Key West Promises (Seaside Palms #1)

Chapter 27

CHAPTER 27

A t Paradise Harbor House everyone gathered, keenly aware of the delicate dynamics about to unfold with Sarah's arrival.

Will checked his phone for updates and waited for Kaitlyn to introduce her sister to him.

Kaitlyn took Sarah’s hand and pulled her inside. “Everyone, this is my sister, Sarah.”

Before anyone else could step forward, Kaitlyn gently took Sarah's hand, guiding her attention to a woman who had been waiting with a mix of apprehension and hope. "Sarah, there’s someone very important I want you to meet first. This is my mother, Gretchen. She’s visiting but lives on Captiva Island."

Gretchen stepped forward, her expression composed but her eyes revealing the depth of her emotions. "Hello, Sarah. I’m so happy to finally meet you.”

The weight of their shared history hung in the air, but Gretchen’s greeting was warm, setting a tone of reconciliation and understanding.

After a brief, poignant pause, Kaitlyn introduced Tess, Leah and Chelsea. "These are my aunts, Tess and Leah. They live here in Key West. Aunt Chelsea lives on Captiva Island near my mom. They’ve been really looking forward to meeting you."

Tess and Leah approached with open smiles, their demeanor welcoming. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Sarah," Tess said, her voice soothing.

Leah added, "We hope you'll feel at home here with us."

Chelsea didn’t waste any time being Chelsea. “I’m a hugger. Do you mind if I give you a hug?”

Sarah laughed. “Nope. I’d love a hug.”

“One hug coming up!” Chelsea said as she leaned in and squeezed Sarah.

Elena was next, her introduction brief but heartfelt. "I'm Elena, I run Paradise Harbor House, welcome."

Lastly, Kaitlyn turned to Will, who had been a quiet pillar of strength throughout the evening. "And this is Will, my boyfriend. He's been an incredible support to us all here."

Will extended his hand, his greeting warm and sincere. "Nice to meet you, Sarah. Kaitlyn has told me so much about you."

With the introductions complete, the evening slowly shifted from tentative greetings to more relaxed interactions. The initial awkwardness gave way as conversations began to flow, stories were shared, and laughter started to fill the room.

“Dad should be here any minute, right?” Sarah asked.

Will looked at his watch. “I’d say within the hour. Maybe you two should kill a little time and have something to eat, then head over to the hotel.”

Kaitlyn nodded. “Good idea. You must be hungry. Let’s get a burger next door. There’s a great little place we can sit for a bit.”

Chelsea handed Sarah’s room key to Kaitlyn. “I left Jeffrey’s at the front desk.”

“It was nice to meet you all. I hope I see you again before I go back home.”

Everyone waved and agreed to get together soon.

Kaitlyn was about to leave when she turned and ran back to Gretchen. She wrapped her arms around her mother, and whispered, “Thank you for being my mom.”

In her suite at The Gardens Hotel, Sarah sat cross-legged on one of the four-poster beds while Kaitlyn settled into a nearby armchair. The elegant room felt like a sanctuary, removed from the drama unfolding around them. Through the French doors, the garden's fountain provided a gentle backdrop to their conversation.

"So," Sarah began, her fingers playing with the edge of a pillow, "what kind of music do you like?" The question came out in a rush, as if she'd been storing it up for months.

Kaitlyn smiled. "A bit of everything, really. But I'm pretty obsessed with Taylor Swift."

"Me too!" Sarah's face lit up. "Dad always complains when I play 'Anti-Hero' too loud, but Joanna's worse—she says Taylor Swift is just feeding teenage angst."

"Mom used to say the same thing." Kaitlyn laughed. "What about movies? What's your favorite?"

"Promise not to laugh?" Sarah waited for Kaitlyn's nod. "I'm kind of obsessed with all the Marvel movies. I've seen them like a million times."

"Seriously? I dragged my college roommate to every single premiere!" Kaitlyn leaned forward. "Who's your favorite character?"

"Wanda. Definitely Wanda." Sarah hesitated, then added more quietly, "Maybe because she lost her family too, you know?"

The weight of that settled between them for a moment before Sarah brightened again. "What was senior year like? I'm kind of nervous about it."

