Page 38 of Take This Heart (Windy Harbor #1)
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
EVERYTHING HAS CHANGED
GOLDIE
I feel like my life just got tossed into the air like confetti, and now I’m trying to find each small piece, hoping that somehow, it will make sense.
It doesn’t.
I don’t think it ever will again.
I know we can’t possibly know everything there is to know about our parents, but this is big.
My mom was everything to me. My anchor, my solace, the one who gave me the freedom to be who I am, the person I thought was the most honest in the whole wide world…and yet, there was this secret she carried our whole lives. Our whole lives.
And my dad carried it with her.
My stomach roils. I’m dizzy with how fast my life just changed.
The fire.
Ava.
I have a sister.
And then the second hit nearly takes me out.
Milo knew.
I go to my room and collapse on the bed, numb. My grandmas putter around the house, oblivious about this upheaval. Did Grandma Donna know all along? Did she encourage Mom to have an adoption? Did Mom feel like she had to do it?
My heart breaks for my mom and the pain she must have endured to go through that alone.
It’s a while before Tully knocks on my door and then sticks his head in.
“You okay?” he asks.
“I don’t know. No.”
The second he crosses the room and sits next to me on the bed, I start sobbing. He wraps his arm around my shoulders and pulls me to him. I bury my face in his chest like we’re five again and we’re hiding in a scary basement during a thunderstorm.
“Yeah. It’s hard to believe,” he says. “How was she able to keep that secret for so long?”
“And Dad too!”
“I know. I think I’m in shock.”
“And it’s Ava freaking Piper,” I groan.
“She had a meltdown apologizing after you left. Said she was so sorry. She’s always wanted a family and was angry that she’d always be on the outside.”
“Was that for the benefit of the sheriff or for real?”
“Who knows? It seemed sincere, but I don’t know her.” He sighs. “We have another sister and don’t know her at all.”
“And what I do know, I haven’t liked,” I say sadly.
I don’t want to say it. But it claws its way out anyway.
“I think I’m falling in love with him.” Tears drip down my cheeks. “And he knew. It’s another lie.”
“You’re definitely in love with him. And this is all very messy.”
“You think I’m stupid and I just attract liars?”
“You’re not stupid at all.” He pauses. “Hear him out. He’s in love with you too.”
“How do you know?”
“He’s spending his own money to surprise you with something. Not just a little money either, moneybags money.” He looks at me with his eyebrows raised. “A man doesn’t just do that over a little crush.”
I sigh. “I don’t know what to do.”
“Then don’t do anything right now. Breathe. Be mad. Be hurt. But don’t make any big decisions tonight.”
I lean into him again and he rests his chin on my head.
We’re quiet for a few minutes and then he pulls away.
“Need some snacks?” he asks.
“Chocolate and something salty.”
He nods and leaves. I tuck my knees to my chest and there’s a quiet knock on the door.
I don’t answer.
The door creaks open anyway.
Milo steps into the room, looking haggard. His shirt is dirty and there are soot smudges on his jeans. His head has dark stubble where his hair is already growing out, and his eyes are wrecked.
“I had to answer questions at the sheriff’s office or I would’ve been here sooner,” he says. “They let me go after my statement.”
I don’t say anything.
He shifts, his expression pained.
“I’m so sorry that you found out like that.”
I let out a jagged laugh.
He flinches.
“You knew, Milo.”
“I found out today,” he says quickly, stepping forward. “Right before you did. Just as Ava was about to—”
“Torch the pavilion?” I snap. “Yeah, I was there. I saw what she tried to do. And you were right there with her. Was this the plan all along? Gain our trust and then bring us down together? The perfect revenge for you as a Granger and the perfect revenge for her as our unclaimed sister?”
He moves closer, hands out like he’s approaching a wild animal. “No, Goldie.”
“I actually let myself believe you might be a man who wouldn’t lie to me again.”
His face caves. “I didn’t, Goldie. I wouldn’t…I won’t.”
“I opened up to you. I let you in.”
“I know.” His voice is desperate now. “And I don’t take that lightly. Listen to me, please. I had nothing to do with the Granger vendetta, and I had no idea who Ava was until today. I swear. I was just as stunned as you.”
