The house sat along the coast near Cape Lookout, about two hours from Wilmington. I had bought it three years earlier when a foreclosure opportunity appeared, and after months of renovation it had become my quiet refuge from long days at the marine research center.
Looking at Bradley’s furious expression, you would think I was the trespasser.
“Excuse me,” I said slowly while trying to keep my voice calm. “What did you just say?”
“You heard me,” Bradley snapped without hesitation. “We are having a family gathering here and nobody invited you.”
I blinked in disbelief. “Bradley, this is my house. I own this place.”
He folded his arms and leaned back slightly as if the statement meant nothing to him. “Well my wife said we could use it this weekend,” he replied. “So unless you want to ruin everyone’s vacation you should turn around and leave.”
My eyes moved past him until they landed on my older sister standing near the kitchen island.
Her name was Lauren and she was three years older than me. At that moment she was staring down at her phone like the screen was the most fascinating object in the world.
“Lauren,” I called out. “Can we talk for a minute?”