2. CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 2
L iam 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 familiar flutter 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, I do ,“ 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’t know 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; it was 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 thick as 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.
Liam smiled, typing back a quick response.
Glad to hear it. Remember, we have dinner plans at the Beach Hut.
Dawn had become a close friend, someone who understood the quirks of managing a bustling life and shared a similar rhythm of calm in the chaos of daily demands.
The day waned, and as the sun started to descend into the afternoon and bathe the Summer Inn in a warm, golden light, Liam found his thoughts wandering to the upcoming wedding. He leaned back in his office chair, most of his paperwork having been taken care of, and he glanced out his window to see the sea glistening in the afternoon sun.
While he wondered what Lila’s reaction to Sally’s news would be, Liam pondered his own unresolved feelings about Sally’s betrayal. How would he handle seeing her pledge her life to someone else here at his sanctuary? The question hung in the air, unanswered, as he watched the waves lap against the shoreline. His thoughts were interrupted when his office door burst open, and Lila burst through, her eyes wide with excitement.
“Hi, Dad,” Lila greeted him.
“Lila, you can’t just barge into your father’s office.” Mary ran in after her, looking at Liam apologetically. “I’m sorry, Liam. She shot past me like a stray bullet.”
“It’s okay, Mary,” Liam assured her with a warm smile before turning to his daughter. “Have you just spoken to your mother?”
“What?” Lila’s brow creased. “No.” She shook her head. “I haven’t heard from Mom since she canceled my trip to California.” Her frown deepened. “Why?”
“Oh, nothing.” Liam shook his head and smiled. “What’s got you so excited then?”
“Come and see,” Lila invited.
“Okay…” Liam raised an eyebrow as he stood and walked toward his daughter, who took his hand.
“Now, Dad,” Lila looked at him warningly, “don’t get mad, and keep an open mind.”
“What have you done?” Liam looked at Lila suspiciously.
“Nothing,” Lila assured him. “Come see.” She pulled him out of the office.
“Can I ask where we’re going?” Liam let Lila drag him toward the elevator.
“You’ll see,” Lila said mysteriously.
When they stepped into the elevator she hit the button for the top floor.
“Are we going to Dawn’s suite?” Liam guessed.
“Yes,” Lila nodded and grinned.
The elevator whooshed them to the floor, and he had to pick up the pace when Lila started hurrying toward Dawn’s suite. Before Lila could knock, the door flew open, and a teenage girl who looked a lot like Dawn stood smiling at Liam.
“You must be Harper,” Liam greeted.
“You must be Mr. Gains,” Harper said, respectfully holding out her hand. “How do you do?”
“I’m good,” Liam said, shaking her hand. “And please call me Liam.”
“Thank you, that’s kind,” Harper said.
The teen’s manners and respectfulness took Liam aback. Dawn had described Harper as becoming rebellious and difficult. Liam had taken that for the usual teenage angst and rebellion against authority.
Maybe teens from the Hamptons rebel more politely, Liam thought as he stepped into the suite. Then Harper moved and pulled the door open for them to enter.
“Hi, Liam,” Dawn greeted him.
Liam felt the usual jolt when he saw Dawn, his lips curving into a warm smile. She was beautiful, inside and out. Having become friends a year ago, Liam realized that Dawn had gradually found a place in his heart. He cherished their friendship deeply and didn’t want to risk it by revealing his feelings, especially since she had given no indication of seeing him as anything more than a friend.
“Hi, I didn’t know you were back,” Liam said.
“We’ve only just arrived,” Dawn told him. “We needed to get our rescue settled.”
“Rescue?” Liam’s brow furrowed in confusion.
“Yes, Dad,” Lila said. “That’s what I wanted to show you. On our way back to Plum Island, we found an injured cat.”
Lila pulled him into the kitchenette, where he saw a large white and silver striped tabby lying in a cat bed.
“Oh, he’s beautiful,” Liam said.
“Sorry, I wanted to call you and let you know we were asked to foster Tiger,” Dawn said apologetically.
“I told Dawn it would be alright,” Lila told Liam. “It is alright for us to look after him, isn’t it Dad?”
“Yes, of course,” Liam said, looking at the cat. “How badly injured is he?”
“The vet thinks he was thrown out of a car window,” Dawn explained. “He’s badly bruised, and his back legs are injured, but the vet says he’ll make a full recovery.”
