Page 46 of The Restaurant on Plum Island
“I couldn’t let the dude drown!” Reef glanced out at the sea, then changed the subject as he looked at Sunny again. “Are you going out later this morning?”
“No, I can’t.” Sunny rolled her eyes. “I have to take my little sister to a ballet recital at the library hall.” She shook her head. Someone inside grabbed her attention. “I’ve got to go. Your pancakes will be here soon.” She turned and walked off.
“I’m glad to see you and Sunny are still good friends,” Carly commented.
“We broke up because we realized we were better off as friends than as a couple.” Reef squirted honey all over his food before eating a bigspoonful. “Sunny’s awesome and an incredible surfer. She’ll find the right guy one day.”
“That’s a lovely thing to say,” Carly told him, her heart swelling with pride for her beautiful boy.
She watched him wolf down his food and couldn’t help the smile that spread across her face. Carly couldn’t believe how lucky she was with him. Despite how awful his father was, Reef was thriving and becoming such a lovely young man.
Carly was so grateful for her family’s support in helping raise him. She was also glad he took after her brother and Uncle, thanks to their positive influence in Reef’s life. She looked around the Beach Hut, smiling and waving at people she knew from her restaurant or just in passing.
Her heart twinged as she realized this feeling of warmth and small-town community was about to change. After her interview on the Trinity Time that night, everyone on Plum Island would know that Carly Donovan was also Stella Hart.
Doubt washed over her like a tidal wave—Am I doing the right thing?Panic started to gnaw on her insides, and her heart picked up speed.Calm down, Carly. There’s no going back now.
She looked at Reef as he finished his apple juice, and his eyes lit up when Sunny brought his pancakes. Carly waited for Sunny to leave before leaning her elbows on the table and preparing to talk to Reef.
“Honey, there’s something we need to discuss,” Carly told him, suppressing a shudder at the amount of maple syrup Reef poured on his pancakes. “It’s about me going back to acting.”
Reef didn’t flinch as he spooned cream on top of the syrup.
“I know, Mom,” Reef told her, glancing at her as he cut into his food. “I heard Uncle Harley yelling at Uncle Sam over the phone last night.”
“Ah!” Carly nodded, making a mental note not to chat with her brother and uncle. “I’m sorry about that. I wanted to be the one to tell you.”
“Em and I thought you’d take the part.” Reef bit into a fork full of pancakes.
“Em knows, too?” Carly’s eyes widened.
“Yeah, we were sitting on the roof with her new telescope,” Reef explained.
“So what you’re admitting is that you told Em?” Carly smiled.
“You know, Em does have partial hearing,” Reef reminded her, then smiled sheepishly. “And okay, so she knew Harley was shouting, and I told her what he was shouting about and who he was shouting at.”
“Uncle Sam convinced me to take the part,” Carly explained. “I have an interview tonight to announce Stella Hart coming out of retirement.”
“That was quick,” Reef said.
“Harriet and Jennifer want to get out in front of this before anyone else can,” Carly told him.
“Like whoever’s trying to make yours and Ethan Blackwell’s lives miserable?” Reef surprised her by saying.
“Yes.” Carly nodded. “That and before one of those tabloids can print some nonsense.”
“I don’t know how people can even read that junk,” Reef said, his eyes flashing angrily. “If you’re going to write about someone, write the truth, not a bunch of lies written for nothing more than to create a sensation.”
“Unfortunately, that’s what sells,” Carly sighed. “Things are going to change drastically once the news of my return gets out there.” Her heart was filled with concern for him. “Please, sweetheart, listen to your uncles and help Daniella and Em.”
“You know I will, Mom.” Reef’s voice dropped, and his eyes were serious when they met hers. “I know the drill, and I’ll look after Emily and make sure she’s not harassed.”
“Thank you, sweetheart,” Carly said, looking at her wristwatch. “Shoot. I’m going to have to get to the Summer Inn.”
“You’re just a few minutes walk across the beach or car park.” Reef wiped his mouth on a napkin. “I’m going to stick around here. I’m going to finish off the board Finn is helping me make.”
“That’s great. I can’t wait to see it.” Carly reached into her purse to find her wallet to pay for Reef’s breakfast. Her brow rose when she found a note someone had put in it. “Would you mind going to pay for your breakfast?”
