Chapter 13
Chapter Thirteen
“ W hat do you mean you’re not going to come get it?” Sunny glanced at the bird perched on the top edge of her angry art. It stared back with a mean look.
“Bullshit!”
She couldn’t really argue with the bird. This was bullshit. And all her fault. She shouldn’t have opened the window and let the cussing parrot fly in. Of course, she’d made a lot of mistakes today . . . including kissing Reid when she’d vowed to avoid him.
“Sorry, honey,” Melba said. “But birds aren’t really my specialty. And if you and Reid couldn’t catch it, I doubt I can. But I can call my friend at the Austin animal humane shelter and see if he knows of someone who could come get Jimmy Buffett.”
“Jimmy Buffett?”
“You have to give the poor thing a name and I think it’s fitting, don’t you? And until someone can get there, you might want to get a cage. If you place his food and water in it, he’ll probably fly right in.”
Sunny sighed. “Fine. But I’d appreciate it if you’d call your friend as soon as possible.” Once she’d hung up, she turned to Reid who was standing there with a smug smile on his face. “You think this is funny?”
“You have to admit it’s a little funny.” His smile got even bigger. “Jimmy Buffett?”
“You know Melba and her names.”
“Who’s Jimmy Buffet?” Sophie asked. She had roused from her nap during the chaotic bird chase and was now sitting on the bed, cuddling Patsy, who was watching the parrot as skeptically as Sophie. “Do parrots eat rabbits?”
“No,” Reid said. “I’ve concluded from all the food I’ve put out for him that he loves sweet potatoes and apples, but hates lettuce and blueberries.” He glanced at Sunny. “So I’d steer clear of those.”
She shook her head. “Oh, no. I’m not keeping him. Y’all are taking him with you as soon as we catch him in a cage.” She tapped her phone and pulled up Amazon to order one. “After all, you were the one he followed here. Probably because you’ve become his main food source.”
“Sorry, but you’re the one who let him in. Besides, I already have a rabbit . . . and a teenager.” He glanced at Sophie. “You feeling up to finishing the sign, Soph?”
Sophie turned out to be an enthusiastic, if not a little sloppy, painter. She wielded a paintbrush like it was a wizardry wand and she was Hermione trying to save Harry. But Sunny had never believed in stifling people’s creativity so she kept her thoughts to herself . . . and a rag at the ready. When Sophie ended up being so thrilled with the finished product, Sunny was glad she’d given the teenager free rein.
“It looks awesome!” Sophie exclaimed as they all three stared down at the swirling black letters intermingled with tempting baked goods.
“Awesome, shithead!” Jimmy Buffett squawked from his perch on the angry art.
Reid rolled his eyes at the bird as he draped an arm over his niece’s shoulders. “You’re right, Soph. We did do a good job, didn’t we? I wonder if I should become a painter instead of a rancher.”
“Stick with ranching,” Sunny said. “Believe me, it’s much more lucrative.”
Reid studied her over Sophie’s head. “Maybe it’s not about money. Maybe it’s just about doing what you love.”
There had been a time when Sunny hadn’t cared about making money on her art. She’d just loved doing it. But somewhere along the way, she’d lost that love. It wasn’t so much about the money as much as it was about people liking her work . . . liking her.
That’s what it boiled down to.
She was her art. If people and critics didn’t like it, they didn’t like her.
The clatter of multiple heels pulled Sunny from her thoughts and she turned to the stairs. She hoped it was Melba and her friend coming for the parrot. She wasn’t that lucky. Talk about the fear of people not liking her. That fear swelled to overflowing as all six members of the Secret Sisterhood stepped into the attic.
She knew why the Holiday sisters were there.
They were there to kick a lying prankster out of their club. Thankfully, they were distracted from their mission by Jimmy Buffett.
“Where did that parrot come from?” Liberty stared at the bird in confusion.
Hallie looked at Reid. “Is that the parrot you’ve been telling me about? I see you finally got it down from the tree.”
“He followed me from the ranch.” He flashed a smirk at Sunny. “And apparently took a liking to the Sunshine Room. He flew right in when Sunny opened the window.”
“Don’t worry, Libby,” Sunny said. “Jimmy Buffett isn’t staying. Melba is sending someone to get him.”
“I don’t care if he stays.” Liberty stepped closer to the bird. “He’s kinda cute.”
“Bullshit!”
Liberty jumped back at Jimmy’s outburst. “Or not.”
All the sisters laughed before Noelle noticed the sign.
“Is that the sign? Oh my gosh! I love it! It’s just perfect. It keeps the beloved name, but also says at one glance that we offer much more than just muffins.” She looked at Sophie and winked. “Of course, it would be much funnier with an extra t .”
