“Home” was a pretty foreign concept to her as well. Her family was made up of wanderers—Harper had lived in Ohio, California, Georgia, New York, and Maryland and tended not to stay in one place for more than a handful of years. But the idea of home—this home, in particular—was surprisingly nice. She wondered what could have driven Colin to stay away for so long. Was it just because of the tension with his father? Yes, they were both very similar, personality-wise. Maybe too similar. But she suspected there was more to it.

  As if on cue, Colin and his father got into another argument on the beach, pointing and yelling at each other, over what Harper could only guess. She leaned back in her chair and sipped her iced tea, her gaze locked on Colin. “Tell me, if it’s not too personal, why do they fight all the time?”

  Emily sighed. “Well, besides the fact Colin has too much of his father in him, I suppose it started after Ellie passed away.”

  “Ellie?” Harper frowned, glancing over at Colin’s mother. “Who was that?”

  Emily’s expression turned sad. “She was Colin’s older sister. She died of leukemia before Colin was born.”

  “Oh, gosh.” She reached over to take Emily’s hand atop the table. “I’m so very sorry for your loss.”

  “Thank you.” Emily blinked hard, her blue eyes so very like her son’s. “It was a long time ago. And we don’t really talk about her often.” A beat or two passed before Emily cleared her throat and continued, her attention focused on the game at the beach. “Anyway, it was very hard for me and Colin’s father. We had a good marriage, but we were so young…I guess we just didn’t really know how to be there for each other. We ended up grieving separately, and by the time we got closer again, it just became a subject we didn’t talk about. Not with each other, at least. But I always suspected that Cole was fearful of something similar happening to Colin. Not cancer, necessarily, but losing him before he was ready. Not that you’re ever ready, but you get what I mean.”

  Harper did. Especially now with her sister missing. She took that in for a while, piecing together what she knew about Colin’s past. “Must’ve been hard for him, when Colin joined the military.”

  “It was, though Cole would never admit it.” Emily shook her head. “I think that was the real breaking point for them. They fought something terrible after Colin told us about his decision. Colin wanted to carve out his own future, follow his own path. Back then he was eighteen, just out of school, fresh off a break up with his girlfriend. He was young and restless. Of course, Cole took it entirely the wrong way. He saw Colin’s choice as a rejection of everything Cole had worked so hard to give him—the Ivy League college, the family business—a safe, stable life where he would be safe and successful. They were both angry and upset and things escalated that night.” Emily frowned down into her lemonade. “They both ended up saying things they regretted, I think, but they’re both too proud to apologize. Didn’t help, of course, that Cole cut him off, financially. Not that that ended up mattering, since he got an inheritance from my parents not long after, but it still represented Cole’s firm rejection of Colin’s choice.”

  Wow. Well, that explained a lot. Harper sat there, trying to take it all in and square it with the Colin she knew so far. “Thanks for sharing all that with me.”

  “Of course, dear.” Emily smiled over at her. “You’re going to be family soon.”

  Harper’s own smile faltered slightly as guilt clawed inside her. She hated deceiving this sweet woman. She’d come into this thinking it would be so easy to pretend, but now, she wasn’t so sure.

  8

  Colin wasn’t thrilled about the idea of Harper and his mom going inside the Wellness Center without him. On that point, Harper had been right. But thankfully, they’d been able to find another way. The Wellness Center had been quite accommodating when Harper had called and said that she wanted a consultation to take place at the resort. The center’s receptionist had booked Harper for an afternoon appointment, so now all they had to do was wait and see if it would be Harper’s sister who arrived. They had no way of knowing how many female faith healers Sebastian had on staff, but Harper had described the exact practices she was interested, sticking as closely as possible to what she knew her sister offered, so they were both cautiously optimistic that Serenity would be the one who’d come to the meeting.

