Page 146 of Falling Overboard

I didn’t even know what to make of this. That surreal feeling returned, like I had wandered into someone else’s life.

But if this was how my relationship with my sisters was going to be from now on? I would very happily take it.

And as I lay down to go to sleep, I realized that the person I most wanted to tell about how things had changed with the twins was Hunter.

The next morning I began to contact crew agents to see if there were any openings. I sent out emails with my CV and said I was available for immediate hire.

I heard back immediately from one of the agencies, and the woman there warned me that, at this point in the season, crews were well established. The only way I’d find a new position would be a situation like the one I’d just left—where the former crewmembers were either jumping ship or being fired due to a somewhat toxic environment. I was used to that, though.

She was the only agent who responded the first day. It made me wonder if Captain Carl had called crew agents and told them not to hire me.

Word spread fast in our industry.

I helped take care of Lily, as she was still recovering. She asked me more questions about Hunter and I found that I loved talking about him nearly as much as I loved being with him.

“And do you believe him? That he didn’t kiss that girl?” she asked carefully.

“I want to. More than anything. And if I can’t believe him, there can’t be a relationship. I’m just scared. But I don’t know if I’m letting the fear take over and crowd everything else out. I don’t want to do that. I want to make the right choice.”

“Do you miss him?”

“So much that it’s hard to breathe when I think about him too often.”

“That kind of feels like an answer,” she said.

“Maybe. Or maybe I need to give it more time.”

That evening I got a text from a number I didn’t recognize.

Lucky?

My first wild, heart-thumping thought was that it was Hunter. That he had borrowed someone else’s phone and was texting me. In case I had blocked him, even though I would never do that.

Who’s this?

Rodney Whitlock.

The disappointment I felt was palpable. It made me wonder if that was another clue to my true feelings.

How are you?

I’m good. I have something I wanted to send over to you. Can I get your address?

Right. He had wanted to send me his wife’s recipes. I gave him my sisters’ address.

Thank you. It will be there tomorrow.

My heart skipped a beat. What if ...

What if what he planned on sending me was Hunter?

Chapter Forty-Nine

Lucky

When there was a knock on the door the next morning, I was nervous and excited. As was Chauncy, who barked himself silly. I had even gotten dressed up, put on some makeup, and brushed my hair. My face still seemed a little puffy from all the crying that I had done but it would have to be good enough.

But when I opened the door, it wasn’t Hunter.

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