Sophie blushed. “I’m so sorry, Ms. Remington. I don’t know what got into me. If there’s anything I can do to make it up to you, I swear I will.”
“The sign is certainly a start. But I could also use some help at the bakery.”
Sophie’s eyes widened with excitement. “You want me to work at the bakery?”
“Just for a few hours after school.” Noelle glanced at Reid. “If that’s okay with you, Reid.”
“As long as it doesn’t interfere with her schoolwork.”
“It won’t, Uncle Reid.” Sophie bounced on her toes. “I promise. I also promise to get my chores done and take care of Patsy.”
“Then it’s fine with me.” Reid looked at Noelle. “Do you need her today?”
“Monday will be soon enough for her to start.”
“She’ll be there.” Reid turned to Sophie who was busting with happiness. “Come on, Soph, let’s let these ladies enjoy the rest of their afternoon together while we go get some tacos. I’m starving.” He hesitated. “You want to drive?”
Sophie released a squeal and quickly collected her sneakers and Patsy while Reid changed out of his paint shirt. Sunny wished she could leave with them. But her days of avoiding things were over. Once Reid and Sophie were gone, all the sisters turned to her and there was nothing to do but face the music.
She swallowed hard. “I know why y’all are here. And I don’t blame you. I deserve to be kicked out of the Secret Sisterhood.”
“Kicked out?” Belle stared at her. “Why would you think we came to kick you out?”
“Because I’m a horrible person who sneaks around vandalizing the town.”
Liberty snorted. “You were a teenager, Sunny. We all pull stunts as teenagers.”
“But I didn’t tell y’all. And the main rule of the Sisterhood is never keep secrets from sisters.”
“True,” Sweetie said. “But it’s not like all of us haven’t kept secrets from each other before. I didn’t tell anyone how unhappy I was in Nashville.”
“And I didn’t tell y’all about my plan to marry Rome and save the ranch until after the fact,” Cloe added.
Liberty rubbed her rounded belly. “I failed to mention how upset I was when I thought I couldn’t have kids.”
“I didn’t tell anyone about pulling the twin switch.” Belle glanced at Hallie and waited.
Hallie huffed. “Fine! I didn’t tell anyone about having a one-night stand with Jace. But Noelle was the biggest liar because she kept acting like she hated Casey when she really . . . lo-o-oves him.”
Noelle laughed. “I did, didn’t I?” She glanced at Sunny and her laughter faded. “The point is that we’ve all kept our secrets, Sunny. So we’re not going to throw you out of the club for yours. If anyone should be thrown out of the club, it should be me.” Her eyes glittered with tears. “Your high school pranks got me to thinking and I realized that . . . I’m a mean girl.”
Sunny stared at her best friend. “What? You don’t have a mean bone in your body, Noelle Holiday Remington.”
“I didn’t think I did, but it’s pretty mean to not welcome the new girl in school with open arms.”
“You did welcome me, Elle. You showed me around the school that first day and were always nice to me when we saw each other in the halls.”
“I was nice, but I should have included you in things much more than I did. I was so caught up in my feud with Casey, I didn’t make you feel like you were part of this town. And I’m sorry, Sunny.” Tears dripped down her cheeks. “I’m so, so sorry.”
“Oh, Elle!” Sunny pulled her into a tight hug. “There’s no need to apologize. It’s all just water under the bridge.” But as she said the words, she realized that what had happened in high school hadn’t been water under the bridge . . . until now. Noelle’s acknowledgement and apology had lifted the darkness from the past by shining a light on it. She drew back and looked at her friend. “Okay, maybe you should have been more welcoming. But I should have made more of an effort too, instead of acting like I was just fine and dandy spending time alone drawing in my sketchpad.” She hesitated. “I’m good at hiding my true emotions.”
“Well, I think we need to make a new pact,” Sweetie said. “No more keeping secrets from sisters.” She held out her hand and the other sisters placed theirs on top of hers.
Everyone but Sunny.
When they all looked at her, she blurted out the truth. “I can’t paint!”
All the sisters lowered their hands and stared at her with confusion.
“What do you mean you can’t paint?” Belle asked. “We all have paintings in our houses that you’ve painted for us, Sunny. Corbin and I have at least five.”
“Those were all done months and months ago, before I got painter’s block. I haven’t done anything worth putting into a gallery for close to a year.”
Liberty glanced at the covered painting Jimmy Buffett was still perched on. “What about that one?”
Sunny shook her head. “That’s not art. It’s just me flinging paint in frustration.”
“Aww, Sunny.” Belle took her hand and squeezed it. “Why didn’t you say anything?”
Sunny sighed. “Because I didn’t want to disappoint y’all. But I should have said something . . . especially before Corbin built me a gallery.”