  But even that carried its own questions. What sort of condition would Serenity be in? Would she show signs of injury or mistreatment? Had she been brainwashed by Sebastian, as so many of the center’s ardent followers seemed to be? There was nothing to be done but to wait and see.

  Just in case Sebastian had brainwashed Serenity, Colin had decided that he and Harper shouldn’t sit together. If Serenity reported back to him that her sister was worried about her, better for Sebastian not to know that Harper wasn’t acting alone. That said, though, he was keeping a close eye on the table where she was seated—and an ear on it, as well. She’d called his phone, then placed her own face down on her table, so he could listen in to their conversation and step in if it all went to hell. Hopefully, it wouldn’t come to that. He really didn’t want to make a scene in the place if he didn’t have to, and he hated the thought that Harper might end up in harm’s way.

  It wasn’t long before Serenity arrived. She walked in, wearing a long pastel printed maxi dress and white sandals. She was a bit taller than Harper and a bit curvier too, but there was no mistaking that they were sisters. The minute she saw Harper sitting there, it was like a light switched on inside Serenity, and she ran over for a hug.

  “What are you doing here?” Serenity asked when they finally pulled away from each other. The sisters took seats on opposite sides of the small table. Colin heard the sniffle in her voice. “When I saw the name ‘Harper’ on my appointment list, I immediately thought of you—but it said Harper Parks, not Harper Bell.” She gave her sister a playful smile. “Is there something you need to tell me about? You didn’t elope, did you?”

  The name thing had been Colin’s idea. Harper using her real name seemed like it would be too big of a giveaway, spoiling all the work they’d done to stay under the radar and keep Sebastian from realizing Serenity’s family was looking for her.

  And if he happened to like the way “Harper Parks” sounded, that was no one’s business but his own.

  When Harper spoke, it was too muffled for him to hear, dammit. And so was Serenity’s reply, when she whispered something back to her sister. He shifted in his seat, wondering if he should move closer to make it easier to hear. Across the room, Harper’s eyes locked on his and she waved at him, beckoning him over. What the hell? This was not what they’d agreed on. She was supposed to play it cool until they had a chance to suss out what Serenity’s situation was with Sebastian. Colin wasn’t supposed to be mentioned at all until they were sure Serenity hadn’t been brainwashed or manipulated. And he definitely wasn’t supposed to come over when anyone could be watching them. But there was nothing for it now—if he ignored Harper’s gestures, he’d just make a bigger scene and draw more attention.

  Scowling, he made his way to their table slowly, all his SEAL instincts on high alert. Why the hell would she blow his cover like this for no good reason?

  “Colin,” Harper said, grinning up at him. “I want you to meet my sister Serenity. Serenity, this is Colin Parks, the ex-SEAL turned PI who’s been helping me find you. Obviously, he’s done an excellent job so far, since you’re here now.”

  Still off-kilter, Colin forced a smile he didn’t feel and shook hands with Serenity, then sank into the seat beside Harper, wondering what the actual fuck was going on. He didn’t like spur-of-the-moment changes, even though that seemed to be Harper’s specialty. He planned ahead, kept it all clear, effective, efficient. Sitting here in the open discussing what could well be a hostage-kidnapping-cult type situation was not what he would call clear, effective, or efficient at all.

  “Tell him what you were starting to tell me, sis,” Harper said.

  Serenity nodded, then glanced back at the lobby entrance and the bar before starting. “Sorry. I can’t stay long. Sebastian sent his driver with me. The guy is in the bar right now watching the game, but he could come out at any second. I’ve got twenty minutes max—that’s how long the consultation is supposed to run.” She swallowed hard and lowered her voice. “Anyway, I wanted you both to know I haven’t been brainwashed or anything like that by Sebastian. I actually went to the clinic on my own because I’m trying to take him and his organization down from the inside. I was hired to do a series of personal sessions for a woman who was staying here at the resort but who was also getting ‘treatment’ at the Wellness Center. She told me about Sebastian Bone, and the more I looked into what he was up to, the less I liked it. At first, I figured he was just another slimy fake faith healer taking advantage of sick people’s ignorance about what faith healing is really all about. But I thought if I could convince him that I was interested in what he was doing and wanted to join him, I could record evidence of him lying to his clients, then turn him in. But once I got inside the place, I realized the scam was much more sophisticated and cult-like than I was prepared for.”

