Page 106 of The Cottage on Plum Island
Mom.
“Well, that told me nothing,” Jennifer said, raising her glass in a mock salute.
“It was your mother’s last wish,” Harriet pointed out.
“Thank you for that!” Jennifer shook her head. “Not only did you shoot me today, but you also made me feel like a lousy daughter for not granting my mother her final wish.”
“Again, with the shooting!” Harriet exclaimed.
Jennifer looked at the bandage on her arm. “You’re lucky I don’t press charges.”
“For saving your life?” Harriet stared at her in disbelief before her eyes narrowed. “I know what this is really about.”
“My friend shooting me on my birthday and then making me feel guilty for not rushing into Andrew’s arms and forgiving him?” Jennifer rubbed it in. “I told him I’m open to talking and working things out.” She plonked the wine on the table, and the contents nearly sloshed out the glass. “That’s sort of forgiving him.”
“No.” Harriet shook her head. “This is about Harley choosing to go off with Angela and not staying here with you.”
“What?” Jennifer spluttered. “No!” She denied it vehemently. “Harley and I are just friends.”
“Uh-huh!” Harriet nodded. “I saw the look on your face when they ran into each other’s arms before they left.”
“They’ve been together for a long time,” Jennifer said, trying to sound like she didn’t care. “Angela needed him, and Harley’s always been there for her.”
“But you wanted him to be here for you and choose you.” Harriet pressed. “I saw the two of you kissing, remember.”
“That wasn’t a kiss, kiss!” Jennifer said. “It was a be careful kiss.”
“He didn’t kiss me like that when he told me to be careful.” Harriet gave Jennifer a smug grin. “Then there was the whole tension between the two of you on the ride between Boston and Newbury Port.” She sipped her wine.
“That was because of the kiss we shared an hour before we left,” Jennifer admitted.
“Ah-ha!” Harriet snapped her fingers. “I knew something was brewing between the two of you.”
“Something was starting between us,” Jennifer corrected Harriet. “That was before Angela admitted that she’d never stopped loving Harley, and he hopped on the first vehicle out of here to go with her.”
“Jennifer, Harley went with Angela because—“ Harriet couldn’t finish her sentence because Jennifer cut her off.
She already knew how Harley felt. It was made very clear to her in the way that he’d nearly knocked her flying to get to Angela after they’d shared an intimate moment and then decided to go to Boston with Angela and Andrew. Leaving her here with a dangerous criminal. Everyone she loved seemed to have a habit of running off to Boston.
It was official: Boston was no longer her favorite city. Her eyes widened as she realized she’d just admitted to being in love with Harley.
“I know why he went, Harriet,” Jennifer’s voice wobbled with emotions.
She was finding it hard to control them as she’d never felt like this about anyone before.Trust me to fall for someone who wasn’temotionally available.Jennifer’s heart ached and started to crack.Touché, Karma!
Harriet’s eyes narrowed as she studied Jennifer. “Oh, my word.” She looked at Jennifer in amazement. “You’ve fallen for Harley.”
“It doesn’t matter what I feel.” Jennifer shrugged, feeling the cracks start to splinter. “As long as Angela’s in his life, Harley has no place for anyone else.”
EPILOGUE
Two weeks had slipped away since the last time she saw Harley. Harriet inadvertently revealed that he’d be returning from Boston later that day. Not that Jennifer sought out this information; she had come to terms with the realization that Harley wasn’t destined to be hers. A handful of kisses was the extent of their connection.
Glancing at her wristwatch, panic surged through her. “Shoot! I’m going to be late.” Hastily, Jennifer slipped into the stunning pair of high heels, yet another thoughtful gift from Harriet. The shoes arrived as a belated birthday present after Harriet caught sight of the elegant dress Jennifer had chosen for Caroline’s rehearsal dinner—or rather, the extravagant rehearsal dinner ball insisted upon by Alex Blackwell in his cliffside mansion, the Glass Palace, perched above Cobble Beach.
Caroline’s imminent wedding day left Jennifer in a whirlwind of emotions. It felt like just yesterday when her best friend got engaged to Brad Danes. While joy for Caroline’s happiness coursed through her, it served as a bittersweet salve for Jennifer’s heartbreak. Falling for someone emotionally unavailable was a painful lesson that seemed like karma’s ironic payback for the hearts she had unintentionally broken in the same way.
Examining herself in the full-length mirror, Jennifer marveled at the floor-length blue satin gown. Its soft flow accentuated her long, lithe frame, with delicate shoestring straps gracefully tapering over her shoulders. The front of the dress rippled gently while the daring open V-back plunged just above her waist. Complementing the ensemble were matching blue high-heel pumps, elongating her legs, and a tasteful slit revealing a glimpse of her tanned, toned calf.
