Page 5 of The Summer Inn on Plum Island
“Deal!” the girls said in unison.
The vet clinic didn’t accept payment for Tiger’s treatment and even gave them a cat cage for Tiger to travel comfortably in the car, a cat bed, food, bowls, a blanket, and toys. As Dawn drove off toward Plum Island, she glanced at both of the teens sitting in the back with Tiger between them and sighed.
It looks like I’ve just adopted a cat!
CHAPTER 2
Liam hung up the phone with a satisfied nod, having just finalized the delivery schedule with the Summer Inn’s primary meat supplier. The quality of the restaurant’s offerings was paramount, and securing premium cuts was always a victory in his meticulous management of the hotel. Settling back into his chair, Liam was ready to delve into the next task when his desk phone buzzed abruptly, slicing through the quiet of his well-appointed office.
“Liam, Sally Winters is on line one,” his assistant’s voice came through the speaker, her tone neutral yet somehow conveying the urgency of the call.
“Put her through, please, Mary.” Liam glanced at his mobile phone, noticing it was still on silent; two missed calls from Sally were displayed on the screen. He braced himself. The familiarflutter of unease that Sally’s calls usually brought wasn’t missing this time either.
“Hey, Sally,” Liam greeted as soon as the line clicked, his voice calm and collected.
“Liam,” Sally’s voice was crisp over the line, carrying that commanding tone that had once charmed him profoundly. “How’s everything? How’s Lila?”
“Lila’s great and enjoying her summer break,” Liam replied, easing into the conversation. “I’m sure she’d have loved to have seen you for the first week of it, though.”
“I’m sorry I had to change our plans for that,” Sally said, genuine remorse echoed in her tone. “I had some things I wanted to talk to her about and had planned a lot of fun things for us to do. But you know what it’s like working in the military.”
“Yes, Ido,“ Liam couldn’t help the tinge of bitterness that crept into his voice, which made him clear his throat and push it aside. “If you’re calling to make new arrangements to see her this summer, you know that you have to ask Lila first.”
“Yes, of course,” Sally said. “I haven’t forgotten our agreement that Lila has to be happy with any arrangements for me to see her.”
“Okay then,” Liam said with a sigh. “If you’ve been trying to reach Lila, she may not have her phone on as she went to Boston with a friend of mine and my friend’s niece. So she may not have heard her phone.”
“No,” Sally said. “I have tried to call her, but I wanted to talk to you first.”
“Okay…” Liam’s brow creased. “What’s up?”
There was a brief pause, and when Sally spoke again, her voice carried a mix of excitement and nervousness. “I have some news. Sean and I are getting married, and we’d love to have the wedding at the Summer Inn.” Before Liam could say anything, she continued. “You know how much I love New England, and getting married on Plum Island would mean I wouldn’t have to interrupt Lila’s life with her traveling to California.”
Liam’s hand paused above his paperwork, his heart skipping a beat, not from joy but from the suddenness of the revelation. “Oh? That’s... that’s great news, Sally. Congratulations,” he managed, his voice betraying none of the turmoil that the announcement stirred within him. “Does Lila know about the wedding plans?” he asked after a moment, trying to keep his tone light yet earnest.
Sally sighed softly, a sound he knew all too well. “She knows Sean and I have been serious for a while, but no, she doesn’tknow we’re planning to get married yet. I wanted to run it by you first.”
Liam leaned back in his chair, processing the information. “I think it’s important Lila hears about this from you before any plans are made. She should feel like she’s a part of this, Sally. Her mother getting remarried will be a big deal for her.”
“You’re right, of course,” Sally conceded. “I’ll talk to her this weekend. I just… I wanted to make sure you were okay with it first.”
Liam appreciated that, despite everything, there was still a thread of respect in their co-parenting. “If Lila’s on board, then the Summer Inn is yours for the day. Just let me know the dates you have in mind so we can start planning.”
“Thank you, Liam. I really appreciate it,” Sally said, her voice softening. “I know it’s not always been easy between us, but I’m glad we can still make things work for Lila’s sake.”
“Yeah, me too,” Liam replied, a touch of genuine sentiment coloring his tone. Despite their past, they had managed to maintain a facade of amiability for their daughter’s benefit—a facade that sometimes felt almost too real.
They exchanged a few more pleasantries before ending the call. Liam sat for a long moment after hanging up, his mind racing. The idea of Sally getting remarried wasn’t what unsettled him; itwas the flood of memories it brought back. Memories of finding out about her affair—the real reason their marriage had ended. Though, to the outside world, including Lila, it had been painted as a mutual decision due to Sally’s career demands.
Shaking off the remnants of those thoughts, Liam focused on the tasks at hand. The rest of the morning passed in a blur of paperwork and meetings with the hotel staff. The Summer Inn was more than just a business to him; it was a sanctuary, a place that had offered him and Lila a new start, a way to rebuild their lives after the tumult of Boston and the painful end to his marriage.
By mid-afternoon, he had barely made a dent in his to-do list when Mary knocked on his office door. “Excuse me, Liam, but there’s a small issue with the reservation system I think you should look at.”
“Thanks, Mary, I’ll be right there.” Liam stood, stretching his legs and welcoming the distraction.
As he walked through the bustling hotel, greeting guests and staff alike, the familiar sense of pride swelled in his chest. Every corner of the Summer Inn spoke of his efforts, his dreams, and, more recently, of his hopes for a future perhaps shared with someone new.
As he dealt with the reservation glitch, his phone buzzed with a text from Dawn:Lila and Harper hit it off. They’re already thickas thieves. Thanks for letting her go with us today. We’re on our way back to Plum Island and should be there in an hour or two.
