Introduction

Family Drama, Southern Style. There's a stranger in town. And it’s no coincidence when she shows up uninvited at a Sweeney family wedding. All eyes are drawn to this urchin who seems to have washed in with the tide. Before the night is over, the doe-eyed waif charms young and old with her street smarts and spunky personality. For better or worse, Annie Dawn is here to stay. The memorable Sweeney sisters from Her Sister’s Shoes have returned with more suspense and family drama to hold you spellbound until the dramatic conclusion. As she approaches the next stage of her life as an empty nester, Jackie is torn between expanding her fledgling design business and spending these last precious months with her boys before they fly the coop. Her own worst enemy, Sam is terrified of making a commitment to Eli Marshall, handsome police officer, true love of her life. Her resolve is tested when a ghost from her past shows up after nearly two decades. Faith nurtures her seven-year-old daughter who is recovering from the trauma of her abusive father. Is the threat in the past, or is there more danger on the horizon? The sisters seek guidance from their mother, Lovie, a true Southern matriarch who shows them how to respond to adversity with grace and dignity. Things are heating up in the Lowcountry. The Sweeney sisters remind us, once again, that being a part of a family is about more than sharing the same DNA.

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Excerpt

CHAPTER ONE

Sam

A gentle breeze in the late afternoon of an early June day rustled the Spanish moss draped from the live oak trees, bringing with it the smell of the salty marsh to those gathered on the lawn for the wedding of the youngest of the Sweeney sisters. Women tugged their shawls tighter around their shoulders, thankful they'd remembered to bring a wrap for what promised to be a chilly evening ahead. The sun shimmered off the high tide on the inlet, casting Moss Creek Farm in a pale glow. The white-frame antebellum plantation house—with its green-black shutters, large columns, and wraparound porches—stood like a grand old dame, proud and dignified and handsome. A sailcloth tent with wooden poles and pennant flags waving from its peaks graced the upper lawn, encompassing the terraced area adjacent to the house. Servers dressed in tuxedo shirts and bow ties stood ready to pass trays of hors d’oeuvres and champagne-filled flutes. Their instruments in position, the four-member bluegrass band waited onstage for the minister’s signal to begin the recessional music. A picture-perfect evening for Faith and Mike to begin their new lives together.

Samantha Sweeney thought her baby sister had never looked prettier in a simple sundress fashioned out of white eyelet, and a wreath of daisies atop her head, her mahogany locks cascading around her face in soft curls. The only jewelry she wore was a simple gold cross around her neck and pearl studs at her ears.

Sam approved of Faith’s new husband, a one hundred percent improvement over her last. Mike’s rosy cheeks glowed and his blue eyes sparkled as he stared down at his bride, promising to love and honor and cherish her all the days of their lives. Wearing a dress similar to her mother’s, Faith's seven-year-old daughter, Bitsy, peeked out from her hiding place behind her mother’s leg—a position the child had not ventured far from in nearly a year. Sam wondered how Faith and Mike managed intimacy with Bitsy a permanent fixture between them.

Sam smiled at her son, Jamie, who was sitting next to her on the right. Emotion suddenly overwhelmed her, as it often did, when she took in the sight of his handsome face, his dark curls, and coal eyes.

Jamie leaned over and whispered, “Bitsy looks terrified.”

Sam clasped her hands in her lap. “Poor baby. I’m not sure she’ll ever fully recover from her ordeal.” She closed her eyes as she thought about the three-week murderous rampage Bitsy’s father, Curtis, had gone on the previous summer, traumatizing his daughter and threatening the entire Sweeney family.

Sam caught sight of a doe-eyed beauty with honey-colored hair in the row opposite them on the groom’s side. Something about the teenager seemed familiar, although Sam was certain she’d never met her before.

“Do you know her?” Sam asked, dipping her head at the girl across from them.

Jamie cast a quick glance across the aisle, and then did a double take. “Nope. I’ve never seen her before.”

“She’s kind of pretty, don’t you think?” Sam nudged him with her elbow.

Jamie had come home from his freshman year at the University of South Carolina talking nonstop about a raven-haired beauty he’d met in his Psych 101 class. In that good-natured way moms tease their sons, Sam had tried to tempt him with mention of some of the local girls, his past girlfriends, but so far he'd remained steadfast to Sophia.

“Nice try, Mom,” he whispered. “But I prefer girls who bathe.”