  She took a deep breath. “Do you know they take everyone’s cell phones the minute they step inside the compound? Which meant that I had no way of recording Sebastian lying like I’d planned to do. And then, once I was in there, I couldn’t find a good way to leave again without arousing Sebastian’s suspicion, so I was trapped.” She shook her head. “I think the best plan to catch him now is to look at his client files and his financial records for proof of insurance fraud. But I need time to do that.” Serenity checked her watch. “Damn. I need to get back. Otherwise Sebastian will wonder where I am and what I’m up to.” She stood and smoothed a hand down the front of her flowy dress as Harper and Colin got to their feet as well. “I’ve already told you I won’t have a phone inside, but now that I know Harper is here on the island and staying with your family, Colin, I’ll figure out a way to contact you guys if anything goes wrong. And I’ll try to check in as often as I can.” Quickly, they ran through the avenues they’d used to keep in touch—ways that Serenity could reach them if she needed to, and clues they’d be sure to include in messages to prove that they were legit.

  Harper hurried around the table to hug her sister again. “Let’s plan to meet up here again. Say two days from now around the same time? Two p.m.? I’ll make another appointment.”

  “Sounds good.” Serenity gave them a little wave, then headed across the lobby for the bar.

  On the drive home, Harper was quieter than usual, and Colin knew it was because she was worried.

  “Hey,” he said, reaching over to take her hand. “This is all good news. You’ve seen Serenity—she’s not lost or hurt. Plus, she hasn’t been brainwashed, and she’s actively working to bring this guy down. Sounds like she knows what she’s doing.”

  “But does she though? I’m not so sure,” she said, staring out the passenger side window at the scenery beyond. “What if Sebastian Bone finds out what she’s really doing there and that she’s trying to catch him? Serenity isn’t trained to defend herself like you are. She’s not a spy or some kind of special forces operative. She’s my sister. She reads tarot cards and makes candles and practices hot yoga. Hardly prime espionage material.”

  Colin exhaled slowly, then turned onto the drive leading to their house. “Well, the fact that she’s stayed undercover and off Bone’s radar for this long is a good sign. And now that we’re here, your sister has backup and a way to contact us if things go south and she needs us. Both of those are good things.”

  “I guess so.” A beat or two passed in silence, then Harper said, “Look, I understand if you don’t want to continue with this investigation anymore. You did what you promised. You helped me find my sister. Your part of this deal is done. Taking down Sebastian Bone and his clinic is way more than you signed up for, Colin. I completely understand if you want out at this point. I can take it from here. Wait until Serenity’s done with her investigation, then bring her home.”

  For a second, he was too stunned to say anything. Then he shook his head. “No. I don’t want out. And no, this isn’t over yet. It won’t be done until your sister is safely out of that compound and away from Sebastian Bone and his weird cult for good.” He frowned out the windshield as he pulled to a stop near the front of the house and parked. He undid his seatbelt, then shifted slightly to face her. “Listen, Harper. I don’t leave missions half finished, okay? It’s not in my nature. If something needs doing, then it needs to be done right. Otherwise, what’s the point? Besides, I promised to help and I promised it would be okay. And I won’t know for certain everything is okay here until Serenity is out of that compound. So, I’m going to stick around until both of those promises are fulfilled. You aren’t getting rid of me that easy.”

  Harper looked over at him then, giving him a watery smile. “I’ve never known anyone like you before, Colin Parks.”

  He snorted, then cupped her cheek without thinking, just because it felt so damned good to touch her. “I’ve never known anyone like you either, Harper Bell.”

