Chapter 27
Ellie
W ith Sadie having only been gone a few hours, Ellie was trying to make the most of her next few days alone in the Cove. Or, well, as alone as one could be with their entire extended family there. Ellie loved them all; she truly did. Ellie loved that her aunts and sisters all had jobs where they could take a few weeks off every summer to be together. She loved that she got in quality bonding time with her mom and mama.
And she loved being able to sit by the pool while Everleigh, Brayden, Blake, Isla, Maddie, and Walker were in an intense game of volleyball while Alexis and Chase put the kids down for a nap. Harper was keeping score, along with going back and forth to whichever team was winning at the moment. Vera was down at the beach with Mason, Eden, and the dogs. Her family was loud most of the time—it was the Irish in them—but Ellie had found a quiet spot on one of the pool loungers to finally start her summer reading. Her mom hadn’t stopped talking about the new Jeneva Rose book, so Ellie was happy to finally get to start it.
However, her happiness only lasted a few chapters before Chase and Alexis sat on either side of her in the lounge chairs and waited for her to look up from her book. Which Ellie was definitely not going to do.
No matter how much they stared.
Silently.
God, they’re so weird.
Ellie tried not to laugh at her inner thoughts. Her older sisters had married two of the best women Ellie knew. They completed the Mackenzie family in a way that made it feel Alexis and Chase were always meant to be a part of their family. But they didn’t need to know that. She could let them assume she was ignoring them for a little while longer.
“ Ellie ,” Chase whined, lowering the book in Ellie’s hand slightly, “I know you see us here.”
“I do now.” Putting her bookmark in the book, Ellie sat it down on the lounge chair beside her. “What are you two up to?”
“We want to know how it went,” Alexis answered for them.
But Ellie decided to play dumb, although she knew exactly what they wanted to know. “How did what go?”
“Oh, don’t be coy, little Mason.” Chase narrowed her eyes at her, the slightest smile on her lips. “You forget, I’m married to your sister. I can read you like a book.”
“And I’m married to the other sister, so between us we’re fluent in Mackenzie.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“ Ellie ,” it was Alexis whining this time, “come on. Tell us about you and Sadie. ”
There was no way to stop the blush that colored Ellie’s cheeks. She buried her face in her hands as Alexis and Chase squealed in unison. Ellie took a few moments to try and compose herself before lowering her hands. Both Alexis and Chase looked like they belonged in Grease singing “Summer Nights.”
Which, of course, made Ellie Sandy. A role she could definitely embody.
“Well, as they say, summer lovin’ can be a blast.”
“You’re such a theater kid,” Alexis playfully rolled her eyes.
“You love me for it.”
“We’d love you more if you’d spill about you and Sadie .”
Although Chase was Ellie’s sister-in-law, she was also Charlie’s cousin. Which meant she was indirectly related to Sadie. How much of what she told Chase would make it back to Charlie? And then to Sadie? Would Alexis tell Blake everything?
Ugh. This is the downside to a big family.
There were no secrets in the Mackenzie family. Ever. It had been something their parents had set in place from as far back as Ellie could remember. Her parents had cultivated a safe space for all their kids, and Ellie never felt judged in their presence. It was why all her siblings had great relationships with their parents. They told their parents everything, and in turn their parents never kept secrets from them. If something was wrong, they handled it the Mackenzie way: together.
Giving in to her insistent sisters-in-law, Ellie asked, “What do you want to know?”
“Who kissed who first?”
“How long have you liked her?”
“Are you two officially dating?”
“Did you all talk about what happens when school starts?”
All their questions blurred together as Ellie quickly tried to remember the order they’d been asked.
“I kissed her first. I’ve liked her since prom. We are officially dating. And what do you mean what happens when school starts ?” Ellie turned her attention to Alexis, who had asked the question. “Should we have talked about that already? I mean, we just started dating officially a couple of days ago. And college isn’t for weeks , so we have time, right?”
Ellie could hear the panic in her voice as the barrage of questions she’d never thought to ask slowly sank into her heart and mind. She could feel her chest tightening at the mere thought of having to confront all those questions with Sadie.
“Ellie, honey, it’s okay.” Alexis placed a hand on her knee as Ellie sat up on the edge of the chair. Chase moved over to sit beside her, gently resting a hand on Ellie’s back. “I wasn’t asking to freak you out. I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. I mean, you asked a good one. We didn’t talk about it, but I don’t feel like we were really avoiding it. It just didn’t really come up.”
“And you’re right,” Chase quickly added, “there’s plenty of time to have that conversation.”
“Yeah, Chase is right. It’s okay. I’m sorry, Ellie. Really.”
“It’s okay.” Ellie put on her acting smile, as her mom called it. It wasn’t her genuine one but rather one she’d learned to plaster on when she needed to. And with the thoughts swirling around in her head, she definitely needed to.
Ellie was typically the one in the family who planned everything before it happened. But things had been different with Sadie. She had followed her emotions more than her mind, and that was clearly short-circuiting her brain now.
“Hey, Ellie,” Isla called out as she walked over to them. She was wearing an aqua-colored bathing suit that looked amazing on her. Her hair was damp from the pool, but she’d mostly dried off everywhere else. She nodded toward the beach. “Wanna walk to the beach with me?”
Nodding, Ellie stood and let Isla put her arm around her shoulder as they walked to the stone path down to the beach. Her mom knew her well enough to know she needed to get out of that conversation before she spiraled, so she stopped walking and hugged her.
“Thanks, Mommy.”
“You’re welcome, angel.” Isla kissed the top of her head before pulling back slightly and looking into her eyes. “I could see you spiraling. You want to talk about it?”
