Page 42 of A Whisper of Summer Magic

“You wouldn’t dare,” Meghan challenged.

“Kinda feral, dude,” Storm said. “Consider that your gift for helping today.”

Jackson stared at Meghan and stuck his finger in his mouth. “Delicious. But I’m not hungry.”

He put the open jar down, rather hard and stalked back out. Whiskey shot her a dirty look and regally stalked out after Jackson.

“What was that about?”

Sarah curled a finger under Meghan’s chin and closed her mouth.

“I think you hurt his feelings, Meghan,” Sarah said softly.

“Why? How?”

“Figure it out, jam girl.” Storm grabbed a plate of biscuits and one of the jars of jam cooling on the nook table and followed Jackson out again. “Soon.”

*

“I feel likethis is our new gathering spot,” Sarah said quietly as the gas-fed fire-pit flames danced over their faces. They’d made mini pizzas for dinner after closing down the nursery and cleaning up after the open house, and now the spectacular sunset bathed the garden in pink, golds, and purple. It was beautiful, and Meghan thought to take a picture, but couldn’t stir herself enough to drag her phone out of her back pocket.

Jessica had planted mosquito-resistant plants around the fire pit, and they also had a circle of citronella candles on distressed metal candle holders. Still Meghan had brought out the bug spray after liberally spraying herself away from the others as her sisters preferred more natural methods of pest control. As the lawyer and likely most hard-assed of her sisters, Meghan felt like her attitude alone should keep the bugs at bay, but no, she’d always been the one who got munched on the most growing up.

“I’d expected us to gather in Grandma Millie’s parlor or the kitchen on get-togethers,” Sarah mused, leaning her head back against the chair and staring at the sky.

Jessica curled up next to Storm, her head against his shoulder and their hands interlinked. It gave Meghan a funny feeling in her tummy. She’d expected Jackson to stay for dinner, but he’d disappeared without saying goodbye after helping Storm with something.

Sarah had implied that she’d hurt his feelings? How?

“Is it lonely there?” Chloe asked.

Sarah didn’t answer for a moment, and in the past, Chloe would have taken that space and filled it, peppering Sarah with more questions. But the space lingered, expanded in the beauty of the night.

We’re all growing up. Making changes.

In the beginnings of building new lives for themselves. But why did she feel so unsettled instead of invigorated by the new and different opportunities?

“It’s quiet,” Sarah stated the obvious after a while. “A lot of memories. It helps me hold on to Grandma Millie,” Sarah added. “But I can’t help feeling the house wants a family.”

Meghan sat upright, leaned forward, weight on the balls of her feet and looked across the fire at her sister. Jessica, quietly scrolling on her phone with Storm, turned it over on her thigh.

“Yes, a family,” Meghan said. “Soon.” She stared at her sister as if she could channel the connection to the professor and his sweet, shy little girl, Sage.

“Do you think we should sell it?” Chloe’s voice squeaked, and her unusually colored eyes—dark blue with one more pansy-colored—were huge with dismay.

“Noooooo,” Sarah drawled after an uncomfortable pause. “No. I guess I just never imagined the house without Grandma Millie in it, but…”

They all waited.

Sarah looked at them, her expression rueful.

“I can make some tea or something,” Storm said, rising.

He was intuitive for a man, who seemed like the ultimate man’s man—former star athlete, who’d chosen a highly physical job outside. He was a lot like Jackson, who wasn’t like any man Meghan had ever dated, even casually.

Not that we’re dating.

But with his absence tonight, she was forced to admit she wanted to. She missed him.

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