Page 72 of Meet Me in the Valley (Oakwood Valley #2)

Nora stiffens in my hold, and I’m instantly reminded of that flicker of weirdness I noticed earlier. The way her smile seemed cool and calculated. The way she scanned the room like she was bracing for something.

“Are you okay?” I murmur, just loud enough for her to hear.

She nods, eyes fixed ahead on the group gathering by the patio. “I’m fine. Just … feeling a little off.”

“You sure?”

“Yes,” she says too quickly, then immediately softens. “Sorry. Yeah. I think I might be catching a bug or something.”

Before I can press further, Audrey bounds toward us in a gorgeous red sun dress, Donovan trailing not far behind.

“Tia! Nora! Cali!”

I unlink my arm from my sister and practically skip into Audrey’s arms, squealing as she pulls me in for a hug. I do the same with Donovan, and they move on to greet Nora and Cali with the same warm energy.

“Wow. This view is crazy! Is it okay if I take some pictures?” Cali asks Audrey and Donovan, eyes blown wide with wonder as she spins in a circle, taking in the beauty of the King family vineyard.

“Of course!” Audrey beams. “Actually, you should go with Donovan’s brother Kerry and take some pictures. He’s a professional photographer, you know. Come on! I’ll introduce you.”

Cali gives Nora the biggest puppy eyes. “Mom? Is that okay? Can I please?”

Nora looks to Donovan, and he nods with a kind smile.

“It’s fine. She can go wherever she wants,” Donovan adds.

Nora lightly pinches Cali’s cheek. “Sure, babe. Be polite.”

Audrey and Donovan lead Cali toward our friends, who are in an intense game of corn hole. It’s Wyatt and Caroline versus Isabel and Jackson.

Out of nowhere, strong arms wrap around me from behind and lift me clean off the ground. I yelp as the breeze flips my dress, cool air brushing right beneath it.

“Logan Tyler Harper!” I laugh. “My ass is hanging out!”

“Good,” he murmurs, smug against my ear. “Let everyone see who it belongs to.”

He sets me down, and I swat his shoulder with a giggle, smoothing my dress back into place, just in time to see my parents walking through the back door.

“Is your dad coming?” I ask Logan, lacing my fingers with his as we walk to greet my parents.

“Yeah. He should be here soon. He said he’s bringing Diane.” Logan waggles his eyebrows, clearly excited that his dad has been seeing the same woman for almost nine months.

“Wow. Big step,” I say, nudging him gently. “Introducing her to the group.”

“I know,” Logan grins. “I think he’s actually serious about her.”

Things between Logan and his mom have been good lately.

Hanny, as Cali and Nora call her, is still a huge part of their lives, like a surrogate grandmother.

It doesn’t seem to affect Logan anymore.

He’s found peace with it. But he is very protective of his father’s heart, knowing that a big piece of it still belongs to his ex-wife.

So, having Chief Harper bring Diane is a huge deal. One that Logan fully supports.

“That’s great, Lo. As long as you’re happy.”

“So happy, baby.” Logan kisses my temple, then a chaste one on the lips.

Mom lights up the moment she sees me and Logan, and Dad wraps me into one of his signature warm hugs.

“Glad y’all could make it. You feeling good, Mama?”

“Feeling great, sayang. Don’t worry about me so much. Go be with your friends.”

She’s been saying things like that more often lately. Brushing me off with a smile, trying to make it easier on me.

She hasn’t said it outright, but I see the guilt in her eyes on the days I sit beside her too long. Mom hates that we have a front-row seat to this slow, cruel disease. She wants to protect us, even now. Especially me.

But that’s just not how I love.

I’ve built a life full of purpose and people I love, but family is still at the center of it all. It’s why I came back. It’s why I stay.

Alzheimer’s can fuck right off. I’m not going anywhere.

“Where’s Nora?” Dad asks, scanning the backyard.

I frown, glancing over my shoulder. I swore she was right behind me. I squint into the distance, but come up empty.

Logan’s in the middle of making my mom laugh when I step up beside him and rest a hand on his lower back.

“I’m gonna go find Nora,” I say softly. “Be right back.”

“Want me to come with you?”

I shake my head. “No, it’s okay. Stay with Mom.”

He nods and leans in, brushing a soft, careful kiss against my lips in front of my mother. Ever the gentleman.

I scan the backyard again, but still no sign of Nora. That uneasy feeling from earlier creeps back in, heavier now. Something’s off. I can feel it. It sits like a stone in my stomach, refusing to budge.

Just as I take a step toward the vineyard, the back door swings open, and Nora storms through it.

She avoids my eyes completely, weaving past everyone without a word. Her pace is fast, almost frantic, as she heads straight for the vineyard, her posture tight and closed off like she’s holding something in, or trying not to fall apart.

That stone in my gut turns to lead.

Something is definitely wrong.

I shuffle after her, catching her elbow to spin her around.

“Nora, what’s wrong?”

She jerks out of my grasp, eyes locked on Cali up ahead. There’s urgency in her steps now, and when I finally catch a glimpse of her face, my stomach drops. Her eyes are red-rimmed, like she’s been crying, and alarm bells blare loud in my head.

