Page 40

“Why’d you stop?” she asked. She knew they still sailed together sometimes.

Tara gave her a pained smile. “I gave up reckless endangerment after I almost killed us both. It seemed the least I could do.”

That was clearly not the whole story. Did she still want to race? Did Cole still go, or had he stopped when he lost his partner? Did he miss it? Was it really that dangerous, if Cole was at the helm? Why did Tara bear all the responsibility for the fire they had ostensibly both set?

She didn’t have the right to ask any of those questions, but she wanted to. Their pact might expire when they got back to Charleston, which was best for everyone, but that didn’t stop Holly from wishing there might be a little more time to find out more of the tiny, fascinating secrets Tara kept squirreled away.

A tall, thin Black man with a short Afro, wearing a large argyle scarf and holding the hands of two squirming kindergartners, walked up to them.

“You’re Tara, right?” he asked. “I’m Elijah Green. We met the night we all went caroling? But I think you were distracted.”

Moving one of her arms from around Holly’s shoulders, Tara held out a hand to him. “It’s nice to meet you under better circumstances. This is my girlfriend, Holly.”

Holly held out her own hand to greet Elijah. Then, sinking on her heels, she held out her hand to shake those of the children.

“I’m Jayla,” said one of the coat-swaddled children. “This is my brother. He’s not important. I like your hair.”

“Dad,” whined the brother, whose name, she remembered, was Jeremiah, “when do we get to build snowmen?”

Elijah raised an eyebrow at his son. “When your papa gets here. But you won’t get to build one at all if you’re rude.”

The child extended his hand to shake Holly’s, and Jayla told him, “Come on, let’s go find Grandma Vaunda!”

They ran off, chasing each other. She wasn’t sure how they could run in those snowsuits.

Elijah turned back to Tara. “I’ve heard you’re one hell of a lawyer, and friend.”

A blush rose up Tara’s cheeks, and Holly immediately liked Elijah. Tara might not believe her friends when they told her how amazing she was, but maybe she would believe a colleague.

“I hear the same about you. Cole says you’re working on his trust fund,” Tara returned. “You know once he has access to it, he’s going to give most of it to community aid organizations.”

Elijah nodded. “He told me, after I get paid, the list starts.”

Now Holly really liked Elijah. She was going to become friends with him.

Holly cocked her head. “Isn’t Cole… a criminal?”

“He’s a very ethical criminal.” Tara laughed. “I’m glad you know you’re doing all this work for him to basically turn around and give it away.”

“Friends!” Miriam shouted over the noise of conversation. “We have been hosting this snowman competition for years, and we’re so excited that this year it coincides with so many other celebrations! Today, in addition to being my birthday, is the anniversary of the first time Noelle and I kissed, on this very pond.”

“Wow,” Tara said, sounding surprised, “they waited a month after we broke up to kiss? That’s… kind of sweet, actually?”

Holly found it interesting that although Tara talked to all of the crew regularly, including Miriam, she’d apparently never asked for the details of Miriam and Noelle falling in love. She had instead allowed herself to assume the worst, that they’d hooked up as soon as the ink was dry. Refusing to have difficult conversations seemed to be her MO.

Holly couldn’t exactly judge, given that she was currently lying to her family about a girlfriend instead of forcing her mom to listen to her boundaries.

“You are very unbothered about the breakup,” Elijah noted.

“Well, I’ve had a lot of time, they’re clearly in love, and we never were. I was frustrated with Miriam because I felt like I deserved honesty from my friend, but it’s water under the bridge now.”

Except that her pride wouldn’t let her come without a fake girlfriend, Holly thought. Tara might talk a big game about being over the whole thing, but her heart had been bruised, and she needed a shield. Holly vowed to be a good one.

Cole bounded back up to them. A gaggle of preteens followed like little ducklings, trying to get selfies with him. He looked slightly panicked. “Will someone? Help?”

“I thought you loved being Instagram famous,” Levi remarked, ambling up to the group. “Elijah! You’re wearing the scarf I gave you! Children! Do you want a selfie with a guy who has his own TV show? Come with me,” he said to the preteens, then led them off.

“Levi is my hero,” Cole whispered. “Even I am no match for that much energy.”