The Lost Sister (27 page)

“S
o what do you think is going to happen to this place?” Maddie asked Reed as they walked toward Kate’s house. Even though the Endicott family had relocated to a smaller place in town during Kiki’s arraignment, the mansion still possessed that smug, better-than-the-rest feeling. Maddie held the cup of hot chocolate in her hands, hoping that it would warm up her shivering body. She knew it was time to head back to school. They wouldn’t give any additional extensions, especially now that Abigail’s cancer was in full remission and she was being cared for by both Rebecca and Cordelia. Plus, her doctor had given her a clean bill of health. Her war wounds had healed nicely and she had made a full recovery. It made Maddie a little sad to return to boarding school. Even though Luke would make the transition easier, she felt like she would be missing out on her home. Her real home.

Just then the door burst open and Kate appeared, struggling under the weight of the last of her suitcases. This time she didn’t have the hired help to do the work for her. “Great,” she said when she saw Maddie and Reed. “Are you here to throw a celebration or something? Can I get a little help? Please?”

Maddie rolled her eyes and turned to Reed, ignoring Kate’s demands.

“Like I said before, what’s going to happen to the infamous Endicott house?”

“I don’t know,” he said, stifling a smile. “You should ask the new owners.” Reed nodded toward the end of the driveway. Maddie and Kate turned quickly to see Luke Bradford strolling up the walk.

“Oh my God,” Maddie said, rushing over to Luke and giving him a big hug. “Is this for real?”

He smiled and grabbed her hand and continued walking to the former Endicott house—now the summer home of the Bradford family. “It’s for real, all right.”

“But, why?” She couldn’t imagine that he was moving to Hawthorne just to be near her, could he? Even that was too far-fetched to believe.

“Well, my dad has always had a soft spot for Hawthorne—this is where he learned to sail and actually met your dad. I know, small world, huh? Plus, Marblehead Harbor is where we’ll be storing our boat, since it’s the deepest natural harbor in the country. It’s the perfect place for the Bradfords to summer, don’t you think? Bet you didn’t think I did my research, did you?”

Maddie heard Kate say to Reed, “The Bradford family? As in the Billionaire Bradfords? The Fortune 500 Bradford family? That’s the Luke that Maddie was talking about?”

Maddie shook her head. This was too good to be true.

“But why Hawthorne? Why now?”

“Well, I’ve always thought that life in New York City was interesting, but
nothing
compares to the craziness that goes on here. This is my kind of town,” he said wickedly.

Kate, never one to lose an opportunity to hit on a wealthy guy, pushed between Maddie and Luke.

“Well, you should know that before this whole ‘debacle,’” she said, wrinkling her nose and gazing angrily over her shoulder at Maddie, “my family practically built this town. If there’s anyone who you should come to for a—an extra-special, private tour of the town, I’m your girl.”

Maddie felt physically ill. She turned to Reed, only to have him shrug his shoulders. Luke couldn’t possibly fall under Kate’s spell, could he?

“You know, since this is your old house and you are familiar with the area, it would make sense for you to stick around for a while, darlin’,” Luke said, tipping her head up with his finger. Maddie felt like she was going to scream. He was using his smoky voice that she’d grown to hate when he talked to other pretty girls.

“I’d love to stick around and get to know you better, Luke.” She smiled and then flashed her eyes wickedly at Maddie. Maddie could see the wheels turning in Kate’s head. If she could nab Luke Bradford, then she could return to the lifestyle she was accustomed to.

“Great,” he said, clapping. “Then you can move your things into the maid’s quarters, because I really don’t know the first thing about getting good help in this area. I’m actually quite at a loss. Plus, you know the house better than anyone, I would assume, and you’d know how to keep it tidy, yes?”

Kate’s jaw dropped open. “You can’t be serious.”

“Well,” he said with mock sincerity, “you do need money for school, yes? And your family has lost everything. I just assumed you’d be looking for work. You could share the quarters with your mother if she’s looking to be in our employ. Oh, wait. She and your father are incarcerated, isn’t that right? Well, in any case, why don’t you talk it over with your family? If they—how did you put it? Built this town, you say?—then they would be the ones to go to for assistance as a newcomer. And I need all the help I can get.”

“Yes, you do. Starting with your attitude, you asshole. I am an Endicott, you know.”

“Oh, I know.” He leaned in closer and whispered, “But I won’t hold that against you.”

He turned and winked at Maddie, and she knew that—finally—everything was going to work out just fine.