“What’s going on?” I plead. “Talk to me!”

She doesn’t respond, doesn’t even look at me as she powers forward. I have to jog in these damn wedges just to keep up. Two more steps and I’m about to kick them off.

Nora continues to ignore me, and that triggers something ugly inside of me. But I shove it down, refusing to let our past cloud our relationship. I’m not perfect, but damn, it hurts to see her avoid me when I’m trying to get her attention.

Up ahead, Kerry is showing Cali something on her camera. Nora storms up and snatches Cali’s hand.

“Calista, we’re leaving.”

“What? Why? We just got here! I don’t want to go!” Cali protests, trying to hold onto her camera.

Kerry straightens, brows raised in confusion as he gently offers it back.

I stand off to the side, pinching the bridge of my nose, watching the mess unfold.

I feel for Kerry, caught in the crossfire of drama none of us asked for.

He’s trying to piece together the vibe, offering a soft, unsure smile.

“Hey,” Kerry says calmly, voice even and warm. “I’m Kerry. I was just showing Cali some camera tricks. It’s really nice to meet you.”

Nora lets go of Cali’s hand like it burned her. Cali darts over to me, tucking herself tight against my side. Kerry extends a kind hand toward Nora, but she just stares at him.

She stares. And stares.

And something in her eyes shifts. There’s an unspoken pain there. And then it’s like Kerry sees her for the first time.

His hand drops slightly, his mouth parts.

“Juliet?” he whispers.

Wait—what? Juliet?

“Juliet?” Cali echoes, eyes bouncing between them. “Who’s Juliet?”

I can’t move. My mouth opens, but nothing comes out. A weight settles in my chest as my gut screams that whatever this is—it’s big. And messy. And very much not in the past.

Nora breaks her gaze from Kerry and turns to me. “Take Cali home later. I have to go. I’m sorry.”

“Wait!” I call out as she turns, practically sprinting toward the back gate. My heart stutters. She doesn’t even have the keys. I drove.

I bend to Cali’s level. “Stay here with Kerry, okay? I need to check on your mom.”

She nods, hesitating only for a second before walking toward a very stunned, very curious Kerry. I mouth, “Sorry” to him, then take off after my flighty sister.

What the hell is happening?

“Nora! Slow down!” I yell after her.

From the corner of my eye, I see Logan moving toward us, concern etched into his features. I wave him off and gesture toward Cali and Kerry. He reads the moment instantly and veers toward them.

“Fuck this,” I mutter, kicking off my heels.

By the time I push through the gate, Nora is pacing out front, hands threaded through her hair, her breathing ragged and fast, like she’s on the verge of a full-blown panic attack.

Without thinking, I pull her straight into my arms. Any remnants of frustration I may have had dissipate the moment I hold her. Just me and my sister. And whatever she’s trying to carry.

She crumples against me, tears soaking into my shirt.

“I’m so sorry,” she whispers into the crook of my neck, her voice broken.

I cradle the back of her head, rocking her slightly, whispering soft, soothing sounds like she’s a wounded bird too scared to land. My throat burns with unshed tears, the chaos and confusion of the afternoon fading under the weight of her pain.

“It’s okay,” I breathe. “You’re safe. I’ve got you.”

After a beat, I risk it, approaching the situation with careful steps.

“What happened back there, Nora?” I ask, brushing her hair from her face. “Talk to me. Please.”

Whatever has my sister unraveling right in front of me needs to come out.

We promised each other no more secrets. No more half-truths.

No more silent suffering behind polite smiles.

But I know Nora. She’s still keeping secrets.

Burying them so deep they might never surface, like a locked box rusted shut at the bottom of the ocean.

I just want her to let me in.

Nora sniffles, scrubbing at her face with the heels of her hands. Her eyes, usually so sharp, so full of fire, are dim and washed out now. And it kills me to see her like this.

She draws in a few shaky breaths, then squeezes her eyes shut, letting out a broken, hollow laugh.

“Being here is too much for me, Tia. I can’t— It’s … it’s fucking tearing me apart.”

“Being back in Oakwood Valley? I thought we were past this. I thought?—”

“No, Tia,” she cuts in, pulling away from my reach like she can’t get away from me fast enough. Her arms fold around herself as if holding her own pieces together.

“It’s not the town,” she whispers, voice barely holding steady. “It’s being here. ” Nora gives me her back, staring at the front of the house.

“I knew you were acting weird as soon as we got here. What is it? What are you not telling me?”

My heart slams against my ribcage so hard it makes my vision blur. Every breath feels thick, like I’m inhaling through molasses, trying to stay grounded as the silence stretches between us.

Finally, Nora slowly turns to face me, as if the weight she’s been carrying is chained to her very bones.

“I can’t be here,” Nora whispers, her voice and hands trembling as she points to the King Estate behind her. “Because … b-because …”

A pause. A bated breath. A detonation to life as we know it.

“B-because Cali’s dad … is one of them.”