by Debbie Mason
“Wow, she must have gotten the crazy out of her system with me and the garden. I’m so glad she’s behaving for him. There must be something about the Gallagher men. She’s well behaved for Finn too.”
Lexi, who must have caught the last part of the conversation as she walked in, said, “Doesn’t matter if they’re young or old, all females are putty in the experienced hands of the Gallagher men.”
The look Lexi gave Olivia seemed to say, You know what I’m talking about, girlfriend. She needed to correct the impression. Fast. She knew only too well what happened when the women of Harmony Harbor went into matchmaking mode. Heck, she’d done the same. That group mentality kind of took hold, and you didn’t know when to stop. “Not all of us,” Olivia said firmly.
“Of course you’re not affected, Sweet Cheeks.” Lexi laughed and took a seat. She looked around. “Where’s Ava and Kitty?”
“Ava got a call from Griffin to meet him at the lighthouse. She should be back any minute. And Kitty has a lunch date at the Yacht Club.”
Ava walked in, groaning at the news. “Do not tell me she’s going out with Dr. Bishop?”
Sophie wrinkled her nose and nodded. “Just pray that it’s quiet at the club this afternoon and Nonna doesn’t get wind of what’s going on.”
“Why? Does Rosa like Dr. Bishop too?” Olivia asked.
“Every woman over a certain age likes Dr. Bishop. And now that Finn’s working at the clinic and he has more time on his hands, the good doctor has decided dating is his new hobby. Auntie Rosa and Kitty’s feud has the potential to spread,” Ava said.
“Great. As if we don’t have enough going on.” Sophie sighed and glanced at Lexi. “You wanna do the honors and tell Olivia what Byron told you?”
“Yes, do share your pillow talk with Byron.” Ava chuckled into her coffee cup.
“Pillow talk? You and Byron? How did I not know this? No one tells me—” Olivia began, even though she knew that if she’d missed anything over the past ten days, it was her own fault.
“Mouse is just trying to be funny. Which she isn’t. I’m not dating Bryon. We went out for coffee a couple of times. That’s—”
Ava grinned and started moving her shoulders. “She really, really likes him. She thinks he’s sexy. She thinks—”
Lexi narrowed her eyes at Ava. “You and Griff watched Miss Congeniality without me, didn’t you?”
“Yes, after you put us off for the third time because you were pillow talking with Byron and getting the inside scoop on the Marquis’s upcoming plans.”
Sophie did a face-plant on her desk. “Yeah, their plans to put us out of business,” she said, her voice muffled in the stack of papers.
“Sophie, your baby hormones are making you pessimistic. It’ll be fine. The Marquis can’t compete with our location, and what bride-to-be doesn’t want to have their wedding at a castle?” Ava asked.
“A bride who wants the ultimate spa package,” Sophie said.
“The Marquis is putting in a spa?” It was an excellent idea. There wasn’t a bride who hadn’t asked Olivia about spa services. Plus it’s something all their guests would enjoy.
“Yep.” Lexi pulled out her phone and turned it to Olivia. “It’s all hush-hush, but they’re planning on opening in the fall.”
“Wow. It looks”—Olivia glanced at Sophie—“nice?”
“Admit it, it’s state-of-the-art. They even have flotation devices. I want to go,” Sophie grumbled, rubbing her baby bump.
“There’s no reason we can’t put in a spa. And it’ll be just as wonderful as theirs. Maybe not so modern and sleek though.” The more Olivia thought about it, the more excited she got. This is exactly what she needed. She had to keep busy. She felt better already. “I’ll start sourcing products from around here. Maybe we can even have our own line of—”
“Hold up.” Sophie waved her hands. “We can’t afford it. Even if we could, where would—”
“It wouldn’t cost as much as you think. The family rarely uses the cottages, and you only rent them out during the summer. So why not turn one of them into a spa? We can bring your mom on as a consultant, Sophie. She’s quite knowledgeable about this sort of thing, and that’ll keep her busy and out of your hair. I’ll come up with a preliminary budget for you by Monday, and we’ll go from there.” She looked at the three women staring at her like she was possessed. “I need a project like this right now, okay? I have everything organized for the upcoming events, so this won’t take time away from anything.”
