The Summer Getaway: A Novel(26)

“Screw that,” she muttered and began to type.

We’re done, Jase. I can’t be with someone who’s ashamed of me.

She paused, flushing at the words. How could he think so little of her? She knew how to dress, she was comfortable in any social situation. She was well-read, well traveled, she could talk about wine.

Tears burned, but she blinked them away before adding, I also can’t be with someone who thinks so little of me. You won’t hear from me again, and I would prefer not to hear from you.

She drew in another calming breath, ignored her racing heart and pushed Send.

“Mom?”

Robyn usually enjoyed her daughter dropping by, but right now she wasn’t up to the drama. Not that she could share her feelings—they would send Harlow into full frenzy mode.

She faked a smile and walked out of her office to find Harlow in the living room.

“Mom!”

Her daughter dropped her bag on the coffee table and ran to her.

“It’s so awful,” Harlow said, flinging herself at her. “Everything is a mess, and I don’t know what to do.”

Robyn hugged her, wondering if her daughter’s crisis was real or imagined. With Harlow, it was hard to know.

“We’ll figure it out,” she said with a confidence she didn’t feel. She stepped back. “Start at the beginning.”

Harlow sank onto one of the sofas. “Dad’s dating Kip’s twin sister, Zafina. She showed up at the office, and they were obviously together. It was gross. She’s too young for him, and hello? My fiancé’s twin sister? Why would he do that to me? Plus Kip’s known all this time, and he didn’t say anything. I was so mad at him, but he said he just didn’t know how to tell me, which I guess makes sense.” Her lower lip began to tremble. “I don’t know what to do.”

Robyn sat on the opposite sofa. “That’s a lot.”

“It is. It’s too much. Why is she interested in him? He’s a dad with adult children. Plus, he cheated on Leah to go out with her.” Harlow grimaced. “My father cheated on his girlfriend. I don’t want to know that about him. It’s awful, and I don’t know what to think. Why would he tell me that? Why would he do that in the first place?”

All excellent questions, Robyn thought, horrified that Cord would be so cavalier with his own daughter. Telling her about Zafina was one thing, but admitting he’d cheated was selfish and unnecessary. There were things that no child should have to deal with, regardless of their age. His flaws were his problem, not Harlow’s.

Harlow looked at her. “Did you ever cheat on Dad?”

“Of course not.”

“See? That’s my point. You’d never do that. People shouldn’t cheat. Why not just break up with Leah?”

Robyn tensed as she waited for the next obvious question. Did Dad ever cheat on you?

How was she supposed to answer that? She wasn’t going to lie to protect Cord, but she wasn’t interested in telling Harlow the truth.

Fortunately Harlow was too caught up in her own feelings to think of asking that. Instead she said, “I didn’t want to know about him and Zafina.”

“I know. It’s hard to deal with.”

“What if they’re still together at the wedding? No one will care about me and Kip—they’ll all be talking about my dad’s date. It’s supposed to be our day, but he’ll make it about him.” She shuddered. “I know I already said this, but it is really gross.”

“It is, and I’m sorry.”

“Me, too.” Harlow looked at her suspiciously. “You’re not surprised about Zafina.”

And here it comes, she thought glumly. “Someone at the club told me last week. I spoke to your father and told him he had to come clean. That you were going to find out, and it was better to hear it from him.”

“You knew!” Harlow sprang to her feet, glaring. “How could you not warn me? You’re my mother!”

Her daughter was about an inch taller than her, with the same long blond hair and athletic build. When Harlow had been younger, people had commented on how much they looked alike. Cord had joked that her genes alone had created their oldest—with no help from his.

Harlow’s hurt and anger were a tangible presence, a manifestation of her strength. Robyn focused on how good it was to see her daughter so strong and healthy. Years ago, while Harlow had been fighting leukemia, Robyn would have given anything to know her child would survive to adulthood.

Harlow took two steps away, then swung back. “Everyone knew but me?”

“I told you what happened,” Robyn said calmly. “I spoke with your father. He agreed to tell you himself. As he’s the one who created the problem, he should be the one to fix it. I didn’t want to get in the middle.”

“That’s not fair.”

Robyn really wasn’t in the mood for this. “I find it interesting that you complain I don’t treat you like the adult you claim to be, yet whenever something doesn’t go your way, you get in a snit. So, which is it? Do you want to be treated like an adult or like a child? It’s hard to tell from your actions.”

Harlow glared at her. “I can’t believe you said that.”

“I can’t believe how you’re yelling at me for something that isn’t my fault.”