“This time I do care. Not for myself so much as Harlow.”
“What does Harlow have to do with anything?”
Was he playing dumb, or had he actually slipped into that state of being?
“You’re dating your daughter’s fiancé’s twin sister, Cord. Ignoring the fact that she’s what, twenty-plus years younger than you, she’s Kip’s sister. Come on. That’s bad, even for you.”
Cord chuckled. “Zafina’s great. We get along. She’s smart and beautiful. What’s not to like?”
“I don’t care about your relationship with her. Have you considered this will make Harlow uncomfortable?”
“How?”
“It’s her fiancé’s sister!”
“You keep saying that. Why is it a problem?”
“Oh, I don’t know. The ick-factor? There are plenty of single women in Naples. Date someone else.”
“I like Zafina.” He laughed. “Hey, if we get married, then Zafina is both her sister-in-law and stepmother. That could be fun.”
“Not for Harlow.”
He waved away her concern. “She’ll get over it. Besides, she likes Zafina.” He leaned toward her. “In a weird way, Zafina reminds me of you.”
“Not something I want to talk about. So, if having Harlow find out isn’t a problem, why haven’t you told her?”
Cord looked away. “I don’t introduce the kids to my girlfriends unless it’s serious.”
She rolled her eyes. “Since when? If you haven’t said anything, you obviously know there’s a complication.”
He glared at her. “Fine. I thought she’d be upset.”
“And she will be. You have to tell her, Cord. She needs to hear it from you and not someone else. Harlow doesn’t like to be lied to.”
Her ex-husband groaned. “Can’t you tell her? She’ll take it better from you.”
“No, I can’t. Not only won’t she take it better from me, I’m not willing to be yelled at for you. This is your responsibility. Tell her.”
He sighed heavily. “You used to be a lot more fun to be around. Fine. I’ll talk to her. She’s not going to care.”
“I hope you’re right.” She rose. “Okay, thanks for stopping by.”
“That’s it?”
“Did you have something else to talk about?”
“No.” He stood. “You used to offer me a drink when we talked like this. And a cheese plate.”
She ignored her guilt. “I was running late. Next time.”
He studied her for a second. “Are you going to marry Jase?”
“What?” Her voice was nearly a yelp. She lowered it. “No.”
They hadn’t even discussed living together. Marriage? She wasn’t ready to marry him or anyone. Four years after her divorce, she was finally starting to consider her options. She couldn’t imagine committing to someone else in that way. Living with Jase was one thing, but marriage? Not anytime soon.
“I just wondered,” he said. “You’re different these days.”
She doubted he meant the words as a compliment.
“Good to know. If you think of it, text me after you talk to Harlow so I can brace myself.”
“Sure.”
They walked to the front door. Before he stepped onto the porch, he looked at her.
“You know, most of our years together were pretty good.”
The statement caught her off guard. Was that how he saw things? Her view was entirely different. Not that she would say that to him—there was no reason to revisit that well-trodden road.
“They were,” she lied, going for the kind response rather than the honest one.
“I think about that sometimes.”
With that he turned and walked away. Robyn closed the front door behind him, then leaned against it. The list of things that had gone wrong in their marriage seemed a lot longer than the list of what had gone right. Four years after the fact, she was clear on where she’d screwed up and where Cord had as well.
They’d married too young. They’d had kids too young. They’d put all their energy into growing the business and raising their family rather than paying attention to their relationship. And when Cord had cheated, six years in, they’d dealt with the betrayal and the pain, but never the why.
Looking back from a safe emotional distance, Robyn thought maybe that had been the first big crack. They should have gotten down to the real issues between them, but the hurt had been so big, she hadn’t been able to think about anything else.
Marriage was hard, and sometimes people failed. Robyn accepted that and knew if there ever was a next time, she was going to get it right.
three
“HAVING FUN, ILIANA?” Harlow Caldwell raised her voice over the roar of the boat’s engine.
The ten-year-old nodded, her wide grin saying more than any words. Both her small hands were on the wheel, with Austin, Harlow’s younger brother, standing right behind her, ready to take control.
“We’re doing great, Captain,” Austin said, giving Harlow a mock salute.
“I’m going to tell Thea we’re heading in,” Harlow said. “And get everyone ready to disembark.”
The charter had been a success. Three families had gone out for a day of sun, fun and fishing. Eight hours later, everyone was happy and tired, which was how Harlow liked her charters to end.
She took the stairs down from the flying bridge to where the three guys were sipping beer on the stern deck, while two of the wives sunned on the foredeck. Only Thea sat inside, skin pale and eyes closed.
There was always one, Harlow thought, who couldn’t handle the motion. She’d never been seasick herself, but had seen enough of the malady.
“Hey, Thea,” she said softly.
The fortysomething’s eyes opened. “Are we heading back?” she asked, her tone both hopeful and desperate.
“We are. In about two minutes, we’re going to get some chop. When we’re in the marina, the boat will stop rocking. Come outside and face the wind. Stare at the horizon, or close your eyes, and keep breathing. Five minutes and then we’re done.”
Thea struggled to her feet. “I haven’t felt this horrible since I was pregnant.”
“I know it’s been bad.” And the motion sickness medicine hadn’t helped. “Just a few more minutes. Once we dock and you’re on steady land, your stomach will settle quickly.”
“I hope so.”
Harlow guided her guest to the rear of the boat and had her sit so she was blasted by the wind. Right on time, they hit the chop, and the boat began to sway. Thea clutched the side, her face going white.
“It’s okay,” Harlow told her. “Austin knows what he’s doing.”
“If you say so.”
Harlow excused herself to tell everyone else they were nearly back at the marina. She got the lines ready, then returned to check on her queasy guest. Just then, they entered the protected waters of the marina, and the rocking stopped. Thea relaxed her death grip on the side of the boat.
“Better?” Harlow asked.
“A little.” Thea offered a tight smile. “I swear, I’m never getting on a boat again in my life.”