CHAPTER 271

After Jack’s visit, my thoughts were tangled with memories and decisions I wasn’t prepared to face. He’d reminded me of everything I left behind in Anacortes—both the memories I wanted to preserve and the battles I was desperate to put to rest.

Over the days that followed, the idea of returning grew stronger, no matter how much I tried to push it aside. I needed to settle things with Wilma’s meddling in those properties that were no longer owned by the Montefalcos and finally put an end to the loose threads Justin left behind.

I was so undecided until, one afternoon, when Aunt Lou surprised me by stopping by for tea. I hadn’t seen her in person for weeks, and the familiarity of her presence brought an immediate sense of comfort.

She looked at me, noticing the weight on my shoulders that I couldn’t seem to hide.

“It’s written all over your face, Margarette,” she said, taking a sip from her mug. “I can tell something’s bothering you. Tell me all about it.”

I hesitated at first, the wo