Belle gave her a soft smile. “Corbin doesn’t care about a silly gallery. He cares about you. He’s been worried sick since learning about the pranks you pulled on the townsfolk.”
Sunny’s heart sank. “He must think I’m the biggest disappointment of his life.”
“I don’t think that’s how he feels at all.” Belle squeezed her hand. “But there’s only one way to find out. He’s downstairs waiting to talk to you.”
The last thing Sunny wanted to do was face her brother. But she knew she would have to eventually. It might as well be now.
She found him out back playing catch with Buck Owens and Mickey Gilley. She would have thought the long-legged poodle mix would beat out the fat pug for the ball every time. But Gilley seemed to enjoy the chase more than the ball. He ran loops around Buck, then barked excitedly when the pug grabbed the ball in his mouth.
Sunny stood by the back door and watched until Corbin glanced up and saw her. In his eyes, there was no disappointment. Just love. He dropped the ball and held out his arms. She didn’t hesitate to walk straight into them and bury her face against his chest, like she had done countless times in her life.
“I guess you’re here to figure out why your sister is such a mess.”
Corbin held her tight. “You’re not a mess. You were just a young teenage girl trying to survive the crazy life she was born into.”
She drew back. “You had the same life, Cory, and you didn’t pull stupid pranks.”
“No. Instead I became an angry young man with a huge chip on my shoulder. We both dealt with our pain the only way we knew how.” He hesitated. “But I wish you would have told me how you were feeling, Sunny.”
“You already had too much to deal with. I didn’t want you to have to worry about me too.”
“But that’s my job . . . taking care of you.”
This wasn’t the first time Corbin had spoken the words, but it was the first time Sunny had actually heard them. Before they had just been words repeated so many times that they’d become interwoven into her psyche. Corbin took care of her. He’d always taken care of her. That was his job.
Except it had never been his job. It had been their parents’ job. Parents took care of their children until their children were old enough to take care of themselves. But Corbin and Sunny had never had a normal childhood so they’d clung to the only thing that felt normal.
Corbin taking care of Sunny and Sunny letting him.
That didn’t make it right.
“It’s not your job to take care of me, Cory,” she said. “It’s time I took care of myself.”
“And you’re going to do that just as soon as you get your gallery up and running.”
She shook her head. “I’m not going to get the gallery up and running. I’m not an artist worthy of having her own gallery.”
He stared at her. “What are you talking about? You’re a great artist.”
“I’ve never been a great artist. I’m mediocre at best. Certainly not good enough to support myself with my art.”
“But what about all the paintings you’ve sold at your art showings?”
“I lied. All those paintings are in a storage unit in Houston. And I’m sorry, Cory. I’m so sorry for lying to you. I’ll figure out a way to pay you back for all the money you spent renovating the gallery.”
“I don’t care about the money, Sunny. I care about you. You don’t have to sell a single painting as far as I’m concerned. I just want you to do what makes you happy.”
That was the problem. She had spent so much time worrying about making Corbin and other people happy that she hadn’t thought about what would make her happy.
“What if I don’t know what will make me happy?”
He pulled her into his arms. “Then we’ll figure it out together. No more hiding how you feel.”
“Even if I’m not your happy-go-lucky sister?”
He leaned back and tweaked her nose. “Even then. You loved me when I was grumpy. I figure I can love you when you are.” He hesitated and an evil twinkle entered his eyes. “Although I have the secret weapon against grumpiness.” He held up his hands and wiggled his fingers. “The Tickle Monster.”
She tried to run, but he easily caught her and tickled her until she shrieked with laughter. When he finally stopped, he leaned down and picked up something from the ground. It was Mrs. Fields’s letter. It must have fallen out of her pocket.
Corbin waved it at her with a grin. “What’s this? Are you getting love letters from some guy in town?”
“Not hardly. It’s one of the letters Jesse found in a trunk when he was renovating my room. I guess Mrs. Fields saved all the letters her admirers sent her, although that one isn’t admiring as much as threatening. Have you ever heard of someone living in town with the initials U.T.?”
Surprise registered on Corbin’s face and he quickly opened the letter and started reading it. His brow furrowed. When Corbin furrowed his brow, something wasn’t right.
“What is it, Cory?”
He finished reading the letter before he glanced up. “Remember the bet I made with Mrs. Stokes about her quitting smoking? Well, it wasn’t really a bet. It was more a deal. If she quit smoking, I’d look into a strange letter she found in her father’s things. The letter was from Mrs. Fields stating that the problem had been taken care of.”
“What problem?”
“I don’t know and neither does Fiona Stokes.”
“And you think this letter and that letter are connected? Maybe it was a completely different problem.”
Corbin shook his head. “Doubtful when Mrs. Stokes’s father’s name was Ulysses Thompson.”