Evening Stars (39 page)

Nina hugged her. Averil hugged her back. She’d had a really good summer.

They ate salads and caught up with each other. The painting had ended up selling for nearly eleven million dollars. They grumbled about the cut the government got and how weird it was they were now trust-fund babies. Well, not babies, but still. After lunch they took a walk on the beach. Penny trotted ahead, tugging slightly on her leash, always pleased to be a part of things.

“What about Dylan?” Averil asked. “How did you leave it with him?”

“He said we were still together, and he’s going to come visit me.” She didn’t look completely convinced. “We’re going to talk on the phone and stuff. I don’t know if it’s going to be enough. I’m afraid I’m going to lose him. But I can’t stay on the island just in case. This is my chance, and I’m taking it. I’ve waited too long as it is.”

“Do you love him?” Averil asked, aware her sister could easily snap her head off for the question.

Nina surprised her by nodding. “I do,” she admitted, her voice a little thick with emotion. “It really sucks that, to do what I’ve always wanted, I have to leave someone I really care about, you know?”

Averil put an arm around her. “I’m sorry.”

“Me, too.” She sniffed and tried to smile. “But I’ll figure it out.”

“I’m glad you got into medical school.” Averil grinned. “My sister, the doctor. You’re going to save us a fortune in medical bills.”

Nina stared at her for a second and then started to laugh.

* * *

Nina waited for the light to change, then crossed on the green. She shifted the weight of her cross-body tote, wondering if her relatively short walk from campus to her apartment was going to seem a lot longer once winter arrived.

It was early fall now. The leaves had barely started changing. But three weeks after the start of classes, she didn’t have much time to admire the beauty of nature.

As Dylan had promised, there was a ton of reading and plenty of memorizing. The labs were long and sometimes confusing, but she’d made friends and joined a great study group.

She turned the corner and hurried toward her apartment. It was Friday. She had big plans for the evening. Takeout and a pay-per-view movie. A treat she hadn’t had time for since moving to Boston. But she’d read ahead, done well in her lab and was prepared to reward herself. At ten she had a call with Dylan. Hearing his voice always made her feel she could do anything.

She headed into her building. It was fancier than she’d expected, and the monthly rent had made her blanch, but it was close to school with plenty of shopping nearby. Convenience mattered these days. Besides, she had a snazzy trust fund to cover expenses. Change sometimes came with unexpected bonuses.

She walked through the foyer, pausing to get her mail. Another resident, an elderly Russian woman, smiled at her.

“Hello, Mrs. Volkov,” Nina said as she unlocked her mailbox.

“Nina! I met your husband earlier. So handsome.” She winked. “I can see why you’ve been working so hard, eh? Wanting to be caught up for when this one came to town.” Mrs. Volkov touched the side of her nose and smiled again.

Nina blinked at her. Husband? Then she slammed her mailbox shut and raced for the elevators. “Thanks, Mrs. Volkov,” she yelled as she rounded the corner.

Dylan. It had to be Dylan. He’d shown up for a surprise visit. She hoped it was just for the weekend, because she had classes on Monday. But even so—two days with him would be a miracle.

When the elevator doors opened on her floor, she ran down the hall and let herself into her apartment. Sure enough, Dylan was there, but he wasn’t unpacking a suitcase. Instead, he was kneeling by an open box, surrounded by stacks of more boxes. Dozens of them. And there was some new furniture in her place, including his large, black leather sofa.

She dropped her bag to the floor. Her coat followed as she stared at him.

“Dylan?”

He stood and gave her a sheepish grin. “Yeah, I know. I should have talked to you first. Only I thought you’d say we should wait and I’m tired of waiting. I want to be with you.”

He was here? As in
here?
“You’re moving to Boston?”

He stepped toward her. “I know you’re in shock,” he said. “Just tell me if this is a good surprise or a bad one.”

“Good.” Having Dylan around all the time? It was great. But could he do that? “What about your dad? You’re in practice with him.”

Dylan shoved his hands into his pockets, then pulled them out again. “Yeah, well, that’s a funny story. Once he found out I’d rather be here with you than on Blackberry Island with him, he decided to sell his practice. He already has three good offers. He and Mom are looking at retirement homes in Arizona. You know how Dad loves to golf.”

“I’ve heard rumors,” Nina said, unable to fully grasp what was happening. “You didn’t want to tell me what you were thinking?”

“I wanted it to be a surprise.” He crossed to her and cupped her face. “And I wanted to make sure I didn’t get in your way. I was afraid if you knew what I was thinking, you might put off starting school. I wanted you to make the choices that were right for you. You need to do this, Nina. You want it and I want it for you. If you don’t like the idea of me moving in, I’ll understand. I can get my own place and we’ll go back to dating. I just thought...” He hesitated. “I love you. Still. Always. That part never went away.”

