Secrets of the Tulip Sisters

Kelly felt her mouth fall open. She carefully closed it. “I never said that.”

“You didn’t have to.”

Say it! Tell her! The voice in her head was so loud and spoke in time with the pounding of her headache. This was the moment, she thought, to come clean and say that she had been the reason Olivia had been sent away. Only the words got stuck and wouldn’t move.

“We’ve always been different,” Olivia said.

“I know. I take after Dad and you...” Kelly sipped her coffee.

“I don’t take after Mom that much.” Olivia glanced away.

There was something about the way she said it—as if she knew one way or the other.

“Do you ever see her?” Kelly asked.

Olivia sipped her coffee. “Ah, sometimes. Not all that often.”

Wow—there was information. Once Marilee had taken off, Kelly had never wanted to spend time with her mother again. Of course she and her mom had a very different relationship than Olivia and Marilee.

“You and I were always on opposite sides,” Kelly said. “Me with Dad and you with Mom.”

“Soldiers in their war.”

“Is that how you saw it?” Kelly asked. “I never did. Dad didn’t fight.”

“He should have. Things would have been better if he’d stood up to her.”

“I know. I think he was trying to get along.” Not that she wanted to say anything bad about Jeff. He’d been a good dad—always there for her.

“I was asking about the farm before because I thought we could hang out together. After work.”

“That would be great,” Kelly said automatically, then wondered what on earth they were supposed to do together. She doubted she and Olivia had anything in common and it wasn’t as if there was a ton to do in Tulpen Crossing. Part of the reason they had trouble attracting tourists in the off-season.

“I have a tourism board meeting tonight,” she said. “We’re trying to update the local craft mall and figure out ways to get more tourists to come to town. Maybe you could help us brainstorm.”

She expected Olivia to roll her eyes at the suggestion. Instead her sister nodded eagerly.

“I’d like that a lot. I worked with a couple of charities in Phoenix. Maybe some of the things we did there will work here.”

Kelly didn’t know which was more surprising—her sister’s enthusiasm or the fact that she’d volunteered for something. Which wasn’t fair, she reminded herself. Olivia wasn’t a teenager anymore. She’d grown up, graduated college and had created a life of her own away from her family. Of course she was different.

“That would be really helpful.” Kelly smiled.

“I hope so. I’ll see you after work.”

“You will.”

Kelly poured coffee into a to-go mug and grabbed her bag. She opened the back door just in time to remember that she had no transportation, only to find her truck sitting where it was supposed to be. The keys were in the ignition and a bottle of aspirin was on the front seat with a note that said, Hope it’s not too bad this morning. G

Griffith had somehow arranged to return her truck to her. Talk about above and beyond, she thought happily. She might not be sure about what to do about her sister, but her decision about Griffith’s suggestion was getting more and more clear.

She slid into the driver’s seat, then reached for her purse when she heard her phone chirp. The text message was from Helen.

Your dad just left. Olivia’s back? Are you still in shock?

Yes. Shocked. Stunned and seriously hungover. Missed you last night.

I heard the band was awful. I didn’t miss hearing that. Need to talk?

I’m okay. I’ll fill you in on everything tonight. Oh, Olivia’s coming with me.

Why?

I honest to God have no idea.





8

Olivia tidied the kitchen after her sister left, not that there was much to do. Kelly had only eaten toast and coffee and Jeff had left her a note that during the week, he ate at a local diner. The scrawled PS offered to take her along, but the “I leave at 5:30” had her shuddering. Um, no thanks.

They all had lives, she thought as she poured her second cup of coffee and leaned against the counter. They had their routines, time had moved on. While she knew that in her head, she was still surprised. Part of her had expected life in Tulpen Crossing to be exactly as she had remembered it, with no one changing but her. How silly.

The back door opened and her dad walked in.

“Hey, sweetie.”

“Hi, Dad. How was breakfast?”

“Good, as always. Did you sleep well?”

“Uh-huh. The bed’s still comfortable.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

He poured himself a mug of coffee and smiled at her.

Her dad looked good—trim and fit, with only a few wrinkles around his eyes. While Marilee held back the hands of time with Botox and fillers, her dad could pass for a decade younger than his age all on his own. The product of great genes and clean living, she supposed.

“Kelly already gone?” he asked.

Olivia nodded.

He flashed a grin. “She got a little drunk last night, so I would guess she’s not feeling her best today.”

A hangover? “Does she get drunk a lot?” Kelly didn’t seem the type.

“Not usually. I brought her home. I was going to help her get her truck, but unless she walked to the farm, someone took care of that for her.”

“Her truck was here this morning.”

“What are you going to do with your day?” her dad asked.

“I thought I’d explore the town—see what’s changed. I’m excited that it’s not already ninety degrees.”

“How do you stand the heat?”

“You get used to it.” Although in the middle of summer, no one enjoyed 108 degrees with a low of 95.

“I’m glad to have you home.” Jeff kissed her cheek. “You let me know if you need anything.”

“I will, Dad. Thanks.”

There hadn’t been a lot of fanfare, but that was okay. Olivia trusted her father’s steady acceptance more than any parade. Marilee had been welcoming at first, but lately that had changed and Kelly had no idea why. Nor did she know why she’d lied about how much she saw her mother. Instinct, maybe. Being sent away had taught her that the only person she could trust was herself.

She rinsed her mug and set it in the sink, then went back to her room to check email. She’d been in touch with her clients before she left, but wanted to make sure they were all okay.