Page 4 of Next Time We'll Fall

“A while? I thought the store was struggling.”

“It is,” I mutter, face even redder.

“Then where are you finding the money for this trip? Don’t you think you’re being irresponsible?”

“I didn’t ask for your opinion, Rafe Bishop. Please just mind your business.” I glare at him as he shakes his head.

I know what he’s thinking, and he’s probably right, but I’m not going to let him take my dream away.

Chapter 2

JUNIPER

As soon as I see Sage and Rosie with their two large turquoise suitcases and mermaid skirts, I can’t help but laugh. My cousins are even more eccentric than Mia and I are, and I love them for it. I watch as they look around the small airport, searching for me.

Rosie is slightly ahead of Sage, taking charge of their exit from the airport. Even though she’s the younger of the two, she is the leader, which she loves. She looks beautiful with her shoulder-length black hair cascading in waves to her back, and I notice several of the males in the airport glancing their way, checking them out. Though I’m not sure if they’re checking out their outfits or looks.

“Juniper, there you are.” Sage sees me first, her face lighting up as she gazes at me, and they both come running toward me, like we’re long-lost lovers, seeing each other for the first time in decades. “Darling, you look stunning,” she says as she grips my shoulders and spins me around. “Living on an island agrees with you. Your skin is positively glowing.”

“Aww, gee, thanks.” I blush, but I’m thankful for the compliment. “You guys already have beautiful tan skin, and you don’t even live in the sunshine.”

“That’s what you get when you have a mother from Guyana.” Sage beams proudly. “By the way, she and Dad send their love and say they hope to visit next year.”

“I look forward to seeing them both.”

I love their parents. Their dad is my dad’s younger brother, and he’s always been the adventurer of the family, traveling around the world, working odd jobs, and just living his best life. My dad thought Uncle Brad would settle down when he met Auntie Fay—when they were both visiting a small fishing village in Barbados—but she was a wanderlust, just like him. They’ve raised their growing family all over the world, and they still change destinations every few months, though Sage and Rosie emailed me to say they were thinking of settling down. I half hope they will decide to stay in Coconut Beach, but I don’t want to pressure them in any way.

“Are you hungry? Do you want to grab some food or head back to my place to drop off the bags?”

“We’re hungry, but I was wondering if we could perhaps work for our food.” Rosie has an impish smile on her face, and I hear Sage groan loudly.

I should know better, but I don’t, and I decide to question her. “Work for your food? What do you mean? Are you trying to get a job at a restaurant?”

“No, she’s not.” Sage is rolling her eyes now, but Rosie just ignores her. “Go on. Tell Juniper what your grand idea is.”

“Grand idea?” My stomach drops as I think back to all the trouble these two got me into in the past. “What’s the idea exactly?”

“I am starting a TikTok and Instagram page that teaches people how to fish.” Rosie is so matter-of-fact that if she were anyone else, I’d think it was actually a good idea.

“But you don’t fish.” I look over at Sage. “Unless you two have started fishing and didn’t tell me.”

“We didn’t.” Sage lets out a loud yawn and stretches before pointing at her sister. “But this one thinks she’ll be some sort of natural because she readMoby-Dickfor the first time and saw a couple of yacht-life videos on social media of people traveling to the Bahamas and fishing.”

“What can I say? I’m all about the water life, and the water life is all about me. Plus, haven’t we always said that we should be able to provide our own food in case of an apocalypse?”

“No, we’ve never once said that.”

“I don’t have any fishing rods or bait.” I attempt to keep a straight face. “Nor do I have any spears, if that was going to be your thing.”

“Oh.” Rosie looks disappointed. “I was really hoping to post my first video of a series tonight, where I’d teach people how to fish.”

“But you don’t know how to bloody fish yourself, sis.” Sage groans loudly. “Can we leave? I need a cold drink, some cool breeze, and some food.”

“Sure.” I grab ahold of one of the suitcases and start pulling. “We can head over to Cocktails & Chaos. They have good drinks, yummy food, including fish and chips, and I think tonight is even karaoke night.”

“So, no fishing then?” Rosie offers me her pitifully cute face, and I can’t help but laugh.

“I just don’t understand why you feel the need to create a program for teaching people how to fish.” I stare at Rosie, confusion written all over my face.