Page 76 of The Lighthouse on Plum Island
“Sure,” Brad nodded. He had a hunch what the conversation was about—Caroline!
Brad noticed the staff greeting Jennifer warmly as they made their way to the bar, and she returned the greetings. And to his surprise, she knew each one of them by name.
“That’s impressive,” Brad said, pulling out a high-back bar chair for her before taking the one beside hers.
“What is?” Jennifer looked at him curiously.
“The way you know each person who works here,” Brad told her, getting the bartender’s attention. “And not just their names but their families.”
Jennifer shrugged, placing her clutch purse on the bar before her. “My brother owns the place, and I helped him hire most of them. The others have been here since—“ She stopped and cleared her throat. “Since Caroline’s father owned the place.”
“Sam told me that Caroline’s family owned most of Cobble Cove before times got tough,” Brad said.
“Caroline’s father had a rough time of it,” Jennifer explained. “First, it was his father, then his mother, and then his first wife.” Her eyes misted over, and she looked away.
“Good evening,” the bartender greeted them. His smile broadened when he saw Jennifer. “It’s good to see you again, Miss Gains.”
“How many times must I tell you to call me Jennifer, Basil,” Jennifer told the young man.
The young man blushed and nodded. “What can I get you to drink?”
“I’ll have a white wine,” Jennifer told him.
“The usual one?” Basil asked, and Jennifer nodded. He looked at Brad. “What can I get you, sir?”
“I’ll have the same,” Brad told him. “What would you like to talk about?”
“I’m going to cut straight to it,” Jennifer warned him. Her eyes darkened as they narrowed slightly. “I know about your romantic fling with Caroline in New York. I was there through it all. She’s unlike the women you know, who move in your social circle.” She paused as Basil brought their wine.
“I know that!” Brad’s jaw had clamped when Jennifer referred to his time with Caroline in New York as a fling. “And I can assure you, it was not afling!”
“Really?” Jennifer’s brow rose in disbelief as she sipped the wine. “Then what would you call it?” She put the glass on the bar and looked at him expectantly. “Because that move you pulled—waiting for her to arrive at the party and then flaunting your relationship with another woman in her face to break it off—saysflingto me.”
“What?” Brad nearly spewed the wine he’d sipped all over the place at Jennifers’ words. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” He took a napkin from the bar and dabbed his chin. “If you’re talking about Alex’s birthday party, I invited you both to? I remember neither of you showing up to it.”
“Sure!” Jennifer said sarcastically, having more wine. “Oh, we were there,” she assured him, and Brad’s eyes widened in surprise.
“I waited for Caroline,” Brad said, his brow furrowing as he shook his head. “I even walked to the host several times asking if she’d shown, and he said you hadn’t.”
“That’s weird because we spoke to the host. He found our names on the list and let us board Alex Blackwell’s mini cruise liner.” Jennifer turned her wine glass as she spoke.
“Did Caroline look for me?” Brad asked, wondering why the host hadn’t told him that Caroline and Jennifer had arrived at Alex’s party six weeks ago.
“Caroline did.” Jennifer nodded, pausing to enjoy more wine and making him want to shake the information from her.
“Why didn’t she say hello?” Brad had to stop from gritting his teeth and took a breath.
“She was going to,” Jennifer’s eyes narrowed. “Right up until one of your friends likened her to a nag, and your other date branded you with a kiss.”
Brad’s eyes widened, and this time, he choked as waves of shock vibrated through him. He remembered that conversation, but he didn’t remember anyone branding him with a—
“It was Harriet,” Brad exclaimed. “Harriet kissed me goodbye as she’d come to the party to help me talk the Blackwells into directing Cobble Cove Mysteries.”
“I thought they were your big buddies?” Jennifer’s chin dipped.
“They are,” Brad said. “But Harriet is more adept at getting people on board with projects than I am.”
“So you weren’t there with Harriet?” Jennifer asked, looking at him for confirmation.
