A brief pause of silence filled the space between them until Frankie spoke again. “You’re not? Where are you?”
“I’m at the cottage Arlington left me.”
Another moment of silence, then, “Arlington left you acottage?”
Harper nodded. “He did. And I needed to get out of town and away from the paparazzi, so it seemed like the logical place to go.”
“Where is this cottage?”
Harper smiled. “A few hours south of you. Hideaway Bay. Florida. I was going to call you tomorrow and let you know. I just got here this afternoon.”
Frankie shrieked. “You’re in Florida? You’re practically next door.”
Laughing, Harper pulled the phone away from her ear until the shrieking stopped. “Yes. Do you know the area?”
“No. Is it one of those little trailer park communities? Sounds like it.”
Harper looked at the house around her. “Not exactly.” Frankie lived in Charleston, South Carolina, where she was an assistant principal at Dorchester Academy, a school for the arts. That meant she had six weeks off for the summer. The timing was perfect for a visit.
It would be great to see her sister. They’d never been that close due to circumstances beyond their control, namely being adopted separately. But since Frankie’s divorce several years ago, they were working on their relationship even more. They talked a lot, but had never spent much time together, since they lived on opposite coasts. “You want to come down and hang out?”
“Is there room?”
Harper winked at Archie. “I think we can manage. Are you really going to come?”
“For sure. There’s nothing keeping me here. I’ll be there tomorrow. What should I bring? Is there a pool nearby? Are you close to the beach? Should I bring a suit?”
“Definitely bring a suit.”
“Okay, I will. This is great. We have a lot to talk about.”
Harper wasn’t sure if her sister meant more than just the usual stuff they talked about, but Harper was excited to see her and hang out. This would be good for them. And whatever Frankie wanted to discuss was fine with her. “I’m texting you the address right now.” Harper pulled the phone away to do that. “Okay, it’s sent. Text me when you leave so I know when you’ll get here.”
“I will.” Frankie laughed. “I’ll see you tomorrow!”
“Tomorrow. Can’t wait!”
They hung up and Harper looked at Archie. “Your aunt is coming tomorrow. Won’t she be surprised when she sees the place?”
Archie’s tail wagged then he went back to semi-snoozing.
Harper picked up her salad bowl, more than ready to eat her dinner.
Soft chimes played throughout the house, three of them in a row. A doorbell?
Archie sat up and looked toward the front of the house, confirming that’s what it was.
She set the bowl down. “Could there really be someone at the door? No one knows I’m here. And how would they get through the gate?” Curious and a little apprehensive, she headed down the steps. Archie followed her.
She peeked through the sidelight and saw an older woman in navy capris and a flowered blouse. Maybe a neighbor who’d come to introduce herself. Harper opened the door. “Hello.”
“Hello, love,” the woman said in a thick British accent. She held a small glass container with both hands. “I’m Joyce Crenshaw from next door.” She gestured with her elbow toward the house that belonged to the man who’d been staring at Harper through the trees. Could that be the woman’s husband? Joyce looked older than he was.
Harper’s brows went up. “I see.”
Joyce grinned. “I don’t think you do. I’m the live-in.”
“I…don’t know what that means.”