“Who would fling a cat out of a car?” Liam shuddered in horror and then listened to what Harper and Lila told him about Tiger.
“Wait, did you say Mrs. Peters?” Liam’s frown deepened. “Wilma Peters?”
“Yes,” Dawn answered. “When I signed the forms to take custody of Tiger so the vet could get his chip updated, I saw the name Wilma Peters.”
“Wilma’s dead?” Liam’s brows rose in shock, and he looked at Tiger. “Yes, of course, that’s her cat. He’s a lot bigger than the last time I saw him when I went to visit Wilma.”
“You knew her?” Dawn asked curiously.
“Yes.” Liam nodded, thinking how weird life was. “Wilma and her husband, Frank, used to own the Summer Inn. They bought it from Caroline’s father many years ago. When Frank died five years ago, Wilma’s son had moved to Boston and wasn’t interested in the hotel, so she sold it to me.”
“Wow, that’s so strange,” Harper said. “What are the chances we’d find her cat? It’s like fate.”
“I know, right?” Lila agreed with Harper as the two teens rallied around Tiger.
“Aunt Dawn, can we take Tiger into my room?” Harper asked. “I can look after him.”
“Sure,” Dawn said with a nod.
As the teenagers excitedly took Tiger to get settled in their room, Dawn turned back to Liam. “Do you want some coffee? It feels like one of those days where I haven’t had enough,” she said, moving towards the small kitchenette of her suite.
“That sounds great, actually,” Liam replied, following her. “I haven’t really stopped since this morning.”
As Dawn prepared the coffee, Liam leaned against the counter, watching her movements. The silence was comfortable, a testament to the easy friendship they’d developed.
“So, how was the rest of your day?” Dawn asked as she handed him a mug of freshly brewed coffee.
They made their way into the living room and took a seat beside each other on the sofa.
“It was... interesting,” Liam started, taking a cautious sip. “Right after I got to the office, Mary handed me a report. It seems your missing watch isn’t an isolated incident. There’ve been other valuables reported missing from several guests’ rooms.”
Dawn raised her eyebrows, “Really? Just like my watch vanished without a trace?”
“Exactly,” Liam confirmed. “No signs of forced entry, nothing on the surveillance cameras. It’s as if the items just disappeared into thin air.”
Dawn laughed lightly, trying to cut through the tension. “Maybe it’s a ghost?” He saw her eyes light up. “The ghost of the Summer Inn.”
She was adorable and had a vivid imagination, as one would expect from a writer, but Liam didn’t smile. “Funny you should say that,” he said, setting his coffee down on his lap as he cradled it in his hands. “There are old stories about the original Summer Inn that stood on this site. Back when Plum Island was first settled, there was an inn here, and over the centuries, it was renovated and expanded. But there were always rumors, stories about things going missing every few years, way back to the late 1800s.”
Dawn’s interest was piqued. “A phantom thief!” Her eyes lit up as her imagination was sparked. “That seems exciting. I’d love to find out more about it.”
“Yeah.” Liam nodded, his voice lowering a bit with the intrigue of the tale. “I only know the stories that have been passed down through generations. The original inn was known for mysterious disappearances of guests’ belongings, which some said were taken by a phantom that haunted the halls. When the Peters turned it into a hotel, those stories just became part of its quirky history.”
“That’s fascinating,” Dawn said, her writer’s mind already turning. “Do you think those old legends might be stirring up someone’s idea of a practical joke or something more sinister now?”
Liam shrugged. “I don’t know. But what I do know is now I have to file police reports and have the guests fill in what was missing. Then I have to get the value of each item, and that gets so messy because a lot of guests like to embellish the truth a bit when it comes to the value of their stolen items.” He shook his head and sighed. “Now it’s just more paperwork and a huge headache for me.”
“Maybe we should look into this,” Dawn suggested. “I can start by doing some research on the first Inn and the thefts. There must be an archive somewhere.”
“I think the best place to start would be at the library. Tanith can help us, and she’ll know where we can start,” Liam said. “But we need to keep what we are doing, and why, quiet for now.”
“Of course,” Dawn agreed, sipping her coffee thoughtfully. “Maybe the original thief had descendants.”
“Could be,” Liam agreed. “While we’re figuring this out, Mary will keep the disappearing valuables quiet if more reports of missing goods come in.”
“Would you allow me access to the guest records? I could check the guest logs for any patterns, familiar names, and who checked out either late last night or this morning,” Dawn offered.
