TWO

Capri

The slamming of a car door startled her, and Harper sat up, setting aside her e-reader. She hopped off her bed and pushed back the curtain in time to see Gemma saying good night to Alex before coming in the house.

According to the alarm clock on her bedside table, it was only ten-thirty. She didn’t really have anything to bust Gemma on, but Harper still didn’t like it.

She sat down on her bed and waited for Gemma to come upstairs. It would take a few minutes, since their father, Brian, was downstairs watching TV. He usually waited up for Gemma, not that she seemed to care. She still went out, even when Brian had to be up at five A.M. for work.

That drove Harper nuts, but she’d long ago given up that fight. Her father had set Gemma’s curfew, and if it really bothered him to wait up, he could make it earlier. Or at least that was what he said.

Brian and Gemma talked for a couple minutes, with Harper upstairs listening to their muffled conversation. Then she heard footsteps on the stairs, and before Gemma could make it to her own room, Harper opened her bedroom door and caught her.

“Gemma,” Harper whispered.

Gemma stood across the hall from her, her back to Harper and her hand on the bedroom door. Her sundress stuck to her damp skin, and Harper could see the outline of the bikini through the fabric.

With heavy reluctance, Gemma turned to face her older sister. “You know, you don’t have to wait up for me. Dad does that.”

“I wasn’t waiting for you,” Harper lied. “I just happened to be up reading.”

“Yeah. Okay.” Gemma rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. “So, get on with it. Tell me what I did wrong.”

“You didn’t do anything wrong,” Harper said, her tone softening.

It wasn’t like she enjoyed yelling at Gemma all the time. She really didn’t. Gemma just had the awful habit of doing stupid things.

“I know,” Gemma replied.

“I was only…” Harper ran her fingers over the trim on her bedroom door and avoided looking at Gemma in case she had a judgmental gleam in her eye. “What were you doing with Alex?”

“My car wouldn’t start, so he took me for a swim at the bay.”

“Why did he take you?”

Gemma shrugged. “I don’t know. Because he’s nice.”

“Gemma,” Harper groaned.

“What?” Gemma asked. “I didn’t do anything.”

Harper sighed. “He’s too old for you. I know—”

“Harper! Yuck!” Gemma’s cheeks reddened, and she lowered her eyes. “Alex is like … a brother or something. Don’t be gross. And he’s your best friend.”

“Don’t.” Harper shook her head. “I’ve watched the dance you two have been playing the last few months, and I wouldn’t care, except he’s going away to college soon. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“I’m not getting hurt. Nothing is happening,” Gemma insisted. “You know, I thought you would be happy. You’re always telling me not to go on those night swims alone, and I brought someone with me.”

“Alex?” Harper raised an eyebrow, and even Gemma had to admit that Alex probably wouldn’t be a very effective bodyguard. “And those night swims aren’t safe. You shouldn’t be going on them at all.”

“I am fine! Nothing happened!”

“Nothing happened yet,” Harper countered. “But three people have gone missing in the last two months, Gemma. You have to be careful.”

“I am careful!” Gemma balled her hands into fists at her sides. “And it doesn’t matter what you say anyway. Dad says I can go as long as I’m home by eleven, and I am.”

“Well, Dad shouldn’t be letting you go.”

“Is there a problem, girls?” Brian called from the bottom of the stairs.

“No,” Harper muttered.

“I’m going to take a shower and go to bed, if that’s okay with Harper,” Gemma said.

“I don’t care what you do.” Harper held up her hands and shrugged.

“Thank you.” Gemma turned on her heel and slammed the bedroom door behind her.

Harper leaned on her doorframe as her father climbed the stairs. He was a tall man with big strong hands, worn from years of working at the dock. Though in his forties, Brian was rather fit, and other than the few gray streaks in his hair, he didn’t look his age.

Stopping in front of Harper’s room, her father crossed his arms and looked down at her. “What was that about?”

“I dunno.” She shrugged and stared down at her toes, noticing the bright blue nail polish had begun to chip.

“You’ve got to stop telling her what to do,” Brian said quietly.

“I’m not!”

“She’s going to make mistakes, just like you do, but she’ll be okay, just like you are.”

“Why am I the bad guy?” Harper finally lifted her eyes to look up at her father. “Alex is too old for her, and it’s dangerous out there. I’m not being unreasonable.”

“But you’re not her parent,” Brian said. “I am. You have your own life to live. You should be worrying about college this fall. Let me worry about Gemma, okay? I can take care of her.”

“I know.” She sighed.

“Do you?” Brian asked honestly, looking her in the eyes. “I know I’ve let you take on too much since your mom…” He trailed off, letting it hang in the air. “But that doesn’t mean we won’t be okay without you.”