Page 7 of The Beach Shack Summer (Laguna Beach #2)

“She’s right there,” he continued, voice dropping. “My daughter is sleeping fifty feet away and I don’t know what music she listens to anymore. Don’t know her friends’ names. Don’t know if she still eats mint chocolate chip in a cup.”

“So find out,” Anna said simply.

“How? She won’t talk to me. Looks at me like I’m something she stepped in.” Tyler’s laugh was humorless. “Can’t blame her. I would too.”

“She’s scared,” Meg said. “You’re both scared.”

“I’m terrified,” Tyler admitted. “What if I screw this up? What if she goes back to Sydney and I never get another chance?”

“Then you don’t screw it up,” Anna said firmly. “Tyler, you’ve got three months. That’s more consecutive time than you’ve had since she was little. Use it.”

“I don’t even know where to start.”

“Breakfast might be good,” Meg suggested. “Actual food. Not whatever disaster you were planning to attempt.”

“I can cook,” Tyler protested weakly.

“You can burn things. That’s different.” Meg stood, pulling eggs from the fridge. “I’ll help with breakfast when she wakes up.”

Tyler was quiet for a moment, then: “I need to tell Margo. ”

“Yes,” Anna said. “You do.”

“Today. This morning. Before this goes any further.” Tyler stood abruptly. “She gets to the Shack by seven to prep. If I go now?—”

“Tyler, it’s not even six?—”

“I need to shower. Change. Inject coffee into my veins. I can’t have this conversation looking like...” He gestured at himself. “She deserves better than me showing up like I slept on a couch.”

“You did sleep on a couch,” Meg pointed out.

“She doesn’t need the visual reminder.” Tyler was already moving. “Meg, can you?—”

“I’ll stay here,” Meg assured him. “Go. Tell her everything you just told us.”

“What if Stella wakes up?”

“Then I’ll make her breakfast and tell her you had an errand.” Meg set the eggs on the counter, ready to cook when needed. “Go shower. You’ve got time.”

Tyler hesitated, then looked at the phone where Anna was watching. “I’m sorry. For not telling you. For all of it.”

“We know,” Anna said softly. “Now go fix what you can fix.”

After Tyler disappeared into his room, Meg picked up the phone, carrying it back to the kitchen.

“You okay?” Anna asked.

“Processing.” Meg leaned against the counter. “Fourteen years, Anna. He carried this alone for fourteen years.”

“Not alone. He had Stella. ”

“Two weeks at a time. With Fiona controlling everything.” Meg stared at the eggs, waiting to be cracked. “No wonder he’s terrified.”

“She really looks like him?”

“Exactly like him. Same eyes, same stubborn chin. The way she stands when she’s uncomfortable. It’s uncanny.”

“I need to meet her.”

“You will. Though fair warning—she’s prickly.”

“Good. Prickly means she’s protecting herself. Better than checked out.” Anna was quiet for a moment. “How’s it going to work? Living arrangements?”

“We’re figuring it out. Luke’s coming this morning to help.”

“Luke, huh?” Even through the phone, Meg could hear Anna’s smile. “How’s that going?”

“Now is not the time?—”

“Now is exactly the time. Our brother has a secret daughter. You have a not-so-secret marine biologist. The Walsh siblings are full of surprises.”

“It’s going well,” Meg admitted. “Really well. He’s been amazing through all this.”

“Good. You deserve amazing.”

Tyler emerged from his room, showered and dressed, looking marginally more human.

“I’m going,” he announced, though he didn’t move toward the door.

“Go,” Meg and Anna said in unison.

“What if?— ”

“Tyler.” Meg’s voice was firm. “Margo will be there. She always is. Just... be honest.”

“Right. Honest.” He grabbed his keys, paused again. “If Stella asks?—”

“You had an errand. Go.”

Finally, he left. Meg heard his truck start, pull away.

“Think he’ll actually tell her?” Anna asked.

“He will. He’s more scared of losing Margo than anything else.”

“Even losing Stella?”

Meg considered this. “I think in Tyler’s mind, he never really had Stella to lose. But Margo? She’s been his constant since Sam left.”

Meg glanced at the eggs, still waiting. “Someone should probably tell Sam too.”

“That’s Tyler’s job. Or Margo’s. Not ours.”

“You’re right.” Meg checked the time. Six-twenty. “God, what a mess.”

“The Walsh family specialty,” Anna said wryly. “Look, I should go. Bea’s demanding dinner. And I have to tell her about all…this. But Meg? Keep me posted. And...”

“What?”

“Take care of Tyler. He’s going to need us. Actually need us, not just Christmas card need us.”

“I know.”

“And I want to meet Stella. Soon.”

“I know. It’s...” Meg searched for words. “Give her a few days to settle first. She’s pretty overwhelmed.”

“Fair. But soon.” Anna paused. “Love you, Meg. ”

“Love you too.”

After they hung up, Meg stood in the quiet kitchen, morning light beginning to creep across the floor. Somewhere across town, Tyler was preparing to break Margo’s heart a little bit. Down the hall, a teenager who didn’t want to be here was sleeping off jet lag and anger.

The eggs waited in their carton, ready for whenever Stella woke. Fresh start. New day.

She hoped Tyler would make the most of it.