Page 22 of The Cottage on Plum Island
“Lila told me.” Liam ate his cookie, pausing for a few moments while he chewed. “I’m glad that Tucker and Reef will be with them, being part of the island’svolunteer search and rescue.”
“Yes, that’s what we said,” Caroline told him. “Carly is going to have a picnic lunch ready for them when they reach the top.”
“Sounds like they’re going to have a great time,” Liam commented. “Makes me nostalgic for when we were young and did those things.”
“You can still go camping and do the hike,” Jennifer pointed out. “Besides, you’ve just turned fifty, not a hundred.”
“Didn’t your great-grandfather, who was nearly a hundred, do that hike?” Caroline reminded them.
“That old man was a cyborg or something.” Liam laughed. “Aunt Betty told us stories about how he was still chopping down trees and making furniture until the day before he died.”
“I think Aunt Betty was exaggerating a little bit.” Jennifer shook her head and thought that was the perfect moment to tell him about Aunt Betty’s fall. “Speaking of Aunt Betty, I didn’t want to stress you out on your trip home, but Aunt Betty had another fall last night.”
“She fell out of the fancy new home hospital bed Jen bought her,” Caroline added, grinning at the black look Jennifer gave her.
“She didn’t fall out of it,” Jennifer corrected Caroline. “She tried to get back into the bed and was trying to lift her broken leg onto the bed. The heavy plaster cast made her slide off it.”
“So basically, it was what Caroline said!” Liam’s eyes were wide with worry. “Aunt Betty slid off that costly bed you bought her.”
“You’re all going to be pleased she has it when the time comes, and she needs it!” Jennifer said impatiently. “Besides, it was Harley who set it up.” She glared at Caroline. “If you remember, I told Aunt Betty to let me help her set it up.”
“I do remember that conversation.” Caroline nodded, putting the next batch of cookies into the oven and adding to the already warm, sweet smell of baking. “Vividly, as I was the one who had to break up the argument between Harley and you.”
“Ah!” Liam nodded in understanding. “I see you’re still using Harley as your verbal sparring bag, little sister.”
“What’s this?” Jennifer looked from her best friend to her older brother. “Gang up on Jennifer day?”
“No!” Liam patted her shoulder. “It’s just that when you dislike a person, you tend to have these blinkers on that won’t let you see past their perceived flaws.”
“To be fair,” Caroline started cleaning the kitchen, “Harley was rude and obnoxious to Jennifer when she stopped at the side of the road to help him when they first—“ She stopped and grinned at Jennifer. “Raninto each other.”
“Side of the road?” Liam’s brow creased, and he looked at Jennifer questioningly.
Jennifer sighed and rolled her eyes at Caroline before telling Liam how she and Harley first met. After she finished, Liam burst out laughing.
“You mangled his emergency triangle?” Liam shook his head and put an arm around Jennifer’s shoulders. “Oh, my beautiful sister. You do get yourself into the most awkward of situations.”
“It wasn’t awkward,” Jennifer told him. “Well, not until I turned to get back into my car and leave Harley stranded on the side of the road and he pointed out my skirt was wet in the most inconvenient of places.”
“Hilarious,” Liam teased. “You and Harley had a heated coincidental meeting and then found out you were the niece and nephew of two old friends.” He laughed. “Classic.” He looked at Caroline. “You could write a love story about them.”
“That’s what I thought,” Caroline agreed, giving Jennifer a sly look. “But Jen is adamant that there is nothing between them and that Harley is not her type.”
“Let’s just say he and I didn’t see eye to eye after that,” Jennifer told her brother.
“And while Jennifer was hounding Harley about his work on the cottage, he was riling Jennifer up and baiting her whenever he could,” Caroline explained to Liam. “It wasn’t only your sister causing thefriction between them. Harley was just as much to blame for the constant battle of wills the two of them have been in since they met.”
“I believe you’ve finally met a man who doesn’t back down from you?” Liam pursed his lips thoughtfully. “And I missed it all.”
“No, he’s still here, and Aunt Betty rehired him,” Jennifer pointed out. “I’m sure you’re bound to see us in one of our heated arguments when our silent truce wears off. Now, can we discuss Aunt Betty?” Jennifer looked from Caroline to Liam.
Jennifer’s phone rang before they could discuss Aunt Betty’s current medical needs. It was Aunt Betty.
“Can you put it on speaker so I can say hello?” Liam asked Jennifer, who nodded and hit the speaker as she answered.
“Hello, Aunt Betty. I have you on speaker phone,” Jennifer warned before Aunt Betty started speaking. “Liam and Caroline are here with me.”
“Hi, Caroline,” Betty greeted Caroline first.
