Page 116 of He Loves Me Knot

On the one hand, Mom was right—several people were on the beach, relaxing into yoga poses. Elle was there, a smile on her face, her blond hair swept back into a messy bun. Quinn’s mom was close by, wearing a hat and a loose white cover-up. Rebecca and Taryn and Hunter were among the yoga group, along with several of the Winnick cousins.

Quinn and his dad appeared to be fishing on the beach with his brothers and Liddy’s dad. Even Leo was there with them.

A content, peaceful scene.

Liddy hugged her arms to her chest, feeling oddly like an outsider.

This was her family.

Her people.

The one group she should fit in with.

Yet most of the time she’d been here, she’d been on the outside. Because of Sergio and the dress andCallum.

Too many lies.

She’d never been so unable to speak freely with her sister.

And even Kyle, who knew the truth, wasn’t exactly happy with her or Callum.

She stepped forward, and then her mom’s voice rang through her head.“You’re really going to yoga, Liddy?”

Tears stung her eyes.

Maybe she’d always been the outsider.

The one who’d held them back.

How many family vacations had never come to fruition because of her spine and her expensive medical care?

Not to mention the times that her parents had declined opportunities because “Liddy won’t be able to do that.”

Elledidseem fine with the changes Kat had made. She didn’t seem mad at her mother-in-law. And Elle had also asked Liddy for her help with the wedding plans that were falling apart, but she’d been so busy trying to track down Sergio that she hadn’t provided it.Of course Elle turned to someone else.

“I’m the problem,” Liddy whispered. She didn’t need Elle to say what a letdown she’d been. She’d been too busy with her own things.How can she not resent me?

Liddy turned to go.

She nearly ran straight into Isla.

“Whoa, lady.” Isla jumped back, then laughed. “We have to find less interesting ways of meeting.” She reached for Liddy’s hand and smiled. She was gorgeous, just like Callum, and equally magnetic. “I feel like I completely embarrassed you last night, by the way. And I probably shouldn’t even bring it up, but I wanted to apologize.”

“No apology necessary.” Isla’s warmth was enough to get Liddy over the embarrassment anyway. Despite not knowing Isla, it was clear she was Callum’s opposite. Or maybe more accurately, Isla was more like the side of Callum that he only showed in private.

“So my brother seems smitten with you,” Isla said, linking arms with Liddy and tugging her back toward the beach. “Which is wonderful because he needs a good woman. He’s spent the past five years only going out with the most inane women on the planet because they’re the only ones who would put up with him.”

Funny how Isla, who Callum rarely talked about, also seemed to be the person he’d allowed to know him best. “I don’t think smitten is the right word.”

“Well, it’s clearly more than lust.” A hint of a dimple showed in Isla’s left cheek as she spoke. “Lust is something he’s able to control. I get the feeling he’s not quite in control when it comes to you.” She stopped, gesturing toward the group doing yoga. “You going to join in?”

Liddy tried not to overthink Isla’s bold words. “I’m not sure. I have a rod in my back. Scoliosis since childhood.”

“There are plenty of yoga poses you can do despite that. Why not get my mum to help? She’s good with that sort of thing.”

Something else Isla had in common with Callum. Her determination not to let Liddy get out of anything easily.

Callum had said she’d like Isla, and he was right.

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