They were going to need to do another one soon, but it didn’t seem quite as intimidating now that the buzz about her being Ford Keating’s mystery woman seemed to have died down. She hoped it stayed that way. If Suzanne was going to do something, wouldn’t she have done it by now? Probably. Or not. Maybe Suzanne would need more time.
Harper really had no idea, and she didn’t want to give it any more mental energy than she already had.
She took her salad, her chips, and a bottle of water out to the deck, leaving the door open enough for Archie to join her. “How was your day, baby dog?”
He sat nearby, smiling and patiently waiting for pets. And probably hoping he’d get a chip or two.
She tossed him a small piece of one, which he caught midair, then she took her phone from her pocket and texted Frankie.Eating lunch on the deck if you want to join me. If you’re working, that’s okay, too.
It only took a few seconds for Frankie to respond.Having lunch at Prisha’s. Still here, but home soon. Lots to share!
Harper wasn’t sure what Frankie had learned but she was eager to find out.Something about Suzanne maybe? Or something completely unrelated? She also wondered how Frankie had ended up at Prisha’s, but then Harper realized she had missed a call from Prisha.
She shrugged and went back to eating. Frankie would explain what was going on soon enough.
Halfway through her lunch, Frankie arrived, dressed in workout gear. She stepped out onto the deck. “Hey.”
“Hey,” Harper said back. “What’s up?”
“Let me grab a bottle of water and I’ll be right out. How did it go at Mitch’s?”
“Really well.”
“Give me a second.” Frankie disappeared into the house, reappearing with a bottle of water and the bag of chips that Harper had left on the counter. She sat in the chair at the end of the couch and put her feet, now free from her sneakers, on the table. “I went to yoga with Prisha this morning.”
“Fun! How was it?”
“Hard.” Frankie grimaced. “I’m glad I did it, but I’m going to be sore tomorrow. Suzanne and Sugarlynn were there. No Azumi. Suzanne is a real piece of work. She’s so snooty.” Frankie rolled her eyes. “I can’t stand people like that. So full of themselves.”
Harper nodded, stirring her salad with her fork. “Did you get any sense that she might be up to something?”
“Hard to say with her. She might be all bark, no bite, you know? But Prisha said she loves attention, loves stirring the pot, and loves using her connections to make herself seem like a big deal.” Frankie popped a chip into her mouth and crunched it. “Hard to say if she’s really going to do anything.”
“I hope not,” Harper sighed. “Feels like it’s all been forgotten now. I’d like it to stay that way.” Not that she’d spent any time on social media lately, but she assumed she’d have heardsomethingif things had blown up.
“So would I. Neither of us needs more stress. Did you know Prisha’s daughter is at Harvard? Impressive, right?” Frankie ate another chip. “Anyway, speaking of stress, Shar will be here in two days.”
Harper sat up. “What do you meanhere?”
“In the area. Notherehere. Not at the house. Trust me, I told you I’m not giving her either of our addresses and I meant it. That bridge, if it ever gets crossed, is a good distance off in the future. We’re meeting her at a café on the other side of the causeway.”
“Okay.” Harper exhaled and went back to her salad. “And Willa gets here tomorrow?”
Frankie nodded. “I’m picking her up from the airport at eleven.”
“I can’t wait to see her. It’s been a while. And you’re still not bringing her along to meet Shar?”
“Wasn’t my plan,” Frankie said. “The first meeting should be just us and Shar. Then you and I can make our own determinations about whether there will be any more meetings or what.”
“You were so gung-ho at the start of this. Now you seem more reticent. What changed?”
Frankie took one more chip, then set the bag on the table. Out of reach. “Nothing, really. I want to meet her. I’m looking forward to it. But I also know what I want to happen and what actually happens could be very different. Shar seems nice enough in the communications I’ve had with her, but who knows?” She ate the chip she’d been holding.
“People can be very good at presenting themselves a certain way. The way they want you to see them. Especially in email. Meeting her in person will tell us some of the truth. There’s still a lot she could hide.”
“I know,” Frankie said. “But we’re both pretty good judges of character, don’t you think? If there’s something hinky going on with her, one of us will pick up on it.”
“I hope.” Harper took a chip out of the bag, broke it in half, ate one half and tossed the other to Archie. Tired of talking about their birth mother, she changed the subject. “How are the logos coming?”