Ellie nodded again, and Isla led her over to the two chairs where she’d found her and Sadie kissing just a few days ago. They sat, and Isla covered Ellie’s hand. She loved both of her parents equally, but Ellie was incredibly thankful for the way they each loved her and her siblings uniquely. While Vera was very much a talker and hugger, Isla always let them dictate how much they wanted her to talk or hold them. But right now? Ellie wanted her mommy.
Isla seemed to understand that as she patted her thighs. Just like when she was a kid, Ellie crawled up into her mother’s lap. They both laughed when the chair creaked, bringing a lightness to the conversation.
“We’re gonna break the chair.”
“We will buy a new one.” Isla rubbed Ellie’s back with her hand. “Talk to me, baby girl.”
“Alexis asked if Sadie and I had talked about what happens when we go off to school and we didn’t. Should we have?”
“I don’t think so.”
“Really?” Ellie furrowed her brow.
“I mean, there’s never a right time for that conversation. Or really any conversation. But you two are young. You have weeks until Sadie leaves for college. You’ll figure it out.”
Isla paused, but Ellie could say she wasn’t done talking. But when she didn’t continue, Ellie arched an eyebrow at her. “What aren’t you saying?”
“You’re too much like your mama.” Isla kissed her shoulder. “You can read me too damn well.”
Ellie had been told that countless times before, but she still loved hearing it. After a beat, Isla finally continued.
“I think the best thing for you and Sadie is to keep an open mind. You two are young, and long distance can be hard.”
“Says the woman who married Mama like a week after meeting her.”
“Because I knew long distance can be hard,” Isla said with a chuckle. Ellie followed her gaze, which led to Vera, Eden, and Mason playing in the ocean with their dogs. Vera must have felt their gaze because she smiled and waved up at them. “And besides, look at her. I wasn’t going to let that one go.”
Ellie snuggled closer into Isla, resting her head against Isla’s. “You picked a good one.”
“I did, didn’t I?” they giggled as Isla hugged Ellie tighter. “But, as I was saying, you and Sadie are young, and she’s your first girlfriend. And she might not be your last. But don’t focus on that right now. You don’t have to have everything figured out, no matter how much I know you want to.”
“I don’t want to think about breaking up with Sadie right now.”
“And I’m not saying you have to.”
“I know.”
“I just want you to enjoy turning eighteen and having your first girlfriend and getting ready for this new adventure in your life. You don’t have to have everything figured out. Lord knows I didn’t have my life together when I was eighteen.”
Although Ellie knew the story of her parents’ lives before they met, Ellie always felt there were parts of Isla’s past she didn’t want to talk about. Not that Ellie could blame her. She never met Blake’s dad but he was an absolute dick. Ellie knew that much.
“So, what you’re saying is, I need to be prepared because summer dreams can be ripped at the seams.”
Isla busted out laughing, throwing her head back at Ellie’s Grease reference. “Yes. Exactly. God, you’re so my kid.”
“And there’s no way you could ever deny it.”
“I’d never want to, kiddo.”
As their conversation shifted to plans for the next week, Ellie felt herself relax. And by the time Vera, Mason, and Eden came walking up the beach toward them, Ellie knew things were going to be okay. Yes, she’d have to eventually have a probably hard conversation with Sadie. But she could put that off.
At least for now.
“Everything okay?” Vera playfully patted Ellie’s bare foot, but she was looking to Isla for confirmation things were okay.
“Yeah,” Isla focused her gaze on Mason. “Your wife and sister-in-law were giving her a hard time about Sadie.”
“Those bitches.” Mason dramatically put her hands on her hips. “Don’t they know only I’m allowed to do that?”
Mason winked at Ellie, letting her know she was teasing.
“I’ll go have a talk with my wife about this.”
“Oh,” Eden chuckled, “is that what we’re calling it now?”
Once Mason and Eden had headed up the path toward the house with the dogs, Vera knelt down beside the chair. She crossed her arms as she leaned onto it, causing it to creak again. Isla and Ellie laughed.
“We’re going to break it,” Ellie said again as she started to stand but Isla kept her arms around her waist.
“We’ll get a new one,” Vera waved her off, pushing her sunglasses into their hair. “You okay, Care Bear?”
“Yeah, Mom talked me down off a ledge.”
“Aww, baby girl.” Vera tucked Ellie’s hair behind her ear before cradling her chin in her palm. “We’re always here, Ellie. Always.”
“I know, Mama. I love you.” This time, Isla let Ellie stand as Vera did the same. They hugged, and Ellie savored the feeling of being in her mama’s arms. She never felt safer than when her parents were holding her.
“I love you too, Ellie.”
As Isla stood, Ellie hugged her too. “I love you, Mom.”
“I love you too, angel.”
Looking down at the chair, Ellie couldn’t help but laugh. One of its legs was completely broken, leaving a piece dangling while the other half sat buried in the sand.
“I told you we were going to break it.”
“Eh, we need a new one anyway.” Effortlessly picking up the chair, Isla carried it back to the house as Vera and Ellie followed behind.
Ellie kept her gaze down as she grabbed her phone off the chair where she’d been sitting earlier and headed upstairs to her room. Plopping onto the bed, she typed out a message to Sadie.
I miss you. I just thought you should know.
It was barely a minute later when Sadie’s message came through.
I miss you more.
Taking a deep breath, Ellie rolled onto her back and looked up at the ceiling fan. Her mom was right. She and Sadie had time to figure things out. And even if they eventually broke up, things would be okay. At least that’s what Ellie was going to tell herself until she finally believed it.