“Umm, what about George?” Sophie asked.
“Right, George,” Olivia said, sounding a little disappointed even to her own ears. And that was the thing—she was failing miserably as a stepmother, but she knew how to make a project like this succeed. “Wait. She starts school on Monday, so it’s fine.” She felt like cheering.
“I don’t think you realize how tight our budget is, Olivia. And with the Marquis set to start advertising the spa for fall bookings, I have to adjust my income projections for the last quarter.”
“Look, you know who I am, so obviously you know I have money.”
Lexi snorted. “Money? You were listed in the top ten of Boston’s wealthiest women last year.”
“Yes, along with two of my cousins. And we didn’t have much to do with it. Our grandfather and fathers deserve the credit. But the one thing my grandfather and father taught me was to follow my instincts. I truly believe a spa would be good for business and the financial outlay will be minimal. Let me do this for the manor, for all of you. If it wasn’t for Colleen and Kitty, I don’t know how I would have survived those first few months. If it makes you feel better, instead of just financing the spa, I’ll be the majority shareholder.”
Sophie tapped her pen against the files on her desk. “But it’s part of the estate. If we can’t get the rest of the Gallagher great-grandchildren to agree to keep it in the family, you’ll lose your investment.”
“It’s a risk I’m willing to take,” Olivia said.
“Why don’t you just buy the rest of the great-grandchildren out? That’ll at least be something we don’t have to worry—”
Sophie’s eyes went wide, and she cut off Lexi. “We can’t ask Olivia to do that.”
“Why not? She’s rich, and she loves the manor. It seems like a perfectly reasonable solution to me.”
Olivia smiled at Sophie and Ava, who were sharing I-can’t-believe-she-just-said-that looks. “I do have money, Lexi. But a lot of it’s tied up in investments and the foundation. And like my grandfather and father, I’m careful with my money. That’s not to say I don’t think Greystone is a good investment, I do. But Colleen knew who I was, and she never broached the subject of me buying the manor. I don’t think her plan was only about keeping Greystone and the estate in the family. It’s just my opinion, but I believe this has as much to do with bringing the Gallagher family together again and bringing them home to Harmony Harbor. It’s working so far. Liam and Griffin wouldn’t be here without Colleen and her will.”
“Hmm, you might be right. Oh well, it was worth a shot. So looks like we have to marry Finn off.” Lexi looked at Olivia. “Any thoughts on who would be his perfect match?”
Before Olivia could disabuse Lexi of the idea that she was his match, Sophie said, “If Jasper has his way, that would be you, Lex.”
Olivia blinked, looking from Sophie to Lexi, who waved her hand and laughed. “Get out of here. There’s no way—”
Olivia didn’t know why she was relieved to hear Lexi’s response, but there was no denying that it was relief that erased the uncomfortable tension that had tightened her chest.
“I can’t believe you haven’t noticed how Jasper goes on about Finn when you’re around.” Ava mimicked the older man’s stiff upper-crust voice. “Did you notice how wonderful Master Finn is with baby Gabriel, miss? He’s a fine doctor. One of the best. It would be good to have a doctor around, not just for you but for the wee one, too, don’t you think?”
Ava continued. “He’s always been very popular with the ladies. I wouldn’t wait if I were you, miss.”
Lexi scowled at Ava. “Jasper did not say that.”
Ava laughed. “No, that was me. But it’s true. There’s been standing room only at the clinic since he started.”
Their conversation shouldn’t bother her. Olivia wasn’t interested in Finn or any other man. Relationships and marriage were the last thing on her mind. Once was enough, thank you very much. Obviously, she needed to build a stronger case because the uncomfortable weight in her chest had returned. She had the answer. Finn was too young for her. Better yet, he was a doctor. She had that T-shirt too.
But when neither objection produced the desired result, she brought in the big guns. The man had flagged her as a drug addict, and no doubt thought she ranked right up there with Lady Tremaine—the evil stepmother in Cinderella. Even that didn’t seem to help, she thought with a disheartened sigh. It was probably because of his pretty-boy looks.
