HARRIET.
Until she’d said that, he’d been about to kiss her. Right there on the road and to hell with anyone who happened to be passing. The knowledge unsettled him. Fliss had always brought out a side of him he rarely accessed, and it seemed not much had changed.
Except that this was Harriet, not Fliss. And kissing her would have brought on more than mutual embarrassment. His objective had been to douse old flames, not rekindle fires.
Vanessa was right. He was in trouble.
He stepped back, almost treading on Lulu. The dog yelped and jumped out of the way, sending him a reproachful look. Her day wasn’t going well. His wasn’t much better.
“I didn’t expect to see you here.” There was a time when the Knight twins had spent every summer with their grandmother, but that time was long past. Most of the group of kids who had hung out together during those long hot summers had gone their separate ways. The only friend he still saw from those days was Chase Adams, who had taken over the running of his father’s construction company based in Manhattan. Since his marriage, he’d been spending more time at his beach house.
“Didn’t expect to see you either.” She pulled the brim of her hat down, virtually concealing the top half of her face. “I heard you were in Manhattan. Daniel mentioned that he ran into you—” Her tone was casual, but there was something else there that he couldn’t identify. Nerves? Since when had he made Harriet nervous?
“That was temporary. I was doing a favor for a friend of mine.”
“Steven?”
“Yes. We were at college together. He was shorthanded and he asked me to help out.”
“So that’s it? You’re done? No more Manhattan?”
“For now.” He wondered why she was asking so many detailed questions about his whereabouts. Maybe Fliss was thinking of visiting her grandmother and her twin was going to deliver a warning. You didn’t have to be a genius to figure out that she was avoiding him.
“So you’re here for the rest of the summer? Staying with your family?”
“Just me.” How much did she know? They’d had no contact since that summer ten years before, but these days there were a myriad ways to find out information. Did Fliss ever talk about him? He had a million questions, but he reined them in. What was the point in asking them? He didn’t need answers from Harriet. He needed them from Fliss. “And you? What are you doing here?” It was unsettling looking at her because she could so easily have been Fliss. Outwardly the twins were identical. Same blue eyes, same buttermilk-blond hair.
Inwardly they were as different as the sun and the moon.
“Grams fell. She’s in the hospital.”
“I hadn’t heard.” And that surprised him because wherever he went on this patch of land someone, somewhere, was always keen to fill him in on local gossip. “How bad is it? When did it happen?”
“A couple of days ago. I’m not sure how bad it is, but they won’t let her go home unless someone is there with her. She was knocked unconscious, I believe, and she says she’s a little bruised. I’m off to the hospital as soon as I’ve unpacked.”
“Is there anything I can do?”
“No, but thanks. I’ll be picking her up tomorrow.” She gestured vaguely to the car, a showy red convertible that gleamed in the sunshine.
He glanced at it, thinking that it didn’t seem like something Harriet would drive. On the other hand it had been ten years and a lot changed in ten years, including the fact that she no longer seemed to be shy with him. There was no sign of the stammer that had plagued her teenage years. Fliss had confided in him how difficult it was for her sister, how the moment their father had started shouting, Harriet had been unable to push a single word out of her mouth.
For her sake he was pleased that had changed.
It was partly because he didn’t want to be the one to bring her stammer back that he didn’t question her about Fliss.
“How did she fall?”
“In the garden. It needs work.”
“So you’re here to take care of her. That’s lucky for her. She doesn’t need to worry about being well fed.” He smiled at her. “I still remember those chocolate chip cookies you used to make. If you ever have any spare that need eating, I’m right next door.”
“Cookies?” A look of alarm flickered across her face, and he wondered what he’d said to trigger that reaction.
“You don’t cook anymore?”
“I—yes, of course I cook. But proper food.” She stumbled. “Nutritious—er—things. Are your parents here this summer?”
The question knocked him off balance.
So she didn’t know.
Sadness washed over him. It came and went like the tide over the sand.
The years opened up like a gulf. So many changes. So many life events he and Fliss should have shared and weathered together. Instead they’d done it apart.
“My father died. Ten months ago. Heart attack. No warning. It was very sudden.”
“Oh, Seth—” Her reaction was as spontaneous as it was genuine. Her hand came out and she touched his arm for a few seconds before snatching it back. “I’m truly sorry.”
“Yeah, it’s been tough. We’re selling Ocean View.” And he was still getting his head around that, trying to untangle his own wishes from those of his mother. Trying to work out what his father would have wanted him to do. And in a way that was easy. His father would have wanted him to do whatever made his mother happiest.
Which meant he was selling the house.
“That’s why you’re here? Because you need to sell the house?”
“No. I’m here because this is my home.” So that was something else she didn’t know. “I live here.”
“But you said—”
“I bought a house close to Sag Harbor. It’s near the beach and the nature preserve. It needed some work, but it’s nearly finished.”
“You’re saying you’re here permanently?”
Was he imagining it or did he see panic? He had to be imagining it. “Yes. I run Coastal Vets, on the edge of town.”
“Oh. Well, that’s great.” Her tone told him it was anything but great.
