Mara didn’t miss the satisfied light in Jared’s eyes as Hope stood in the family room after dinner and made her official announcement.
Sitting next to him on the couch, she leaned in closer and whispered, “That’s been your plan all along, wasn’t it? You built a house for every one of your siblings here on the Peninsula to bring your family back together again.” Mara knew it was true as certainly as she knew she loved Jared. He hadn’t come here and built homes for all of his siblings after the accident just because he was bored, or because he’d wanted to escape from the pain of losing his friend and girlfriend. Jared had yearned to have his siblings back in the same area, together after years of being scattered across the country, and in Evan’s case, across the world. Mara’s heart skittered, aching for a man so lonely that he had come to where Grady had already made his permanent home and had meticulously used his architectural skills to carefully construct what he hoped would become more than just a vacation home for each of his siblings. For years, the plan hadn’t worked, all of his siblings single and busy with their own lives. Now, he was going to have Hope, Grady, and Dante all in the same location, something Mara was pretty certain had been Jared’s secret longing all along.
“I didn’t admit it at the time, but I think that was what I really wanted,” he answered in a husky whisper near her ear. “It’s hard to believe it’s actually happening. There’s only Evan now.”
Mara’s heart skipped a beat. Did that mean Jared was planning on staying in Amesport forever? That his home on the Peninsula would be his permanent residence? Obviously he’d have to travel at times. He had projects all over the world. But was he planning on spending the majority of his time here in Maine?
“I’m not certain the little Amesport airport can accommodate that many private jets,” she said with a levity she wasn’t feeling, trying to calm her agitated nerves.
Jared grinned at her. “Then we’ll make it bigger. That’s one good thing about having a lot of billionaires in one town. There will be plenty of money around to help with improvements.”
Mara could think of plenty of benefits, the most important one being that Jared would be in Amesport often. She opened her mouth to answer him, but her attention was taken away from Jared as Hope sat down on her husband’s lap in a recliner and spoke more quietly. “Since we’re all here right now, there’s something else I need to tell you. I hid some things from all of you, and I’m sorry.”
Mara saw Jason’s face change instantly, his expression immediately concerned, his eyes growing dim as he ran a hand up and down Hope’s back. “Sweetheart, maybe now isn’t the best time . . .” Jason started to speak gravely.
“It is,” Hope interrupted. “We’re never all together, and I want them to know the truth. We’re going to be close again, living in the same place. I need this for closure, Jason. I don’t want to go on living a lie with my family. I love them. It’s time.”
Mara watched the interplay between Hope and Jason as they looked at each other, so much communicated without words, before Jason finally nodded his handsome blond head reluctantly. It was a signal that he was standing beside Hope no matter what.
The beautiful, auburn-haired Hope opened her mouth to speak, but her voice was weak and tremulous. “I lied. I’ve been lying to all of you for years until recently.”
“Why?” Grady asked, sounding confused as Emily slipped her hand into Grady’s from their place on a love seat.
“How?” Dante questioned gruffly as Sarah wrapped an arm around her fiancé’s shoulders from her place in his lap in another chair.
Mara reached for and clasped Jared’s hand, sensing that whatever Hope was going to say would impact the Sinclair siblings emotionally.
Tears sprang to Hope’s eyes, and she tried to continue. “I-I hid things,” she said in a voice heavy with sorrow.