“What about your work?”

“I have interviews with two Boston hospitals. And there’s a fellowship I’m looking into.” He kissed her. “I moved back to the island partly because I’d told my dad I would but mostly because of you. I could never forget you, Nina. I mean it. I love you.”

She leaned against him, letting his words settle into her heart. Tears filled her eyes, but they were the happy kind. The best kind. Everything about this felt right. She flung her arms around him and hung on as if she would never let go, because that was her plan.

“I love you, too,” she told him, staring into his green eyes. “I don’t think I ever got over you.”

He smiled and kissed her. “Good to hear because I was thinking when you graduate we’d talk about opening a practice somewhere. Dr. and Dr. Harrington.”

“I hear it’s beautiful in the Appalachians,” she told him.

“It’s beautiful anywhere you are. What’s that line?
Stay with me and be my love and we will all the pleasures prove.
”

She grinned at him. “Wow. A doctor who recites poetry. Can it get any better?”

He nudged her toward the bedroom. “I think it can. Let me take on that challenge and we’ll see where it leads.”

* * * * *

Keep reading for an excerpt from THREE SISTERS by Susan Mallery.

EVENING
STARS

Susan Mallery

Reader’s Guide

Suggested Menu

Blackberry Chipotle Chicken Tacos

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Olive oil
1 cup Blackberry Chipotle Sauce
(recipe at
www.BlackberryIsland.com
)
Flour tortillas
Ranch salad dressing (optional)
Onions
Tomatoes
Lettuce
Cheddar cheese

Chop raw chicken into small chunks. Heat oil in ten-inch sauté pan, brown chicken and cook all the way through. Pour the Blackberry Chipotle Sauce over the chicken and cook for another few minutes, until liquid is reduced and chicken is sticky. (Note: You can start with precooked chicken and simply warm together with the Blackberry Chipotle Sauce.) Warm the flour tortillas and assemble the tacos with the remaining ingredients.

Questions for Discussion

1. Why did Nina stay on Blackberry Island so long? Why did she put everyone else’s needs ahead of her own? Do you know any women like that?
   
2. If you have a sister, how is your relationship similar to Nina and Averil’s relationship? How is it different? In general, do you think brothers’ relationships are as emotionally complex as sisters’ relationships are?
   
3. One of the themes of Evening Stars clearly related to taking responsibility for one’s own life. How were different facets of responsibility explored through the characters of Nina, Averil and Bonnie? Is it possible to be too responsible? Where do you fall on the responsibility spectrum?
   
4. What other themes did you think about as you read Evening Stars?
   
5. Were you on Team Dylan or Team Kyle? Why? Did your allegiance change as you progressed through the book? Were you satisfied with the choice Nina made?
   
6. What did you think of Averil’s relationship with her husband, Kevin?
   
7. Early in the book, when Dylan drives Nina home, she sees the house through his eyes. How did her feelings about her home reflect her feelings about how her life had turned out? How would you feel if your first love visited your house?
   
8. Do you think Bonnie will change? Why or why not?
   
9. What caused Averil and Nina to begin to see each other differently? What caused them each to see themselves differently, and to take positive steps in their lives?
   
10. Explore a metaphor from Evening Stars.
    

Visit
www.BlackberryIsland.com
for a wealth of bonus content about the quaint island and its inhabitants. You’ll find a map of the island to print out for your book group, recipes, a history of the island and more.

What makes a house a home—and what makes neighbors friends.

If you loved
Three Sisters
, don’t miss
Barefoot Season
, the first Blackberry Island novel by
New York Times
bestselling author Susan Mallery. Available now!

“Gritty and magical, angst-ridden and sweet, this coming-home story by bestseller Mallery pulls no punches.”
—Publishers Weekly
on
Barefoot Season

Looking for more? With more than eighty ebooks available, you can also enjoy Susan Mallery’s Fool’s Gold series—and dozens of other memorable titles!

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Chapter One

BEING LEFT AT the altar is not for sissies. Aside from the humiliation and hurt, there are actual logistics to worry about. Odds are if a guy is willing to leave you standing alone in front of three hundred of your closest friends and relatives, not to mention
both
your mothers, he isn’t going to sweat the little stuff like returning the gifts and paying the caterer. Which explained why three months after going through that exact experience, Andi Gordon was putting her life savings into a house she’d only seen twice, in a town she’d only visited for seventy-two hours.