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With a smirk, he headed back over to the laptop. “Why don’t we Facetime him-”
“No!” Hollis said and snapped the computer shut. “What exactly did he say?”
Hiro looked up, face sincere. “He misses you. A lot.”
A small smile threatened before Hollis turned back to being all-business again.Good. She hoped he missed her like hell. Because not one day had passed since their last conversation that she hadn’t cried.
The next morning, Hollis stood before the enormous floor-to-ceiling tank at the Atlantic Aquarium. She gazed at the bull shark that swam above her and let out a shaky sigh.
She had never felt so lost and alone. Losing her Dad was terrible and she missed him every day. But, losing Dylan, too, made it even worse. It’s like her heart had been shattered and no one was left who could help her try to piece it back together again.
Oh, Hollis, stop feeling sorry for yourself.No, she hadn’t wanted Dylan to leave, but she was happy he’d found family. Right now, she’d give anything to have family. There were a few times in her life when she had considered reaching out to her mother and now was one of them.
When the loneliness became crushing.
But, no, she refused to do it. Her mother had ignored her, literally forgotten she existed, and had never reached out once since the day she left 30 years ago.
At least she had Lia, Hollis thought. But, her friend was so busy running the Sand Bar that sometimes it felt like she was a million miles away.
As Hollis’s gaze moved over the tank, she couldn’t believe that she and Dylan had swam through it and survived. Or, that Tony had died in there.
Something glinted on the sandy bottom and caught her eye. She squinted, moving closer.
It was Dylan’s necklace, she realized.
“Hollis, so lovely to see you,” Lawrence said, moving up behind her.
She turned and they embraced. “Hi, Lawrence,” she said. Then her eyes dipped back down to the necklace. “I have a favor to ask. It’s going to sound crazy, but...”
“I’m intrigued,” he said, eyebrows raised, and Hollis pointed to the glinting coin.
“Any chance we can get that out?” she asked.
Hollis arrived home later that afternoon, grabbed her mail out of the box and unlocked her front door. As she flipped through the stack, she suddenly froze.
There was a letter postmarked from New Orleans.
She tore it open and found a card that advertised Lucky 13 Jazz Club.
And, a plane ticket to New Orleans.
Chapter Twenty
Hollis held the plane ticket in her hand and shook her head. Dylan Ford was arrogant and presumptuous.
And, she was head over heels in love with him.
She went inside, packed a bag and jumped on the evening flight.
Later that night, Hollis stood on a sidewalk on Bourbon Street and gazed up at the neon words “LUCKY” and the blinking “13” beneath it.
He had done it and she was so proud of him.
Loud jazz music floated out the door and hovered on the humid New Orleans air.
God, she missed Dylan. Knowing that he was right inside made her damn nervous. But, nervous-excited. She took a deep breath and stepped into the club.
The place was crowded. And, like the owner, it was nothing too fancy. But, it was warm, cozy and packed. There was a bar lined with customers, a stage with a band and the hottest piano player that she’d ever seen.
