“I’ll see it when I believe it.” Rustling ensued on the other end of the line, and Noelle’s voice grew muffled. “This will work out perfectly. Peyton is meeting me as soon as I drop the goods. We’ll have a catty-corner sightline of Cheyenne’s apartment at the coffee shop.”
“The coffee shop with the big front picture window?”
“That’s the one,” Noelle sing-songed. “I love it when a plan comes together.”
Harlow laughed. “You’re taking this surveillance operation seriously.”
“A friend in need is a friend indeed,” Noelle quipped. “Besides, I would love to bust Cheyenne doing something she shouldn’t be.”
“Robert is free as a bird, free to see whoever he wants.” Despite her insistence, a small piece of Harlow’s heart pinched at the thought the ink was barely dry on their divorce papers and her husband was already diving into the dating scene. She quickly reminded herself he hadn’t taken their marriage vows seriously for who knows how long, hence his relationship with Jillian, his former assistant.
“There’s another plus side to this whole scenario.”
“Which is?”
“If Cheyenne runs off with your ex, she’ll be out of our hair.”
“I suppose.”
Noelle’s voice grew muffled again. “I gotta get going.”
“Good luck and keep me posted.” After Harlow ended the call, she wandered aimlessly around the cottage. If nothing else, her ex was consistent…showering his romantic interest with expensive gifts…not only expensive, but some of the most expensive flowers on the planet.
It hurt to know Robert viewed his wife as an object, a means to an end, a meal ticket, a cash cow. But there had also been good times, the trips, weeks spent at their condo in Palm Beach, the two of them hanging out, traipsing around Los Olas Boulevard’s boutique shops in Fort Lauderdale, couples’ massages at the trendy Crystal Sands Spa in South Florida.
Vail, Colorado ski trips, camel riding in Morocco…so many memories, good memories Harlow needed to focus on, not the negative, not the bad ending and how Robert had treated her after her car accident.
Perhaps fame and money had changed him…changed them both in subtle ways until they grew apart and realized they had nothing in common. At least there were no children involved, no custody battles to be fought.
The back door creaked loudly. Her father appeared. “You’re home. I thought you were hanging out with Lottie and the Mackies.”
“Nope. Only for a few minutes.” Harlow lowered her chin onto her fist.
“Uh-oh. What happened?”
“Where do I start?” Harlow told him about Robert’s comment that he might hang around and the flowers Noelle was delivering to Cheyenne.
“How do you feel about Robert dating Cheyenne?”
“Aggravated, annoyed. Why pick her?”
“Why not? She’s an attractive young woman.”
“True. He’s looking for a new up-and-coming starlet. I guess she fits the bill. Poor Caleb.”
“Why poor Caleb?”
“Despite what he’s said, I think he and Cheyenne are or at leastweredating.”
“Pfft. I’ve heard the rumors. Caleb isn’t dumb. Yeah, maybe they went out a time or two, but trust me, there’s no way a smart guy like Caleb would get tangled up with her.”
Harlow changed the subject. “What do you want for dinner?”
“I made a big pot of chili. Your Aunt Birdie is coming over and bringing a loaf of her homemade bread.”
“We should invite Lottie too.”
“Lottie?”
