Chapter 29

Only…not.

She pulled up in front of the mailbox and cut off the air, then powered down the passenger side window. Leaning over, she looked out at a house that easily sprawled across two or three lots. It wasn’t a home—it was a condo, or an apartment complex, or some other sort of multi-family dwelling. Maybe it was rented out for the summer, or it operated as a bed and breakfast? Tara didn’t know. It looked as if five or six families could vacation in it without ever having to meet their neighbors. But she was pretty sure her aunt and cousin didn’t live there.

So. Spencer wasn’t right.

On the bright side, though, the evening air outside the passenger side window was pleasant enough. A bit warmer than she would’ve liked, but there was a tinge of salt to it that brought back childhood memories and, after all, this was summer. She could handle a drive around the block with the windows down. Powering down the driver’s side, she breathed in deep and imagined she could smell the ocean and the popcorn and the cotton candy wafting in off the boardwalk.

Then she put her car into gear, pulled away from the curb, and headed one block over to Spicer Avenue, where hopefully her aunt was waiting.

* * * *

The house on Spicer appeared to be a more likely candidate for her aunt’s home. First, it was a single family dwelling, not an apartment or condo or duplex. Second, there were two porches, one above the other, and to the right of the front door, two women sat in Adirondack chairs, sipping margaritas. One wore a bikini top and wraparound skirt; the other had in a terry cloth dress over a one-piece swimsuit. Both were barefoot, as tanned as leather, and bleached blonde.

Tara recognized the younger woman from Instagram as her cousin Amanda.

She found a place to park in front of the house and waved. A second later, both women waved back, a little too enthusiastically. By the time Tara got out of the car, Amanda was already hurrying down to meet her at the curb. “You made it!” she called, as if surprised to actually see Tara in person after all this time.

Before Tara could respond, she found herself caught up in a tight, quick hug. Sweet, fruity fumes of alcohol enveloped her for a moment, then disappeared when Amanda stepped back.

“Let me look at you,” Amanda said, gripping Tara’s arms to steady herself as she looked Tara over. “Girl, we need to get some color on you! Your skin just about glows in the dark, you’re so pale! What are you, scared of the sun, or something?”

Tara didn’t know what to say to that, so she simply smiled. “Congrats on getting married.”

Amanda waved her off. “Come on up and say hi to Momma.”

As if hearing her name spoken, Aunt Marlene called from the porch, “You two coming up to the house, or are you just gonna stand in the street and talk? I got drinks!”

Turning her back to her mother, Amanda rolled her eyes. “God, give us a minute, will you?” But her voice didn’t carry; there was no way Aunt Marlene could hear her. Louder, she said, “Let me help you with your bags. Might as well bring them in now.”

“I don’t have much,” Tara protested.

“Nonsense.” Amanda opened the back door and pulled out Tara’s suitcase. “Hopefully you remembered to pack some tanning lotion because girl, we need you down the shore first thing in the morning!”

Up on the porch, Aunt Marlene stood on wobbly legs and gave Tara a hug as fierce as Amanda’s had been, then plopped back down into her chair, already reaching for her drink. It was obviously not her first of the evening. Once she was settled again, she squinted up at Tara and laughed. “Woo, honey! I never seen legs so white! What, don’t they have sunshine down in Virginia?”

Tara sat on the porch step and tugged her T-shirt down over her knees, hoping that might cover her legs. They weren’t thatbad. From her own chair on Aunt Marlene’s other side, Amanda smirked. “Told you. They’re whiter than my wedding dress.”

“Oh my God!” Aunt Marlene sat up, sloshing her drink down the front of her terry cover-up. “You have to see the dress!”

Amanda waved her off. “In the morning, Mom! Jeez, she just got here! Let her catch her breath first, relax a little.”

Aunt Marlene shot her daughter a stern look. “How’s she supposed to do that without a drink in her hand?”

“Oh no, I’m fine,” Tara assured them.