“I need a drink.”
While I took a shower to wash off the day’s craziness, Robin popped open a half bottle of red wine from the minibar and poured us each a glass. After the shower, I felt wide-awake and about two hundred times better than before. More relaxed and less achy. The wine might’ve helped a little, too.
What was I thinking? Of course the wine helped.
We decided to get out and explore Edinburgh. About time, too. I loved this city and hadn’t had a single minute to enjoy it.
I pulled on a clean pair of jeans and a pink long-sleeved knit top; then Robin filled me in on the news from home while I blew my hair dry. The big news from Dharma, our hometown, was that another store was about to open on Shakespeare Lane, the town’s main drag. Well, “main drag” was a bit of an overstatement. Shakespeare Lane, or “the Lane,” as we locals called it, was a quaint, narrow two-lane street of charming shops, cafés and restaurants.
Barely two blocks long, the Lane had become something of a wine country mecca, thanks to the small luxury hotel and spa that capped one end of the street. It also helped that two world-class restaurants had moved in over the past year. Our commune’s excellent winery now had a tasting room on the Lane. There were clothing shops, a baby store, an antique shop. My sister China owned Warped, a high-end yarn and weaving shop next door to the town bookstore.
“Who’s opening the new shop?” I asked after I turned off the hair dryer and grabbed my brush.
“Annie.”
Startled, I dropped the hair dryer and the brush flew out of my hand. I scrambled to catch the hair dryer, but it was attached to the wall by a curly cord, so it just bounced up and down instead of crashing to the floor.
Robin stood in the doorway, laughing at me. “I knew that would get your attention.”
Annie, or Anandalla, as her mother had named her, was Abraham’s long-lost daughter. The week before Abraham died, Annie showed up to meet the father she’d never known. Then he died and left me his entire estate, along with a boatload of guilt I’d been dealing with ever since. Once paternity was established, I asked the lawyers to change the title deed to Abraham’s home in the hills from my sole ownership to joint tenancy with Annie.
Annie moved to Dharma and the community took her under its wing, especially my mother. Annie was quickly becoming the third sister I’d never known I needed.
As I slipped on my walking boots, I frowned at Robin. “Wonder why Mom didn’t say anything about it.”
Robin shook her head. “She’s too worried about you to think of anything else.”
“Yeah, I guess she gets distracted.”
“Your mom? Really?” She smiled. “You think so?”
“No, of course not. What was I thinking?” I grinned. “So what kind of store is it?”
“Kitchen stuff.”
I thought about that as I finished my wine and grabbed my gloves from the drawer. “Not a bad idea. We don’t have anything like that in the area.”
“Yeah, and did you know she cooks?”
“I had no idea.”
“She’s going to give cooking classes and mix it up with wine pairings from the winery.”
“Smart.” I wrapped my ankle with an elastic bandage Derek had given me, then slipped on my sturdy boots. Most of the pain was gone, but I didn’t want to take any chances of twisting it again on the cobblestone sidewalks. I zipped up my fleece hoodie, then checked that the windows were still secured before grabbing my purse and jacket and leading the way out the door. “I’ve only been gone a few days. Why didn’t I hear about this before?”
“You’ve been involved with this trip for weeks. Guess it didn’t register.”
“So how do you know so much about it?”
“Hey, it’s my town, too. I do get up there every so often.”
“Especially recently,” I said, studying her. “You’ve been talking to Austin.”
“No,” she said a little too quickly. “Well, of course. I mean, no more than usual, which is rarely.”
“Liar,” I said, grinning.
“I’m rubber, you’re glue.”
“And you’re so mature.”
“Just don’t be blabbing to him about Angus,” she said darkly.
“Hey, a little competition might do him some good.”
My brother Austin had been Robin’s secret crush since we were in fifth grade. I’d seen them together at Mom and Dad’s anniversary party and they looked perfect. I just hoped Austin didn’t blow it. Because if he broke Robin’s heart, whether he was my brother or not, I would have to kill him. And that would play hell with my karma.