Page 16 of The Cottage on Plum Island
“Why are you collecting it?” Harley looked at Harriet curiously, and her mischievous grin spread. “Are you planning on having the most expensive champagne party?”
“That’s actually not a bad idea!” Harriet said thoughtfully. “But no, I want to have an expensive champagne bath.” She grinned at Harley’s expression. “It’s one of my to-dos before I’m fifty.”
“She still needs about two dozen bottles of champagne to fill her bathtub,” Dawn explained, rolling her eyes again.
“Oh!” Harley didn’t understand rich people. They were so weird. “Why don’t you buy your own? Then you’d be able to take your bath a lot sooner than steal a few bottles from Alex’s parties.”
“It’s this thing between the two of them,” Dawn told Harley. “And she gets the rest of us to steal a bottle each at the end of the night because Harriet has a one-bottle theft maximum policy.”
“So you’re an expensive champagne thief with a moral code.” Harley laughed.
“Oh, the policy isn’t mine,” Harriet told him. “It’s Alex’s.”
“Ah!” Harley nodded in understanding. “So, Alex knows you steal champagne at all his parties?”
“That’s why he buys that particular label,” Dawn explained. “It’s Harriet’s favorite.”
“Is there something romantic between you and Alex?” Harley asked Harriet.
“Nooo!” Harriet pulled a disgusted face. “He and I are frenemies.”
“Trust me, that’s all that they are,” Dawn backed up Harriet’s statement. “And I should know. I grew up with Harriet, the Blackwells, and—“ She was interrupted by a deep voice behind them.
“And me.” They turned to see Brad Danes walking toward them. “Good evening. It’s nice to see you all here. I thought it was going to be one of those boring evenings when I had to mingle with Alex’s latest band of groupies and business associates.”
“There you all are!” Alex called from the yacht. “I’ve been waiting for you, and for a few moments, I thought you weren’t coming.”
The four greeted Alex and made their way onto the deck.
“I’m sure you would’ve had ample people to keep you amused for the night,” Harriet drawled.
“Yes, but who’d steal the excess bottles of champagne I had brought in especially for you, Harry?” Alex kissed her cheek affectionately and was rewarded with a shove from Harriet.
“I’m sure your girlfriend of the week would’ve helped you finish it,” Harriet told him, taking a glass of bubble from a tray one of the servers brought them.
“Where is your beautiful fiancée?” Alex glanced toward the hotel. “I thought you were bringing Caroline with you. A few people are dying to meet the latest mystery writer sensation.”
“You know Caroline hates it when you parade her around all your entertainment connections.” Brad’s eyes narrowed as he looked warningly at Alex. “We’ve just gotten back from Long Island and want to have a nice night out together.”
“Of course,” Alex said with a grin. “I understand, but…” He stopped talking. “Well, I can’t say why. But as the shooting of series one of Cobble Cove finished, Caroline and I were chatting.”
“So, Caroline finally forgave you for comparing her to a nag?” Harriet looked at him in amazement. “As you couldn’t have won her over with your obnoxious charm, I assume you bought her forgiveness.”
“Ah, Harry.” Alex sighed, holding his heart. “You say the nicest things to me.” He grinned as she shot him a black look. “But no, I apologized to sweet Caroline and was her Ethan translator during the filming because you know how he is. We became friends.”
“Wow!” Harriet said with raised eyebrows. “You actually apologized to someone.” She glanced up at the clear night sky, scatteredwith sparkling stars. “It is amazing that we were not blown away by a monsoon.”
“We still could be,” Harley warned Harriet. “We get some violent hurricanes and are in the Atlantic hurricane season.”
“That’s just great, Alex.” Harriet swatted him on the head. “You’re tempting nature to throw a hurricane at us.”
“Ow!” Alex groaned. “You make it seem like I never apologize.”
“You don’t!” Harriet, Dawn, and Brad said all at once.
“Geez, thanks,pals!“ Alex shook his head at the three of them before being interrupted by Caroline and Harley’s cousin, Doctor Daniella Thornton.
Caroline seemed surprised to see Harley. After greeting the two women, Alex was about to lead them to the entertainment deck of the four-deck yacht when Caroline stopped them.
