Epilogue
The bank held a ceremony for Eliza at the San Juan Island branch. Mackenzie attended, along with the other two Dennet sisters, Emma and Shelby (Lydia and Kitty Bennet, respectively).
It was no easy task convincing her little sisters to make the trip. In typical Lydia and Kitty fashion, the youths had lofty summer plans with visions of beaches and late nights out—coming to a regional bank on a Saturday afternoon was not part of it.
Mackenzie really had to push. “It’s not every day your sister wins a hundred thousand dollars,” she told them. Eventually, she escalated to, “Now Eliza’s the only one who has any money, so if you run into trouble, you’re going to need her.”
It worked, and she was only stretching the truth a little. It would have been a hundred thousand, except Eliza had insisted on splitting the reward with Joey.
Mackenzie was ready to hold this against him until she’d learned he’d risked his life to trick Derek into confessing.
“Still,” she teased Joey as they sipped on lemonade while Eliza chatted with a local reporter. “Half?”
He laughed. “I agree with you. I’m just glad I’ll always have you to keep me honest.”
“Always,” Mackenzie said with a nod.
She wasn’t sure if she wanted to move to the island, but the longer she stayed, the more comfortable it became. Her old life faded like an outdated ship in the distance. A job that had once suffocated her was suddenly nothing but a fading dot on the horizon.
She hadn’t closed a sale since she’d arrived, either. It felt surprisingly great. It became a game to her – how long could she drag it out before they’d fire her?
Mackenzie wanted to let it evolve naturally. The only move she initiated was reaching out to Steve’s fiancée Addy.
There was a chance Addy had been duped by Steve, too, and she deserved to know what kind of man she was marrying.
It took her a few weeks, but Mackenzie penned a succinct email explaining her relationship with Steve, even going as far to provide pictures in case he tried to weasel his way out of admitting the truth.
Addy’s response was swift and brief.
“I won. You lost. Get over it, Mackenzie.” She signed it with a picture of her smiling and holding her ringed finger up to the camera.
The picture made Mackenzie laugh out loud. She’d felt guilty all this time, worrying that Addy would be just as blindsided, that she should’ve told her sooner.
At least, after sending the email, she knew Steve had picked the right woman.
After saying their goodbyes at the bank, everyone headed to the tea shop for Granny’s after party. They were lined up outside for the potato sack races Granny had insisted on when Mackenzie’s phone rang.
“Excuse me,” Mackenzie said, tossing her potato sack to Shelby. “I’ll be back to beat the winner in a minute.”
She stepped away, facing the seaside, the laughter behind her muffled by the wind. “Hello?”
“Hi, Mackenzie? This is Alana with HR. How are you doing?”
Here it was. The moment she’d been waiting for. “Good. How are you?”
“I’m doing well, but I do have some difficult news.”
She smiled. “Do you.”
“Your manager Steve has some concerns about you abiding by the company’s code of conduct. After talking with us, we thought it would be a good idea to build a process improvement plan together.”
She shut her eyes. Wouldn’t they just fire her already? Was he really going to try to code-of-conduct her out of there?
“Alana, did you know I was the highest grossing salesperson last year?”
“Yes,” she stammered, “which is why we’re dedicated to finding a way through this.”
A bird swooped over her head, hovering with wings outstretched on the ocean breeze. The sea, calm save for whispers of wind, lay directly ahead of her. Two orange kayaks milled past, floating the day away.
The last rays of sunlight soaked into her skin. Mackenzie looked up and smiled.
This wasn’t going to be a difficult decision after all.
“That won’t be necessary,” Mackenzie said. “The only violation of the code of conduct was my romantic relationship with Steve. I’m happy to send you proof, along with my formal resignation.”
“Oh. Oh my,” Alana said.
“Please note he was my manager at the time. Use that information however you wish. Have a nice day!”
She hung up the phone and looked up. Eliza waved at her, a red potato sack in her hand. “You and me, sis!” she yelled.
The sea stretched impossibly far ahead, the edges hazy where the sky and water met, a stretch of boundless promise.
Mackenzie grinned and broke into a run, the wind lifting her outstretched arms.
The Next Chapter
Introduction to A Spot at Starlight Beach
Love triangles happen when you least expect—or want—them.
Mackenzie Dennet is ready to put her past behind her. Especially her romantic past. Moving to San Juan Island and working on the sea pen project was a perfect way to focus on building a happy, uncomplicated future for herself. It would’ve worked, too.
If she hadn’t met them .
Cameron, an ambitious salesman with confidence for days, and Liam, a soulful, brooding artist, are complete opposites. In fact, the only thing they have in common is their interest in her …and the way they both tempt her to give love a second chance.
At some point, she knows she’ll have to make a choice. And no matter who she chooses, someone will end up broken hearted.
All she can do now is hope it won’t be her. Again.
A Spot at Starlight Beach is the third book in the Spotted Cottage series. Get your copy now and get ready for a fun and romantic tale!