Page 51 of Key West Promises

And for the first time in a long while, Gretchen believed she just might.

Chelsea could feel the beat of Key West's nightlife in her bones as she sat in the beach chair behind Tess and Leah's yellow bungalow, the music from Duval Street carrying on the evening breeze. Though she'd visited her sisters here before, the rhythm of the island still felt wonderfully foreign compared to the quiet shores of Captiva where she and Gretchen lived. But tonight, her attention wasn't on the distant revelry—it was on her little sister, who sat beside her in uncharacteristic silence.

Taking a sip of her iced tea, Chelsea studied her sister's profile. Gretchen had that look on her face, the one she'd worn since they were kids whenever something big was weighing on her mind.

"You're awfully quiet," Chelsea said, breaking the evening silence.

Gretchen exhaled softly. "Just thinking."

"That's dangerous." Chelsea couldn't help but smirk as she took another sip of tea. Some things never changed—like her need to tease her sister whenever she got too serious.

Gretchen huffed out a small laugh but didn't argue, which only confirmed Chelsea's suspicions. Instead, she wrapped her arms around herself, and Chelsea recognized that defensive posture immediately. Whatever was on her mind, it was big.

Setting her glass down on the table between them, Chelsea turned to face her sister fully. "You're thinking about moving here, aren't you?"

The way Gretchen's lips parted in surprise told her she'd hit the nail on the head. "What?"

"You heard me." Chelsea kept her tone gentle, knowing how easily Gretchen could spook when confronted with her own thoughts. "You've been looking at this place differently. Now that Kaitlyn is here, I can see the wheels turning in your head."

Gretchen shook her head, letting out that soft chuckle she always used when she felt exposed. "You always did know me too well."

"So, is that it?" Chelsea pressed, even as a knot formed in her stomach. As much as she loved visiting Tess and Leah, something about the idea of Gretchen moving here felt wrong. "Are you thinking of coming back here to live? I know Kaitlyn is here, but remember how unhappy you were when you were down here before?"

Gretchen sighed, rubbing a hand over her face—another childhood gesture Chelsea remembered well. "For a minute, I thought about it. I really did."

Chelsea waited, watching her carefully. Over the years, she'd learned that Gretchen needed space to work through her thoughts. Sometimes, being a good big sister meant knowing when to stay quiet.

"And…" Gretchen trailed off before shaking her head. "As much as I love visiting here with Kaitlyn, as much as I love seeing Tess and Leah so happy, Key West isn't where I belong."

The knot in Chelsea's stomach loosened slightly. Her sister was right, she'd known it from the moment she'd spotted Gretchen watching the sunset crowds on Mallory Square with that overwhelmed look in her eyes.

"This town is exciting, and I get why Kaitlyn loves it," Gretchen continued. “The energy, the people, the work she's doing at Paradise Harbor House, it's all part of something bigger than herself." She let out a breath. "Don't get me wrong, I'm still a work in progress, and I think finding something that really matters to me is in my future. It's just that right now, Key West isn't what I need."

"What do you need?" Chelsea asked, though she already knew the answer. She'd watched her relax in Captiva, and Chelsea could see how the quieter pace suited her.

Gretchen's gaze softened as she spoke. "Home. Quiet. Stability. Peace." She turned to Chelsea. "Captiva has that. I need that. I feel like I belong there."

Relief flooded through Chelsea. "You sure?"

"I'm sure." A genuine smile spread across Gretchen's face. "Captiva is slow mornings with coffee on the lanai. Long walks on empty beaches. A town that winds down at sunset instead of revving up. I laugh when I think that just as Captiva is going to bed, Key West is starting the party."

Chelsea couldn't help but laugh. "Yeah, Key West is definitely not Captiva, and I’m grateful for that,” she said.

"No, it's not." Gretchen smiled wryly. "I love visiting here. I love spending time with Tess and Leah, and now with Kaitlyn. But I don't belong here the way they do."

Chelsea nodded slowly, thinking about how different their lives were from their sisters'. While Tess and Leah thrived on Key West's endless energy, its vibrant art scene, and even its tourist-filled streets, she and Gretchen had found their peace in Captiva's gentler rhythms.

"Did you hear yourself?" Chelsea couldn't help pointing out. "'The waytheydo? Does this mean you’re finally accepting that this might be where Kaitlyn will settle?'"

Gretchen smiled, catching her meaning. "I see you're using my words against me."

"Of course I am. It's my way of pointing out the obvious." Chelsea leaned back in her chair, feeling more relaxed now that they were on the same page. "I'm happy you're staying in Captiva. If you'd said you were moving here, I was worried I'd have to talk you out of it."

Gretchen's laugh echoed in the night air. "Oh really?"

"Yes, really," Chelsea said, crossing her arms. "I was already thinking about how I'd have to convince you that Key West is too much for you. That you'd hate the tourists, the late-night noise, the endless energy." She grinned, remembering their first morning here. "And don't even pretend you'd survive in a neighborhood with rooster wake-up calls every morning."

Gretchen wrinkled her nose in that familiar way that always made her look twelve again. "No way. I can barely handle the seagulls back home."

---