Page 7 of The Beach Hut on Plum Island
“I’m waiting for Emily, Reef, and Shay to finish surfing,” Alex told them. “But let’s get together for dinner at my house later.”
“How are you enjoying staying in a bungalow across the road from Ethan and Carly?” Harley asked Alex.
“Actually, it’s quite nice not to have such a huge house,” Alex admitted. “I’m getting used to it.”
They said their goodbyes. Gray drove the car to the hotel while Dawn and Harriet walked across the beach and into the hotel. Twenty minutes later, Harriet had just finished getting dressed when her phone rang. It was her mother.
“Hello, Mom,” Harriet greeted.
“Hello, my child,” Julie Joyce greeted her daughter. “How are you?”
“I’m fine, just not happy that none of my family saw fit to contact me before arriving on my doorstep to blow up my quiet life,” Harriet drawled.
“Honey, you know that your life is never going to stay quiet for too long,” Julie pointed out. “Someone is bound to recognize you sooner or later.”
“Thank you, Mom.” Harriet sighed.
It’s not that her mother was cold or distant. She and Harriet’s father were absent-minded academics with more degrees than they needed behind their names. They were always writing a paper or conducting research or on a dig in an unpronounceable place.
“I’m sorry, honey, you know that’s not what I meant,” Julie apologized.
“I know, Mom,” Harriet told her. “When are you and Dad getting here?”
“That’s what I’m calling about,” Julie said. “Your father has picked up the flu, and the doctors have advised us against traveling as we don’t want him getting pneumonia again.”
“Are you sure it’s not just the Titus flu?” Harriet’s eyes narrowed suspiciously.
Julie laughed. “I think it’s a bit of that, yes.”
While Harriet’s father, Pat, loved his younger brother, they didn’t always agree. So, her father would usually make an excuse not to be in the same place as his brother, especially if it was for longer than four to five days. His reason was usually a cold or flu, which became known as the Titus flu.
“Does this mean you’re not coming to Plum Island?” Harriet asked her mother to clarify.
“We may still make it,” Julie told her. “It depends on how your father is feeling by the weekend.” She paused for a few seconds.“He’s also very angry with Titus at the moment, and they had a huge argument, which isn’t helping your father’s condition.”
“What did they fight about this time?” Harriet clicked her phone to the speaker so she could finish getting ready to go for breakfast.
“You,” Julie’s words made Harriet’s hand freeze in midair with a brush in it.
“Me?” Harriet didn’t like being argued about behind her back. “Why were they arguing about me?”
“Well, I don’t know if you know this, but your brother is seeing a TV show host,” Julie told her. Tracy, I think her name is.”
Harriet felt tiny shock waves hit her. “Do you mean Trinity Woodrow?”
“Yes, that’s her name,” Julie said.
Gray’s dating Trinity Woodrow?Harriet gave herself a mental shake.
“What has that got to do with me? I didn’t introduce them,” Harriet told her.
“Titus still has a bee in his bonnet about joining the Joyce family name to the Gladstone’s name.” Julie’s words sent more shock waves through Harriet and set the alarm bells ringing in her head again. “Didn’t you get the message I sent you the other day showing you that Leon is divorced again? I’m sure your uncle was an instigator in that.”
“That’s why you sent me that article about Leon getting divorced again.” Harriet blew out a breath. “You think I’d want to get back together with Leon?” she asked in disbelief. “Trust me, Mom, I wouldneverget back together with that man if he were the last man on earth.”
“Well, I’m glad to hear that. Your father will be as well,” Julie told her. “But I’m afraid that your uncle won’t be, and in fact, he’s trying to pull rank. Or throw his weight around by insisting that you will get back together with Leon. Titus told us that he’llmake sure that by the time he returns home, you and Leon will be engaged.”
Harriet stood, stunned for a few seconds, staring at her phone in disbelief. “Are you serious?”
