Page 20 of The Beach Hut on Plum Island
“So you decided to frighten me to death because I made you a mud cake?” Harriet rolled her eyes. “I’m sorry, but that was an awesome mud cake.”
“It really was. You made it look so real,” Alex agreed.
“Besides, after your friends had tried it and ran screaming in a million directions,” Harry couldn’t help but grin at the memory of terrified twelve-year-olds who’d taken a bite of mud, “I gave you the real one,” Harriet pointed out.
“No!” Alex shook his head, reminding her of what actually happened. “You were basically rolling on the ground laughing and clearing out my entire party before your mothermadeyou find my real cake. You had my party guests eating mud.”
“How stupid were they to think that it even looked like a real cake!” Harriet pursed her lips to stop laughing.
“Because someone convinced us that it was a chocolate mousse cake!” Alex looked at her pointedly.
“Really?” Harriet’s chest bounced, and she tried to stifle her laughter. “Ethan and I couldn’t believe you all believed me.”
“Harriet, you even made it smell like a sweet chocolate mousse cake.” Alex shook his head in disgust.
“Oh, how I miss Denny, our old chef.” Harriet sighed. “He was so creative.”
“Denny helped you?” Alex looked at her.
“He did.” Harriet nodded in confirmation. “But that’s what you get for being a brat and not letting Ethan share your party with you.You’re twins,and you really hurt him that day.”
“You don’t know the pain of sharing every birthday with someone.” Alex sighed. “I just wanted one party that was for me.”
“No, you were being mean,” Harriet told him. “You bullied your brother, and you needed to be brought down a peg or two… or thirty-two.” She laughed as the picture of thirty-two preteens took a bite of chocolate mud mousse cake.
Alex shook his head as he stared fondly at her. “Harry, this is what I don’t understand.” He drew in a breath. “You have this way about you that makes people want to do things for you. You stand up to bullies and stick your neck out for anyone in need. I’ve never known you to back down from a fight, a challenge, or a dare.” He looked into her eyes as if searching for his answer. “Why are you letting your uncle bully you and chase you from your new home?”
“I don’t want to leave,” Harriet admitted. “But I have to, Al. My uncle can be a stubborn old coot when he wants to be, and well, apparently, I’m the property of Joyce Isles.”
“You are Harriet freakin’ Joyce!” Alex stated proudly. “You’ve gotten to where you are today by working hard and pushing through adversity from a tough family dynamic.” He smiled warmly. “I can’t and won’t let you be run off meekly to hide from your uncle.”
“If only it were that simple,” Harriet said. “If it were just me, I’d rise up against the crazy old coot and tell him where to get off.” She put her arm on the back of the sofa and rested her head on her hand. “But this doesn’t just concern me. The last time my brother defied Uncle Titus, he threatened one of Gray’s projects—the shelter for at-risk people.”
“I used to like your Uncle, Titus,” Alex said. “Now I think he’s kind of a spoiled brat jerk!”
“Uncle Titus is a good man,” Harriet stuck up for her uncle. “He just gets overzealous when it comes to getting his way or something he wants.” She shrugged. “Like the Gladstone’s olive groves.”
“Then ditch the title,” Alex encouraged her. “You never wanted it anyway.” He smiled. “You know I’m always here for you when your uncle seizes all your assets and freezes all your accounts.”
“That’s very sweet of you.” Harriet smiled. “But he can only freeze the accounts I don’t even use, and he can’t freeze my assets as they’re bought with money I earned working or my inheritance from my mother’s parents. I haven’t touched Joyce money.”
“There! See? Even without the Joyce title or money, you’re going to be okay,” Alex consoled. “So, if you want to ditch the title and walk away from being a Joyce, I’m right there with you.”
“Thank you,” Harriet said. “But I still have things to do before I do that. One of them is to get myself a great attorney. I can’t use my family’s attorneys or any that are associated with the Joyce family.”
“I know of a few,” Alex told her, holding up his index finger. “But before you go making such a big decision, hear the plan we’ve devised first.”
“I don’t want to drag you or any of the people I care about into this fight with my uncle,” Harriet told him. “He can fight dirty when he wants to, and he knows my weak spots.”
“Are you kidding me?” Alex raised his brows. “You mess with one of us, you mess with all of us. Remember the motto the five of us had growing up? Well, it still applies, only now it applies to a few additions to our friendship group.”
Alex’s phone beeped. He pulled it out and looked at it.
“You can go if you have to,” Harriet assured him.
“No. I don’t need to go,” Alex told her. “Not yet, anyway. It’s Malcolm. You know, he captained my yacht for me?”
“I know who Malcolm is, Alex,” Harriet told him. “I haven’t lost my mind quite yet.”
