Page 31 of Butterfly Sisters
“I think Colton was only kidding. But I know you’re probably sensitive right now…”
“I’ll be fine, Mama, thanks.”
As she ran the soap over her face and down her neck, she considered the fact that the reason she was so upset was because deep down, she thought Colton might be right about her.
With the party still going on outside, Leigh sat in her bedroom, still trying to muster the energy to get back out there. She’d pinned her hair back to get it off her face, and she’d also put on a little powder and lip-gloss before slipping on one of her sundresses and wrapping another sweater over her shoulders. She was completely ready to go back out to the party, but she just couldn’t. She’d talked it up, reminding herself that this was for Meredith. Her sister had done something amazing and it was worth celebrating. She promised to pour herself another glass of champagne, laugh it all off. But every time she went to stand up, the tears would come.
She went into the living room and pulled out the letter from Nan, her gaze running along the line:No matter what, you’ll be okay.She needed to hear that.
The back door opened and she shoved the letter into the desk drawer.
“Hey,” Colton said from the doorway.
She turned around. “Hi.” He’d changed his T-shirt to a faded-green one with some brand name she didn’t recognize on the front, the hem of it darker from brushing up against his wet jeans. “New shirt?”
“Had it in the truck.” He walked into the room, the yellow slant of evening sunlight sliding in through the window behind him. “You coming back out?”
“I was trying to,” she said, taking in a steadying breath.
“If you’re worried about having to see people, mostly everyone’s gone now or leaving, and your mom convinced Meredith to go with her to take Thomas and Rosemary home by boat, so it’s really just me and Elvis.” He held the door open. “Wanna come out?”
She followed him through the porch to the patio below, under the lights. They went over to the hammock, and he sat down perpendicular to it, steadying the swing with his feet firmly planted on the ground and patted the ropey space beside him. Leigh sunk into it and he released his hold, the two of them swinging back and forth. Elvis settled by the tree where he’d been earlier.
“Sorry if I upset you today,” he said. “I was just messing around. I didn’t mean to make you cry.”
She hadn’t cried in front of anyone. She’d been in the cabin alone when she’d fallen apart. “How did you know I was crying?”
The fondness that she used to see in his eyes rushed back in.
“Your chin does that little twitch just before you lose it. I saw it when you were on your way inside.”
She swallowed, her heart thumping. “It’s fine. I’m just sensitive right now.”
“Wanna tell me why?”
She’d never seen him this serious.
“Just work, and being back at the cabin without Nan. And Mama has something she needs to tell us that she won’t.” She turned her head to look at him, those dark eyes on her, his golden strands of hair falling across his forehead, and for an instant it felt as if they were seventeen again.
Without warning, a butterfly flew in, settling on the edge of the hammock, flapping its yellow wings. “Oh, look at that,” she said, pointing to it. “I wonder what kind that is.”
Colton shrugged, his attention moving over to it.
“You know, I saw a butterfly on the way here too.”
He turned back toward her, disturbing the insect. The yellow butterfly fluttered off.
“It was right before I stopped into Leon’s to get directions.”
He grinned at her.
“What?”
“Maybe it’s your nan.”
She rolled onto her side, jiggling the hammock, supporting her head with her arm. “That’s a wonderful thought. You know, she used to draw butterflies in this leather journal of hers, but I haven’t seen it. I wonder where it is…” She rearranged herself, attempting to climb out of the hammock. “We should try to find it.”
“Right now?”
