A minor celebrity on the island, some TV actress who was raised on Palmira and often returned for charitable events, made the sand sculpture contest winner announcement.

Most of the local guys were staring at her and hooting, because she was that good-looking. I couldn't place her name, didn't know what shows she'd been in, and I didn't care. I was miserable. This morning had been awful, partly because of Jess's outburst, partly because I'd read a new online news article while on my phone.

Arrest Imminent in Recruitment Center Arson

Anonymous police sources had told the paper authorities had a suspect and were close to finding the person. Which meant...what? They were knocking on my father's door? Coming to Palmira? I stood in the crowd, searching each face, half expecting to be arrested at any minute.

Jessica's caustic words hadn't helped. Our fight had sent me spiraling into old patterns of shame and self-doubt. So, why was I even here, at the stupid sand-sculpting contest? I'd never felt so foolish or out of place.

The attention from a win wouldn't help the bakery that much, especially not after my arrest, so I should have been back at the shop making sure things were going okay, wrapping up the renovations so I could make the long drive north to New Orleans. It was time to face whatever consequences awaited. If they didn't find me before I could finish the bakery, I was going to turn myself in.

My mind was made up.

Of course, standing on the beach and listening to the local dignitaries talk about how beautiful all the sculptures were, all I felt like doing was fleeing. My desire to run from this conflict felt ridiculous, since I'd been brave enough during war. At least, that's what all my superiors said. The day of the IED attack, when I dragged Steve's limp body out of the Humvee, I'd ignored my own pain and injury. I hadn't wanted to run away from what was needed that day or any day previous.

But now, I wanted to avoid everything and everyone.

My eyes scanned the crowd and landed on a familiar face: Jessica. She was staring at me, doe-eyed, imploring. And she was moving toward me.

I watched as she wove her way past several people. She looked stunned, still, as she had back at the hotel. When she reached me, I her silently took her hand and squeezed,  ignoring how my chest tightened with panic.

Up on stage, the presenter squealed. "And the winner is...Leo Villeneuve from Sugar Rush Bakery! He did the beautiful sculpture of a mermaid. Everyone should check it out."

I mustered a small smile as Jessica grabbed me. Hugged me. It was hard not to feel a rush of pleasure at any contact of our bodies.

"You deserve this," she whispered, and I could see in her eyes she meant it. "Congratulations."

She kissed me on the cheek, and my skin tingled. Her physical presence was as potent as ever, but I had to acknowledge our relationship would never recover. What was the point? I was about to go to prison, and she thought I was a piece of shit on top of that.

I headed toward the podium, guilt crushing my chest. I should never have slept with Jessica, not when I knew this whole situation in New Orleans could blow up at any moment. Not when I knew I was a broken mess that might never recover from the war's wounds to my psyche. But I'd been unable to resist her, and all logic and reason fled my mind when she kissed me. And for one blissful night, my problems had disappeared.

But those problems were back, and all painfully clear. We weren't meant to be. I was going to hurt her again. God, I was the biggest asshole of all time.

Attempting to smile, I stepped up to the podium and accepted the gift certificate for a weekend trip to the Bahamas.

"Do you have a special someone to take with you?" the actress teased, shoving her microphone into my face.

I couldn't answer. I just nodded to shut her up, praying I'd maintain the strength not to breakdown or run. I'd done enough running in my life. It was time to step up and be a man.

Jessica followed me to my motorcycle afterward, making everything worse.

"Your sculpture really was the most beautiful. The mermaid was perfectly detailed, like something carved out of stone. You deserved to win."

I turned to her in front of my bike, which was parked in a space near Sunset Brew, and avoided her eyes. "I have a bunch of meetings today, so I'm headed to the bakery."

"Why won't you talk to me?"

I sighed. "What is there to talk about? You're angry with me. I really messed up, Jessica. I've made some really bad decisions in my life, and not just about us. You don't know the half of it."

She shook her head. "I forgive you. And I can't apologize enough for earlier. We were practically kids when we met. Like you said, you thought you were doing the right thing. It was me who reacted poorly. It was my fault and I'm sorry. I hope you can forgive me too."

I shrugged.

Jessica's eyes narrowed. "Wait. You're not telling me something else. Does it have something to do with the war?"

My eyes finally met hers. "Maybe."

She bit her lip, nodding. I could tell it was killing her not to know what I was hiding, but she seemed to find her equilibrium.

"There's a lot I don't know about you."

We stared at each other as the Florida sun blazed down upon our faces.

She reached out to stroke my arm. "But I want to get to know you. I'm trying to give us a chance. Please?"

JESSICA

I stared at Leo, praying he'd take the olive branch I was offering. He exhaled long and leaned forward to kiss me on the forehead, which sent fresh sparks through my body. Then he pulled back, and I saw the darkness in his eyes.

