realize she loved?”
Lila laughed. “I hate to burst your romance bubble, but your mom wasn’t in love with the guy—whoever he was.”
Campbell frowned. “How do you know? I mean, if you don’t even know who he is?”
She shrugged. “If it was love, she would’ve told us.”
Jane swallowed and stared at her plate.
Campbell studied them both.
“Maybe Campbell’s right, girls,” Adele said. “Maybe you’ve missed something. Hon, we were talking earlier about an art class your mama took at the community college. Could’ve been someone from there? We’ll put the pages together and see what we find.”
Campbell’s confidence had gone. Not only had her mother left her father’s identity out of the book, but she’d been embarrassed about it. Not even in love with the guy.
A dead end.
Tilly’s words rushed back.
Get home. Where you belong
.
Suddenly she didn’t know if she wanted answers to her questions. Suddenly ignorance felt safer.
THIRTEEN
Campbell
After dinner, in the darkness of the cool May evening, Campbell sat on an outdoor loveseat, Mugsy quietly snoring at her feet. Jane and Lila still sat at the table, talking quietly about the old days, while Luke helped Adele clear the table. When he emerged from the house empty-handed, he spotted Campbell and walked toward her.
He crossed his arms over his chest and stared at her.
“What?” She glanced up at him.
“Wanna go for a walk?” His lopsided grin lured her in, and against her better judgment she stood.
“Should we bring Mugsy?” Campbell glanced at the mutt lazing at her feet.
“Nah, this dog is older than the hills.” He led her out of the back yard and down the driveway.
Campbell laughed, falling into step beside him. “Your mom said that too. I like her. I think she’s sweet.”
“She is. Balances out Mom’s saltiness.” He smirked.
“Your mom is plenty sweet.” Campbell tossed a glance back toward the house. “I wish I could stay.”
“You’re leaving then?”
She looked away. “Not much point hanging around. You heard them—the scrapbook doesn’t have the answers I’m looking for.”
“For what it’s worth, I think you should at least try. Stay a few days. Blossom Fest—”
“I know.” She smiled. “I hear it’s a lot of fun.”
“It’s okay. You know, if you like tours of the orchard in bloom, a lit Ferris wheel on the beach at night, the parade and old movies in the park.” He stared straight ahead. “Aren’t you a photographer? Think of the pictures you could get.”
“Had to throw that in there, didn’t you?” Campbell glanced at him, falling into step at his side. “You sound like a tourist brochure.”
He shrugged. “Whatever it takes to get you to stay. Besides, you still haven’t seen all that Sweethaven has to offer. I could take you on a tour. You can bring your camera.”
She hated to admit it sounded like the perfect way to spend a day. No deadlines. Nowhere to be. What kind of creativity would emerge without the pressure of an assignment?
But what about Mom’s will? Tilly said they needed her tomorrow. And in a few days she had to be back for work. It would be best to take care of Mom’s will, the house—everything—before then.
“Could you show me something now?” She tossed a look in his direction.
“Name it.”
“I want to see where my mom grew up. I’m curious about the people who bought the cottage after my grandparents died.” She glanced back the way they’d just come. Perhaps they’d passed the old house and she didn’t realize it.
Luke cleared his throat. “Maybe we should do that when it’s light out. You won’t be able to see much now.”
“No, this way I can sneak on by and no one will notice I’m there.” She bumped into his shoulder. “Please?”
He slowed his pace and studied her eyes. “You sure you want to see it?”
She frowned. “Why wouldn’t I?”
They stood at the corner of Elm and Juniper Drive. He glanced up at the
Lila laughed. “I hate to burst your romance bubble, but your mom wasn’t in love with the guy—whoever he was.”
Campbell frowned. “How do you know? I mean, if you don’t even know who he is?”
She shrugged. “If it was love, she would’ve told us.”
Jane swallowed and stared at her plate.
Campbell studied them both.
“Maybe Campbell’s right, girls,” Adele said. “Maybe you’ve missed something. Hon, we were talking earlier about an art class your mama took at the community college. Could’ve been someone from there? We’ll put the pages together and see what we find.”
Campbell’s confidence had gone. Not only had her mother left her father’s identity out of the book, but she’d been embarrassed about it. Not even in love with the guy.
A dead end.
Tilly’s words rushed back.
Get home. Where you belong
.
Suddenly she didn’t know if she wanted answers to her questions. Suddenly ignorance felt safer.
THIRTEEN
Campbell
After dinner, in the darkness of the cool May evening, Campbell sat on an outdoor loveseat, Mugsy quietly snoring at her feet. Jane and Lila still sat at the table, talking quietly about the old days, while Luke helped Adele clear the table. When he emerged from the house empty-handed, he spotted Campbell and walked toward her.
He crossed his arms over his chest and stared at her.
“What?” She glanced up at him.
“Wanna go for a walk?” His lopsided grin lured her in, and against her better judgment she stood.
“Should we bring Mugsy?” Campbell glanced at the mutt lazing at her feet.
“Nah, this dog is older than the hills.” He led her out of the back yard and down the driveway.
Campbell laughed, falling into step beside him. “Your mom said that too. I like her. I think she’s sweet.”
“She is. Balances out Mom’s saltiness.” He smirked.
“Your mom is plenty sweet.” Campbell tossed a glance back toward the house. “I wish I could stay.”
“You’re leaving then?”
She looked away. “Not much point hanging around. You heard them—the scrapbook doesn’t have the answers I’m looking for.”
“For what it’s worth, I think you should at least try. Stay a few days. Blossom Fest—”
“I know.” She smiled. “I hear it’s a lot of fun.”
“It’s okay. You know, if you like tours of the orchard in bloom, a lit Ferris wheel on the beach at night, the parade and old movies in the park.” He stared straight ahead. “Aren’t you a photographer? Think of the pictures you could get.”
“Had to throw that in there, didn’t you?” Campbell glanced at him, falling into step at his side. “You sound like a tourist brochure.”
He shrugged. “Whatever it takes to get you to stay. Besides, you still haven’t seen all that Sweethaven has to offer. I could take you on a tour. You can bring your camera.”
She hated to admit it sounded like the perfect way to spend a day. No deadlines. Nowhere to be. What kind of creativity would emerge without the pressure of an assignment?
But what about Mom’s will? Tilly said they needed her tomorrow. And in a few days she had to be back for work. It would be best to take care of Mom’s will, the house—everything—before then.
“Could you show me something now?” She tossed a look in his direction.
“Name it.”
“I want to see where my mom grew up. I’m curious about the people who bought the cottage after my grandparents died.” She glanced back the way they’d just come. Perhaps they’d passed the old house and she didn’t realize it.
Luke cleared his throat. “Maybe we should do that when it’s light out. You won’t be able to see much now.”
“No, this way I can sneak on by and no one will notice I’m there.” She bumped into his shoulder. “Please?”
He slowed his pace and studied her eyes. “You sure you want to see it?”
She frowned. “Why wouldn’t I?”
They stood at the corner of Elm and Juniper Drive. He glanced up at the
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