Page 4 of Places I've Never Been

Mattie shook her head. She was too numb to do much else.

Lizzie picked up her purse. “I’ll see you guys at the party.”

Mattie almost called her back. Nothing Lizzie did would fix what had just happened, and nothing would ever be the same again. But she knew Lizzie had to try, for her own sake. She was their problem solver and their rock. But it wasn’t going to work this time.

Mattie sensed that as sure as she sensed when a song would hit big. It was just something sheknew, deep down, in the pit of her stomach. Nothing Lizzie could say to Renic would change or fix what had just ripped apart.

She took a deep, shuddering breath. She felt so lost and alone that she thought she might drown.

Della touched her arm. Her eyes pleaded for understanding. “You get why I did it, don’t you, Mattie?”

“No.” Mattie struggled to make her voice come out steady. “But I guess I don’t need to. As you said, it’s done. The door is closed on what was. It’s true, nothing gold can stay.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Della sat next to her to pull on white tennis shoes trimmed with sparkling laces.

“It’s a poem by Robert Frost. It means things change, and all things end. Nothing stays the same forever.” Mattie sighed, but the pain in her chest remained. “If this is what makes you happy, then clearly that’s the only thing that matters.”

A hint of uncertainty flashed throughDella’s eyes. Then it vanished, replaced by a spark of determination. “Iamhappy. You will be too. You’ll see.”

“I guess we all will,” Mattie said.

Her tears had slowed, and the deep, stabbing pain in her chest had dulled to an ache she had a feeling would be around for a long time. She picked up her purse, and walked out, leaving Della behind in the empty dressing room.

“I should have known,” she told the air. “Nothing lasts forever. Not even us.”

Chapter One

FOUR YEARS LATER

Mattie Bellamy waited for her sisters in the hidden back patio of her favorite Los Angeles restaurant, The Flower Pot, with barely contained anticipation. This brunch was the first time she’d seen Lizzie and Piper at the same time in nearly four years. Four years waswaytoo long to go between group hugs.

Mattie glanced at the three empty chairs. One of them would remain empty, which twisted her heart. Her youngest sister, Della, hadn’t been invited to this family reunion.

Most people didn’t know there were four Bellamy sisters, because her oldest sister, Lizzie, stayed backstage, organizing, planning, and making sure everything worked. Mattie, Piper, and Della had been the ones out in front, making the music and living the public life. At least, until Della split up their band four years ago.

“Mattie Cake!” Lizzie’s voice carried from inside the house out to the patio, a triumphant happy sound. She hovered in the doorway, looking country-girl beautiful in faded jeans and aturquoise top with her rich brown hair pulled back in a wavy ponytail.

“Lizzie!” Mattie jumped up and ran to her sister. They met in a flurry of arms and smiles and fell into a tight, fierce hug. “Missed you!”

“Missed you more. I don’t ever want to go a whole year without seeing you in person ever again. It’s too long.” Lizzie pulled back and looked Mattie over. “Oh my God, look at you. You got bangs! And I love that skirt. You look like an earth fairy. I had no idea you could get this tanned.”

Mattie flounced her hair and lifted her face to the sky. “The sun worships me.”

Lizzie laughed. “I don’t blame it. You actually glow like a goddess.”

“I’m just a girl who really loves her rooftop deck. You should come check it out while you’re in LA.” She grabbed her sister’s hand and stared at the flashy new ring that adorned a very special finger. “Video chat doesn’t do this thing justice. It’s perfect.”

Lizzie gazed at the ring with a secretive smile. “It really is.”

“Have you and Renic set a date?”

Lizzie’s eyes danced with amusement. “Four of them actually. Every time Renic picked a date, there was already an event planned, so I booked every weekend in June next year just in case. That gives me over a year to get it together. I’ll have to let some of the days go eventually but I wanted to get everyone’s schedules nailed down first.”

“Sounds like a solid plan to me. I’ll block the whole month too so I can come help you with all the fun prep stuff.”

“I’ll need all the help I can get.” Lizzie offered her a grateful smile. “I swear other people’s events have so much less pressure. The bride’s never look as frazzled as I feel.”

“That’s because they have you to plan for them.” Mattie lether go and gestured to the table. “I ordered chips and guacamole while we wait, and they make a great screwdriver. Or they have this new red thing with an umbrella that you might like.”

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