Page 3 of At First Catch

“You’ll recover.”

“Doubtful.”

This is what my family has become. A collection of love stories that turned into morning traffic at Sweet Gum Café.

Lila and Dean with their kids. Rowan and Ivy making pop-star-meets-strawberry-farmer look completely normal. Crew and Bailey with their lighthouse bookstore chaos. Holt and Lark, still carrying a little firelight in their wake.

And me.

Hadley Wright.

Twin sister.

Daughter.

Aunt.

Professional coffee carrier.

The fun one.

The one who keeps things light, remembers everyone’s favorite dessert, and steps into awkward silences before they grow teeth.

Somewhere along the way, I stopped noticing when I was the first one to refill a coffee, change the subject, or volunteer before anyone else could.

And most days...I didn’t mind.

I love my family fiercely.

That doesn’t mean it never stings to stand inside a room full of sweeping romances and wonder when people will stop seeing me as someone’s sister long enough to notice the woman underneath.

“Hadley?” Lila’s voice pulls me back.

I blink and realize I’m holding a muffin halfway to a plate. “Sorry. Morning brain.”

Holt’s gaze narrows. I ignore him with the dedication of a woman who has survived thirty-one years of twin interrogation.

Bailey drops the boxes near the corner table with a heavy thud. “Oh, by the way, I heard Nolan officially closed on the marina yesterday.”

The muffin slips from my fingers.

It lands on the counter with a soft, traitorous thump.

Nolan.

Nolan Pierce bought the marina?

I don’t know why the news steals the air from my lungs before it reaches anyone else. Maybe because everyone around me simply hears “new marina owner.” I hear “the man I never stopped thinking about.”

Which means he’s coming back to Coral Bell Cove for more than a weekend, more than a consult with Lark, more than a passing appearance I can brace myself through before going home to ruminate over all the things I definitely don’t think about.

Holt’s eyes find mine without pause.

Twin thing.

“Had,” he murmurs.

I grab the muffin and place it on the plate with far too much care. “What?”