Sam’s eyes followed her son’s to the ground where the girl’s filthy feet rested in a pair of dollar store rubber flip-flops. On closer inspection, Sam noticed she was wearing denim cutoffs and a red halter top, inappropriate attire no matter how casual the wedding. Her hair was matted and tangled, and her chocolate eyes overpowered her too-thin face.

“She must be a friend of Faith’s,” Sam said, and Jamie added, “Or one of Mike’s coworkers from the hospital.”

Mother and son returned their attention to the bride and groom.

The Methodist minister who had baptized all three Sweeney sisters pronounced the couple husband and wife. Mike kissed Faith on the lips, a kiss that lasted longer than their mother would approve of but brought cheers from the congregation. When the band launched into the recessional music, Mike swooped Bitsy up in his arms and the new family retreated down the aisle and across the lawn toward the house.

Seated on her left, Sam’s boyfriend of twelve months draped his arm around her shoulder and drew her body close to his. “They look so happy. Aren't you the least bit tempted to take the plunge?” Eli asked, his breath tickling her ear.

She gave him a quick peck on the lips. “We’ve been through this a thousand times, Eli. You know where I stand on the issue of marriage. We don’t need a license to validate our feelings for one another.”

She was growing tired of the argument. Eli was the right man for her. Of that, she had little doubt. Problem was, he wanted to take the next step, and she remained terrified of commitment.

The crowd was beginning to disperse when the oldest of the Sweeney sisters joined the minister at the altar. Jackie clapped her hands. “If I could have your attention for just a moment, please.”

Why does she always have to be the center of attention? Sam wondered, and then chastised herself at the sudden resurgence of animosity toward her older sister. Much of her bitterness toward Jackie had dissipated during the past year, and their relationship had grown stronger because of it. She would have to work harder to control her feelings.

“I’d like to welcome you to Moss Creek Farm.” Jackie opened her arms wide. “The bride and groom will take a few minutes to pose for photographs. In the meantime, please help yourself to refreshments.” She gestured toward the tent.

As the band transitioned from the traditional recessional music to James Taylor’s “Carolina in My Mind,” the crowd began to gather their belongings and make their way up the hill toward the house.

Sam’s mother, Lovie, who had been sitting in the row in front of them, turned around to greet them. “I’m sorry we didn’t have a chance to say hello before the ceremony. I was running late, and I noticed you were as well. That was some kind of crazy day we had at the market,” she said, referring to Captain Sweeney’s Seafood, which she and her husband, Oscar, opened in 1959.

“Tell me about it. I hope that’s the kind of business we see for the rest of the summer.”

“I’ve never known Jackie to wear pink, but I must say it suits her,” Lovie said.

Jackie had always sworn off all shades of pink, but the fuchsia silk wrap dress was testament to her recent change in personality. Her hairstylist had recently cut layers in her shoulder-length dark hair, which softened her angles, making her face look fuller. Less stark. Less harsh.

Sam leaned over and kissed her mother’s cheek. “Yes it does, Mama, as much as this shade of coral suits you.”

“Humph, this god-awful suit? Jackie insisted on buying it for me last year when she was convinced I was on my deathbed. Whatever you do, don’t let her bury me in it.”

“I’ll try to remember that.” Laughing, Sam turned her attention to the man standing beside her mother. “I hope you realize how much of a blessing you are to us, Mack.” She stood on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to the gray bristles on his cheek. “If not for you, she would have shown up in her pajamas,” she said in a low voice her mother couldn’t hear.

Lovie’s quirky behavior of late had driven many of their close friends to worry about her mental stability. Some thought her a candidate for the funny farm while others feared she was in the early stages of Alzheimer’s, despite the recent battery of tests at MUSC in Charleston that proved otherwise. Regardless of her mental state, the Sweeney sisters were relieved to have Captain Mack Bowman playing an important role in their mother’s life. Although none of them dared to speculate about what that role entailed.

“Taking care of your mother is my pleasure,” Mack said, giving Lovie’s shoulder a gentle squeeze. He removed a bandana from his coat pocket and mopped his brow. “It’s hot as daylights out here. Is anybody ready for some refreshments?”

Eli and Mack took drink orders and headed off to the bar, leaving Sam alone with her mother and son. They fell in line behind the throng of wedding attendees and slowly made their way to the tent. They spotted Jackie and her estranged husband, Bill, deep in conversation at the edge of the dance floor near the food tables. From recent conversations with her sister, Sam was under the impression Jackie and Bill were working through their marital problems. But the somber expressions on their faces indicated otherwise.

Sam kissed the air beside her sister’s cheek. “You’ve done it again, Jackie. This is an amazing party.”

