Fourteen
Sadie
L ast night at the family dinner, Beckett’s mom, Vicky—who absolutely refuses for me to call her anything else—roped me into her latest project.
She’s chairing a fundraiser for kids who need medical care in rural Canada.
Despite our medical care being free, rural areas are always short on doctors, and the money raised will help bring medical professionals to remote communities all over the province.
Thankfully, it’s already mostly put together. My job is just to pick up the donations local businesses have promised for the silent auction. Easy enough.
At least, that’s what I told myself.
Now I’m juggling a paper checklist and a trunk already half-full of wine baskets and gift cards.
The people in this town are generous—chefs handing over dinner vouchers, shop owners packaging candles, trinkets, and handwoven throws.
But there are a few things missing, so I also stop by some of my own contacts and get additional donations.
I’m in a groove by the time I pull up to the last stop at Black Bear Vineyard.
I haven’t been here in years, almost a whole decade, not since Ginny left for Vancouver when we were nineteen.
She headed for university with a vow never to return.
Her grandmother is a true matriarch, and a bit scary, if you ask me.
She is strong, and it’s her way or the highway. Ginny had had enough.
Ginny really saved me after my parents died, and we had an apartment together while we finished high school.
We stayed in touch for a while after she left, but we were headed in different directions.
I didn’t want to move to Vancouver, and she didn’t want to look back.
Now it’s been a long time. I’d love to see her again, but don’t even know where she is.
I guess I could ask someone while I’m here.
But then when I enter the gift shop, I see her immediately. For a moment, I’m not sure it can be real. She vowed never to come back here, let alone go to work for her family’s business. But I guess people change.
I’ve managed to close my gaping mouth by the time she turns, her braid tucked over one shoulder. She smiles the second she recognizes me. “Sadie!” she says. “How are you? What brings you here?”
“It’s so good to see you,” I tell her, engulfing her in a hug. When I step back, I hold up my clipboard. “Vicky Paradise roped me into helping with her fundraiser. I’m the errand girl today, picking things up.”
Ginny nods, wiping her hands on her apron. “She’s been working on that forever. Our donation is right here.”
She walks over to the counter and hands me a gorgeous basket—six bottles of wine, a collection of gifts. It’s thoughtful and generous .
“Wow. Thank you.” I lift it carefully. “How long have you been back in town?”
“Not long. I’m sorry I didn’t call. I’ve been—”
I wave her off. “Don’t worry. I get it. I just can’t believe you’re here.”
She chuckles. “Yeah, I know. I’d love to catch up sometime. Maybe hang out?”
“Have you seen Rosie yet?”
She shakes her head. “No, but Mom told me she’s in the hospital. Waiting on a heart.”
“She’d love to see you.”
“I’m not so sure.” She looks away. “I didn’t do a good job keeping in touch.”
“We don’t care about all that. We’re just glad you’re back. I can go with you if it helps. I visit almost every day.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, she’s sick of sudoku and daytime TV. Sometimes we talk, sometimes we play games, and sometimes we plan what we’ll do when she gets her new heart.”
Ginny nods. “I’d love to visit. Maybe I can come with you next week.”
“Great.” There’s a pause. I want to say something that matters, but all I can manage is, “She deserves a heart.”
“She’s a fighter,” Ginny says. “But even fighters get tired.” Then she straightens. “After you’re done with the fundraiser…maybe we could get coffee? Just us.”
I nod before I even think. “Yeah. I’d like that.”
We exchange numbers, and she tells me she’s living in the old caretaker’s cottage on the vineyard.
“Other than fundraising duties, what are you doing these days?” Ginny asks.
I exhale. “Not much different from when you left. I just got out of a bad relationship, the kind you run from or end up in jail over.” I roll my eyes. “I’m crashing at Beckett’s place until I can get on my feet.”
Her brows lift. “Where’s Caleb? ”
“His company has him working in London—in the UK, not Ontario.”
“Nice. Have you visited?”
I shake my head. “I want to. But I feel like I should manage my own life before I couch-surf internationally.”
“Are you working?”
“I am. Tarryn hired me in the Paradise tasting room.”
“You’re with the enemy,” she teases.
“They’ve been good to me.”
She holds up her hand. “No judgment here.”
Just then a customer walks in. Ginny smiles and excuses herself, and I heft the basket and head back to Beckett’s Jeep. I now have a back full of donations to drop off, and Beckett’s backyard pool is calling my name.
I drive away from Black Bear Vineyard with the windows cracked, letting the early summer breeze curl around me. It smells like wet earth and something blooming.
