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“Ivy is a Hollywood screenwriter,” Ira said with pride “Engaged to Oliver Frost, the director”

“Wow” Oliver Frost was a big-ti the last in a teen dystopian franchise that had shot its young stars into the celebrity stratosphere

“Cool, huh?” Bailey grinned at ether We were best buds until she moved to Hollywood”

Iris threw her arirl, you are still best buds You know she loves you hed and stared alot busy”

Bailey gave her a squeeze “I’ Jessica around and our first stop is ice crea but the best”

The couple grinned Ira moved to behind the counter “Now, then, let’s see I recommend a two-scoop: double chocolate chip and mint chocolate chip”

“No, no” Iris followed hiht with the white chocolate”

Ira made a face “That’s crazy talk, woman”

“Don’t you call me ‘woman’ in front of customers”

“It’s Bailey girl and her friend” Ira shrugged as if to say, What’s the big deal?

“Move over and let et them ice cream”

“The ice cream counter is my domain” Ira stood in front of it with his arms crossed over his chest

“Are you seriously blocking my way?”

“Uuys” Bailey cleared her throat “Today would be nice”

“Fine” Iris nodded “Two strawberry delight and white chocolate co up”

“No, two double chocolate chip andup,” Ira said equally firmly

I stepped up to the counter, trying“We’ll have one strawberry delight and white chocolate and one double chocolate chip and mint chocolate chip”

Iris and Ira blinked at me

Iris finally nodded and cleared her throat “Well, alright, then”

A little while later alked out of Antonio’s with our cones I had the strawberry and white chocolate And Bailey was right The ice creareedily, feeling like a kid again

“They are always like that,” Bailey said, laughing “They argue about everything But they really love each other And Ivy”

I was curious about Ivy “Is there a story there?”

“I’ht “Ivy and I still talk, but it’s not the saot really closed off and distant With her uy, but I’ on there”

I thought about how close-knit the co up with Ivy and being best friends with the business owner next door to her inn, plus her obvious affection for Cooper It really was a small town

It seemed so nice

Like a big extended family

I found ain

“So ice cream, check,” Bailey said as andered past Paradise Sands She stopped and aze followed hers to Cooper’s “Now the explanation I promised” She licked at her ice crea you it all, because it isn’tI think will help you understand Cooper’s reaction better Mainly what you need to know is that Cooper has had his share of betrayal The latest was fairly recently, in fact”

She continued to walk and I practically twistedback to look at the bar I wasn’t sure what I was looking for Maybe a glimpse of the man himself?

“When you were looking for a place to stay here, did you come across the Hartwell Grand Hotel?”

“Yeah” It was a four-star hotel in the middle of town “It looked nice, but I wanted to stay on the boardwalk”

“Most folks do The Grand is owned by the Devlin faroup of bandits There are four sons and a daughter They own a few stores on Main Street as well as the hotel and they own Ocean Blue Fun Park—the fairground a few blocks from here They’re wealthyand they don’t pretend to be nice on their way to accu more wealth They’re more than ambitious They’re ruthless”

Intrigued, I said, “How so?”

“We’ve all had our personal dealings with the Devlins and some of us are more than a little suspicious that they h underhandedoff town officials to get what they want Maybe even state officialslike health inspectors

“I had a friend, Stella, who had owned a café on Main Street for a decade Five years ago the café didn’t h there had never been problems before Stella was meticulous about cleanliness But they didn’t pass her and every tiet it sorted out there was a roadblock put in her way She was already in debt and in trouble, so when Ian Devlin showed up and offered to buy the building she took the offer and moved out of Hartwell Hers isn’t the only story like that Everyone knows Ian Devlin has been trying to get property on the boardwalk for years Whenand handed the inn over toto get them to sell” o;Ivy is a Hollywood screenwriter,” Ira said with pride “Engaged to Oliver Frost, the director”