Free The Summer's End by Mary Alice Monroe

Taylor McClellan. Taylor, this is my grandmother Mrs. Muir.”
    â€œMcClellan,” Mamaw repeated, rolling the name over in thought. “Are you related to the McClellan family in McClellanville? I know Sarah McClellan. But, wait, she married so her last name would be different. What was it . . . ?”
    â€œMcDaniel,” Taylor replied. “Yes, ma’am, I am. She’s my aunt. She married Stuart McDaniel.”
    Mamaw’s face brightened with the connection. “Of course. What a lovely couple. It’s been far too long since I’ve seen either of them. So you’re their nephew. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Taylor.”
    Taylor stood straighter and took Mamaw’s offered hand with a particularly warm smile. “The pleasure is all mine, Mrs. Muir.”
    Harper saw Mamaw cock her head in approval of the young man’s manners. Harper stifled a smile, thinking maybe all they needed to bring Mamaw out of her funk was a handsome young man to pay her some attention.
    â€œI’m Blake.” He shifted his computer bag to the other hand and stepped toward Taylor for a handshake.
    Taylor shook Blake’s hand firmly. “Taylor.”
    Blake and Taylor were close in height and both deeply tanned from the summer sun, but there the similarity ended. Blake was as lean as bacon, his face long and narrow. He stood in the relaxed stance of an islander with his hands in his well-worn pockets. His dark brown hair was longer than usual and fell in salt-stiff curls around his head.
    In contrast, Taylor was broad and muscled. His shirt was ironed,his face clean shaven. He stood straight and alert in a military stance.
    â€œWhat brings you to our neck of the woods?” Blake asked Taylor. “You a friend of Harper’s?”
    â€œYes, I hope so.” Taylor smiled briefly at Harper. “But I actually came by to see Carson.”
    Blake skipped a beat and his expression grew more guarded. “How do you know Carson?”
    Taylor, hearing the hint of an interrogation in the question, stiffened perceptibly.
    â€œTaylor and I got to know each other in Florida,” Carson offered, seeming to find her voice. “At the Dolphin Research Center. He’s in town and looked me up. Mamaw, you remember me talking about him.”
    â€œI do, indeed,” Mamaw replied graciously.
    Carson walked to Blake, her caftan swooshing against her legs. Harper sensed the tension between them and was sorry for it. Harper had always liked the marine biologist who’d claimed Carson’s heart—and the hearts of all the Muir family with his steadfast love for Carson. His rescue of Delphine earlier in the summer had been nothing short of heroic.
    â€œBlake, what brings you here?” Carson asked, an edge to her voice, her tone unwelcoming.
    Blake’s eyes flashed briefly, then he took a step back. “I had some news about Delphine,” he said coolly. “But we can talk later.”
    â€œDelphine?” Carson went for the hook. “What about her?”
    â€œI don’t want to interfere with your . . . reunion. I should’ve called first.”
    â€œIs she all right?”
    Blake paused to meet Carson’s gaze. “Yeah.” His lips suppressed a smile as he offered her a loaded glance. “She’s more than all right.”
    Harper watched as the two shared a long look that spoke volumes and made the rest of them feel like voyeurs to witness it.
    Carson turned to Taylor. “I’m sorry, Taylor, but this is important. It’s about Delphine, the dolphin I told you about. Can I be terribly rude and ask you to wait a bit longer?”
    Taylor inclined his head toward the porch. “No problem. I just came by to say hey. I’ve got to run. The dog and all.” He glanced at Blake, then turned to leave.
    â€œI’ll walk you out.” Carson walked to Taylor and slipped her arm in his. She