He studied her face intently, searching for answers. “How are things with you, Harriet?”
“Good! Fliss and I run a dog-walking business in Manhattan. The Bark Rangers. We’re doing well. A bit too well. Fliss wants to expand—you know what she’s like.”
He didn’t know. Not anymore. But he wanted to. Had she changed? Was she still impulsive? Did she still kick her shoes off at every opportunity? Did she still hide her feelings?
He had an urge to ask a million questions but held himself back.
He was pleased, but not at all surprised, that Fliss had set up and was running a successful business.
“So if your grandmother has fallen, you’re going to be here for a while. How will Fliss manage the business without you?”
“We have an army of reliable dog walkers, and I’m sure she’ll be fine.”
“So we’re going to be neighbors. I’d like to help in any way I can.”
The look of panic was back. “That’s not necessary! I’m sure we’ll be fine, and I wouldn’t want to bother you.”
“It’s no bother. Everyone in my family is fond of your grandmother, myself included. She brings Charlie to the clinic for checks, as do all her friends. And she has many. She’s been part of this community as long as any of us can remember. My mother would never forgive me if I didn’t help out.” He looked at her for a long moment and decided to test a theory. “How is Fliss?”
“Fliss? She’s so happy. Doing really well. She’s built the business up from nothing, and now she’s so busy she barely has time to breathe. It’s an exciting time. All good.”
It didn’t tell him anything he wanted to know, but that was because he hadn’t asked the right questions, of course. Is she seeing someone? Is she married? Why did she get as far as the door of the vet clinic and then turn around? Why is she avoiding me?
Those were the questions he’d wanted to ask.
But he’d got one thing cleared up.
An important thing.
“I’d better go. The clinic opens in an hour and there’s always a crowd at this time of year.” He whistled to Lulu. “We’ll be seeing you around, Harriet.”
“Looking forward to it.” Her tone told him she wasn’t looking forward to it at all.
He loaded the dog into his truck and drove back toward his house. It was within easy driving distance to the clinic, down a road that was little more than a rough track.
He’d found the house two years before and fallen in love with the location. The property itself had been a little harder to love, and it had taken every day of those two years to transform it into the home he wanted.
With the help of Chase, who had pulled together a team to help both with the design and the construction, he’d knocked down the single-story building and replaced it with a two-story structure with a double-height dining and living area and a wall of glass opening onto the pool.
The house nestled behind dunes that were part of a bird sanctuary, and in the evenings during the renovation he’d often sat on the deck, nursing a beer, watching the gentle sway of the sea grass and listening to the plaintive call of the gulls.
A short drive and he was on the edge of town, but here there was only the whisper of the wind and the rhythmic crash of the ocean. People had been listening to the same sound for centuries, and there was a simplicity to it, a soporific blend of nature that soothed the senses.
His house lacked the palatial feel of his childhood home, and in his opinion, it was all the better for that.
There were no ghosts here, and no memories.
He let Lulu out of the car and stood for a moment, admiring the lines of his new home.
“Got yourself something good here.” The voice came from behind him, and he turned with a smile.
“Chase! I didn’t notice your car.”
“I was right behind you, but you were obviously thinking about something else.”
Not something, someone.
“I wasn’t expecting to see you this week. I thought you were in Manhattan, wheeling and dealing.” He eyed his friend’s board shorts. “You don’t look much like a CEO of a major corporation.”
“What can I say? I’ve discovered the joys of the weekend.”
“It’s Wednesday.”
Chase grinned. “So the weekend has started early.”
“This from a guy who didn’t used to know what the weekend was. Who are you and what have you done with my friend? On second thoughts, don’t answer that. I like this version of you better. I guess that’s what being married has done to you.” Seth closed the car door. “How’s Matilda?”
“Uncomfortable. The heat is bothering her. The baby’s due in four weeks, and I’m working down here from now until it arrives.” He raked his fingers through his hair, looking uncharacteristically nervous. “I’m going to be a dad. CEO of a family. Toughest job yet.”
“Funny, because I would have said Matilda was CEO of your family. You’re just staff.”
“You could be right about that.” Chase narrowed his eyes as he studied Seth’s house. “It’s coming along.”
“Yes.”
“Are you going to admit I was right about the deck?”
They’d argued about the details by email and in person. “You were right. And I owe you.”
“You’re welcome. And you can pay me in babysitting.”
Seth felt a stab of pain under his ribs. “Not my area of expertise. But if Hero ever needs a vet, I’m your guy.”
“He’s bound to need a vet. That dog has no clue about personal safety, and I can tell you he is no one’s idea of a hero. I keep suggesting Matilda rename him—Liability was my suggestion—but she refuses. He’s too big and strong for her to walk at the moment.” Chase frowned. “I don’t suppose you know of any dog-walking companies around here you can vouch for?”
Seth shook his head and then thought for a moment. “Have you heard of the Bark Rangers?”
