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“Anyway, when Ramsay was breaking things off, I knew we were in love. I knew it and I knew he was scared. And part of me wanted to wrap myself up in my pride and not let him see how much it hurt, but I knew I’d regret that. Instead, I reacted honestly in the moment, and I called him a coward because he was being a coward. I left him having said my piece, and that mattered more than I can say.”

I considered that. “You think I should tell Forde for my own sake?”

“Yes. I really do.”

The thought of laying everything out like that with him, being so vulnerable, disconcerted me. Forde had a proven track record of pushing me away when things got tough. But deep down I knew my friend was probably right. “I’ll think about it.”

18. Forde

Twenty-one years ago

Afew days passed after I took my crap out on Cameron at the harbor. In among those days was my birthday. Cameron was usually the first person at my door with a present and card in hand. I’d kept every single one of her birthday cards inside a stolen school textbook along with a few cards I still had from my mum. Quinn had asked me why I had the textbook just the other day, and I shrugged off his question.

Things were supposed to be looking up. I told Bernie about my living situation, and he let me move into the flat above the mechanic’s garage. It hadn’t been lived in for years, but Taran and Quinn helped me clean it up.

Now that I was eighteen, I could legally be in the Lantern, the local pub, and I was currently chatting up a Canadian tourist who thought I was older than I was.

Yet I still wasn’t in the greatest mood.

Things felt off. Having Cameron mad at me was shite. Like I can’t stop thinking about it shite. I hated the idea that I’d hurt her. People were already crappy to her for some reason I couldn’t fathom. She was kind and caring, but I guess some people found her unpredictable because she said what she was thinking.

The bonny brunette in front of me was a good distraction, and one I needed. When she made it clear she wanted to hook up, I paid our tab with the little money I had and guided her out of the pub. There was no way I was taking her back to mine, so she suggested we head to the holiday let she was renting above the chocolate shop.

As we walked out of the pub, though, I caught sight of a familiar figure at the bottom of Main Street heading toward the road that led to the coastal path folks often took to see the puffins.

Cameron.

And she wasn’t alone.

My pulse raced at the sight of her holding hands with some tall bloke I didn’t recognize.

Did he know she was only fifteen?

What the fuck?

“Eh, Alana⁠—”

“Elena.”

“Aye, right. Sorry. I have to go.” I gestured toward where Cameron was about to disappear out of sight.

“Are you kidding me?” The brunette gaped at me in shock.

“That is my friend’s wee sister, and I need to make sure she’s all right.”

Her expression softened. “Oh. Okay. Well, you know where to find me when you’re done.”

“Aye, aye.” I was already hurrying away in pursuit of Cameron.

Who the fuck was the bloke and what the hell did Cameron think she was doing going off alone with him at night?

My outrage was building by the second as I followed behind them, soon only guided by the distant lights of Main Street and the moon. Did she have no sense at all? Didn’t she know anything could happen to her out here? I couldn’t hear over the rushing blood in my ears when they disappeared around a bend. I picked up my pace to catch up with them, stumbling over a rock I didn’t see in the dark and righting myself.

As I came around the curve in the coastline, I abruptly halted at the sight of the guy kissing Cameron. And she was kissing him back.

The wrongness of it made my skin hot from top to bottom.

I also felt like a weirdo for spying on them but⁠—