Secrets Of The Tulip Sisters. Susan Mallery

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       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.

      By ten she’d finished with email, had played three games of Solitaire and was wondering how on earth she was going to get through a whole summer with nothing to do. Her dad had long since left for work. Everyone had somewhere to be but her. She grabbed her bag and walked out to her car. The air was cool, the sky cloudy. She had a feeling it might actually rain. Up here that wasn’t anything but ordinary. If she stayed long enough maybe she would start to take the rain for granted, just like everyone else.

      She drove to the end of the street, then merged onto the main road. The town had grown just enough to be slightly unfamiliar, as if it had somehow shifted out of focus. She saw a few new stores. The library had been refurbished. What had been an old grocery store was now a bowling alley and some kind of music school. She kept driving until she reached the edge of a huge field, then pulled to the side of the road.

      For as far as the eye could see was flat, groomed earth. She wasn’t sure how many acres her family owned, but it was a lot. Murphy Tulips were sought after all over the country. They were known for quality blooms, delivered on time. The main crop was СКАЧАТЬ