Page 107 of Last Wish Wedding

“Except for the giant, Mac-shaped hole in your lives,” Amy observed dryly.

“We’re fine,” Kelsey insisted. “Noah’s handling it well. He’s made new friends over summer break. His grades are good.”

“And his mom?”

Kelsey shot her sister a warning look. “His mom is fine too.”

“If you say so.” Amy didn’t sound convinced.

“When did you become such an expert? Your last boyfriend had a man bun and played ukulele covers of death metal songs.”

“First of all, Jasper was an experimental musician. And second, my disastrous dating history gives me a unique perspective on other people’s problems.”

Despite herself, Kelsey laughed. “Fair enough.”

“My point is,” Amy continued, more seriously, “you have options, Kels. The house, the money, it gives you freedom. You could quit the clinic and invest in this place with me.” Her expression turned sly. “We could be independently wealthy arts patrons.”

“Right. The York Foundation for Wayward Artists.”

“I’m serious!” Amy’s eyes lit up. “Well, half-serious. But think about it, what if we combined resources? You could finance some of the renovations, and I could manage the programming. We could create something amazing here.”

The enthusiasm in her sister’s voice was infectious. “You’re actually considering this.”

“I’ve been considering it since Truman dropped this massive responsibility in my lap,” Amy admitted. “I just didn’t think you’d be interested.”

Kelsey glanced at the mansion, seeing it with new eyes. Seeing it as a possibility. A project they could build together. “I don’t know the first thing about renovations and business planning.”

“But you know healthcare. Community needs.” Amy leaned forward. “What if part of the mansion became a teaching clinic? For preventative care, wellness programs? The island could use that, right?”

The seed of something interesting took root in Kelsey’s mind. “There are a lot of underserved families here. Especially in the off-season when the summer clinics close.”

“See? Perfect partnership.” Amy clinked her glass against Kelsey’s. “You save lives; I nurture souls.”

“Quite the mission statement.”

“We’ll work on it.” Amy’s expression softened. “Seriously though, Kels. Think about it. This could be your project too.”

Before Kelsey could respond, Noah came bounding up the steps, red-cheeked and breathless, Tyler and Ollie on his heels.

“Mom! Can we have pizza for dinner? Tyler’s dad said he can stay over if it’s okay with you.”

Kelsey smoothed his wild hair, damp with exertion. “Did he? That’s funny, because Tyler’s mom said Tyler has a dentist appointment first thing tomorrow. She’ll be by to pick him up after dinner.”

Tyler’s face fell. “I forgot about that.”

“Next weekend,” Kelsey promised. “But yes to pizza.”

The boys cheered and raced inside with Ollie barking excitedly at their heels.

“You know he’s going to expect pizza every night now,” Amy remarked, gathering the wine glasses.

“Small price for that smile.” Kelsey stood, brushing off her jeans. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen him this happy.”

“Kids are resilient.” Amy followed Kelsey inside. “Unlike their mothers.”

“I’m resilient,” Kelsey protested. “I’m here, aren’t I? Moving forward.”

Amy paused as they walked back toward her cottage. “Moving forward isn’t the same as living fully.”