“I’m guessing that’s why you were there, to talk through the development plans.”
I stare at her blankly. “My presentation at the council isn’t for another week.”
“Then why were you having dinner with the head of Dream Developments and Construction Limited?”
I grab the paper and read the article.
SHELL-SHOCKED
Local conservationist Shelly Myrtle was left shellshocked after a business dinner with developer and real estate tycoon left guests reeling at the turn of events.
Finnegan Fitzpatrick, son and business partner to Alexander Fitzpatrick, won Shelly’s kiss in the recent auction. But it’s not all smooth sailing where the couple is concerned.
Our source told us that no conclusion was drawn with the development plans, but local girl Shelly Myrtle has captured the heart of Finnegan, leaving us all speculating as to what this means for Magnolia Point’s luxury beach front development.
I drop the paper. “Finn’s his son?” He told me he works in real estate. I thought he was an estate agent.
My phone rings in my shorts. When I pull it from my pocket, still in a daze, I see Mom’s name flash on the screen.
“Mom?”
“Shelly Belly, what’s going on over there? We’re road tripping around England and you’re in all the papers.”
“What?” Surely my sleeping-with-the-enemy news hasn’t reached the UK. “News travels fast.”
“There’s a picture of you on a boat, Shelly, and—” She clears her throat. “I’m in favor of free love, but I was surprised to see you in that situation.”
“Like what?”
“The caption says ‘One shell of a kiss’ and he isn’t kissing your mouth.”
I gasp, frantically flicking through theMagnolia Gazettefor any pictures of me. I chew on my thumbnail, my mind racing. “Why am I all over the papers in England?” My shoulders relax when there’s no image in the Gazette, but I use the paper as a fan, trying to cool myself down.
“Well, it’s your boyfriend. He’s the son of some chancellor. Apparently, he’s a big deal over here since he dated some model or singer. They’ve run a full story on him in theLondon Daily. He has a nice body. But your dad was grateful for the pixelated censorship. Though it left very little to the imagination.”
I cover my face with my sweaty palms. “Oh gosh, Mom, I’m mortified.”
“It’s a good angle, sweetie. And as I said, he has a nice body?—”
“Mom,” I groan. “Forget his body. What else does it say?”
“I’ll send you the link. You can read it yourself. I have to go. We’re booked in for a guided talk around Stonehenge. I’ll call you later. Love you.”
“Love you. Bye.” I inhale a deep breath, waiting for the message from Mom.
“Everything all right?” Jane, the shopkeeper asks. “You’ve gone ever so pale.”
My stomach churns, making me nauseous. Everything is cloudy, making it difficult to think straight. “I have to go.”
I leave the store, not knowing what I came for. My phone pings and I drop to a bench outside the shop.
TheLondon Dailywebsite appears when I click Mom’s link. My heart plummets, like an anchor dropping to the ocean floor. Pictures documenting our relationship fill the screen, from the auction to our most intimate moment on the boat. Luckily, you can’t see anything, but with Finn’s head between my legs, it’s clear what he’s about to do.
I make the mistake of scrolling to the comments section. #Jonesandthewhale is a trending hashtag along with #shelldiving.
Chapter Nineteen
FINN