I sort through my feelings about Ginny being back in town.
She seems to have that same ache I sometimes see in my own reflection, the one that comes from running hard and fast, only to end up right back where you started.
She left Paradise on fire. Big city dreams. Fresh start.
Now she’s back. In her family’s gift shop. Wearing her dad’s apron.
I wonder if she came back because she had to—or if she realized what I’m just starting to understand. Sometimes, the place that hurt you most is still the only place that feels like home.
I can’t shake the look on her face when she talked about Rosie, the sadness and hesitation. And she seemed a little scared and tired. But that’s something Rosie and I can fix. Ginny’s part of the sisterhood, and she’s back for a reason. Despite the time apart, she’s still my best friend.
I take the lakefront road for the scenery. I’ve lived here my whole life, and for a while, I forgot how beautiful Paradise is. But not these days.
My phone buzzes .
Beckett: Pizza at Tarryn’s at 6. Don’t be late or she’ll give you the passive-aggressive side-eye.
I smile. A real one. I want to tell him about Ginny. About visiting Rosie together. About how strange and beautiful it is to feel connected again. But I don’t. Maybe later. When I stop at an intersection, I dash off a text.
Me: Sounds great. See you then.
No pool time tonight, but that’s okay. When I was living with Alex, I felt completely alone in Paradise. I don’t feel that way anymore.
I weave through town to the hospital. Things are starting to pick up with all the summer visitors. I love it here when it’s jam packed. I really do live in paradise.
When I reach the hospital, I park near the administration building and haul two tote bags stuffed with whiskey, gift cards, and a handwoven throw blanket through the automatic doors.
The receptionist brightens as I approach.
“I’m here to drop off fundraiser donations,” I tell her. “With the head of development?”
“That’d be Christine. Second door on the right.”
Christine’s office is buried in folders and color-coded spreadsheets, but she lights up when I enter.
“Sadie! Beckett’s Sadie?”
I smile tightly. “Just Sadie’s fine.”
She doesn’t push. I appreciate that. She helps me find a big cart, and we head back out to load it with the remaining donations.
“I stopped by a few other places and picked up some additional things.” I hand her a piece of paper listing all the extra donors. “And I put in an ask with my dad’s best friend. I’ll let you know when I hear from him.”
We stack everything in her office, and after a few quick thank yous, I’m back in the hallway. But I don’t leave. Instead, I take the elevator to Cardiology. Room 304—Rosie’s room.
She’s sitting up, puzzle book in her lap, headband holding her curls back. She looks tired. But her eyes light up when I walk in. “Sadie!”
“Hey, superstar. Thought I’d check in before I go to pizza night at Tarryn’s.
Their mom had me playing errand girl for her fundraiser.
” I give her a hug. “I stopped by Candi’s store, and she put together the most spectacular sweets basket.
And I talked Daniel into a year of free oil changes.
I ended up visiting a lot of my old customers from Della’s, and I got a nice batch of extra loot. ”
“Oooh. Nice work. That dinner is always so fun and fancy,” she says. “Will Beckett be there?”
I smirk. “Probably. Avoiding eye contact and feelings. His specialty.”
She laughs, but then she looks more closely at me. “What’s wrong?”
“Did you know Ginny’s back?”
Her eyes widen. “She is?”
“She’s working at the Black Bear gift shop. We talked when I stopped by for their donation. She said she might come visit next week. I think she’s nervous.”
“You told her we don’t care about anything in the past, right?”
My throat tightens. “Of course.”
“She didn’t say why she came back?”
I shake my head. “Nope.”
Rosie shrugs, flipping her puzzle page. “I need to get out of here. Maybe you could put in a good word and let me know what Beckett says about springing me for a road trip.”
“Promise.” I pause. “You okay?”
She looks at me, eyes suddenly sharp. “I need to breathe fresh air.”
“I have to go to Appleton tomorrow to pick up some of the silent auction items. Maybe I can talk Beckett into giving you a hall pass for the afternoon? ”
“I’d love that. Speaking of Dr. Perfectly Handsome, what’s going on with you two?”
I laugh. “I have no idea.”
“That bad?”
“He avoids me. And when he doesn’t, he looks at me like I’m glass. Or lava.” I decide not to go into further detail. This is her doctor, after all.
“Maybe he’s scared,” she muses.
“Of me?” I force a laugh.
“Of himself.”
Maybe he just wants me to move out . I squeeze her hand. “You’re too wise.”
“Chronic heart failure does that to a girl.”