"Honestly? It was both better and worse than I expected," Kaitlyn answered. "The workload's intense, especially with college applications, but it's also when I really figured out who my true friends were."

Sarah's phone buzzed, making them both jump. "It's Dad," she said, glancing at the screen. "He's in Marathon."

Kaitlyn felt her stomach tighten. Marathon meant he was getting closer. "We still have time," she assured her sister. "Tell me more about school. What's your favorite subject?"

"English. I love creative writing." Sarah tucked her hair behind her ear—the same nervous gesture Kaitlyn often made. "What about college? Was it scary, living away from home?"

"College was…an adjustment," Kaitlyn admitted. "But in a good way. You figure out who you are when nobody has any preconceptions about you."

Sarah pulled her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them. "Did you date much in college?"

"A few guys, nothing serious, at least not in college. Recently though, things have become pretty serious with Will." Kaitlyn couldn't help smiling at the mention of his name.

"He seems really nice," Sarah said, then blushed slightly. "I mean, from what I could see. The way he looks at you…" She trailed off, playing with the edge of her sundress. "I kind of have a boyfriend. His name's Alex. But we've never even kissed."

Kaitlyn shifted to sit on the bed beside her sister. "Tell me about Alex."

"He's in my English class. We write notes to each other—actual paper notes, not texts. Everyone thinks it's weird but…" Sarah's blush deepened. "It's romantic, you know? He writes poetry sometimes. Really bad poetry, but still."

"That is romantic," Kaitlyn agreed. "So why haven't you kissed yet?"

"We're both kind of shy. Plus, his parents are super strict about dating. We mostly just hang out at school or with groups of friends." Sarah glanced at her sister. "When did you have your first kiss?"

"Junior year. Tommy Matthews behind the bleachers after a football game." Kaitlyn laughed at the memory. "It was terrible. We both had braces."

"Really?" Sarah giggled. "That makes me feel better. Everyone acts like they're experts at it, but I get so nervous just thinking about it."

"Trust me, nobody's an expert at sixteen, no matter what they say." Kaitlyn bumped her sister's shoulder gently. "The right moment will happen when it happens. Don't let anyone pressure you."

Sarah's phone buzzed again. This time it was a text from Joanna. She ignored it.

"You should at least let her know you're safe," Kaitlyn suggested softly.

"I will. Just…not yet." Sarah turned to face her sister more fully. "What about Will? How did you meet him?"

"He was filming at Paradise Harbor House. I thought he was going to be this pushy documentary guy, but…" Kaitlyn smiled, remembering. "He saw me. The real me, not just what I was trying to project.

"Like Alex," Sarah said thoughtfully. "He doesn't care that I'm not all confident like the other girls. He likes that I'm quiet sometimes. I think it’s because he’s shy too."

Their shared moment was interrupted by Kaitlyn's phone chiming. A text from Chelsea: Jeffrey just passed the Seven Mile Bridge.

"He's getting closer," Sarah said quietly, reading the tension in her sister's face.

"Yeah." Kaitlyn reached for her sister's hand. "But we're in this together now. Whatever happens next, we face it as sisters."

Sarah squeezed her hand. "Promise?"

"Promise." Kaitlyn looked at their joined hands, so similar in size and shape. "You know what's weird? All those years I wished for a sister, and here you were."

"I used to practice telling people I had a sister," Sarah admitted. "In my head, I mean. I'd imagined introducing you to my friends, having someone to talk to about…everything."

"Well, now you do. And I have some pretty amazing aunts too. Aunt Chelsea already loves you—she arranged all this. And Aunt Tess and Aunt Leah are going to spoil you rotten."

Sarah's eyes filled with tears. "I've wanted this for so long. To just…belong somewhere. With someone who understands.”

Kaitlyn pulled her sister into another hug, feeling the weight of their shared loss and their new beginning all at once. “Come on, let’s go explore the gardens. This place is beautiful and you should get some photos.”

Sarah followed Kaitlyn to the courtyard and then they walked through the gardens, enjoying the tranquility of the hotel grounds.

As the Key West evening was settling in, somewhere on the Overseas Highway, their father was getting closer. But in this moment, in this beautiful room at The Gardens Hotel, two sisters were building a bridge across the years that had separated them.