Lovie wrapped her arm around her oldest daughter’s waist, giving her a quick squeeze. “You should wear pink more often. You look ten years younger.”

Jackie offered them a stiff smile before returning her attention to whatever, or whoever, was distracting her on the other side of the party.

“Is something wrong?” Sam followed her sister’s gaze to the food table where the honey-haired beauty from across the aisle was standing with Jackie’s seventeen-year-old sons, Cooper and Sean.

The boys’ orange hair emphasized their bright personalities. Nearly every girl under the age of twenty in the town of Prospect had a crush on one, if not both, of the identical twins. Until now, Cooper and Sean had been too preoccupied with outdoor activities like fishing and hunting to express much interest in girls, but based on their lazy grins and the glint in their deep blue eyes, they were both smitten with this doe-eyed creature. The twins were too busy competing for the girl’s attention to notice her stuffing her tattered hobo bag with sweet potato ham biscuits.

“Did someone invite that sea urchin to this party, or did she wash ashore with the high tide?” Jackie asked, her lip curled up in distaste.

“Jamie and I were wondering about her earlier,” Sam said. “Do you know who she is, Mom?”

Lovie shook her head no. “But I must say my grandsons look so handsome in their blue blazers and my granddaughter as sweet as a little princess in her crown of daisies.”

“Never mind about your grandchildren, Mom,” Jackie said. “I’m worried about my party. If someone doesn’t stop that girl from stealing my biscuits, there won’t be any left for the other guests.”

Lovie poked her finger in Jamie’s ribs. “Go find out who she is. But be sure to come back and fill us in on all the details.”

Jamie shook his head in amusement as he ventured across the terrace toward the food tables.

Eli and Mack arrived with their drinks—a cranberry seltzer for Sam and a glass of Chardonnay for Lovie.

“What’s wrong?” Eli asked when he noticed their frowns.

“We’re at a wedding, not a funeral,” Mack said, the ever-present stub of a cigar stuffed between his lips. He raised his hands as if to lift everyone’s spirits. “This is supposed to be a happy occasion.”

Bill inclined his head toward the honey-haired girl. “It appears as though we have a wedding crasher in our midst.”

“And she’s stealing all the sweet potato biscuits,” Jackie added.

Eli stiffened. A sergeant on the local police force, his responsibility was to protect the innocent citizens of Prospect. He didn’t take kindly to theft, even if the loot was perishable.

With rapt attention, they watched the scene unfold. Bitsy tugged on Jamie’s coat sleeve and he knelt down beside her, tucking her hair behind her ear and kissing her forehead. He whispered something in her ear and she awarded him with a smile, showing off her two new permanent front teeth.

Despite the difference in their ages, Jamie and Bitsy were closer than most siblings. Less than a year ago, Sam’s son had tried to commit suicide after an ATV accident claimed the life of his best friend and left Jamie paralyzed from the waist down. His young cousin was, in part, responsible for him regaining the use of his legs. Jamie, in turn, had comforted Bitsy through the emotional trauma she’d suffered from her father.

Jamie straightened, and, placing his hands on Bitsy’s

shoulders, presented her to the sea urchin. The girl bent

down in order to speak to the little girl at eye level.

Bitsy took the wedding crasher’s face in her tiny hands,

turning her head so she could whisper in her ear. Cupping

their hands around their mouths, the girls took turns

telling secrets like they were old friends. Never mind that

Bitsy hadn’t spoken a word to anyone in nearly a year. view abbreviated excerpt only...

Discussion Questions

Spoiler Alert!

1. Because of the traumatic ending to her relationship with Jamie’s father, Sam is terrified of making a commitment to Eli. What events in your life have prompted the decisions you've made about your future?

2. I know from experience how addiction can affect the whole family. But it is sometimes the hardest on siblings. Why? Perhaps because siblings share a closer relationship, bonded by their childhood experiences. Faith and Jackie watch Sam fall off her wagon. Do you have a sibling who struggles with addiction? How are you able to help them cope?

3. Jackie is torn between growing her interior design firm and spending time with her boys before they head off to college. As working women, how do you juggle your responsibilities at work and home?

4. Faith nurtures her daughter, Bitsy, as she copes with the fallout from her abusive father. When Bitsy shows signs of improvement, Faith must tighten the reins. Being a parent requires us to wear many different hats. Discuss how, as a mother, you know when to wear which hat.

5. Jackie has good intentions, but her self-centeredness often gets in the way. Sam’s stubbornness has led her to make bad choices. And Faith is often afraid of her own shadow. What character trait is your own worst enemy?

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