No, she reluctantly admitted to herself. It had nothing to do with his looks and everything to do with how kind and supportive he’d been the day George arrived. All right, fine, he was ridiculously handsome too. She had to change the subject. “So, about the spa, are we all agreed? I’ll do some research this weekend and get back to you with the preliminary numbers on Monday?”
She glanced at Ava, who was looking at her while nodding. Olivia frowned. “What is it?”
“You paid for the ballroom renovation, didn’t you?” Ava wagged her finger at Olivia. “No, don’t try and deny it. I bet you’re my fairy godmother too.”
“I’m not sure what you mean by your fairy godmother, but I did pay for the ballroom reno, and it brought me a great deal of pleasure to see it restored to its former beauty. So don’t even think of giving me grief.”
“Giving you grief? We should have a parade in your honor. Look what you’ve done for all of us.”
“Sophie’s right. Without you stepping in for me, Olivia, who knows where I’d be. And knowing I’m the reason Stanley was able to track you down…It means a lot to me.” Lexi leaned over and hugged her. Sophie’s and Ava’s eyes filled with tears, as did Olivia’s. And not just because Lexi wasn’t known for public displays of affection. It was because Olivia was grateful for them too.
Feeling a little emotional herself, Colleen got up from the window seat. Since Olivia had arrived at Greystone, all she’d done was make life better for everyone at the manor and in Harmony Harbor. And none of them had known just how much or how deeply she’d been hurting at the time. They still didn’t. Olivia hadn’t told them everything.
Sophie sniffed and furtively swiped at her cheek. “So, what did you mean by Olivia acting as your fairy godmother, Ava?”
“That’s why Griffin called. Someone left a wedding card at the lighthouse for us while we were away. Inside was a gift card for ten thousand dollars to cover the renovations that Chase Halloran is doing, and it was signed your fairy godmother.”
“It wasn’t from me,” Olivia said.
Lexi snorted. “Don’t look at me, Mouse. I love you guys but I don’t have that kind of coin.”
Colleen smiled and left them to their guessing game. She knew exactly who Ava’s fairy godmother was. They’d all find out soon enough.
Colleen walked toward the door, stopping to give a fond pat to Olivia’s cheek. “If it’s the last thing I do, you’ll find your happy here, my girl. I promise you that.”
Walking through the door, she shuddered at the odd sensation that traveled up her spine. The only time that happened was when she walked through someone. Sure enough, a woman with silver-streaked dark hair stood with her ear pressed to the study door. “Now, what would you be about?” Colleen murmured.
It was the recent hire. Ivy, she thought her name was. When the fortysomething woman wasn’t helping out at events, she worked in housekeeping. Colleen looked around for a service cart. There was none to be found.
The woman straightened, her dark eyes narrowed. She headed down the hall, glancing over her shoulder before she slipped into the library. Colleen followed her inside. The woman stuck her head out in the hall to take another quick look before closing the door with her hip. She removed a cell phone and folded piece of paper from the pocket of her black uniform. Smoothing the paper on a bookshelf, she punched a number into her phone, impatiently tapping her black work shoe against the hardwood floor while waiting for someone to pick up.
As soon as a voice came over the line, she launched right in. “You said you had a plan in play to force the Gallaghers to sell before the end of the year. Tell me it wasn’t the spa at the Marquis.” The woman ran the tip of her tongue over her teeth while the other person spoke.
There was something familiar about this Ivy, but Colleen couldn’t quite place her.
“Yeah, well, I’m telling you it ain’t going to work, Ms. Townsend. They’re building one of their own, and the woman who is bankrolling it is probably richer than your boss. So tell me how you’re going to get me my money now?” While the person on the other end of the line spoke, the woman once again ran her tongue over her front teeth. She made a sucking sound that caused Colleen’s hair to stand on end. She knew the woman. She was sure of it.
Ivy shook her head. Not at Colleen but at Paige Townsend, the local Realtor who represented the corporation trying to buy the estate and manor out from under them. They wanted to tear down Greystone and build high-end condos.