  An odd intimacy filled the air between them, turning the interior of the SUV into something else entirely. Colin felt mesmerized by her eyes, by her warmth, by her scent, by everything about her. He leaned closer, closer, so close that they were only a breath apart, his gaze on her lips, near enough that he could practically taste them and…

  Knock, knock, knock.

  His mom was at the driver’s side window, waving for them to come inside. Great. Harper had recovered faster than him, unclicked her seatbelt and got out of the car, following after his mom and leaving Colin to stare after them, wondering when in the hell he’d lost complete control over everything.

  9

  That evening after dinner, all the reunion guests sat around a large fire in the backyard, just relaxing and chatting. The two younger girls, Marigold and Emma, were inside the house watching a movie, while the adults reminisced about the past and drank wine.

  Harper was snuggled into Colin’s side, tugging his oversized hoodie tighter around herself against the chilly ocean breeze. Overall, it had been a good day. She’d enjoyed talking to his mom and getting better insight into Colin and his relationship with his father. She’d also loved finally getting an opportunity to see Serenity. Even better, she still had Colin by her side, helping her through all of this.

  She stared into the crackling flames, inhaling the scent of campfire and toasting marshmallows, biting back a yawn. It would be so easy to rest her head on Colin’s warm, strong chest and go to sleep. Especially with him running his fingers through her hair like that, his deep voice rumbling beneath her ear when he talked or laughed. She felt so sleepy and safe…

  "How about each couple tells us how you met and what first attracted you to your partner?” Colin’s mother suggested.

  Colin tensed beneath Harper and she sat up, fully awake now.

  Showtime.

  Jojo and Sara were seated across the fire from them and started. “We met on one of those singles cruises,” Jojo said, waiting for the derisive snorts to die down. “I know, I know. Totally lame. But I’d just gotten out of a bad relationship and so had Sara—and each of us had an interfering friend who signed us up for the cruise behind our backs. Neither of us were looking for anything other than friendship.” At Colin’s skeptical look, she laughed. “Seriously. Anyway, they always have a bunch of those mixer things, and we both ended up going to one titled Name that Tune.”

  “Name that Song, sweetie,” Sara corrected her with a fond look.

  “Right. Name that Song.” Jojo grinned. “Well, as you all know, I’m the Queen of useless trivia, especially when it has to do with music, so of course I made it all the way to the finals.”

  “Yeah, there was barely room for any other contestants with her ego taking up so much space,” Sara added, getting a huge laugh from everyone.

  Jojo shook her head, then kissed her wife’s cheek. “Never lets me get away with anything, this one. So, like I said, I made it to the finals and guess who my opponent was?” She pointed to Sara. “Blew my chance of winning right out of the water.”

  “I didn’t know you were a music buff, Sara,” Colin said.

  “Oh, I’m not,” Sara said at the same time Jojo said, “Oh, she’s not.”

  They both laughed, then leaned in so their heads rested against each other as Jojo continued. “But luckily everyone else who played knew even less about music than Sara did, and I was too distracted by her to remember my own name, let alone any music trivia. She won by a landslide, which funnily enough was the answer to the final question—What 1974 song did Stevie Nicks write about her tumultuous relationship with Lindsey Buckingham and her strained relations with her business executive father?”

  “And we lived happily ever after,” Sara said, laughing as she kissed Jojo.

  When they finally pulled apart, Jojo raised her wineglass and took a gulp, then passed the proverbial torch. “Who’s next? Mom and Dad?”

  “We met while shopping,” Colin’s Aunt Patsy said. “Richard asked me for recommendations on jewelry as a Christmas present for his mother. At first, I didn’t think anything of it, but when I told him I needed to head over to another store, he said he was going there, too, and came with me. This happened for four stores. And with each store, he kept me talking to him by saying that he needed my suggestion on another gift for another relative.”

  “Stalker alert!” Jojo called, getting another huge laugh from the assembled, including Harper.