“Yes, but they’re in Manhattan. It’s run by the Knight twins, but I’m guessing you already know that. We use them when we’re in town, although I’ve never dared confess that to you before. Not sure if it’s sensitive.” Chase looked at him cautiously. “The name Knight doesn’t exactly come up in conversation these days. Is this a topic we should be avoiding?”
“No. And it so happens I just ran into Harriet.” He paused, wondering how much to say. “Her grandmother fell, so she’s here for a while. I’ll see if she can help you.”
“Matilda is friendly with Harriet, but I haven’t seen either of the twins for ten years. Not since—”
“Not since you were best man at my wedding. You don’t have to tiptoe around, Chase. As you say, it was ten years ago.” Plenty of time to adjust and put it in his rearview mirror. People had dismissed it at the time—too young, too fast—so he hadn’t had to deal with shock or surprise. There had been more than a few knowing nods from folks who thought you could judge a relationship from the outside, as if you could get the measure of a house by peeping in through one window.
“I didn’t know you were still in touch.”
“We’re not.”
“This is the first time you’ve seen Harriet since you broke up? That must have been weird.”
“Yes.” Weird wasn’t the word he would have chosen, but he went with it.
“Maybe it’s easier that it’s just Harriet.”
“Maybe.” Seth didn’t expand on that. “Anyway, she’ll be walking her grandmother’s dog, so I’ll ask her if she’ll walk yours, too.”
“Thanks. I appreciate that.” Chase changed the subject. “So when are you moving in? And, more importantly, when’s the housewarming? Are you here for the Fourth or are you going away?”
“I’m here. Working and on call over the holiday weekend.”
“That’s tough.”
“Honestly? Not really.” Seth rescued Lulu, who had managed to wedge her head in a hedge. “The rest of the family are spending it in Vermont.”
“Having a change.” Chase nodded, understanding. “How’s your mom doing?”
“Considering everything, she’s doing okay. But she wants to sell Ocean View.”
“And how do you feel about that?”
Seth looked at his new home, at the smooth lines, the deck, his view of the dunes. He wouldn’t swap it for anything. So why wasn’t he more motivated to sell the house? “I think it’s the right thing to do, although I’m not sure about the timing.”
“The timing is perfect. It’s summer, the house will show at its best. Trust me on that. I may not know a thing about babies, but I do know about real estate.”
“I wasn’t talking about the timing for the market, more the timing for my mother. I’m worried it’s too soon and that she’ll regret the decision.”
Chase put his hand on Seth’s shoulder and squeezed. “I’ll ask you again—how do you feel about it?”
As always Chase was observant. And sensitive. It was one of the reasons they’d been friends for so long.
“Conflicted.”
“I can imagine.” Chase sighed. “For what it’s worth, I don’t think hanging on to things necessarily eases the pain. Maybe it even makes it worse.”
“Intellectually I know that. Emotionally, I seem to be having trouble with it. We spent every summer there from the year I was born. It feels as if I’m not just selling a house, I’m selling memories. And Mom always loved it here.” He paused as Chase’s phone rang. “You should get that. It might be Matilda.”
“It is Matilda. Damn—” His friend fumbled with the phone and almost dropped it. “What’s wrong, honey? Is it happening? Is it now? What do I need to do? Who do I call?”
Seth watched, amused, as his friend went from calm to agitated. He waited for him to end the call and raised an eyebrow. “Well? Do we need to put the midwife on alert?”
“No. She wanted me to buy peaches from the farm stand. Peaches! Look at me. I’m a wreck. What the hell is wrong with me?” Chase pocketed his phone and shook his head. “I run a successful corporation—”
“—which has nothing to do with delivering babies.”
“True. I’m not good with that stuff. I prefer my problems numerical. If it can’t be analyzed or put on a spreadsheet, I’m clueless.”
“We both know that’s not true. There’s not a job in your company you can’t do.”
“Maybe, but being able to caulk a window isn’t going to help me if the baby comes early. If that happens, I’m going to be calling on you.”
“I’m a vet,” Seth said mildly. “I’ve delivered puppies, kittens, foals and even a camel—”
“A camel?”
“Don’t ask. I’ve never delivered a human, but don’t worry. This baby is not going to come early. First babies never do.”
“You’d better be right about that or I’ll sue you. And then I’ll bring the baby to our poker nights.”
Seth gestured toward the house. “Do you need something to calm your nerves? I haven’t stocked the fridge yet, but I might be able to find a beer.”
“That is tempting, but my pregnant wife wants peaches, so I guess I’d better find her peaches.” He flashed Seth a smile and strolled to his car. “One day this is going to happen to you, Seth Carlyle, and that will wipe that grin off your face. In the meantime, if you could ask Harriet about walking Hero, I’d be grateful.”
Holding his smile in place, Seth bent to give Lulu a belly rub, watching as Chase reversed the car and headed down the lane toward the main road.
Lulu whined and licked his hand, understanding that something wasn’t right.
It was lucky for him Chase wasn’t so perceptive.
And lucky for him Chase needed help with a dog.
He told himself that offering to ask Harriet about dog walking had everything to do with helping his friend, and nothing to do with creating another opportunity to talk to Harriet.