“I’ll have you signed up as one of my management staff,” Liam proposed. “You’ll have to sign the standard forms, but it will enable me to allow you access to the information legally.”
“Good thinking,” Dawn agreed with a nod. “I’ve always wanted to know how the hospitality trade worked to ensure I get it right in my scripts.”
“That’s also a good cover story as to why I’m making you a manager,” Liam pointed out. “I think the less suspicion there is over our investigation, the better.”
“Especially if the thief is still lurking around the hotel,” Dawn added, excitement glinting in her eyes. “Let’s just hope we can catch whoever’s behind this before it’s too late and the valuable items get sold.” Her eyes darkened with emotion. “I’ll never be able to replace that wristwatch.”
“We’ll get it back.” Liam’s voice was laced with more confidence than he had.
Liam had seen that gold vintage Cartier wristwatch on Dawn many times, and he knew even if it didn’t have any sentimental value, that watch was basically priceless. Liam felt awful that it had gone missing from his hotel. He felt awful about all the valuables that had gone missing in his hotel since the previous night.
“I hope so,” Dawn said. “I also hope that all the guests get their items back, too.”
“Let’s hope,” Liam said. “I hate that anything has gone missing from my hotel. I’ve prided myself on this place being as safe as I could make it. All my staff are thoroughly vetted as well.”
“This is not your fault, Liam,” Dawn assured him. “I just hope it wasn’t one of the wedding guests.” She blew out a breath. “That would be something.”
“I doubt any of the guests would have to steal to get by,” Liam said.
“Maybe not to get by,” Dawn pointed out. “But some may just do it for the heck of it and the thrill of not getting caught.”
“I can’t believe people would do that,” Liam stated. “Although I guess when you’re rich and bored, stealing may seem like a way to spice up your life.”
“It has happened,” Dawn told him and moved the conversation away from the theft. “I miss Harriet and Alex.”
“I know what you mean,” Liam sympathized. “I miss Finn, and I know Lila misses her friends.” He frowned. “Now that Finn’s away, I’m going to have to try to host the annual surfing contest we started three years ago on my own.”
“Oh?” Dawn’s eyes lit with interest. “I can help you with that.”
“Really?” Liam looked at her in surprise. “I could use the help.” He’d also get to spend more time with her. Stop it, Liam. Dawn is a good friend. “Thank you. When we get you signed up as an employee, I’ll give you access to the contest files.”
“Sounds great,” Dawn said. “It will help keep me busy as well while I’m working through issues with my writing.”
“You’re having writing issues?” It was Liam’s turn to be curious.
“Yeah, just a bit of writer’s block,” Dawn told him. “It usually doesn’t take long to get over. All I need is a little inspiration, and I think the mystery of the missing valuables and helping you with the surfing contest is just what I need.”
“Then I’m glad to have you on board,” Liam told her with a warm smile and took another sip of his coffee. He glanced at Harper’s room door as he remembered Sally’s phone call.
“Is everything okay?” Dawn asked, a concerned frown marring her brow.
Liam blew out a breath and shook his head. “My ex-wife called me today.”
“Oh?” Dawn said. “Lila told me a bit about her mother on the way to Boston. Shelley, is it?”
“Sally,” Liam corrected Dawn. “She is a pilot in the United States Marine Corps, stationed in California. Based at Pendleton.”
“Oh, nice,” Dawn said. “Lila mentioned her mother moved away for her new position. She didn’t tell me it was right across the country.”
“That’s why Lila only goes to see her mother once or twice a year,” Liam explained. “They talk a lot over the phone and on video chat.’
“Sometimes technology comes in very handy,” Dawn said. “Is your ex-wife wanting Lila to visit her?”
“No.” Liam shook his head. “Lila was supposed to spend two weeks with Sally at the beginning of the summer vacation, but Sally had to cancel due to unexpected work commitments.”
“Oh, no!” Dawn’s face crinkled in despair. “Poor Lila. She must’ve been devastated.”
“Not really,” Liam said, his heart twinging with sadness. “Lila was never close to Sally as my ex-wife was hardly ever home, so I basically raised Lila on my own.”
“I see how close the two of you are,” Dawn noted. “It’s sad that Lila isn’t close to her own mother.”
“Lila is worried that Sally is trying to encourage her to join the military,” Liam told Dawn. “Sally’s entire family is military.”
