Page 101 of Four Steps to the Perfect Fake Date

Both times, she left feeling drained and ashamed. She’d hurt him by lying about her reasons for agreeing to go to the event. She’d put distance between them with her cowardice. She hadn’t believed their budding romance had been real.

But how real could it have been if he wouldn’t even speak to her? He was eager to turn his back on her without so much as a conversation about what had happened between them. Wasn’t that evidence that they were doomed to fail from the start?

Sighing, Daphne tossed her phone aside and rubbed the heels of her hands against her eyes. She hauled herself off the couch and grabbed the garment bag from where she’d laid it over the back of a dining chair, iridescent-pink fabric visible through the plastic viewing window at the front.

Twenty minutes later, she pulled up outside the Yarrow residence. She made her way through the gate and trudged up the stone stairs, then waited patiently after ringing the doorbell.

Eileen opened the door a few moments later. Her brows shot up. “Daphne,” she said.

“I brought your dress back,” Daphne said. “Dry-cleaned and mended. There was a small rip in one of the petticoats, but they did a good job fixing it.” She unhooked the big reusable shopping bag from her shoulder and pulled out the box within. “And these finally made it to the island. I wasn’t sure about the brand of your old wineglasses, but these were the closest I could find. I also went to the glassblowers’ workshop down by Barela’s yard and asked if they could make a vase. If you’ve got a picture of the one we broke, they’ll try to re-create it as closely as possible.”

“Oh,” Eileen replied, taking the garment bag and the wineglasses. “Thank you. That glassware actually belonged to the caterers, but I appreciate the gesture. It’s very kind of you. Don’t worry about the vase. It was Archie’s mother’s.” Her eyes glimmered as she smiled. “We’ll just call it collateral damage.”

Daphne laughed, then sobered. “I’m sorry about everything that happened. I didn’t mean to ruin your event.”

“That stepson of mine is the one who ruined it. I thought he was up to something for a long time but convinced myself I was imagining things. He and his father never really saw eye to eye about politics on this island, but when my Archie retired, he had to take a step back and let his son run the place. And look how that turned out.” Eileen set the dress down on the foyer bench, then looked at Daphne. “Would you like to come in? We’re just about to sit down for dinner.”

“Oh no, thank you,” Daphne said. “I should get going.” She turned to do just that and paused when Eileen asked, “Have you spoken to Calvin lately?”

Daphne stopped with one foot on the porch’s bottom step, the other on a concrete paver. “Not since the last time I went down to the station to go over my statement.”

“He’s been working himself to the bone. I thought maybe ...” She smiled sadly. “I thought maybe you’d be the one to settle him back down. He seemed so happy when the two of you were seeing each other.”

Bitterness twisted in Daphne’s gut. “I think I ruined any chance I had at doing that,” she admitted. “I ... never told him about ...”

Eileen arched her brows. “About that old pot and your plan to get it back?”

Cringing, Daphne let her gaze slide to the side. “I’m so embarrassed.”

“Why didn’t you talk to me? I had no idea the thing belonged to your great-grandmother. I thought it was my mother’s. She said she got it at a flea market. I kept it because it’s the perfect size for making stews.”

“That would’ve been a better idea, huh?”

Eileen leaned a shoulder against the doorjamb and laughed. “I was told you were the responsible daughter.”

Daphne groaned and slapped her hands over her face. “I don’t know what I am anymore. I just came here to work on the sheriff’s department’s accounts. None of this was supposed to happen.”

“You got any more burglaries planned, or was it more of a one-and-done thing?”

This was the most excruciating interaction of Daphne’s life, but she deserved it for bringing chaos to this woman’s home. “One and done,” she replied, meeting Eileen’s amused gaze. It surprised Daphne that Eileen had such a good attitude about it all—then again, a woman who’d choreographed a ridiculous dance and let her nine-year-old act as costume designer for the sake of a few laughs at her party wasn’t the type of woman who took herself too seriously.

“Shame,” Eileen said, grinning. “People have been talking about my party for weeks. I’ve been basking in the attention. I thought maybe you’d be open to do a repeat performance.”

Shaking her head, Daphne admitted, “My old boss just offered me a job, so I don’t think I’ll be hanging around for much longer. This island is bad for my health.”

Eileen snorted. “I know the feeling. Wasn’t until I met my Archie that I started thinking I could make Fernley Island my home, and I was born here.”

“Thank you for being so gracious, Eileen,” Daphne said. “I wouldn’t blame you if you slammed that door in my face instead of inviting me in.”

The look on Eileen’s face was soft and almost fond. “I get why Calvin likes you so much,” the older woman said. “Nothing like someone who stands up for what they believe in, isn’t afraid to own up to her mistakes, and is intelligent and beautiful to boot.”

Daphne could hardly stand to continue this conversation. She’d wanted to return the dress and run away. It was the last tie she had to this family, and she was ready to move on from the most mortifying experience of her life. “He’s not such a big fan of me at the moment.”

“He does know how to hold a grudge, that son of mine.”

Chest aching, Daphne tried to force a smile. “I’ll let you get back to your dinner. And let me know if there’s anything else I can do to make up for what I did.”

“Talk to Calvin,” Eileen said in a voice echoing with sadness. “That’s the only thing I’ll ask of you. Don’t make the same mistakes I made and stop fighting for him.”

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