Shadowlands (Shadowlands 1)

I glanced down at the sundress I’d borrowed from Darcy, with its cap sleeves and a swishy skirt that tickled my thighs as we walked. I’d even ditched the braid, going with a low ponytail instead. The whole getup made me feel lighter somehow. More free.

“Maybe I will,” I replied.

As we got to the top of the bluff, and the crowd of fresh-faced, tanned locals and visitors came into view, I took a deep breath of the floral air and sighed.

“Glad you came?” Aaron asked, giving me a squeeze.

“Definitely.”

We walked toward the gazebo at the center of the outcropping. Most people seemed to be gathered near its steps, and as we got closer I saw why. There was a big table offering trays of cupcakes, cookies, and fruit bars. A couple of standing coolers held lemonade and iced tea. Just beyond the gazebo, I saw Tristan’s house, sitting at the highest point on the island, the American flag out front whipping in the breeze. I saw myself standing there that day Olive and I had gone for a run together—saw me looking down at this very gazebo, feeling, if only briefly, that all was right in the world as I waited for her to catch up. I wondered where Olive was tonight, and I hoped that wherever she was, she was feeling that way now.

“Why don’t you guys find a place to sit and I’ll get us some food?” Aaron suggested, handing me the plaid blanket he’d brought along.

“Sounds good. Darcy?” I asked.

She was standing on her toes, craning her neck, searching the crowd. I rolled my eyes and grabbed her hand.

“Come on,” I said. “Let the guys come to you, remember?”

She sighed, bringing her heels back to earth. “Did I say that?”

We walked around the gazebo and saw that people had set up chairs and blankets facing the water. I unfolded our blanket, and Darcy helped me flatten it out on the grass. We settled in next to each other, and I leaned back on my hands.

“Too bad Dad decided to write tonight,” I said with a sigh. “He used to love fireworks.”

“I know, right? Running, writing, apologizing…it’s like the last five years never happened,” Darcy replied. She sat up on her knees, her butt leaned back on her feet, scanning the crowd.

“Weird, right?” I said, warming to the topic. Darcy and I almost never talked seriously about anything. “Do you think he’ll—”

“I’m sorry. I can’t just sit here,” Darcy interrupted. “I bet he’s looking for me.”

I groaned. So much for that.

“Then let him find you,” I suggested. “Didn’t Mom always say that if you ever get lost, the best way to be found is to stay in one place?”

Darcy chewed on the inside of her cheek. “She did say that.” She took a deep breath, and for a second I thought she was going to relax, but instead she jumped to her feet. The sky overhead had darkened to a deep purple, and people were starting to move from the gazebo, closing in around us. “I’ll just do a quick loop of the crowd.”

“Darcy,” I said, pushing myself up. “Look at yourself. This isn’t you. Why are you going out of your way for someone who’s clearly blowing you off?”

Her green eyes flashed. “I can’t believe you just said that to me,” she said, crossing her arms over her stomach.

I tried to think of some way to take it back, but it was too late now. And besides, I was right and she needed to hear what I thought.

“I’m sorry, but I think Joaquin is a total player, and I just don’t want you to get hurt,” I told her.

“If you care so much about me not getting hurt, then maybe you should stop flirting with him in front of everyone,” she spat out.

“What?” I said, my face screwing up in confusion.

“Oh, please! Drop the innocent act already, Rory!” she cried, throwing her arms up and letting them drop down at her sides. I s

aw a couple of passersby whisper about us but couldn’t have cared less. “First I see you guys hugging, then this morning he’s whispering in your ear in front of the house? You like him, Rory! Admit it!”

“What do you do, spend all your time in your window seat spying on me?” I shot back. “And for your information, I didn’t ask him to do either of those things!”

“Oh, no? Well, what about Christopher? Did you ask him to break up with me, or was that all him, too?”

A single firework popped overhead, a bright, white, earthshaking blast to announce the start of the show. Everyone around us cheered and clapped. Darcy and I simply stood there, facing off.