Page 37 of The Vineyard Bride

“I don’t know.She answers my texts and calls but is really cagey about details.I assume she’s still with him somewhere on the island, but I can’t be sure,” Jenny returned.

Lola felt gobsmacked.“And you can’t tell me anything else about him?”

“I don’t know.”Jenny furrowed her brow, removing a wrapped straw from her apron.“He’s a guy called Harry from the Midwest, living on Martha’s Vineyard.That’s all I can really remember right now.”She then yanked herself toward the front door of the coffee shop as she said, “I’ll be right there!”to a line of eight impatient customers.

In the silence that followed, Lola and Audrey looked shellshocked.After nearly two minutes, Lola shook her head ominously and said, “She’s been on the island the entire time?”

“I don’t know what to tell you,” Audrey returned.“But with that journalistic head of yours, I have a hunch you’ll be able to find this mystery man.”

“I hope so.”Lola traced a strand of hair around the back of her ear.“I just don’t think she wants me to chase after her this time.Maybe, as a journalist, I also have to learn when to stop running.”

Audrey draped her hand over Lola’s.“All you can do is let her know how much you still care.”

Lola nodded, drew her phone from her pocket, and typed a message:

LOLA: Hi Valerie.

LOLA: I guess you can tell from my many text messages last night that I’m very hungover today.

LOLA: I hoped to catch you while I was in Boston, but I heard a rumor that you skipped town.

LOLA: Please know that I’m always here for you, even if I sometimes don’t show it.

LOLA: Love you forever, Val.

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