"What are you doing here?" we asked at the same time.

I inched away from the desk and waded through my brain for a reasonable excuse for why I'd be in Melissa's office. NB barked at Larken, probably incorrectly recognizing her as a friend.

"I... well... I'm here to..." My sentence sputtered out as I failed to create a reason. "Why are you here?"

Larken pushed back a piece of her brown hair and held up the keys. "I'm picking up these boxes before the landlord throws out Melissa's stuff. Now I really need to know why you're here."

My phone rang, vibrating my ass. Literally saved by the bell. I grabbed the phone with my free hand and sighed at the caller. Thank you, Mother. She wasn't the first person I wanted to hear from after our falling out over the aunt and uncle thing, but she'd saved my life right at that moment. I waved the phone at Larken. Her eyes widened at my overstated movements.

"I really have to take this. I just stopped by to see if you'd heard anything from our seller. Broadrick is constantly asking when we get to move in. He just can't wait, but we'll have to catch up later. So sorry," I said as I speed walked past her and out the main door like I belonged there more than she did.

The door closed behind me, and I kept my pace until I hit the main road between the island's shops. I slowed and waited, but Larken never came after me. The phone vibrated again, reminding me I had a call. I turned on the street, and NB and I walked in front of the pizzeria where we'd eaten dinner a few days ago.

"Hello," I said after swiping my finger across the screen against my mother's name. The heat instantly hit the bare skin on my arms.

"Vonnie?" my mother asked, as if someone else would be answering my phone.

I stopped at the street corner. My possible anxiety flared at hearing her voice. Why was she calling me now? Did someone die? My mother hadn't called me in weeks. "Yeah. Is everything okay?"

"Fine. Fine. How is the weather in Florida?" she asked.

My feet stopped mid-step, and a golf cart came to a screeching halt as I blocked the middle of the street. NB pulled ahead on his leash, but I couldn't move. She called to ask about the weather? "Warm."

She gave me an awkward laugh. "Yeah, you should have prepared for that."

Thoughts spun. Was that a dig? Did she think I didn't realize Florida got hot? What did she want me to say back to her? My life used to be so simple. I thought I understood everyone and our relationship, but that wasn't the case anymore. The golf cart beeped at me, and I lurched forward.

"Yeah, I packed shorts," I said as I hit the other side of the street.

"Well, that was smart. Is the sun out? It's cloudy here today. You can watch them rolling in through the window. I'm not ready for fall, but you know it's right around the corner here."

My stomach rolled. Were we really going to talk about the weather after everything that happened? After everything she said to me. How? How did we go back to the way things were? Did I want to?

"Do you think palm trees lose their leaves?" she asked when I didn't respond to her earlier comments.

I shook my head. "I really don't know, Mom."

"You'll have to let me know. Maybe your dad and I will come for a visit in a few months, and we can see for ourselves. That would be fun. Right?"

I panicked. That would not be fun. We passed the bakery, and I slowed. "Hey, NB and I are getting ready to get a cupcake. I'll have to let you go."

"Oh," she said and almost sounded disappointed, but her mood flipped quickly. "They let dogs into the bakery on the island?"

"Yeah. She's really nice," I lied. The bakery owner barely wanted people in her business. She'd never let in a dog.

"That's nice. They must have different health code laws there. Are you planning to come home for Labor Day this year?"

My mouth hung open. This conversation just got weirder and weirder. Who flew home for Labor Day? NB peeked through the large bakery window, and Peggy scowled at us. Soon she'd probably yell at me to stop loitering outside her place. "No."

"What about Thanksgiving or Christmas? I need to plan for food," she asked so casually. I had to give my mother props on just pretending she hadn't been horrible to me all summer. But I just wasn't ready to get over it yet. The hurt was still too deep.

I switched the phone to my other ear. The movement made NB's leash shorter, and he had to take a few steps toward me. "I don't think so."

"Hmmmm. I see." She paused long enough that I almost started talking again. "I know we've had differences of opinions in the past, Vonnie. But now it's time for both of us to move past what you've done to the family. I'm willing to forgive you, so I don't see why you're acting like you're the hurt party here. We didn't raise you to be so vindictive."

My ribs grew tight as my heartbeat rocketed off the chart. She spoke so fast that I had to replay her words to make sure I'd heard them correctly. A huge pang of hurt took residence in my chest. A sharp buzz started in my forehead, and I leaned against the brick exterior of the bakery to gather my breath as the world closed in around me.

"Okay, I'll see what I can do," I said, not sure of a better answer. Panic hit hard, and I had to get off the phone at any cost. "I'll talk to you later. Bye."

I disconnected from her call and shoved the phone in my pocket. My hand shook as we continued our walk to the resort, and I worked on leveling out my breathing. Talking to your mother shouldn't start a panic attack, but that's how I felt. Our quick steps kept me standing upright, and I worried if I slowed, I'd break out in a round of tears.

I'd gone through the grieving process when I thought my mother hated me months ago. Now that I'd picked up the pieces without her and carried on with life, I wasn't sure I wanted her back again. But how did you mourn the loss of someone who wasn't dead?

I held the door to our room open and let NB walk in before me.

"Broadrick?" I called, but he didn't answer through the closed bathroom door. I checked, just to be safe. What if we had a killer hiding in the shadows, waiting for me to lower my guard? You could never be too safe.

NB ran for the bed, jumped up, did his three circles and promptly lay down with a frustrated sigh. He had a lot of complaints for a dog from the streets who now lived in the lap of luxury. I sat on the bed beside him, doing my best not to disrupt his sleeping arrangements.

Little snores vibrated his lips before I had the television turned on. I flipped through the shows on the ID Channel without settling on one. My skin seemed tight, and my chest still felt too small for my lungs and heart. I needed a walk, sunshine, and some ocean water.

"You want a walk, big guy?" I asked NB. He didn't move. Not even a muscle twitch.

I slipped off the bed, not bothering him as I left. "Fine."

Outside of the room, I took the short way through the building and hit the sidewalk, headed toward the public beach access with too many thoughts clouding my mind.

A black golf cart drove past me, giving two honks of their horn before stopping on the other side. "Hey, princess."

I gave Tony a half wave that I didn't feel in my heart. He looked like all the other security guys now with his black polo and dark-washed jeans. It was weird seeing him all matchy match with the other guys.

He backed up. "Everything okay?"

"My mother," I said and then slammed my mouth shut when tears flooded the corners of my eyes.

Tony gave me a jerk of his chin and ran his hand over his short hair. "Say no more. Hop on and we'll go for a drive."

"Is Ridge going to let me ride on one of his fancy new golf carts?" I asked with a raised brow.

He laughed and patted the seat. "Dalton already said you aren't allowed anywhere near the steering wheel."

I huffed, sounding a lot like NB. More than likely, Broadrick agreed with this rule. We'd definitely be talking about that later. I sat beside Tony and ran my hand over the black leather seat. They were going to get hot in the Florida sun. "What happens when it rains?"

Tony shrugged. "Probably pleather. Although can you believe some of the shit these rich people spend money on? We've got a guy who wants a full-time camera stationed on some ugly ass painting in his living room."

I laughed. "They're crazy here."