Free A Sweethaven Summer by Courtney Walsh Page B

into the driveway and admired the potted plants that flanked Adele’s front door. Clothes on a clothesline in the side yard waved in the wind.
    She turned off the engine and said a quick prayer. As excited as she was at connecting with her old friends, it was another wretched day that haunted her. She prayed that, for now, she wouldn’t have to face the old demons that lurked in the shadows.
    She grabbed her purse and opened the car door. The sooner she could get this over with, the better.
    As she stepped out of the car and slung her purse over her shoulder, a silver Mercedes pulled over and parked in front of Adele’s house. Surely Adele didn’t have a silver Mercedes. She tried not to stare, but quick glances didn’t award her any knowledge, and there didn’t seem to be any movement inside the car.
    Seconds later, the door popped open and a blond woman with a thin frame appeared.
    Lila
. She wore oversized sunglasses, a crisp, white button-down, and a pair of black dress pants. As Lila stepped away from the car, Jane saw pointy heels peeking out from the bottom of her pant legs. Jane glanced down at her own tennis shoes and looked away.
    Lila walked to the end of the driveway and removed her glasses. “Aren’t you gonna say anything?”
    Jane closed the car door and took a step toward her old friend, then took Lila’s hand. Her mouth went dry as cotton and she struggled for words. “I can’t believe it’s you.”
    “You’re gonna cry, aren’t you?” Lila hugged her.
    Jane pulled away and studied Lila’s face. She looked almost exactly the same, only a bit older. Jane ran her hands through her hair—anything to make herself more presentable. “It’s so good to see you here. How long has it been?”
    “Too long. I haven’t been back since Tom and I got married. How about you?”
    Jane’s face fell.
    “I’m sorry, Janie. Forget I asked.” Lila turned away.
    “Do you think Suzanne and Meg are here yet?”
    Jane’s heart leapt. What if Meghan had already arrived? She glanced at the bay window at the front of the cottage. What if she sat inside peeking at them through barely parted curtains? “I suppose there’s only one way to find out.”
    * * * * *
Campbell
    “Whoever could that be?”
    Campbell followed Adele’s gaze up the hill, where she saw two women standing on Adele’s front lawn. After a brief walk to the farmer’s market with Adele’s old dog Mugsy, Campbell still didn’t have any answers. These two women could change all that.
    “I’m not expecting anyone till tomorrow.” Confusion laced Adele’s tone.
    “But you weren’t expecting me either,” Campbell said.
    Adele reached an arm around her and squeezed. “But you’re family now, so you’re welcome any time.”
    The warmth of her voice, her touch, reminded Campbell of her mother. How nice to feel wanted again.
    Would her father want her too? Maybe he didn’t even know she existed. Had Mom even told him? If not, that would explain his absence from her life.
    And make her feel a little less rejected.
    Adele picked up the pace, practically dragging Mugsy in the direction of their house. The poor mutt whimpered at the strain.
    “Come on, you old coot.” Adele yanked the leash. “My girls are home.”
    “I’ll take her, Adele, you go on ahead.” Campbell might not be a dog person, but even she felt sorry for the poor animal.
    “Thank you, hon.” Adele bustled up the sidewalk, hurrying to meet her company.
    The dog’s panting slowed, and she settled into a nice trot at Campbell’s side.
    From a distance, Campbell couldn’t make out the facial features of the short, plump woman Adele pulled into a warm embrace. She didn’t actually know any of the girls well enough to determine who it was, but she gathered it wasn’t Meghan because this woman’s hair wasn’t the fiery red of Adele’s daughter. She guessed the other woman, tall, thin, and blond, was Lila Adler. That meant the first woman must be Jane.
    Hope