Return to Willow Lake by Susan Wiggs

not
going to find out?”
    “If you’d just calm down and listen, I can explain. She’s got one shot at this fellowship, and I don’t want
to be the cause of her missing this amazing opportunity.”
    “Hang on—fellowship? What fellowship are you talking about?” It
was a fair question. Sonnet, with her stellar academic record, was constantly
pursuing—and receiving—various scholarships and fellowships.
    “She didn’t tell you about the Hartstone Fellowship?” Nina
stopped walking in the middle of the path.”
    “Nope.”
    She gave a little laugh. “It’s the biggest thing that’s
happened to her. I can’t believe she hasn’t told you yet.”
    “I don’t get what this has to do with you not telling her about
the…about your diagnosis.”
    “I’m just worried she’ll make a hasty decision and decline the
fellowship just to be with me.”
    Now it was his turn to laugh. “You think?”
    “I’m serious, Zach. There’s no crisis, nothing for her to do
here but worry, and that’s the last thing I want for her.”
    “Then tell her what’s going on and let her decide.”
    “I already know what she’ll decide. That’s why I’m not telling
her.”

Chapter Seven
    Sonnet dreaded running into Zach again now that she’d
returned to Avalon, but she didn’t expect the encounter to happen so soon. First
thing in the morning, before she’d put in her contact lenses, or brushed her
teeth, or brought some sort of order to her hair. And before—dear God—she had
washed off the green mint facial she’d found in the guest bathroom. Hearing
someone down in the kitchen, she’d assumed it was Greg or Max.
    “Hey,” she said, adjusting the clip that was keeping her hair
out of the facial mask. “I was wondering if you could show me how to use the
coffeemaker. I tried earlier, but I couldn’t get it to work. Those little pod
thingies are— Oh, God.” She stood with her feet frozen to the floor of her
mother’s old-fashioned country kitchen, staring at Zach Alger in all his tall,
shimmering blond glory.
    “Sorry, can’t help you with the coffeemaker,” he said easily,
as if they’d just seen each other last week. As if they hadn’t foolishly hooked
up at Daisy’s wedding. He stared at her for a moment. Two moments. Then he lost
it, bursting out in guffaws. “Sorry, but you look scary.”
    Sonnet tried to muster some dignity as she adjusted the lapels
of her oversized bathrobe. “Okay, how about knocking,” she suggested. “It’s a
good idea to knock before barging into someone’s house.”
    “I’ve always had barging privileges here.” His laughter
subsided to chuckles.
    She wanted to smack him. Did he never act his age? “I know, but
that was…” Before . “You should respect people’s
privacy,” she said.
    “Oh, so now you’re people . Got
it.”
    She sighed. “Have a seat, Zach. Let me… I need to go and
change, and I’ll be right back.”
    “Don’t take all day.”
    “I’ll take as long as I please.”
    “Still your same charming self,” he commented, managing to make
her feel both ridiculous and small.
    She marched from the kitchen. As soon as she was out of sight,
she sped upstairs to her room. Zach had come to see her. Zach, whom she was
supposed to be done with. At the end of their crazy night together, she’d told
him they’d made a huge mistake. In the long silence afterward, she had concluded
that their friendship had run its course, they weren’t kids anymore, and both
were going to move ahead with their lives in different directions.
    As she stood at the sink and scrubbed furiously at her face,
she had multiple flashbacks going all the way back to early childhood. There had
never been a time when Zach was required to knock at the door. He’d been
family—her mom used to say so often. As a child, Sonnet hadn’t realized how
difficult Zach’s home life had been. She barely remembered his mother, though
she remembered when Zach realized Mrs. Alger had left