Page 110 of Tattered (Lark Cove 1)

She nodded, her eyes scanning all over as she tried to take it all in.

We spent the next hour walking through the house where it seemed there were two of everything, formal and informal. Dining room. Sitting room. Parlors. Guest rooms. Bathrooms. Ten minutes into the tour and I was completely turned around. And the entire time, we didn’t see a single person.

Finally, after winding our way back to the main floor, Logan led us outside to a back patio. Right in its center was an enormous pool complete with a diving board, attached hot tub and mosaic mermaid tiled into the bottom.

“Mommy!” Charlie ran to the edge of the pool. “Can we go swimming?”

“Maybe tomorrow. We have to get ready for dinner tonight.”

“Oh.” She frowned, probably remembering that dinner meant another torturous dress. She shuffled back to Logan’s side just as a woman rushed out of the pool house, waving.

“Logan!” Her dark hair was tied up in a bun, much like mine, and I was relieved to see she was wearing frayed denim shorts and a tank top. Without an introduction, I knew this was Logan’s sister.

Just like I’d seen in the family picture at the penthouse, the resemblance between Charlie and Aubrey was even more uncanny in person. They had the same hair. The same nose. Even the same tilt of their upper lip.

“Hi, Aubrey.” Logan smiled and kissed her on the cheek. “Good to see you. Meet Charlie and Thea.”

Aubrey smiled at me first, then bent in front of Charlie and held out her hand. “Hi, Charlie. I’m your auntie Aubrey. Your dad has told me so much about you.”

Logan nudged Charlie and she returned Aubrey’s shake hesitantly before hiding behind his leg.

“We’ll get to know each other one of these days soon.” Aubrey winked at her, then stood again. This time she came right into my space for a tight hug. “Welcome. I’m so glad you’re both here.”

“Um, me too.” I hugged her back, unsure what else to do. I’d been prepared for a thorough inspection, so her friendly gestures were taking me off guard. If all of Logan’s family was like this, I had nothing to fear for the weekend.

“Well, I hate to say hello and run.” Aubrey glanced at her delicate gold watch. “But if I’m going to be ready for cocktail hour, I’d better get going. I need to change and retu

rn a couple of phone calls.”

“We should probably do the same.” Logan kissed his sister’s cheek once more before she disappeared inside the house. “Come on.”

He took Charlie and I each by a hand to lead us through a garden trail. At the edge of the garden, the path opened up to a huge lawn that stretched to a guesthouse set in a grove of trees at the edge of the estate.

“Is that where we’re staying?” Charlie asked, wiggling free of his grip to run on the grass.

“Yeah.” He let go of my hand and put his arm around my shoulder. “That is our spot for the weekend.”

I leaned in close, tucking my hand into the back pocket of his jeans. “This place is incredible.”

“It’s over the top but that’s Mom.”

It was over the top but still beautiful. The guesthouse ahead matched the main house, but it was much smaller and less ostentatious. It even had a porch swing by the front door. The house resembled something you might see in the wealthier neighborhoods of Lark Cove.

We walked along a paved path toward the guesthouse as Charlie ran ahead in the grass. She was making a beeline for the trees.

“Charlie!” I shouted. “Don’t get too dirty!”

“I won’t!” she called back over her shoulder.

“She totally will.”

Logan chuckled. “We’ve got time to clean her up.” He led me to the porch and toward the swing. “Come sit with me. We can let Charlie play for a little while.”

“Okay.” I sank into the wooden seat by his side, letting him gently rock us back and forth. It was cooler today, so I leaned in close.

“We need to talk.”

I smiled. “You’re supposed to say that and then hand me a tequila shot. Remember?”