Mrs. Henderson pushed to her feet, brushing imaginary lint from her skirt. “Honestly, men,” she muttered. “Worrying about all the wrong things.”
She stormed out of the house, leaving me staring after her. I turned back to Clare, who was watching me with amusement.
“Well,” I said finally, raising a brow. “That was unexpected.”
Clare smirked. “I think you just got told.”
I sighed, put my brush down, and strode to the window to watch where Mrs. Henderson was going. Why was she suddenly on Celeste and Grandpa’s side? I didn’t like it.
Clare stood and joined me at the window. Together, we watched Mrs. Henderson bang on Grandpa’s door.
CHAPTER FIVE
*CLARE
Later that night, I sat at my laptop, scrolling through search results. Celeste had a pattern. Town after town, she appeared following rare marine sightings, always attaching herself to someone important, someone willing to listen to her mystical ramblings. And now, that someone was Walter. Sure, he was important to Ethan and Mrs. Henderson, but he wasn’t a man of influence. Was he?
A knock pulled me from my thoughts. I quickly closed my laptop and opened the door.
Mom stood there in a crisp white blazer, looking as polished as ever. “You still good for the Three Arch Bay reveal?”
“Of course,” I said, bracing myself.
She studied me for a beat. “You’re not getting distracted from our mission, are you?”
Mission?I folded my arms. “Mom, I can take some time for myself.”
“We’re not just building a business, Clare. We’re buildingyourfuture.”
How many times had I heard this?
I sighed. “I know. But I’ve been working nonstop for years. I deserve a break. And so do you.”
She arched a perfectly shaped brow. “Hawaii? Should we go again?”
I let out a short laugh. “For fun?”