"Jess, you'll be happier with someone else, and I don't deserve to have a relationship. I only want what's best for you in the long run."

"No, Leo. You don't get to act like that. You don't get to decide what's best for me."

"We shouldn't have spent the night together."

I reared back as if slapped. Don't cry.

"You didn't enjoy yourself?"

"Jesus, Jessica, you know I did. But it's for the best that we're not together. You just don't want to get involved with me. Trust me. I made a mistake. And it's my fault, all my fault. Just like five years ago."

He shook his head, then climbed onto his bike. I watched him fire up the ignition and roar away. I didn't understand.

Brushing back tears, I walked home, opened the front door of the hotel, and locked eyes with my sister. And Nicole's words hit my ears like a bucket of cold water.

"Happy Valentine's Day."

Shit. Valentine's Day. How appropriate Leo and I would have this enormous fight today. And then I would lose the first sand-sculpting competition in years. Oh, and there was the appraiser for the hotel. He was supposed to be here later in the afternoon. Ughhh.

I didn't want to go into that with Nicole, though.

And yet...I remembered my sister's words from earlier. Poised to tell Nicole everything was fine, I stopped myself and decided not to hide my feelings. If I never gave my sister a chance to be there for me, how could I blame her for not being supportive? Wasn't I doing the very thing I'd accused Leo and Nicole and Mom of doing to me?

"What's wrong? Well, for starters, Leo and I just had a fight."

Nicole pursed her lips. "About what?"

"I found Mom's old journals. And I read them."

Nicole's eyebrows lifted toward her hairline. "Journals?"

"Yeah, I'll share them with you when I'm done. Anyway, I found out Leo and Leo's dad all went along with Mom's plan to keep Leo and me apart when we were kids. They formed this brilliant scheme after I had the pregnancy scare, then continued it when it turned out I was fine. All because Mom and Adam had issues. They were being selfish and didn't want to deal with each other if Leo and I stayed together."

Nicole inhaled. "Yep."

I rolled my eyes and shook my head. Unreal. Who didn't know? "I wish all of you would have been upfront with me."

"What would you have done?" Nicole asked softly. "Mom didn't trust you making a choice like that so young, and she didn't have any faith in Leo. She didn't have very good luck with guys and...well, we thought you needed to be protected. Mom and I always thought of you as a baby, Jessie-Bessie."

My childhood name reminded me of all the times Nicole and Mom had cared for me, like when I broke my arm when I was nine and we'd watched all my favorite movies for two entire weekends, including four back-to-back viewings of Shrek.

Or when I was bullied about my size in middle-school, and Mom and Nicole took us to Disney to get my mind off being teased. Tears pricked at my eyes. I also felt a rising anger, but then it evaporated. I didn't feel like fighting. Maybe I was just exhausted, emotionally spent, but this negativity didn't seem worth it anymore.

"Well, I'm no longer a baby. Or a girl. And that means I'm going to be really clear about what I want."

Nicole smiled. "Good. Good for you."

"I don't want to sell the hotel. I want to continue to run it. I don't want more change in my life right now. There's been too much change, what with Mom gone. And with Leo returning. I want to hold on to this piece of our past, at least for now."

Nicole froze, and all I could hear was the screech of Palmira's parrots flying into the palm tree in the front of the hotel.

"Call the appraiser and cancel the appointment," I demanded. "Let's try things my way for a year, maybe two. Then we'll reevaluate. I'm not saying we'll never sell. I just don't want to sell anytime soon."

"Jessica..." Nicole's voice was soft and garbled, like she was about to cry.

"It's like you want to forget Mom."

A tear slipped down Nicole's cheek. "No. Not at all."

"Then what? Why are you so eager to sell? Why are you pushing me to move on? We're doing just fine, and we can do better if you let me do what I want and not stand in my way. I have so many ideas. You have a life with your husband and daughter. Why can't I build something I've been working at building for years now? Actually, if you'd work with me, we'd be a good team here."

Nicole sighed. "I miss Mom too. I just show it in a different way. I want to move on and have a fresh start."

So Leo was right. Nicole was grieving in her own way. Still, that didn't make it okay to force everyone else to do what she wanted.

Nicole shuddered in a breath. "But I guess you're right. You deserve a say in this. I just try to take charge to help out. I try to be adult, try to keep things moving, try to treat you the way I think Mom would have wanted me to treat you. But that's like a child, like how she thought of you. It's time I stop doing that. You're a grown woman who's accomplished a lot."

I nodded, my cheeks wet from tears. "I just want to stay on the island for a while. With you. I need you, whether you know it or not. You're all I've got. I don't want any more change right now."

Nicole walked out from behind the desk, and we hugged tight. It was the best hug I'd had from her in years.

"Okay, Jessie-Bessie. I mean, Jessica. Okay. We'll try it your way. You've more than earned a shot."

____