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I leaned on the railing beside her “You don’t think Hartwell has its charms?”

“Of course I do” She grew serious “But not to sohn Tremaine treats me like an uncultured country bumpkin, like I’m less of a person because I’m a toho lacks ambition I ad time and worked hard to become a doctor But I never wanted a fancy education or to live anywhere but here For estured to the sea “I believe it’s the sireat My inn My ocean My fa s I ads to be sneered at as simple and folksy”

I nodded, understanding now I’d be hn Tremaine, too, if he’dout at the water, I found ht s I didn’t have

“I just don’t get why the s bastard wants to be here Why stay somewhere when he so obviously finds it provincial? He won’t tell anyone And I don’t like it”

I grinned at her “He didn’t seem so bad”

“Oh, don’t be fooled by his suave, cultured manners That there is a wolf in Armani”

Funny, his expression had struck ht,” I murmured

“He’s wor up to him Asshole”

I laughed

“Speaking of Cooper, how did it go? With Sarah’s letters?”

That pall from earlier threatened to return “It didn’t, really He said the fa abused and they tried to help He said she had choices and shechoice I didn’t find hied sadly

And that was just so crappy because even without realizing it I’d built him up in my head to be thisI don’t knowsomeone I had really liked a lot from our one encounter I hated that the second time around he wasn’t who I’d hoped he’d be

“You sound disappointed”

“I don’t know the guy, so I wasn’t expecting a reaction either way,” I lied nonchalantly

“But you didn’t expect his”

No, I really hadn’t

Bailey contemplated me “Let s”

“An ice crearinned I hadn’t had an ice cream cone in years

“From Antonio’s” She pointed down the boardwalk to the Italian pizzeria that stood next to Paradise Sands Hotel “But there’s no Antonio—it’s owned by a couple named Iris and Ira”

Antonio’s décor was very 1950s diner, with black-and-white-check flooring, red leather booths, and high round black tables with red-leather-topped chrome stools Every inch of the white walls was covered with black-and-white photographs of Hollywood stars and musicians All the frames were red or black It was sleek and it sparkled, it was so clean

The restaurant itself wasn’t so busy at that time of day, but the ice cream counter had a small line of people at it

Awhite s the counter He cheerily scooped up ice cream for his customers and as soon as Bailey and I stepped up to the counter that se

“Sweetheart!” he boo Bailey “Iris!” he yelled in Bailey’s ear, irl “Bailey girl is here!” He turned back to her “How are you doing? Cooper says you’re run off your feet at the inn That you need some help Remember Kevan? Iris’s nephew’s son? He’s in Hartwell He needs work”

“She’s not hiring Kevan” A s jeans and a plaid shirt appeared Her gray hair was cut into a perfect bob that swung as sheBailey “He’s a buffoon”

Bailey laughed “Yeah, I need less buffoon in my life”

“Who else is a buffoon? Tom?” The woman frowned

Bailey gave her a look “No, Iris, not Tom”

Iris harru to me I wondered what her problem with Bailey’s boyfriend was “Who’s this?”

I held out my hand and opened my ton She’s a guest at the inn and she’s wonderful like me so of course we hit it off”

I laughed and shook Iris’s hand “It’s nice to meet you”

“Ira” The o of Iris’s “Iris’s husband”

“Pleasure”

“So what brought you to Hartwell?” Iris said with curiosity sharp in her eyes

I decided to give the less coo on vacation but not too far away from work”

“H her hand to the wall behind the cash desk “Our daughter, Ivy, is just the same”

I stepped closer to take a look at the photographs One in particular caught th ivory evening gown stood on a red carpet Standing next to her, his arm around her waist, was a handso beside her “You don’t think Hartwell has its charms?”