“And Lila isn’t interested?” Dawn asked.
“No, not at all,” Liam said, feeling relieved. “Which I’m glad about. Having to worry about Sally when we were married was nerve-racking enough. I couldn’t stand the worry that would come from Lila being deployed.”
“I can understand that,” Dawn said. “I hope me taking Lila to Boston didn’t interrupt a mother-daughter call, though.”
“No, not all,” Liam assured her and ran a hand through his hair, his eyes darting to the slowly fading daylight outside before catching Dawn’s eyes. “Sally phoned to let me know that she’s getting married to her long-time boyfriend, Sean Jamison.”
“Oh, really?” Dawn’s eyes widened. “I’m sorry, Liam. That must’ve been upsetting for you.”
“It was a shock,” Liam admitted. “But more because of the unresolved issues between Sally and I, not because I still have romantic feelings for her. It’s more a case of unresolved anger and resentment toward her.”
Dawn’s brow furrowed in confusion. “I thought Lila told me that you and your ex-wife were on good terms?”
“We put on a good show for Lila,” Liam confessed. “We don’t want her to ever feel she has to take sides or get in the middle of any issues between Sally and me.”
“I admire what you two are trying to do,” Dawn said. “But don’t you think Lila’s going to be upset when she finds out the truth?” Her frown deepened. “May I ask why the two of you got divorced?” She held up her hands. “I’m sorry if that’s too personal. I tend to pry. It’s the writer in me always looking at the story. Lila told me that you and Sally split because of her job and that she had to move away.” She gave him a small smile. “Sorry for prying.”
“I don’t mind,” Liam said, meaning it. “It’s nice to have someone to talk to about it. The only other person who knows the truth about my divorce is Finn, who, as you know, is away on his familymoon.”
“I’m always here to lend an ear,” Dawn promised. “I’ve had my fair share of breakups. The last one was the most humiliating, and I was engaged to Brad Danes.”
“Caroline’s Brad?” Liam’s eyes widened in disbelief. “I thought the two of you were childhood besties.”
“We were… are.” Dawn smiled. “But for almost two years, we never spoke to each other. But when we did, we resolved the issues and were able to move past them.”
“But your friendship isn’t the same?” Liam guessed.
“It’s not as easy as it once was,” Dawn admitted. “But we’re getting there.”
“You, Harriet, Brad, Alex, and Ethan are a very close-knit friend group,” Liam noted.
“That’s because we’ve all known each other since we were babies; our friends were all best friends, and that friendship goes back a few generations as well,” Dawn told Liam. “You and Finn are close as well.”
“Yes, we grew up together here on Plum Island,” Liam confirmed. “While we change and grow, it’s nice to have a steady friendship beside you.” He glanced out the windows once again. “Finn was my rock when I caught Sally cheating on me. For a long time, I debated if it was the best or worst thing that could’ve happened.”
“Why do you say that?” Dawn looked at him, frowning curiously.
“I’d known for about a year that things between Sally and me had changed,” Liam admitted. “We were growing apart, and I don’t think it was even that she was away so much. I think we just fell out of love somewhere along the line.”
“Maybe Sally wasn’t your one but the one you needed at the time,” Dawn said.
“I like that,” Liam said with a smile. “Even though I knew our marriage was pretty much over, finding out Sally had been cheating on me still stung.”
“That’s because while you knew things weren’t right in your marriage, you still respected your marriage commitment, but she didn’t. Sally betrayed you,” Dawn offered.
“I couldn’t have put that better myself,” Liam told her. “I blew up and kicked her out of the house. It wasn’t very nice of me, and I needed someone to blame for the guilt I felt.”
“Why would you feel guilty?” Dawn asked him, confused. “You weren’t the one cheating.”
“Yes, but Sally’s cheating gave me the excuse I was looking for to end things between us,” Liam admitted, dropping his head and glancing at the ceiling to gather his emotions. “I jumped on that excuse so fast because it meant I couldn’t be blamed for our failed marriage.” He put his coffee cup on the table. “My only thought at the moment I caught Sally out was that there was no way I was letting Sally take Lila away from me.”
“You have nothing to feel guilty about,” Dawn assured him. “That’s a natural human reaction.” Her eyes narrowed as she asked, “How do you really feel about Sally getting married again?”
