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I nodded, sensing the layers of complexity that lay beneath Hunter’s stoic exterior. There was pain in his eyes, a longing for connection. I was closer to him than any of us, yet I didn’t even know if he had a girlfriend. As we strolled along the path that led to the shoreline, I decided to take a chance.
“You know,” I said cautiously, “sometimes it’s easier to face our demons when we have someone by our side.”
“No woman in her right mind wants to get mixed up with me,” he replied, his voice hard. “My own family can hardly stand me.”
I stopped walking and turned to face him, my heart clenching. “I know you’ve been through a lot, but you don’t have to carry it all on your own. Your family wants to be around you. We love you, and we want to help shoulder that weight with you.”
His dark eyes bore into mine, searching for something, maybe a glimmer of hope. “You don’t understand, Stella. What I’ve been through… It’s not something to be shared. Only survived.”
I reached out and gently placed my hand on his arm, feeling the tension coiled beneath his skin. He’d never opened up this much with me. “Hunter, none of us are perfect. You did what you had to survive. Dammit, that’s why we have family. To help.”
He stared at the ocean. “Evan barely talked to me at lunch.”
“Maybe he didn’t know what to say,” I said softly, my voice carrying the weight of understanding. “But that doesn’t mean he didn’t try. Today was a huge step forward for both of you.”
Hunter remained silent, his eyes still fixed on the waves. I squeezed his arm gently, hoping to offer a touch of comfort. “You won’t know unless you give him a chance. You’re not alone in this. I’m here for you.”
He finally turned to look at me, his gaze searching mine. I could see the struggle behind his eyes, the desire to be accepted. Then he slid his arm around my shoulders. “You always have been, sis. Let’s keep walking.”
We strolled past the newly remodeled lobby. Garden cottages were spaced to the west, their clean modern lines contrasting the green foliage, yet bringing the whole tableau together. After a short distance, the pale pink hue of Orchid became visible in the distance.
Hunter paused, peering around with a slightly bewildered look in his eyes. “This place has really changed.”
“It sure has. Especially these past few years. The resort’s expansions, the remodeling—it’s not the sleepy little resort we grew up in.”
“Yeah, I see that.” He ran a hand through his hair, a familiar gesture of his whenever he processed something. “It’s good, though, right? Growth?”
“Absolutely,” I said, thinking of the upcoming festival. And Aiden.
“So what was that weird current between you and Maia about the medical tent at the festival? I’m not exactly in the loop anymore, but something was going on there.”
I barked a laugh. “Yeah. I’m supposed to ask the new doctor in town if he’ll help. The new doctor being Aiden Mitchell.”
Hunter’s eyebrows shot up. “As in your old high school boyfriend? He’s back?”
I fought back the urge to defend that Aiden had been much more than a casual old boyfriend. I forced a smile. “Yep, and he’s Dr. Mitchell now. And since it’s a medical tent…”
“Right. The doctor thing would come in handy.” Hunter nodded thoughtfully. “You two seeing each other again?”
“No. We’ve hardly talked.” I sighed, the weight of mixed emotions anchoring me. “Aiden and I have a lot of history, but the festival is about community, not my personal baggage. So if he can help, I want him there.”
“Guess I’m not the only one with complications in Calypso Key, huh?” Hunter arched a brow.
“Yet another reason for you to come down here more often. We can compare miseries.” My laugh sounded hollow, even to my own ears.
The salty breeze tangled through my hair as Hunter and I meandered past Orchid and the weekly beach barbecue area. The turquoise sea lapped gently along the white sand, and ten modern cottages stretched along the length of the beach.
Hunter examined the cottages closely, then blew a long whistle. “Wow, look at those. That one even has a private pool!”
“Yeah, Gabe’s been busy.” My voice carried a note of pride for our brother’s work. “The two on the ends are two-bedroom units with pools. He’s got a vision for Calypso Key. You can see it coming to life all around us.”
“Yeah. Gabe came through, all right.”
We turned and made our way back to the green, manicured grounds near the garden cottages. A straight line of turf was torn up to make way for a new irrigation system. This part of the resort was to be a focus of the recently begun landscaping project. As we rounded a corner, an open work shed came into view. It was supposed to be locked, the home to well-maintained equipment that kept the resort’s grounds groomed. But the padlock dangled from the latch, useless, and the door stood ajar.
“Wait. That’s not right.” I quickened my pace. Hunter matched my steps, his strides easily overtaking mine.
Inside, the shed was dim and musty, shafts of light illuminating the dust motes dancing in the air. My eyes scanned the space, taking inventory. Shovels, rakes, and the lawnmower were all accounted for. But there, against the far wall, were empty spaces where three edgers usually sat.
