Chapter 7: Meet the Bride

I went down the ladder fast, with my mouth still tasting of Rainer.

At the shed door I knocked twice and said his name.

Nothing.

The yellow bulb stayed dark.

"Tiernan."

A long pause, then his voice came through the wood, low and level.

"Go to bed, Hen."

"I need to explain."

"I know what I heard on the roof."

"You didn't hear anything."

"I heard enough to know it wasn't talking."

I laid my forehead against the cold planks.

I could have said, I stopped. I said no. It was one kiss.

All of it was true, and none of it would have changed the sound of that door.

"Go to bed," he said again, gently, and the gentleness was worse than a shout.

I went.

On Thursday night, the Harbor House ballroom filled with people who didn't want to be there.

Linwood had invited every family with a note on the waterfront.

Two hundred fishermen and their wives crowded under the chandelier, drinking his wine and watching the doors.

The invitation had said, Come meet the Trust's newest family.

I wore my mother's navy dress again.

Rainer stood at the far wall in his charcoal suit and did not look at me.

Tiernan stood by the bar, also not looking.

For two days I had walked between them in that house.

"Friends," Linwood said, tapping a glass.

The room hushed.

"Neighbors. The Hallowells and the Pascoes have lived on this harbor for a hundred years."

"Tonight I'm proud to say we are about to become one family."

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