“Yes, you most likely know her.” Everybody knew everybody else, and both had lived there since childhood.
“No hints? I have to guess?” she asked.
“Maybe you just don’t need to know.”
“I need to know, Hue. This is the woman who broke your heart.” She smirked again.
“She didn’t break my heart,” he grumbled.
“Your heart’s broken. Twenty questions?” she asked, a game they used to play when they were kids all the time.
“Fine. But you are already down two. From Landstad, and Mom doesn’t know.” He wasn’t going to let her cheat. She was a known cheat from way back.
“Older or younger than me?”
“Older.” His sister was barely thirty.
“Always been there or came back, or God forbid, new?” That made him smile because she was right about the number of new people in town. Aside from Tess, he couldn’t name five people that had been there less than five years.
“Came back.” Just over a year. A great year. Until three weeks ago.
“What color hair?” She pointed to her own brown locks.
“Blonde.” Gorgeous, soft blonde hair.
“What does she do?” Jill tapped her chin as she questioned.
“I won’t answer that. You have to ask either-or questions.” He wasn’t going to let her cheat.
“So, there is only one in town of what she does,” Jill surmised.
“Yes.” He sighed.
“Which is the Nordskov girl that moved home recently? It has to be one of the sisters.” She was talking to herself as he watched her work her way through the question. “Wait, only two are technically older than me. Kit is my age, but would you know she is actually older? I’m going with the oldest one. Cannot remember her name. What is her name?” She wasn’t asking him, but the ceiling, as if it had the answers.
“I am not reminding you.” Hue didn’t want to say it.
“And you are not denying it. I win.” She grinned and threw her fists in the air as if she did actually win.
Hue rolled his eyes. “You don’t win; you don’t know her name.”
“I win. I’m going to go ask Mom what her name is. She will know.” Jill started to leave the kitchen.
“Don’t ask Mom, please.” He stopped his sister.
Jill turned back to him. “Then tell me, Hue. What is the name of the Nordskov girl that has you all moody and sad? The one that broke your heart?”
“Mandy,” was all he said, missing her even more as he said the name.
“Yes, that’s it. Mandy. Isn’t she a doctor or something? Mom sees her.” Jill hugged him and then went back to making lunch.
“It doesn’t matter. Whatever it was is over. Mom does see her.”
“I know. Mom said she set up the surgery for after the holidays, so she wouldn’t have to miss the time with the family. And she set it up for down here, so I can take care of her,” Jill said, as if Hue had any idea his mom was having surgery.
“What surgery?” Hue demanded. Why was his mom’s health everybody’s secret?
“Mom didn’t tell you?” Jill stopped and looked at him in confusion.