Tully steps in with our snacks and looks at me. “Are you okay?”
“You should go, Milo,” I say. “I need time to process all of this.”
He clears his throat and nods. “I understand. Take your time. You know where to find me. And I’m willing to talk things out whenever you’re ready, day or night.”
I swallow and nod.
He looks at me one more time before leaving the room.
Tully brings the big container of sea salt chocolate caramels and holds it out like a present.
I gasp. “I didn’t know we had those!”
He grins and opens the container, holding it out for me to take. I put my hand inside and grab two, humming with my first bite.
“I brought them with me,” Tully says. “Thought you might be missing them in your life.”
“So much,” I say around a mouthful. “You’re the best brother who ever lived.”
He grins. “What have I been telling you? How did it go with Milo?”
“He says he didn’t know. Not until right before we all showed up.”
“Do you believe him?”
“I don’t know. Maybe? I think so?” I groan. “Ugh. It just feels really far-fetched that he wouldn’t know. Bruce loves to one-up Dad and shame him. It’s hard to believe that once he knew about Ava, he wouldn’t at least try to rub it in Dad’s face that he’d had a baby with Mom.”
“Well, if it went down the way Dad alluded it did, Bruce probably wasn’t in any hurry for Ava to learn that he was an asshole. My guess is he saw someone eager to get back at us and capitalized on that.”
I sigh. And then jump when Camden, Dylan, and Noah all cram into my room. Kevin trots in and jumps on the bed.
“You guys okay?” Noah asks.
“Just trying to process this,” I say. “You?”
“Same,” Camden says.
“Where’s Dad?” Tully asks.
“Right here,” Dad says, coming into the room. “I’m so sorry, guys. I let you down. I wanted you to hear all of this from me.”
“How were you guys able to keep this a secret all this time?” Tully asks.
Dad shakes his head. “It wasn’t easy. Your mom nearly told you every year around Valentine’s Day…that’s when Ava was born. It weighed heavily on her. When she heard about these new DNA tests, she wanted to see if she could find her daughter, but she died before she was able to.”
“I think maybe I know where she kept the letters,” Dylan says. “That little chest she kept locked. I always wanted to know what was in there.”
“Me too!” I say.
Dad nods. “I bet that’s it. The letters are definitely not here. I’ve searched everywhere. You’re probably right—I bet they’re in that chest.”
“Do you know where the key is?” Noah asks.
Dad chuckles and shakes his head. “No clue.”
“Did Grandma Donna know about the baby?” Camden asks.
“Yes, but Grandpa Otis didn’t, and they went to great lengths to keep it that way. Grandma Donna thought he’d be too upset to forgive your mom.”
“That’s so sad,” I swallow the lump in my throat. “Does Grandma Donna know that Ava is her granddaughter?”
“Not yet. I was going to tell her after I told you. I’ll talk with her tonight.
” He looks around at each of us. “I know Ava’s made it difficult for herself, but I hope you’ll give her a chance.
I think she’s had a hard life and maybe started out wanting to know you, but then got resentful along the way about what great lives you’ve had. ”
“Is this why Bruce hates you so much?” I ask. “Because you got Mom?”
“It didn’t help, let’s put it that way. He already hated me because of our family history, but he really hated me when I started dating your mom during our senior year.
He tried to get her back and she wanted nothing to do with him.
” He pauses. “I didn’t say all of this to Ava because I hope she can have a relationship with her father, but he was awful to your mother.
After he told her he wanted nothing to do with a baby or her, he bullied her at school.
I saw him berate her multiple times in front of everyone.
And then she left and was gone for six or seven months.
I didn’t think she’d ever be back. I was so happy when I saw her at school again.
And I finally convinced her to go out with me.
Once she finally agreed to a date, we were inseparable.
” He grins. “And then Bruce suddenly wanted her back.” He shakes his head.
“She’d seen who he was by that time and there was no turning back.
And I was glad about it because I’d always wanted her to be mine. ”
“Look at you, Dad, swooping in to save the day,” Dylan says, grinning.
“She would’ve given anything to know Ava,” Dad says. “That’s why I hope you’ll give Ava a chance. For your mom.”