“Many talents, I guess. You run a store and you’re a boater.”
“Technically, Mom runs the store and I work for her. But we expanded this year and I’m opening a small cafe. Sea Glass Cafe.”It still seemed a bit strange to call it that, but she loved the name.“Should be open in a few weeks. Heather’s mom, my aunt, is going to be the cook there. She’s a talented chef.”
“The one Jesse mentioned who organized this gala?”
“The same one.”
“Looks like all you…Parker women…have your talents.”He winked.“See, I’m learning the local lingo.”
She smiled at his reference to Parker women, but it just brought up the fact she hadn’t known that Heather had legally changed her last name. She knew Heather had always clashed with her father, but was that why?
Heather—of the legal Heather Parker name—appeared at her side as if by magic.“Livy, I think I’m going to leave and walk back to my condo.”
“Really? Already?”
“I’m tired. It’s a nice night, I’ll just walk home.”
“You sure?”
“I’m certain.”Her cousin gave her a quick hug and disappeared into the crowd.
Olivia frowned. She was going to pin her down for answers on Monday.
“So…Heather and Jesse. Is there something going on there?”Austin asked.
“You noticed it, too?”
“They seemed a bit…ah…cold to each other.Deliberatelycold. And Jesse is normally the friendliest guy I know.”
“I don’t know what’s going on. They’ve been friends forever. Since grade school days. But something must have happened because she hasn’t gone to see him the last few times she’s been in town.”
“She doesn’t live here?”
Olivia shook her head.“She has a condo here but travels a lot. Says it gives her inspiration for her art.”She didn’t want to tell him what the real reason was. Heather liked to avoid her family. At least until this whole messy divorce thing came up. Now Heather was staying in town for a while to support her mom.
“Oh, Olivia, dear.”She grimaced as she recognized the voice, plastered on a polite face, and turned around to see Jackie and Jillian standing there.
“Who is this nice young man you’re here with?”one of the twins asked. Would she ever figure out who was who?
“Oh, I’m not here with him. I just…I mean…”
Austin held out a hand.“Hello, I’m Austin. A friend of Jesse Brown’s.”
“Nice to meet you, young man. We’re Jackie and Jillian,”the other twin said as she shook Austin’s hand. But which one wasshe?
“Olivia here is single, you know,”the first twin said.
Olivia blushed and glanced at Austin.
“Is she now?”His eyes twinkled. Again.“Good to know.”
“Oh, look, Austin. There’s Jesse. We should catch up to him.”Anything to get away from the twins and any gossip they’d come up with.
“Yes, we should.”He took her arm.“Ladies, nice to meet you.”
He led her away toward Jesse and she let out a sigh.“By tomorrow the whole town will think we’re a couple. Mark my words.”
He grinned at her.“I’d have no problem playing along with that.”