“As long as Lila is okay with it,” Liam told her with a shrug, “then it’s water off a duck’s back, really.” He shook his head. “The only other thing that is going to be a bit awkward is that Sally wants to have the wedding here at the Summer Inn. She says it’s because then she doesn’t have to interrupt Lila’s life by making her go to California for the wedding.”
“And you think Sally has another reason for wanting to get married here?” Dawn asked.
“I don’t know.” Liam shook his head.
“Maybe Sally getting married here is a good thing,” Dawn said. “Lila gets to be a part of her mother’s wedding, and maybe you can finally resolve the issues you still need to put to rest between you and Sally.”
“I couldn’t have it out with Sally before her wedding,” Liam said with a snort. “That wouldn’t be very tasteful, and I wouldn’t want her to get the wrong idea that I still have feelings for her.”
“But in a way, you do,” Dawn told him. “A lot of negative feelings toward her could be holding you back from finding your happily ever after and soul mate.”
“You could be right,” Liam agreed, his eyes holding hers. “What’s holding you back from finding your soul mate and happily ever after?”
Dawn’s brows shot up in surprise as she stared at him. “Finding someone I can trust and that I know loves me for who I am as a person, not for who my family is.” She broke eye contact and leaned back against the cushions. “If I’m honest, that was one of the reasons I went out with Brad. I knew he was dating Dawn and not the Vanderbilts.”
They were interrupted when Harper’s bedroom door opened, and the teens came into the living room.
“Aunt Dawn, can Lila stay here tonight?” Harper asked.
“If her father’s okay with that.” Dawn looked at Liam questioningly.
“Of course,” Liam said, smiling.
“Thank you, Dad,” Lila gave him a kiss on the cheek. “I want to help Harper get Tiger settled for the night.”
Liam looked at Dawn. “Because you have a new foster to care for, why don’t we order in and have dinner together here in your suite?”
“That’s a great idea,” Dawn agreed and looked at the teens. “What do you two think?”
“I don’t mind,” Lila answered, glancing at Harper.
“Sure,” Harper said. “I have plenty of time to see Plum Island.”
“I’d better go finish some work, and I’ll be back in about an hour,” Liam said, standing. “Is that okay with everyone?”
He was answered with a chorus of yes before Harper and Lila went back to Harper’s bedroom. Dawn walked Liam to the door.
“Thank you for letting Lila come with me to Boston today; it really made a difference for Harper,” Dawn told Liam.
“Of course,” Liam said as he stood in the open doorway staring at Dawn. “It’s helped Lila as well.”
Their gazes intertwined, and a profound stillness enveloped them. Liam sensed the quickening of his pulse as a wave of warmth expanded within his chest, deepening his feelings for Dawn. The delicate thread that once linked them in friendship was weaving into a vibrant tapestry of deeper connection, tugging at his heart with the unmistakable hues of love.
Two pairs of teenage eyes peeked through a crack in Harper’s bedroom door as they watched the doorway moment between Dawn and Liam.
“I told you, Dawn and my dad were falling for each other,” Lila whispered to Harper.
“I don’t know, Lila,” Harper said, her eyes narrowing as she took in the tender moment. “There’s definitely chemistry between them.”
“I think my father might be weary to give his heart away again,” Lila told Harper.
“My Aunt Dawn, too,” Harper said. “Aunt Dawn has been hurt one too many times, and now she guards her heart. I heard my father telling my mother once that Aunt Dawn never knows if someone loves her for her or her money and our family name.”
“That’s horrible,” Lila said, looking appalled. “I think my father’s scared of being cheated on again.”
Harper looked at Lila in surprise. “Is that why your parents are divorced?”
Lila nodded. “They think I don’t know, but I heard my father telling Uncle Finn about it.”
“I’m sorry, Lila.” Harper’s eyes filled with compassion.
“It’s okay,” Lila told Harper. “I know it wasn’t my fault they broke up, and they both love me.”
Harper, smiled mischievously. “Are we still going ahead with our plan?”
“Which one?” Lila’s eyes narrowed, and she smiled.
“The one where we get Aunt Dawn and your father together,” Harper reminded her.
“I was about to bring that up, too,” Lila admitted. “I think they’d make a great couple.”
“I agree,” Harper said as the two girls watched Dawn wave Liam goodbye and close the door.
They quickly stepped away from the bedroom door and gently pulled it shut.
“We have some more planning to do,” Lila said.
“I’m so glad I came here now,” Harper said, following Lila into the bedroom.