items in front of the cash register. “Don’t tell me it’s about Lee. Because didn’t I tell you?”

Eleanor nodded. “I’ll give you that one. You were one hundred percent spot-on with that.”

“With what?” Lauren asked, unable to keep her curiosity under wraps.

“Cross dressing,” they said at the same time.

Lauren rolled her eyes. “Oh, who cares about what he wears?”

“His mother, that’s who.” Eleanor leaned in conspiratorially. “He’s been stealing his mother’s clothes and accessories. He sells them on some website, and then he goes and buys even more clothes.”

“He was sticking to costume jewelry and such,” Grams added. “But what he thought was a fake ring turned out to be a very real sapphire.”

“Joyce is beside herself.” Eleanor shook her head. “We all should have realized. Remember how he used to steal the other kids’ supplies in elementary school? Mrs. Martin was forever sending him to the principal’s office.”

Lauren rolled her eyes again as Eleanor and Grams continued to talk about the criminal ways of young Lee. That was the thing with Seaside Cove. No one forgot anything. Stigmas never went away. God forbid you blew your nose wrong back in the 1990s.

Cher Reynolds would always be the woman who cheated on her husband less than a year after they were married. Sonny Percill would never live down the time he drank so much that he ran his fishing boat into the pier. Ernie Simpson was the mean guy who yelled at children.

And her mother had been the woman whose husband ran off on her and his three young daughters.

Lauren rubbed her temple, a headache forming. From being woken up early to dealing with Brooke, this day just wasn’t for her.

“Anyway,” Eleanor said dramatically. “What I came in to tell you is about Lucy Love. You know, Annette’s granddaughter who was conceived out of wedlock.”

“She still with that Simon?” Grams asked.

Eleanor huffed. “That’s what I’m getting to. Lucy’s mama, Janice, is so upset. Lucy and Simon are living together. Not married,” she said with a shocked face to Lauren. “Anyway, Lucy told her mama who told Annette who spilled the beans to Lorraine, my very dear friend. Simon proposed, and Lucy said no.”

Grams stopped wiping the counter and looked up, apparently interested in this tidbit of gossip. “That’s surprising.”

“Neither Annette nor Janice were thrilled about the…living in sin,” she whispered. Lauren fought the urge to roll her eyes as Eleanor continued. “Now, Simon tried to make an honest woman out of her, and Lucy said no.”

“To think, they have that cute little dog together,” Grams said. “How can they not get married?”

“Apparently Lucy didn’t take the dog into consideration. She gave a flat-out no when he tried to propose.”

“Those two need to get married,” Grams said with one definitive nod. Case closed. The boss had spoken.

Lauren’s heart sank. If Grams thought two people sharing a little dog was enough of a reason for them to walk down the aisle, she was definitely going to push her knocked-up granddaughter toward the altar.

“Of course. My daughter’s best friend from high school’s niece was at The Thirsty Lobster last night.” Eleanor leaned in with a wink. “That Ethan is quite the catch. Very attractive.” She leveled a smug smile in Lauren’s direction. “If you can keep him in one spot, that is.”

Grams and Eleanor went back and forth for a few more minutes. Grams became intrigued with some story that Peggy was passing along about someone Lauren didn’t know. Finally, Eleanor ran out of steam. With a grumbled goodbye, Lauren watched Eleanor leave the café. She turned to find Grams eyeing her.

“What did you expect? You know how she is,” Grams said.

“You’re just as bad.”

Grams looked genuinely shocked. “I am nothing like Eleanor.”

Lauren practically choked on her tea. “Uh, yeah, you are. You, Eleanor, and this entire town are a bunch of gossipmongers.”

She rocked back on her heels, thinking about everything she’d just heard. Grams waited on two more customers. When she was free, Lauren asked, “Do you really think Lucy and Simon should get married?”

“Of course.”

Ridiculous. Sure, marry two more people off so they can fight and snipe at each other and be miserable. That was going to end well.

“I gotta go,” she said to Grams, who waved halfheartedly as she talked to another customer.

An unfamiliar feeling was starting to rise from the depths of her stomach up to her throat. Panic? Was this anxiety?

No. She felt hot and irritated. She was mad. And she needed someone to vent to before she burned herself up from the inside out.

Lauren pushed open the café door and made her way to the sidewalk, heading straight toward Ethan’s house.