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Palmer smiled. “He is, indeed. And thank you, Kris. I’m going to be bringing Mason’s son, Charlie, out to Lighthouse Island now that the weather is better. I’d love to swing by the B and B and see you.”
“Please do. Anytime.” Focusing back on me, Kris asked, “Harlee, do you have a second to chat?”
“Of course, I do.” I followed Kris out of the restaurant and down the street. “Is everything okay?” I asked.
Kris looked around to make sure no one was listening, then focused back on me. “Someone was out on Lighthouse Island snooping around.”
I frowned. “Snooping around about what?”
“The little side project you have going on.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“They booked two nights at the bed and breakfast. The first day, they were out exploring the island, which I wasn’t too terribly suspicious about. Lots of folks from Seaside come to the island for a break from life. But that night at dinner, they were asking a lot of questions about you and Braxton. Things like, have you ever stayed at my place. Do we have many weddings on the island…”
Drawing back in surprise, I asked, “How in the hell would they have found out?”
She shook her head. “I don’t know, but I think I threw her off.”
“Who was it?”
“I hate to even tell you.”
“Kris!”
She closed her eyes and said, “Your mother.”
“What!” I nearly shouted. “How did she find out about the wedding?”
Kris motioned for me to keep it down. “I don’t know, Harlee. I promise you, I’ve been super quiet about everything. I haven’t told a soul who I’m planning the wedding for. I’ve never even mentioned your name or Braxton’s. Do you think your mom is Ms. Seaside?”
I nearly laughed, but held it in. “No. I think she’s a meddling mother who somehow found out. When was she out there?”
“The last two nights. I don’t think she knows when, but she for sure has her suspicions. I just don’t know how she pieced it together that the island is involved.”
I placed my hands on my hips as I glared down Main Street toward the building that housed The Seaside Chronicles. “My father.”
Kris tilted her head. “Why do I feel like I just had déjà vu? Oh, that’s right, you said the same thing when Braxton first printed his reply in the paper.”
“I’m going to kill that loudmouth,” I said. “My dad had to be the one who told her Brax and I were planning a surprise wedding. The only reason he even knows is because he overheard me on the phone with you talking about it.”
“This doesn’t have anything to do with the whole who-gets-married-first thing with Palmer and Mason, does it?”
“No, we were planning this before the column even said anything.”
Kris nodded. “And you’re sure your mom isn’t Ms. Seaside?”
“Ha. She’s too busy trying to keep up with all the little projects she has going on. I swear she’s already involved in more things than she has time for.”
Kris smiled. “The apple didn’t fall far from the tree with you, then.”
I smiled back at her. “Thanks for letting me know. If she lets it slip that Brax and I are planning this, I’m going to…well, I don’t know what I’ll do.”
“What about Palmer? Don’t you want to tell her that your mom is on to the wedding? I mean, you’re having a dual wedding?”
I sighed. “The last thing she needs is more stress since she’s busy planning Charlie’s birthday party for this weekend. I’ll let her know, though. And I’ll talk to my mom, get her to stop being so damn nosy. And hopefully you-know-who doesn’t get wind of it.”
Kris nodded. “Good luck. Oh, and don’t forget about this afternoon.”
“We won’t. Everyone thinks it’s a last-minute thing for Charlie’s birthday party.”
“Perfect!” Kris gave me a hug. “Now, back to the Island; I hate the mainland.”
“See you later!” I called out as she got on her bike and pedaled off toward the ferry.
Hurrying back into the Grill, I rushed to the table and sat just as Lori was putting my breakfast down.
“What was that all about?” Palmer asked. I could see the concern in her eyes.
“Kris has an ad going in the paper for the bed and breakfast. She dropped her cell in the pond on the island and couldn’t get it to turn on, so she had to make a trip over to replace it and was killing two birds with one stone.”
Lord, how could I always come up with a lie like it was second nature?
Palmer raised her brows, then focused on her breakfast. She was probably thinking the same thing.
“I just adore her. I hate that we don’t ever see her anymore,” Sutton said.
Addie nodded in agreement. “She has to be so lonely out there. Do you think she’ll ever date again?”
I slowly let out a breath. “I honestly don’t know. She was so in love with Rick. They had their whole life planned out, and so much of it revolved around Lighthouse Island. I don’t even want to imagine how she feels, losing him like she did. It just makes me so sad for her.”