Ivy rolled her dark, blue-shadowed eyes. “Yeah, I don’t think so. Here’s the new deal. I’m on the inside, and I’m going to make Ms. Richy Rich Davenport go away. And you’re gonna up your game to get them all on board to sell because, in case you’ve forgotten, you can’t sell Old Lady O’Hurley’s place for me till you do. It’s only a matter of time before her kids come snooping around wanting a piece of what’s mine.”
Colleen gasped. Now she knew why the woman seemed familiar. She’d worked as a paid companion for Colleen’s old friend Patty O’Hurley. The Gallaghers and O’Hurleys went way back. The family had lived a couple of miles up the road for as long as Colleen could remember. Their Victorian was built on a half acre of Gallagher land just up from the cottages.
There was a story there, a reason why the O’Hurleys had been leased the land; Colleen just couldn’t remember it at the moment. Her memory wasn’t what it used to be. She had an uncomfortable feeling there was much more she had to remember. Something about Patty’s last visit to the manor.
Feeling in need of an ally, Colleen called to the only one who could hear her. “Simon!” she yelled, and then scowled. “A lot of good that’ll do you. He can’t walk through doors,” she told herself. The threat against Olivia had obviously rattled her.
“Don’t worry about it. I have a plan,” Ivy was saying into the phone. “And since it’s my plan, and I’ll be doing all the work, I’d say that makes us equal partners, wouldn’t you, Paige? Fifty-fifty seems fair. You do that,” she said, and disconnected.
At the sound of scratching on the door, the woman smoothed her uniform and pasted a genial smile on her face before opening it. When she saw that it was Simon, she dropped the act, pushing him away with her foot. “Stay away from me, flea bag.”
“Mind her and do as she says, Simon. There’s something not quite right about that one. Come on, we have to find Jasper. We’re going to need his help to protect Olivia. She’s in trouble, Simon. Serious, serious trouble.”
Chapter Ten
A shower of pink and white rose petals cascaded like confetti over Finn, Liam, and Griffin as they sidestepped the wedding guests. Back in the day, Finn and his three brothers had a band. They’d been fairly popular on the local circuit. Something that, unbeknownst to him, his sister-in-law Sophie had been exploiting—promoting them as the “harmony” in
Harmony Harbor.
At eight this morning, he’d found out that he and his brothers were part of the wedding package. It had been their job to sing Train’s “Marry Me” as the bride walked down the garden path to the recently erected, flower-draped gazebo that overlooked Kismet Cove. Now they were singing “7 Years” by Lukas Graham as the newlyweds took the recessional walk. Only, the newly married couple took a slight detour to compliment Finn and his brothers, hence the rose petal shower.
“Don’t worry. This time Olivia actually wanted flower petals to be tossed,” Liam said with a grin as he brushed a pink one off the shoulder of Finn’s black tux.
“Thanks. I kinda got that seeing as how they’re in those paper cones and not attached to a stem.” Finn glanced to where he’d last seen Liv.
She had a manicured hand raised while talking into a headset, trying, it appeared, to get the photographer’s attention. She was like a general orchestrating her army. There was nothing the woman missed. Even a detail as small as one of the bridesmaid’s bra straps peeking out from under her pink cap sleeve. The photographer acknowledged Liz’s directive with a nod and then went to the bridesmaid, tucking the strap out of sight. Liv smiled her thanks.
This version of Liv, calm and completely in control, was the one Finn was most familiar with since he’d been home. Her air of cool competence had irritated him. He remembered a time last month when he would have taken one look at her in her tailored black jacket and skirt, her hair straight and sleek, her makeup perfectly applied, and would have rolled his eyes. He wasn’t proud of it. But that didn’t mean he was any happier about how he felt right now.
She impressed him, fascinated him even. He told himself it was the striking dichotomy between this woman and the one in the study the other day singing about her Chard-a-nay-nay.
It could also be because he’d never met a rule he didn’t want to challenge or break, and he could almost guarantee she’d abide by each and every one. He didn’t care about making a good impression, she did. His room was as messy as his office; hers was probably color coded and…
